Good bow wood along Northern West Coast?

[bushman]

I’m in Kitimat BC at the moment and have been tryin to find some good bow wood. It hasn’t been going very well. I have only found coastal alder, hemlock, yellow cedar, fir, spruce and a type of pine trees. Does anyone know of what type of good bow wood that grows in a coastal environment that gets 8 feet of snow in the winter time? Has anyone ever tried coastal alder to make a bow? I have asked locals around here and have been told that it is too dry for yew, it grows more in Prince Rupert, and that there isn’t any juniper or hawthorn around here. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Bushman

[SyF]

Vine Maple and Oceanspray might be native in your area. Black Locust is pretty widespread. Also look for fruit trees in need of pruning.

[Gordon]

I think you are too far north for vine maple. You might have some serviceberry though, and that will make a fine bow.

[Diligence]

Bushman,

I found this.  Look for the Prince Rupert section.

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/lmh/lmh26/lmh26part2d.pdf

At first glance I see:
juniper
Choke Cherry
saskatoon (service berry)
dogwood (red oiser) - arrows
crab apple.

I'd say you have some bushwacking to do.

Cheers,
D

[Sparrow]

Do you have crab apple there ? 
  Frank

[RobWiden]

    Bushman - I sent you a PM      Rob

[rossfactor]

Should be plenty of Cascara around also.

Gabe

[Qwill]

Reading through the list, Douglas Maple and Saskatoon (service berry) stand out. Of the two, Saskatoon is better in my humble op. It's hard, very tough and very elastic. Heat treat the belly for a terrific shooter.  Douglas Maple is okay. I'm getting better at using it. I'm almost finished with a 40#-ish bow that I heat treated lightly. I think it's going to be a good one, with some big, big knots in the upper limb. Use only the tension side though. Also, I thought I saw Birch and Tamarack? I'd give either one of those a try.

[RobWiden]

    I sent you a PM but apparently it didn't go through (I suck on computers). I think I can help you. Email me at robwiden@gmail.com       Rob

[Bryce]

the easiest to find is going to be oceanspray, makes a killer selfbow

[bushman]

Thanks for the link Diligence but under what Appendices section (4 to 18) is Prince Rupert listed? I can't seem to find it.

Thanks to everyone for all the replies and info. I have came across some Douglas Maple but thats about it so far, have to do some more bushwhacking I guess. Think I will try and find some oceanspray though.
Bushman

[Diligence]

Bushman,

You want to look at Appendix 14.  (it's on page 26 of 44 of the PDF, or it shows as Page A44 of the document itself)

I hear your pain in finding good bow wood.  I'm out in Calgary and have been using Brandon Elm that the city has planted - and then has conveniently been "hit-n-run'd" by trucks.  I salvage it and it's pretty good stuff.

J

[Sempertiger]

it would be rare, but Yew does grow in your parts. I have other ideas, but they aren't in front of me right now, but you should have some choke cherry and crab apple trees, mountain ash, and Douglas maple might grow in your area as well. I've seen some references to Yellow cedar being a decent bow wood, but haven't had a chance to tiller the pieces I have cut out. Serviceberry does grow there, but finding a thick and straight enough piece might be difficult.

good luck

Jamison

[juskatla]

 I have wondered about mountain ash- it probably grows close to you. Vine maple too. I tried yellow cedar (again) last week but got impatient and broke the attempt before i got to backing it- I think it could work if done right - esp. if you find a fine grained piece. I'm over on Haida Gwaii- lots of yew here if you get really stuck - but I'll be curious what you find out. Also there is juniper as near to you as the Kitwanga area and east of there.

[bushman]

Thanks for all the replies and the information. I believe I have found a bunch of ocean spray. Have to go and take another look at it. Branches that are about half an inch across aren't very tough and have a really big pithy center, but I did try to cut a died piece that was 2 inches across and it was very tough and hard so it should work. Just have to find a big enough piece that is long enough. Thanks again for everything.
Bushman