Any tips on harvesting Hickory?

[Stickhead]

I've got a woods full of hickory at my disposal, and I plan to harvest some, primarily for self bows.  I'm familiar with osage and some others, but I've never harvested my own hickory, so I've got a couple questions.

What is a good diameter tree for producing staves (I'm guessing about 12")?

Should I remove the bark before aging the staves?

I've only made a couple of hickory self bows, and have always used the newest growth ring as a back.  Can I chase an older sapwood ring and still have a strong back? 

For larger trees, can a inner heartwood-only stave make a decent self bow?

if I decide to back hickory, what are the best materials?

Thanks for any advice!

...Tom

[osage outlaw]

12" trees are a good size.  I would strip the bark and seal the backs and ends.  If you cut them now the bark should slip. 

[Danzn Bar]

Good advise from OO,  I'd make the splits about 3" wide.  You should get about 9-10 staves out of a 12" dia tree easy....
DBar.

[ksnow]

Definitely remove the bark, borers love hickory. Its getting near the end of the season for the bark to slip here in WI. If you can handle the weight, 12 inch logs are nice.

Kyle

[Eric Krewson]

The last hickory I cut was about this time of year, the bark didn't slip and it took me 2 weeks to get the bark off 17 staves, it didn't give up easily.

About a quarter of my staves dog legged, hickory is very hard to correct and have it stay that way.

I have a bow making friend who deals exclusively in hickory and has made hundreds of bows. He said he halves the log and lets it sit for 6 months in the dry before splitting it into staves. He said he gets much less warpage this way. I haven't cut hickory in a while so I haven't tried his method. 

Prime hickory, I split the heartwood out of most of it so it would be lighter to haul back to my truck from the side of a high ridge.

The second picture is the staves trimmed to the final width with chalk line and a skill saw.

[timmyd]

I love hickory. definitely don't wait too long cutting. get it down now and the bark and cambium will pull right off. I have a video on here of me cutting HHB in June of you want to check that out. definitely leave the splits wide for a few months before reducing. hickory does not correct with heat very well. steaming is better. also hickory needs to be around 6-8% moisture to make a good bow. 10% wont cut it with hickory. it will shoot but set will be bad and it will be sluggish. keep the bow around 1.75" wide and dry and you will have an awesome selfbow

[JonW]

White woods are best cut in the early spring when leaves first start to show. You have the more mature ring from the previous year's growth versus cutting now while a new ring is being grown. Nothing really wrong with cutting now though. Hickory is tough stuff.

[Stickhead]

Lots of good info, guys.  Thanks!