Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Josh B on June 20, 2013, 08:42:57 pm
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I just cut this thinking it was yew until I went to load it up and no heartwood. :o >:( so my questions are is this actually yew? If so, have you seen this before? If it isn't, what is it? And is it good for anything? Or do I owe this tree an apology? :-\ :-[ thanks, Josh
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Yeah you got yourself some Western Hemlock... I've done the exact same thing :) :)
Never heard of anyone making a bow out of the stuff but your welcome to try. I just cut my first yew tree last weekend and I've got some real nice oceanspray drying... I've definitely caught the bowyers itch :laugh:
You should look under powerlines for Oceanspray, I've found lots... and its nice that no one cares why your hauling out wood (you can always tell them its electric line maintenance >:D >:D)
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Western hemlock! ¥$<%€*##$¥¥¥¥<$¥**<<%$#*! I knew I botched when I looked at the end cut. Thanks. Josh
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Oops...oh well....I say season it out...decrown a flat back,rawhide back it and make a long (68"+)bend in the handle bow...I bet it works ;)
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Bummer, Doc! Wished it woulda worked the other way for ya!
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Lol! What a brainfart! I'll give it a try. Lord knows I've probably used worse wood for a bow. I guess its a good thing that I'm stuck out here until Monday. Maybe I can try again, but I believe I'll leave the flatlander yew alone this time. ::) Josh
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What Blackhawk said.............
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somebody made a nice bow from poplar. I am sure it can be done with hemlock. but be careful, isn't hemlock poisonous or something?
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The poisonous hemlock is a medium size plant in the carrot family, looks rather frilly and like to grow in wet areas. There are at least two varieties of that plant that will kill you real quick-like, but hemlock the tree isn't poisonous, just not very good for bows!
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somebody made a nice bow from poplar. I am sure it can be done with hemlock. but be careful, isn't hemlock poisonous or something?
Funny you should mention that. As I have recently found a reason to learn about hemlock, ive been doing a little research. Poison hemlock is a weed that is not related to hemlock the tree. Hemlock the tree has a lot of edible parts such as leaves and innerbark. Thats good to know I guess. Unfortunately with my luck and severe lack of forestry skills, about the time that I gathered a bunch of hemlock leaves and ate them I would then realize that i had mistakenly found a yew tree instead! Wouldn't that suck!? :o. Josh
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I've heard of hemlock being used as arrow shafts ?? Could use it for that ..
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Gun doc you would still be OK feeding on the Pacific Yew, needles and inner bark have medicinal value. Taxinol cancer fighter and has great immune support. The berries no buano I'm told their Poisson. Beyond all that no matter which tree they both taste like S*#t. Good luck with the search.
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Bummer Josh,
I just came back from Kansas and realized most of my "osage" haul was mulberry. I can blame the craigslist guy that cut it for me on that one. He did pretty good for having no experience making bows and I sure aint gonna complain too much about mulberry ;) I got a buddy on Bainbridge Isl in the sound who works for the parks dept. If you are gonna be near there I could give you his #. He told me a while ago he had a coupe yew trees to trim sometimes. Good luck man, Marco.
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What do you mean "stuck out here" your in gods country my friend, land of many bow woods. It's a blessing ;)
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I'll keep that option open Joe. First I'm gonna try it as bow wood though. I like experimenting anyway.
B&R-advice well received! Like a large portion of last ditch survival vittles. They are both catalogued in the category" you can live on it, but it tastes like $&[+" lol!
Thanks Marco, I'll probably just cut me some vine maple and maybe some oceanspray and call it good until next trip. I got a little yew at home already.
Lemos-You are correct, this is some of the most beautiful country in the world (and I've seen alot of this world) very poor choice of words indeed. No offense intended. Josh
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None taken. Just ribbin ya a bit ;D
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ARROW SHAFTS!
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Every part of the Yew tree except the
berries (minus the seed) is extremely
poisonous!!! Yes, a cancer drug is
derived from it but eating it will kill you!
Japbow.
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If there is anyway at all, you'll make a bow out of it....my money is on the driver
rich
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Too bad, Josh. I can see you now cuttin that stuff with a big grin thinkin you hit the mother-lode!! ;D
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Woulda' fooled my osage mind to Josh!
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Gun doc you would still be OK feeding on the Pacific Yew,
Ummm....
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I remember reading in an old book something along the lines of "hemlock was considered a replacement for yew when yew was scarce". I don't remember the book, but I do remember reading it, as after I did I went out looking intentionally for some hemlock, ;D. I suspect if this was really so, it was probably because hemlock looks like yew (from the outside I guess) and back then most people thought only yew would give a good longbow for some reason. I also remember laburnum being mentioned as well.
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Gun doc you would still be OK feeding on the Pacific Yew, needles and inner bark have medicinal value. Taxinol cancer fighter and has great immune support. The berries no buano I'm told their Poisson. Beyond all that no matter which tree they both taste like S*#t. Good luck with the search.
I'm not positive however I do believe You do NOT want to eat any part of the YEW tree as I believe it is poisons. Better safe than dead. Ed
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Josh, hemlock is the one that always catches my eye when I am road-hunting for yew. It is understandable. I have cut a few myself with the idea of experimenting with it as bow wood. It is right up there with sitka spruce for compression strength/weight. I think if you follow blackhawk's recipe you might have a killer bow. I hope it works because the stuff is so common and grows much straighter and cleaner than yew.
If you are down near Salem, feel free to stop by!
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Don't worry fellas! There are so many cherries and berries all over this place that eating any tree leaves wasn't even considered. However, if yew leaves are poisonous and I'm pretty sure they are it is good to clear that up! I've read that the natives did make some concoctions and remedies with the leaves but they had millennia of practice to know how much and how to process it. I can see where it could lead to confusion. The good news is today I'm going back up and with guides to help this flatlander from doing something else stupid! Lol! Carson, I do believe that you will be a scheduled stop. I'm looking forward to that as well! This is turning out to be an awesome trip! Ive already met steelslinger and now a few more! Cool! 8) Josh
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Out my way the tree hackers call it Hem-Fir cause the stuff is sold as fir quite a bit. Pretty light wood though. Less dense than Doug Fir.
Gabe
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Hey josh....save me a piece brother ;) 8)
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after watching Ryan put poplar overlays on a poplar bow, nothing would surprise me
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Beyond all that no matter which tree they both taste like S*#t.
HAHAHA.... now that is FUNNY!
Sorry it wasn't Yew Gun Doc...
I say give her a whirl... What the heck? :)
-gus
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Looks like yew found yewself Josh. I enjoyed meeting you today.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,40559.0.html
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I remember the first time I went out by myself to hunt for bow wood in the Cascades. I got out of the car and walked into the forest and was instantly surrounded by what I thought was the greatest motherlode of tall, straight and giant yew trees. After a few minutes though I thought it must be too good to be true so I chopped into a downed tree and saw that there was no red heartwood and then I realized it was all hemlock. Felt pretty foolish and I was glad I was by myself. I'm sure you and I aren't the only eager bowyers who have made that mistake.
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Yew and hemlock have similar needles, but the bark is a dead giveaway! Yew has red/maroon bark and hemlock has basic grey bark. If you just look at the bark they can be identified easily, even from a distance.
Dale