Huge vine maple

[vinemaplebows]

Here is some rare vine maple for me anyway. I could not get both hands around the largest one, and they are pipe straight for vine maple...

[Gordon]

OMG!

[wizardgoat]

wow those look alot nicer than the bigger stuff up here. I don't mean to "one-up" you,  I took these photos a couple weeks ago while looking for some yew.
Its cool how much different our VM looks than yours. Honestly I think the stuff in your region is better










some yew trees that didnt come home with me

[rossfactor]

Those are big.  I usually find it less than 4" diameter here in northern CA.  And its usually gnarly, and down by the stream.

Gabe

[vinemaplebows]

There are 4 of these monsters, and it will be quite the pack getting them out. The vines are about 20 + feet tall and straight the entire length......

Those are some good pics there Wizard, love to look at what others see where they are at. I think we miss a lot of the adventure in bow building by not starting at the hunt for our staves. Wish more people would post pics of their area, and what they find in the woods!

VMB

[leehongyi]

a living tree worthes more than 100 dead bows！

[paco664]

There are 4 of these monsters, and it will be quite the pack getting them out. The vines are about 20 + feet tall and straight the entire length......

Those are some good pics there Wizard, love to look at what others see where they are at. I think we miss a lot of the adventure in bow building by not starting at the hunt for our staves. Wish more people would post pics of their area, and what they find in the woods!

VMB

this is my area and pretty much what i have to choose from

[Jim Davis]

But isn't the attraction of vine maple that is grows like this ~~~~~~~?

[vinemaplebows]

But isn't the attraction of vine maple that is grows like this ~~~~~~~?

Got tons of that, the point is....this is rare.

[vinemaplebows]

a living tree worthes more than 100 dead bows！

Not to logging companies....

[steve b.]

Wow those are huge.  But wizardgoat wins because his trees happen to have lighters and keys on them--what are the chances that would happen?   

There's not alot of VM in my neighborhood but my neighbor planted this tree like 30 years ago.  He says I can have it.  I only see one stave worthy trunk in the bunch, the one in the middle, and a ton of billet material.  But its pretty big too.

[vinemaplebows]

Wow those are huge.  But wizardgoat wins because his trees happen to have lighters and keys on them--what are the chances that would happen?   

There's not alot of VM in my neighborhood but my neighbor planted this tree like 30 years ago.  He says I can have it.  I only see one stave worthy trunk in the bunch, the one in the middle, and a ton of billet material.  But its pretty big too.

You would crap if you seen all the vine around me, I can hardly believe it......just picking the choice ones though are hard.

[bubby]

Now ya got me needing to make a vinemaple brian I'll have to get ahold of ya for some billets 

[steve b.]

Brian ,
I never exhausted my work with VM like I wanted to before I moved to an area surrounded with oceanspray.  I've been working almost exclusively with OS for quite awhile now, wanting to exhaust and discover it's potential before moving on.  But eventually I'll take that middle trunk and make a couple of VM bows.
I'm getting spoiled by the OS because its nearly a bow the minute you cut it.  An hour later I have it debarked and at floor tiller.
I'm also surrounded by hazel and serviceberry.  Too much wood, not enough time!

[vinemaplebows]

I do like Hazel, great wood with a little heat on the belly. I have a weaknest to want to work Cascara more than most woods, like it is easy to find, nice bright color, and most of all it works so easy.....I call it cheap Yew.

VMB