Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Bloodhound on June 25, 2013, 12:13:27 am
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This tree is supposed to be native to Iowa MN and WI but despite extensive time in the woods this spring looking for one I have yet to make a positive ID. Any tips on where to look and how to identify?
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http://ohiodnr.com/forestry/trees/hophorn_am/tabid/5377/Default.aspx
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?id=62
These have worked for every tree I have ever tried to look for. I have ID'd nearly every tree in my slinging spot positively.
I origionally cut some elm thinking it was HHB. Never did find anything but boxelder and bradford pear at my slinging spot.
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OK.Every year at the Izaac Walton league in Ames Iowa they have a spring rendezvous for the traditiomnal bow hunters of Iowa.On their 3d course it is growing all around there.At the Iowa Bow Hunters Association 3d shoot at Eldora,Iowa in August it is growing all around that course too.There is some around south of DesMoines too.A person would have to get permission to cut it.A friend of mine has it on his land.I've got staves from there in the shed.It does grow in Iowa.Most times it is not thicker than 8" or so.Thin flaky,scaly bark on it.Inside wood is pearly white.If I had it growing on my land I would let you cut some.I would think you should have it around you.
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Good site squirrel, I may have occasion to use that
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To me HHB looks like elm leaves on cedar bark. There isn't a single HHB tree on my property. But 5 miles away a friends property is loaded with them. Its funny how hit or miss tree ranges are.
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Its hard to tell you where to look because I've found it in low wet areas and on high and dry side hills and ridges. To me it looks like elm leaves with bark kind of similar to white oak... though smaller in its scaley appearance. I found a bunch of it last year and I'm just waiting for the right time to go fetch some.
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doesn't seem to get much larger than 10" diameter, the fruits look like hops, hence the name.
http://people.duke.edu/~jspippen/plants/ostrya-virginiana080613-4796dukez.jpg
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8387/8681582199_8f6c75688f_z.jpg
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Thanks guys, I know there has to be some around, cant believe I have not found any yet.
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Thanks guys, I know there has to be some around, cant believe I have not found any yet.
yea, I thought the same. Until I couldn't find any. I also thought the same about yew and osage when I heard of them.
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Thanks guys, I know there has to be some around, cant believe I have not found any yet.
yea, I thought the same. Until I couldn't find any. I also thought the same about yew and osage when I heard of them.
Yea osage has been hard to find, while I have found some it was not where I could cut. On the other hand I spent 2 weeks trying to find hickory, once I identified a few I was finding them everywhere and now have a pile of staves. Right now all I have is hickory and maple and am wanting to add something else to the inventory, hophornbeam seemed the logical choice living in IA and having land in MN and WI. Perhaps I should start looking for some other wood to try. Any suggestions for this part of the country?
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Hackberry for one. It's every where.
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Its hard to tell you where to look because I've found it in low wet areas and on high and dry side hills and ridges. To me it looks like elm leaves with bark kind of similar to white oak... though smaller in its scaley appearance. I found a bunch of it last year and I'm just waiting for the right time to go fetch some.
That's exactly how it looks around here. It is sort of scattered in south Alabama. You might find it growing anywhere, but I seem to find more of it in the river bottoms. The bark does favor white oak, but sort of scaly and reddish underneath.
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Squirrelslinger, thanks for posting these sites. I've never looked for nor cut any HHB before, but based on these pics I know I've seen this kind of tree in the woods--guess it was the hops-like fruit that brought it to mind. Thanks
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Try it. It's good bow wood. I prefer it over any other white wood.
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One more thing about HHB is that it has all it's branches growing at 90 degrees to the trunk
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other local choices: black locust, buckthorn, elm, white oak
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Bloodhound...You could meet me at the IBA[Iowa Bowhunters Association][Google it to find out about it] fall festival[August 2,3,&4] and I could have an ironwood stave maybe an osage stave too there for ya if you want.Let me know.
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Hackberry for one. It's every where.
I was not familiar with that but once I searched recognized it right away, I have some in my woods and will have to go drop one.
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Hackberry is awesome bow wood
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Bloodhound...You could meet me at the IBA[Iowa Bowhunters Association][Google it to find out about it] fall festival[August 2,3,&4] and I could have an ironwood stave maybe an osage stave too there for ya if you want.Let me know.
Wow that is really generous of you. I think I should be able to make it out there, its not that far from Cedar Rapids. I think my wife and I are even be members of IBA (although may have let it lapse I would have to check). I will have to check with her and I get back to you.
If I can make it out and you have any need for hickory let me know, I have access to a bunch of it.
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I usually go there on a saturday and just stay for the day.I'm ok for hickory around here.Come the last week in July email me if your going.
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I'm in upstate NY but i seem to find it on the edge of fields and on the top of ridges the most .
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I'd make sure I'd take up eds offer ;)
Once you do find one tho your likely to find several to a bunch more growing close to the one you first find...and here in the wooded hills of pa it grows anywhere in the understory from the bottoms to the tops of our hills and anywhere in between....but good luck finding a straight hhb tree..I bet I pass up a hundred trees before finding one to cut..n maybe more than that...no exxageration
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Yep, me too Chris. I can find them straight enough, but they're usually badly twisted. I'm fresh out of hophornbeam right now and I will be resuming the search soon.
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In my experience they seem to grow in clumps. You won't find any for a good long time, then you'll find one area with a dozen within an arrows flight.
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I will be saearching this week at the cabin near birchwood WI where we have a bunch of timber. If nothing else i will grab a maple and ash.
My dad had a few poplars and a basswood dropped this week. I know poplar is useless, what about the basswood?
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Poplar can make arrows(or a super wide or long bow), I assume basswood can also.
Birch is a good bow-wood too.
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Yea i have been looking for the right birch to cut. There are a couple i have my eye on.
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Bloodhound...If you can find some really nice straight grained no knots hard maple of maybe 5 or 6' long I'd trade with ya.Just split it seal the ends and I'll do the rest.Yellow birch I would take too.
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Bloodhound...If you can find some really nice straight grained no knots hard maple of maybe 5 or 6' long I'd trade with ya.Just split it seal the ends and I'll do the rest.Yellow birch I would take too.
I should be able to do that. We have 20 acres that is about half maple, that grew up after it was clear cut, most is real straight. Knot free can take some looking but I always find a few.
I have some paper birch, not sure about yellow though, I will take a look.
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Yep, me too Chris. I can find them straight enough, but they're usually badly twisted. I'm fresh out of hophornbeam right now and I will be resuming the search soon.
Hey if ya cut some save me one,and just give it to me next time I see ya ;) :laugh: I saw lots of hub today and notta one was worthy...I'm real picky most the time with any whitewood I cut...osage I don't care how nasty it is >:D
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Ok, if I find some, I'll put your name on one.
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Sweet....its on my to cut list this year again too cus I'm pretty much out too...for some reason all my hhb staves n bows I make disappear and find new homes ::)
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Sounds like a plan Bloodhound.Hope to see you at Eldora,Iowa August 3,2013.Got the ironwood and hedge picked out already for ya.Ironwoods' back has been shellacked and was cut last december and is ready to be made into a bow and the hedge has been chased to one ring with a very clean back and been shellacked since last august.They are ready.If possible but it might not make any difference the maples growing in the shade with the thinner rings would be nice if not that's ok.I seem to like my hickory that way.Make sure it's hard rock maple your cutting now not this silver maple soft coon den stuff like we have here.
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I wont have any trouble finding sugar maple. Would you be opposed to me debarking and shelaking the back of did you want the bark on? If you want the bark on I will have to check the regulations on transporting wood.
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Thank you Thesquirrelslinger! for that link,,my friend an I went out to cut an ironwood tree,,,and he said here's one,but didn't look like ironwood to me,,and one I found didn't look ironwood to him........that said maybe neither are! but his was Hophornbeam,,one I picked, Hornbeam,,now we know! Thanks!
hope I don't destroy them both!............excellent site! love it!