Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: BowKids on March 26, 2009, 04:12:54 pm
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Out looking for arrow shaft material here in the midwest. I think I am too far north for Dogwood and too south for Osier. Found tons of this around here. Abos must have used this. Can you ID? The stump is a bout a foot tall and everything bracnches soon after. The leaves are just coming in so I can't read them yet. Grows about 10-15 ft tall. Almost like a giant bush.
(http://equinemediaworld.com/Ricks/bow1.jpg)
(http://equinemediaworld.com/Ricks/bow2.jpg)
(http://equinemediaworld.com/Ricks/bow3.jpg)
(http://equinemediaworld.com/Ricks/bow4.jpg)
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Looks like willow to me. It will make good arrows but the ones I tried were bigger in diameter than other woods I've used.
You should have one of the dogwood species near you. Red osier is a dogwood. You may have silky dogwood there. Looks simular to redosier with the red bark on the younger(2year old) shoots.
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Looks like hazelnut to me. makes good arrows.
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Hazelnut? Nah, I don't think so.
Willow? Yes, looks like some species of Salix to me!
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Well I live about a 100 miles south of bowkids, and that looks like what we call hazelnut. :)
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Once the leaves come out you will be able to tell for sure.
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I would cut first and ask questions later... ;D When the leaves are full grown it will be harder to see all those beautiful shoots.
Another thought: You might be able to identify the wood by smell. I think hazelnut smells like...well, hazelnut?
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Well I live about a 100 miles south of bowkids, and that looks like what we call hazelnut. :)
Okay, in that case...
But the "hazelnut" I know, the one that produces edible hazelnuts, looks really different. I only know Corylus avellana. I think it's time to use scientific, binomial nomenclature again... What "hazelnut" do you say this is then?
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Hard to tell for sure from the pics, but I'd say it's either a willow of some sort or Autumn olive (Eleagnus angustifolia). The autumn olive is an introduced invasive species that was once widely planted as wildlife food/cover, and is now busy taking over the world. Definitely not hazelnut.
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Reminds me of autumn olive also with the growth habit. I can't see the buds to be decisive. Give them a try if nothing else.
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Kind of hard to tell from the photos but willow - Genus Salix has twigs and leaves that alternate as you go up or down the shoot. Dogwood - genus Cornus has twigs that occur in paired, opposite and then the next paired opposite set is at right angles to the previous one. They alternate in this pattern. The veins on the leaves are paired from a mid line. Ash, viburnum, privet, maple and lilac have a similar alternating pair, opposite pattern. How lucky you would be if the plant is arrowwood viburnum. Second growth shoots and bow staves that come off a stump of a large tree are very desirable because they are being nourished by a large and well established root system and will be vigorous. May I suggest that you go to the local library and check out a plant and shrub identification book or buy a used one from a bookstore. That way you'll have it to carry afield. If the arrow wood in question will make good shafts and you have permission to cut them, by all means gather some now as it will be too late for ideal harvesting once the leaves are developed. A good rule of thumb for arrow shoots in the Northern Hemisphere is to gather between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. Until next time, Go to the woods. Walk softly, And carry a bent stick.
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that is autumn olive for sure.when i was in foresty school the state of il. paid us to plant the stuff,now they pay dozer operators to dig it up.i have found more morels under those trees than you can shake an arrow at.let us know how the arrows turn out,as i have been wondering if it would make good shafts.oh yeah , the berries are excellent in the fall.
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olive for sure