Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: seminolewind on October 30, 2013, 02:18:20 pm
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My brother lives in Portsmouth NH and is wanting to cut some staves for myself and him. He is new to the primitive archery world and has recently moved there as well. What are some common species that grow plentifully in that area that would make some good bow wood?
Thanks y'all keep posting I'm living vicariously through you guys while I'm chasing Taliban !!!
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Honestly, the humble red oak makes an outstanding bow. I'm sure there's others, but I learned how to make bows with red oak, and they're great performers.
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Here is a list of the native hardwoods of New Hampshire that I found online. I know that several of these are certainly quite good bow woods. Hope it helps...
OneBow
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Hardwoods
Ash Fraxinus (Oleaceae)
white ash Fraxinus americana
black ash Fraxinus nigra
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Basswood Tilia (Tiliaceae)
American basswood Tilia americana
Beech Fagus (Fagaceae)
American beech Fagus grandifolia
Birch Betula (Betulaceae)
yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis
sweet birch, black birch Betula lenta
river birch Betula nigra
paper birch, white birch Betula papyrifera
heartleaf birch Betula cordifolia
gray birch Betula populifolia
Cherry Prunus (Rosaceae)
black cherry Prunus serotina
pin cherry, fire cherry Prunus pensylvanica
chokecherry Prunus virginiana
Chestnut Castanea (Fagaceae)
American chestnut Castanea dentata
Dogwood Cornus (Cornaceae)
flowering dogwood Cornus florida
alternate leaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia
Elm Ulmus (Ulmaceae)
American elm Ulmus americana
slippery elm Ulmus rubra
Gum Nyssa (Nyssaceae)
blackgum, black tupelo Nyssa sylvatica
Hackberry Celtis (Ulmaceae)
hackberry Celtis occidentalis
Hawthorn Craetagus (Rosaceae)
dotted hawthorn Craetagus punctata
downy hawthorn Craetagus mollis
scarlet hawthorn Craetagus coccinea
golden-fruited hawthorn Craetagus chrysocarpa
Brainerd’s hawthorn Craetagus brainerdii
broad-leaved hawthorn Craetagus dilatata
frosted hawthorn Craetagus pruinosa
fan-leaved hawthorn Craetagus flabellata
Hickory Carya (Juglandaceae)
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis
red hickory Carya ovalis
shagbark hickory Carya ovata
pignut hickory Carya glabra
Hophornbeam Ostrya (Betulaceae)
eastern hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana
Hornbeam Carpinus (Betulaceae)
American hornbeam, blue beech, ironwood Carpinus caroliniana
Maple Acer (Aceraceae)
boxelder Acer negundo
black maple Acer nigrum
striped maple, moosewood maple Acer pensylvanicum
red maple, white maple, swamp maple, soft maple Acer rubrum
silver maple Acer saccharinum
sugar maple, rock maple, hard maple Acer saccharum
mountain maple Acer spicatum
Mountain Ash Sorbus (Rosaceae)
American mountain ash Sorbus americana
showy mountain ash Sorbus decora
Oak Quercus (Fagaceae)
northern red oak Quercus rubra
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea
pin oak Quercus palustris
black oak Quercus velutina
white oak Quercus alba
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor
chestnut oak Quercus prinus
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa
Poplar Populus (Salicaceae)
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata
quaking aspen, trembling aspen, popple Populus tremuloides
Sassafras Sassafras (Lauraceae)
sassafras Sassafras albidum
Serviceberry Amelanchier (Rosaceae)
downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea
smooth serviceberry Amelanchier laevis
Sumac Rhus (Anacardiaceae)
staghorn sumac Rhus typhina
Sycamore Platanus (Platanaceae)
American sycamore, planetree, buttonwood Platanus occidentalis
Viburnum Viburnum (Caprifoliaceae)
nannyberry, wild raisin Viburnum lentago
Walnut Juglans (Juglandaceae)
black walnut Juglans nigra
butternut, white walnut Juglans cinerea
Willow Salix (Salicaceae)
black willow Salix nigra
Witch-hazel Hamamelis (Hamamelidaceae)
witch hazel Hamamelis virginiana
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I also found this list of invasive plant species that the state of New Hampshire considers 'invasive species'. This may mean that you can find stands of these that the state wants to get rid of. This abrieviated list is just those that I recall seeing someone on the board had mentioned making a bow with before. (I certainly haven't!)
OneBow
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Invasive Species in New Hampshire
Tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima
Blunt-leaved privet Ligustrum obtusifolium
Common buckthorn Rhamnus carthartica
Glossy buckthorn Rhamnus frangula
Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia
Common Privet Ligustrum vulgare
Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia
Siberian Elm Ulmus pumila