Oregon Bowyers Attention need some help

[Archeryrocks]

My wife and I are coming up to Oregon for our anniversary the first weekend in march. we plan on stopping in glass butte to try and get some obsidian and then headed towards portland through Bend and up through hood river area. Is there anyone in this area that could tell me anything about where to find yew? or other bow woods. Or is there anywhere that I can get port orford cedar not in shafts yet just as blocks of wood?

[aaron]

too bad you're not coming the last week of march- that's the glass buttes knap-in. I can give you some advice on finding obsidian, but not on finding yew. If you go west of Portland you'll get into Vine Maple country. Roads at glass buttes can be a real mess in early march- it may not even be passable. Port Orford Cedar might be available at WoodCrafters in Portland, but doubt you'd find it to be straight grained enough  for arrows. There's some good junipers around glass buttes, and also mountain mahogany...

[High-Desert]

Unfortunatly, the process to cut a yew tree legally is lengthy.  I cut mine on the Mount Hood National Forest. First you have to find a location of the yew trees, then you have to submit the location. They will approve the location, then you can cut the tree. Currently they will not approve any location because the guy who is doing it, Travis, can not get up to the locations due to snow.
as far as other bow woods, there is miles of juniper to choose from. Although, looking for a good stave in juniper is liking looking for a needle, in a stack of needles. When you find one, there are usually a bunch tho. Up Juniper Canyon road out of Prineville towards Prineville reservoir, there are lots of straight clear juniper. When I cut on BLM land, I still request a permit. They emailed me back telling me I had permission to cut, and the email was my permit.
There is also lots of Vine Maple once you get out into the Cascades.
Hope this helps a little.

Eric

[High-Desert]

About the POC. I haven't seen it in the wood stores. But Woodcrafters in Portland has Sitka Spruce, which makes great arrows, and its cheap.

[Weylin]

There's a really sweet spot with perfect, straight yew trees. It's right between the Columbia River and Klamath Falls in the mountains. Can't miss it! 

Joking aside, it's a pain to get permission. You get different answers every time you try. You're not likely to find anyone willing to give up a honey hole but my general advice is to poke around creek and river bottoms in the Cascades.

[Carson (CMB)]

Sounds like a great anniversary trip I promise honey, just one more stave tree. 

Not much I can add. I did get a call from a guy in bend area that had some POC lumber from the biscuit fire. He was using it in musical instruments and was looking for a buyer...I never made it over to check it out. I think he might have been preparing to sell his business.  Try doing a search for instrument maker/luthier in bend area and you might turn it up.  The nature of POC, you might just find good straight grain in lumber. The damn things grow like a giant arrow shaft...one of the reasons they were prized in the hay day of wood arrows.

[Lighterknot]

Al Kimery is a bowyer in Oregon, maybe look him up and give him a ring or shoot him a message to see if he could point you in the right direction.
(503) 816-6614
al.kimery@yahoo.com
wwtradal-bows.com/

Not sure if his website is up and running but he is also on Facebook.

[Bryce]

Yeah that's the thing good luck getting a permit these days. In the last couple years they've basically shut it down.
And anyone that does know where it's legal to cut or has permission to cut on private property won't give it up lol

Anyways I hope you find some! Happy anniversary

[Archeryrocks]

thanks for the info we'll have to see what we end up doing I appreciate all the advice. it sounds like Yew is probably off the table.

[Bryce]

Yeah it's a bummer. Sounds like you'll be on the west side of the cascades heading north on interstate-5 you could always hop off and take a 5 mins drive to carsons shop in stayton. He has yew staves for sale. Just contact Carson Brown @ Echo Archery and he'll be more than happy to hook yah a up with a nice stave. Plus you be able to look over the stave and decide what you want.

Pm me for his number if your interested.

[bjrogg]

Yeah it's a bummer. Sounds like you'll be on the west side of the cascades heading north on interstate-5 you could always hop off and take a 5 mins drive to carsons shop in stayton. He has yew staves for sale. Just contact Carson Brown @ Echo Archery and he'll be more than happy to hook yah a up with a nice stave. Plus you be able to look over the stave and decide what you want.

Pm me for his number if your interested.

now that sounds like a interesting Anniversary trip. I bet the wife would love that little detour. I'm sure mine would.
Bjrogg

[Archeryrocks]

So my wife was reading comments on here and wanted me to let you all know this trip is Wife approved. she is making her first bow right now and is excited to learn more. does anyone know where I could find some ocean spray or other good arrow shaft material we're driving from utah to portland and probably out to the coast. I forgot that Echo Archery was up this direction I have looked at their website before but I'll look at where we are headed and see if there is any option for us to get to the salem area.

[jeffp51]

ArcheryRocks,  what part of Utah are you in?  I am in Pleasant Grove.

[Archeryrocks]

ArcheryRocks,  what part of Utah are you in?  I am in Pleasant Grove.

We live up in Brigham City, but I work in Ogden and our families are in Salt Lake.

[aaron]

Most of the ocean spray I see is out here near the coast. Not real common where I live In pacific county WA, but we do have some. It is a bit hard to ID in march. It is more common on the Oregon coast south of cannon beach and also plentiful in the puget sound.