I figured that with turkey season only a couple weeks away, I had better get off my butt and get this years bow wood harvest underway. The bugs and snakes are still in their dens and the foliage is down, so nows the time.
I have been looking at this tree for the past 4yrs. Its osage orange, about 16" diameter. It is straight for about 7ft and has one clean side for that length. I decided to talk to the land owner and asked him if I could harvest the tree and take the trunk for bow wood and the rest will heat our home next winter. He not only said yes but he also agreed to help my drop it, as it would require getting it to fall on the trail, away from where it would normally want to fall.
It was in a draw that is a dry creek runoff most of the time, but during the wet season runs a little stream down hill. It was tucked away with protection from the prevailing north./ south winds and was at one time under the growth canopy of a very large elm ( that is now all gone except the 28" stump). I think that is what caused it to grow straight.
Heres the log on the ground
Here is the shot of the butt end. It looks about 86yrs old. It also looks like the first 18-20yrs were pretty lean for it while it took root under the elm. The middle growth rings were micro thin but after about 20yrs it started putting on some really nice 1/8-1/16" rings.
