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Robert Pougnier:
I'm just outside of Georgetown right now.

I had some cane that I harvested years ago from the Asheville NC area. It was on streambeds. Could that be hill cane? I most recently harvested some in SC around the Waccamaw river and near Santee, maybe that is switch cane? I don't remember the day I harvested the ones in NC so I can't say how different they looked in the ground. But the raw shafts look very similar. I have both side by side right now. I'll try and get some definitive ID features next time I harvest them so that I know which ones they are, I did not know we had three species! Thanks for the information.

Off topic, but since you are in NC do you ever go to the trad shoot in Conover NC? I will be in the Asheville area for the month of March and was hoping to attend.

Pat B:
I've never been to the Trad shoot in Conover. I used to go to the one near Hickory put on by CTA(Carolina Traditional Archers) but it's no longer. There used to be more shoots around here in NC and SC but most have gone by the wayside. The only one I go to now is the Tenn. Classic, just north of Nashville in late April/early May. That at Pappy's farm, Twin Oaks. If you ever get there you will wonder why you've never been before. It's not only a Trad shoot but selfbow building too. You will start seeing posts soon about the Tenn Classic and if you search there is lots of info and pics of that here on PA.
 The cane you got from Asheville was probably is hill cane. It only grows in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Hill cane is more round with thicker walls and a distinct taper. It is the only native cane that is deciduous, loosing it's leaves every winter.
 Also all of the 3 native canes have a 3 year growth cycle. The first year it grows to it's ultimate height. The second year it matures and after the 3rd growing season that culm(cane) dies. Harvesting happens after the second growing season into the 3rd growing season. If you cut immature culms they will wrinkle lengthwise as they dry and will be more flimsy. I usually harvest in January and February. You can tell if the culm is ready to harvest because the paper sheath at the nodes is deteriorating or already gone. The arrows I make from hill cane are 30" long and 3/8" at the point and 5/16" at the nock and the complete arrow can weigh from the high 400grs to almost 600grs.
 I'm fortunate to have hill cane growing along the creek that runs through our property.

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