Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Taxus brevifolia on June 23, 2018, 05:00:26 pm

Title: Black elderberry find
Post by: Taxus brevifolia on June 23, 2018, 05:00:26 pm

This little guy is 4" dia, I found a place where there's a lot of this over a large area. I didn't have enough light left to hunt down a stave, but this size and thicker appears to be abundant.
I understand it has been used for bow's (*when in Rome...)
but I don't know by whom, or how. I would assume sinew back, or rawhide.

Yes that's right I said bow's

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Taxus brevifolia on June 23, 2018, 05:04:47 pm

Hers the flower if anyone wants to corroborate my ID. Wouldn't be the first time I got one wrong

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: DC on June 23, 2018, 07:18:09 pm

I've got a stave in my warm box. It's probably ready to go. Don't forget billets :)

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Taxus brevifolia on June 23, 2018, 09:02:21 pm

See this is why I dig PA so much
Thanks DC!

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Limbit on June 23, 2018, 11:54:19 pm

I'm officially visiting my friends in Oregon next time I am in the States. You guys have loads of good wood out there I guess!

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: leonwood on June 24, 2018, 12:19:54 pm

We just had a rove shoot today and I shot my elder bow all day, love it, super snappy and light in the hand. I have two more staves drying and will go out to hunt some more in September.

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Shawn Rackley on June 24, 2018, 05:07:42 pm

Is this the same species that would grow in the midwest? Say Arkansas. I have oodles of elderberry here, trouble is finding one big enough to get a stave out of.

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Taxus brevifolia on June 25, 2018, 02:25:05 am

This is Black Elderberry, sambucas nigra

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Jjpso on June 25, 2018, 06:51:06 am

Hello there! Not sure if is sambucus nigra. I have that tree in my country  and the leaves are different...

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Taxus brevifolia on June 26, 2018, 11:43:48 am

Thanks, I'll re-check it on my app

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Taxus brevifolia on June 26, 2018, 12:07:55 pm

Well, I ran all the pics I took and according to the plantsnap and my garden answers apps, every one of them comes back sambucas nigra. The leaves were a bit dry and folded, maybe that's why they seem off

Title: Re: Black elderberry find
Post by: Hawkdancer on June 26, 2018, 11:35:12 pm

Might not get a bow, but it should make hellacious mead or wine >:D -C-!  (from the berries, of course)!
Hawkdancer