Red oiser shoots

[Hawkdancer]

Now that I got it - what do I do with it?  Got two bundles drying, some waiting to be peeled and bundle.  Finding shoots 3/8ths was a challenge, most were either larger or smaller.  Wound up getting a bunch that looked good at 7/16 - 1/2".  I thought it would be easier to sand down To get a fair shaft  plan to try to peel this bunch before drying but will leave about 2-3" on the ends to prevent checking,  I hope.  Plan to save the bark for smoke makings, ceremonial, of course😀😇, and some dye for the arrows.  For id purposes, willow has alternating leaves, red oiser has opposite leaves, and they shift 90 degrees at each node, and of course red winter bark. Pith is white, flowers and fruit are white.  Other dogwoods have brown pith.  Amazing what you can forget over about 60 years. Will post some pics as I go.  Hand is getting better, I am in pt(pain & torture) mode now, with remove able splint. 
Hawkdancer
 

[jeffp51]

Cut them thicker than you want your final diameter to be. They shrink quite a bit when they dry, and of course you lose some thickness when you skin them. Plus, you can always sand down, but you can't add wood once it is gone.

[Pat B]

I use a small, inexpensive thumb plane to reduce the diameter if they are too big then sand them smooth.

[Hawkdancer]

😂👹Jeff, you mean my (mythical) shoot thickener won't work on these?😱  Maybe I should try some smoke😂😀!   There are a lot of more or less thicker shoots available, may have to get some for trade stock.  About how long Should I dry them, one batch I cut and bundled in mid-January, the rest, this week.  I plan to stick a few that are too thin into the ground with root starter and see if they grow, there are a couple of spots in the garden that get plenty moisture.   Will be looking fora thumb plane, good reason to go to the flea markets!

[DC]

Cut the thin ones next month and cut the thick ones last month, easy peasy

[Pat B]

Depending of your weather conditions and where you stored them the ones you cut in January should be about ready to work. Ideally, the longer they season the better arrow they will make.

[jeffp51]

😂👹Jeff, you mean my (mythical) shoot thickener won't work on these?😱  Maybe I should try some smoke😂😀!   There are a lot of more or less thicker shoots available, may have to get some for trade stock.  About how long Should I dry them, one batch I cut and bundled in mid-January, the rest, this week.  I plan to stick a few that are too thin into the ground with root starter and see if they grow, there are a couple of spots in the garden that get plenty moisture.   Will be looking fora thumb plane, good reason to go to the flea markets!

Yeah, I was kind of stating the obvious.  I cut some in October that look ready to go.  I can tell by the sound they make when they rattle together how dry they are.  green sounds dead and dull, the dry ones rattle like--well, like arrows rattle in a quiver.  Put them in a car in the sunlight.  That speeds up the process.

[bjrogg]

I like harvesting mine thicker to. I leave Bark on. When they are dry enough I just use file side of my farriers rasp to file them down close to spine and weight. I usually straighten and rebundle them again till I use them.
Bjrogg

[Hawkdancer]

To say it is dry around these parts is an understatement - no measurable precipitation in over 6 weeks,  relative humidity has been below 10% many times,  high fire danger, etc.  I hefted the batch I cut in January and it seems to be seasoning well, can't really compare to the others because bundles are different sizes.  Got the last batch peeled and bundled, plan to get some more as soon as I can.  I came by some turkey feathers and currently have them in a bundle with mothballs to get rid of any creepy crawlies that may be there - some wild, both wing and tail, some barred domestic.