Author Topic: Question on New Hampshire bow woods...  (Read 1461 times)

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Offline seminolewind

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Question on New Hampshire bow woods...
« on: October 30, 2013, 02:18:20 pm »
My brother lives in Portsmouth NH and is wanting to cut some staves for myself and him. He is new to the primitive archery world and has recently moved there as well. What are some common species that grow plentifully in that area that would make some good bow wood?

Thanks y'all keep posting I'm living vicariously through you guys while I'm chasing Taliban !!!
"Those that beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson

Elijah,
Tampa, FL.

Offline Wooden Spring

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Re: Question on New Hampshire bow woods...
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2013, 02:29:58 pm »
Honestly, the humble red oak makes an outstanding bow. I'm sure there's others, but I learned how to make bows with red oak, and they're great performers.
"Everything that moves shall be food for you..." Genesis 9:3

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Question on New Hampshire bow woods...
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2013, 04:22:53 pm »
Here is a list of the native hardwoods of New Hampshire that I found online.  I know that several of these are certainly quite good bow woods.  Hope it helps...

OneBow

_____________________________________

Hardwoods

Ash Fraxinus (Oleaceae)
     white ash Fraxinus americana
     black ash Fraxinus nigra
     green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Basswood Tilia (Tiliaceae)
     American basswood Tilia americana

Beech Fagus (Fagaceae)
     American beech Fagus grandifolia

Birch Betula (Betulaceae)
     yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis
     sweet birch, black birch Betula lenta
     river birch Betula nigra
     paper birch, white birch Betula papyrifera
     heartleaf birch Betula cordifolia
     gray birch Betula populifolia

Cherry Prunus (Rosaceae)
     black cherry Prunus serotina
     pin cherry, fire cherry Prunus pensylvanica
     chokecherry Prunus virginiana

Chestnut Castanea (Fagaceae)
     American chestnut Castanea dentata

Dogwood Cornus (Cornaceae)
     flowering dogwood Cornus florida
     alternate leaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia

Elm Ulmus (Ulmaceae)
     American elm Ulmus americana
     slippery elm Ulmus rubra

Gum Nyssa (Nyssaceae)
     blackgum, black tupelo Nyssa sylvatica

Hackberry Celtis (Ulmaceae)
     hackberry Celtis occidentalis

Hawthorn Craetagus (Rosaceae)
     dotted hawthorn Craetagus punctata
     downy hawthorn Craetagus mollis
     scarlet hawthorn Craetagus coccinea
     golden-fruited hawthorn Craetagus chrysocarpa
     Brainerd’s hawthorn Craetagus brainerdii
     broad-leaved hawthorn Craetagus dilatata
     frosted hawthorn Craetagus pruinosa
     fan-leaved hawthorn Craetagus flabellata

Hickory Carya (Juglandaceae)
     bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis
     red hickory Carya ovalis
     shagbark hickory Carya ovata
     pignut hickory Carya glabra

Hophornbeam Ostrya (Betulaceae)
     eastern hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana

Hornbeam Carpinus (Betulaceae)
     American hornbeam, blue beech, ironwood Carpinus caroliniana

Maple Acer (Aceraceae)
     boxelder Acer negundo
     black maple Acer nigrum
     striped maple, moosewood maple Acer pensylvanicum
     red maple, white maple, swamp maple, soft maple Acer rubrum
     silver maple Acer saccharinum
     sugar maple, rock maple, hard maple Acer saccharum
     mountain maple Acer spicatum

Mountain Ash Sorbus (Rosaceae)
     American mountain ash Sorbus americana
     showy mountain ash Sorbus decora

Oak Quercus (Fagaceae)
     northern red oak Quercus rubra
     scarlet oak Quercus coccinea
     pin oak Quercus palustris
     black oak Quercus velutina
     white oak Quercus alba
     swamp white oak Quercus bicolor
     chestnut oak Quercus prinus
     bur oak Quercus macrocarpa

Poplar Populus (Salicaceae)
     eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides
     balsam poplar Populus balsamifera
     bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata
     quaking aspen, trembling aspen, popple Populus tremuloides

Sassafras Sassafras (Lauraceae)
     sassafras Sassafras albidum

Serviceberry Amelanchier (Rosaceae)
     downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea
     smooth serviceberry Amelanchier laevis

Sumac Rhus (Anacardiaceae)
     staghorn sumac Rhus typhina

Sycamore Platanus (Platanaceae)
     American sycamore, planetree, buttonwood Platanus occidentalis

Viburnum Viburnum (Caprifoliaceae)
     nannyberry, wild raisin Viburnum lentago

Walnut Juglans (Juglandaceae)
     black walnut Juglans nigra
     butternut, white walnut Juglans cinerea

Willow Salix (Salicaceae)
     black willow Salix nigra

Witch-hazel Hamamelis (Hamamelidaceae)
     witch hazel Hamamelis virginiana

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Question on New Hampshire bow woods...
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2013, 04:35:11 pm »
I also found this list of invasive plant species that the state of New Hampshire considers 'invasive species'.  This may mean that you can find stands of these that the state wants to get rid of.  This abrieviated list is just those that I recall seeing someone on the board had mentioned making a bow with before. (I certainly haven't!)

OneBow

_________________________________________
Invasive Species in New Hampshire
Tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima
Blunt-leaved privet Ligustrum obtusifolium
Common buckthorn  Rhamnus carthartica
Glossy buckthorn  Rhamnus frangula
Russian olive  Elaeagnus angustifolia
Common Privet  Ligustrum vulgare
Black Locust  Robinia pseudoacacia
Siberian Elm  Ulmus pumila