Kansas City area free bow wood?

[TimBo]

If anyone is in the KC area (or South Dakota - JW?), you can go to Kansas City Craigslist and search for "free firewood for the taking".  It is actually closer to St. Joseph.  He needs some trees cleared, so it is a "you cut, you haul" deal...mostly black locust, hackberry, and something called "hedge"...whatever that is. 

[Hawkdancer]

Tim,
"Hedge" is most likely Osage Orange'.  But I haven't lived in Missouri for 50 years or more, mostly more!  The language seems to have changed !
Hawkdancer

[Eric Krewson]

I was talking to a friend about bow making years ago, he was from Springfield MO, I told him I made bows out of osage orange, he said "what's that". I explained the tree and the thorns, that it was used for fence rows before barbwire and was really tough stuff, "Oh "he said, "you mean hedge". Turns out for many mid-westerners osage has always been known as hedge.

[TimBo]

Oh, I am well aware that hedge = osage!  That was one more example of how my sense of humor doesn't always translate to the internet...

[Eric Krewson]

If I told someone where I live that I used hedge for bow making they wouldn't have a clue what it was, actually, if I tell them I make bows out of oasge orange they wouldn't know what I was talking about either. I have to say" you know, those trees that drop grapefruit sized green balls under them in the fall", then some of them know what I am talking about but only people who lived in the country.

[PaulN/KS]

If ya really want to confuse some folks call it "bodark"... 

[gifford]

And don't forget "Horse Apple". :-)

[Allyn T]

I used to call them hedge apple but I've been on this site too long and now it is automatically Osage.

[bentstick54]

Yep, I’m a born and raised Kansan and still have to catch myself and not call it hedge. It’s all I knew it by until my adult years.

[bjrogg]

I live in MIchigan and very few people other than bowyers have any idea what Hedge, Hedge Apple ,Osage, Osage Orange, Bodark or that tree that drops the grapefruit sized balls is.lol

But then very few people know what Hop Hornbeam is either

Bjrogg

[bassman211]

What ever it is called in different parts of the country if you get hands on a straight clean piece it is gold for self bow making.

[organic_archer]

I’ve tried contacting that Craigslist guy multiple times over the past few months. It’s only a 2 hour drive from me. He won’t return my messages. Hope someone else has better luck getting ahold of him than me!

[TimBo]

Well, that's no good.  Sorry to post a dead end - it seemed like it might be useful for someone, but not if he isn't reachable.