yes, the maple is sugar maple and it grows all over here.
the burning "technique" is just a plain propane torchhead attatchment screwed onto a can. i just make sure the bow is rubbed generously with fat as i do not want the wood to get too hot in just one spot and do not want to burn deep at all. i just use a light hand with the torch,and randomly place "color" where i think it looks well.