what is this stuff

[kayakfisher]

What is this stuff and does it make decent arrows ,some of it is pretty straight and 3/8 diameter.There's quite a lot of it in the area that I hunt its growing in a low lying area if that helps.I know by the description and pictures you all posted its not red osier.I think I found some red osier today if you shoot six to eighteen inch arrows.
             Dennis

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[Otoe Bow]

Looks like sumac to me.  I tried making some arrows out of it last winter.  Got them pretty straight by just bending them by hand.  I made the mistake of leaving them hanging off a shelf and they "drooped".  By this time they had dried and set.  Instead of using heat to re-straighten, I just tired bending them and they broke.  I might try it again this winter.

Mike

[JackCrafty]

Yep, probably sumac.  It's called "rhus" in the old texts and the NA's made arrows from it, sometimes with a foreshaft of harder wood.  Personally, I don't think it's worth the trouble....unless you like very light arrows.

[sailordad]

yup sumac, if  i remember ill take my camera with, im gonna go cut osier today


                                                                                   tim

[Hillbilly]

It looks like sumac. Any chance of a closer-up pic?

[koan]

Yep kayak, thats winged sumac. Found it in the Mo. Dept. of Conservation tree book...Our woods here in Mo. are full of it, it grows along my driveway. I have several shoots dried but havent made arrows from it yet. You do have to watch them when you cut cuz some of the shoots have a very large pith and some dont.....DanaM made a bow from this stuff not long ago, but I think he called it by another name...oh ya, dont scrape off the bark till they have dried for awhile, they check badly otherwise.....Brian

[sailordad]

well i did go cut osier today,had the camera with too, but it was raining pretty good so i didnt get pics of the shrub it self

but here are a couple of pics of the shoots that i cut,just imagine it in bush shape
you can see some still have the green summer color on the base yet,but are mostly their winter red





that should gibe ya an idea what it looks like,this time of year there shouldnt be any leaves left on them,atleast not where i cut them at.
the colder it seems to get the brighter red they seem to get.they like marshy areas to grow in,usually when you see on bush there are dozens around.

good luck


                                                                                    peace,
                                                                                           tim