so I took a walk in the park

[Nasr]

and I found an Osage tree. My heart started pounding and the devil started to whisper. I live in Michigan and I have heard of them growing here but I have never seen one. I really don't want to go to prison but I am not gonna lie I feel like I can get away with it. It was straight about 7 feet tall and had hedge apples small ones but I spotted them instantly. Continued walking and found this house that had one on its front lawn. I don't know what is going on I feel like I am being set up. Like someone wants me to cut it so they can catch me. If only that person knew that there was gold growing in his front yard. Honestly if I knew I could get away with it I would probably cut it down. The one in the park not the house.

[dylanholderman]

Ask if you can trim a branch they might tell you to take the whole tree.
most people I’ve met hate Osage, thorns and wood that’s hard on chainsaws.

[bjrogg]

Where is this park in Michigan. 

Seriously it might not be a bad  idea to talk to both the house owner and someone at the park. Another thing is now you know it's growing in the area. Maybe some of the tree trimmers in the area run across some.
Bjrogg

[Nasr]

 There are a lot of open land around me with trees and I am gonna go walking around and see if i can spot some if i do i will be buying a ski mask 

[Hamish]

I may or may not have done some selective wood poaching in the  past.
$40-100 on a stave is much cheaper than lawyer fees, court costs, fines, and criminal records. There is a reason they say crime does not pay. Especially in the days where everyone walking past has a camera phone, lots of cctv, trail cam's, dash cam's etc.

[Hawkdancer]

Talk to the park department or the city forester to find out if they consider Osage to be invasive.  They might let you cut it down to save labor and wear and tear on their equipment.  If it is you might be able to convince that home owner to let you cut the one and replace it with a native tree.  Don't do anything illegal, it ain't worth it.
Hawkdancer

[Pat B]

Explain to whomever you talk to why you want the osage. Tell them you are learning how to make primitive archery equipment and osage was traditionally used by the Native American as one of their bow woods. And if you get permission be sure to prune the branch off properly so you don't damage the tree and clean up after yourself.

[Nasr]

There is a piece of land that is gated that has a bunch of trees it also has a private property sign on it I was thinking if I spot an Osage tree there I will try to get contact information and ask for permission.
100 bucks on a stave is a no go for me with my current situation. The wife would kill me.

[bjrogg]

There is a piece of land that is gated that has a bunch of trees it also has a private property sign on it I was thinking if I spot an Osage tree there I will try to get contact information and ask for permission.
100 bucks on a stave is a no go for me with my current situation. The wife would kill me.

I understand not having the $100 and I suspect your kidding about the ski mask. I'm pretty sure your wife would really be upset with fine and legal costs.

I'm thinking if you keep looking and knocking on doors you'll find the person you're looking for. Then you have lots of work to do and better start looking for a good place to store it. Good Luck. I know it grows here in Michigan. I've never seen it but I know others who have. I do have a couple tiny saplings I planted that I got from Ed. Man I miss that guy. Hope he's ok.
Bjrogg

[sleek]

There is a piece of land that is gated that has a bunch of trees it also has a private property sign on it I was thinking if I spot an Osage tree there I will try to get contact information and ask for permission.
100 bucks on a stave is a no go for me with my current situation. The wife would kill me.

Only way I'd pay 100 bucks for a stave is if I could get 3 bows from it, or it was one of those insane snakey staves. Maybe for a new guy if it has a ring chased and is  it down to very basic dimensions it might be worth it, but if I cost me 100 bucks per stave, id take a hike too. Screw that.

[Nasr]

There is a piece of land that is gated that has a bunch of trees it also has a private property sign on it I was thinking if I spot an Osage tree there I will try to get contact information and ask for permission.
100 bucks on a stave is a no go for me with my current situation. The wife would kill me.

Only way I'd pay 100 bucks for a stave is if I could get 3 bows from it, or it was one of those insane snakey staves. Maybe for a new guy if it has a ring chased and is  it down to very basic dimensions it might be worth it, but if I cost me 100 bucks per stave, id take a hike too. Screw that.

 Wait maybe I am misinformed where do you get your staves from sleek? If I can get three bows from a stave for 100 I would gladly pay that.

[hoosierf]

I know how you feel. I’ve been pruning a mulberry in a park by me for two years to develop some nice staves. I don’t think I’ll ever cut it but it’s fun to check on it and pick a few berries every 5 or 6 weeks.

I wonder if I could transplant a sucker or graft a limb hmmmm.

[Eric Krewson]

Always ask permission, lust for wood shouldn't turn any of us into thieves, we are better men than that.

For 25 years I have been asking permission to cut osage, pull osage out of burn piles and to salvage trees downed from various causes. I have never been turned down, ever.

I just made this rhyme up "if you show them a bow they will let it go", worked for me every time.

This was my latest, pushed down by a city dozer to make room for a parking lot. One call to the  Sheffield Al road department and it was mine.

[Hawkdancer]

Eric,
That is a nice bunch of "raw" staves and billets!
Hawkdancer

[jeffp51]

I saw a guy that had a lot of trees on his lot.  I brought one of my bows over and and told him what I did, and offered to make him a bow if we could cut a good tree (elm, in this case) from his lot.  Turns out, he loves to hunt, loves archery and woodworking.  He was amazed by my bows, and grabbed his chainsaw. We went out back and cut not one, but three trees down, and he loaded me up with staves.  I made him a bow that he loves, and I made a new friend out of the interaction.  A way better result than sneaking around with a ski mask would have been.