How Old is your Osage?

[gstoneberg]

With the recent talk about growing osage or planting osage seedlings, I got to thinking.  How old is a usable osage tree in your area?  I just walked out and counted the rings in a log that was roughly 6" at the base, a little less than 5" at the top.  31 rings, so here in Texas it took roughly 30 years to get a 6" osage tree.  Anybody else have osage they can count the rings on?

George

[Dvshunter]

MOst of the stuff I have is around 40 or so and roughly 14in. in diameter

[mullet]

 I have what I think is the only two Osage trees in Central Florida. They are 5 years old, 36" high, 2" inch trunk, and at this rate I'll be worm food before you could make a bend in the handle bow. In contrast, my Ipe tree is 35' tall in 13 years

[FlintWalker]

About 10-12 years around here. They grow fast in the first few years then usually slow down a lot as it gets older. 

[medic336]

cutting a smaller one soon I'll let you know... Keep in mind though that this one grew in a rocky area on the side of a mountain. Figuring on a high ring count.

[osage outlaw]

I don't know about a young tree, but the second growth grows really fast around here.  Stumps that were cut 10 years ago have 4-6" second growth on them.

[Pat B]

I have made good, hunting weight bows from 5 to 6 year old second growth suckers.

[gstoneberg]

So, the key to quick osage growth appears to be to find an old one, cut it down and then persuade the landowner to let it grow up from the stump.  So far nobody in Texas has let me do that.  I have plenty of people asking me to cut them as close to the ground as I can.

George