No Bow Woods!

[Jacob Parnell]

Hey, I'm sure you guys on the forum have gotten tonnes of these types of topics before, but my friend and I can literally find NO bow woods near out houses.  Hemlock, Aspen and Butternut are all very plentiful, but none of these seem to be good for the build.  I can find some Maples and Oaks around my house, but all are too large, and I'm not about to cut down a 2 foot thick tree to make 2 bows. There are some birch that would be acceptable to use though, however they are on private property.

So what do you think I should do?

Thanks so much,
BG

[TacticalFate]

Where do you live?

[twisted hickory]

If you live where hickory grows approach a land owner and ask if you can have a tree you will make him or her a bow in trade. Or google bow staves and pick from there. 
Greg

[Jacob Parnell]

I live in Southern Ontario, Canada.  Around the Kawartha Lakes region.

[twisted hickory]

I live in Southern Ontario, Canada.  Around the Kawartha Lakes region.
[/quot
If black locust grows up there that makes a good bow as well.

[Jacob Parnell]

If you live where hickory grows approach a land owner and ask if you can have a tree you will make him or her a bow in trade. Or google bow staves and pick from there. 
Greg

I'm pretty sure I don't, unfortunately, But the trade idea is great!  The only problem with it is that this will be my first bow, so I'm not ready to make 2.  Thank you!

[twisted hickory]

Another option that I have considered is to to to a logging yard and ask if you could buy a log. For a while I was looking for some black locust but found a bunch.
Look for one that is not all skinned up and the bark doesn't have any twist on it and as clear as you can get.
Greg

[Jacob Parnell]

I live in Southern Ontario, Canada.  Around the Kawartha Lakes region.
[/quot
If black locust grows up there that makes a good bow as well.

Nope.  It sucks.  I have a "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees" with me and it says that black locust does not even grow in Canada.
Thank You!

[twisted hickory]

What specifically does grow up there in the way of hardwood?

[twisted hickory]

Here is a page on what grows up there. I would locate a logging company and go from there. If you are on your first bow get a hickory log.
Hope this helps
Greg

http://ontariotrees.com/main/alien_native.php?type=N

[Jacob Parnell]

What specifically does grow up there in the way of hardwood?

I'm not a hundred percent sure. Like I said before, Maple and oak are around here.  I also have seen aspen, birch and elm.  Ash, willow and poplar may be around here, but I don't remember seeing a lot of it.

[Jacob Parnell]

Here is a page on what grows up there. I would locate a logging company and go from there. If you are on your first bow get a hickory log.
Hope this helps
Greg

http://ontariotrees.com/main/alien_native.php?type=N

Wow! Thanks so much! This will definitely help me.  I think I have seen some Bitternut Hickory around my area.  I made sure to favourite that website! 

Thanks so much.

[Weylin]

Look for some Eastern Hophornbeam (aka ironwood). I'm pretty sure that grows in southern Ontario and it is a great bow wood. Ask Marc St. Louis, I'm pretty sure he's in Ontario. Good luck.

[Joec123able]

Hey, I'm sure you guys on the forum have gotten tonnes of these types of topics before, but my friend and I can literally find NO bow woods near out houses.  Hemlock, Aspen and Butternut are all very plentiful, but none of these seem to be good for the build.  I can find some Maples and Oaks around my house, but all are too large, and I'm not about to cut down a 2 foot thick tree to make 2 bows. There are some birch that would be acceptable to use though, however they are on private property.

So what do you think I should do?

Thanks so much,
BG

Your both only planning on building one bow?? Hahahahahahahaha if you build one you build a thousand more lol I promise

[Jacob Parnell]

Look for some Eastern Hophornbeam (aka ironwood). I'm pretty sure that grows in southern Ontario and it is a great bow wood. Ask Marc St. Louis, I'm pretty sure he's in Ontario. Good luck.

Hey.  Thanks a lot! would "Ironwood" happen to be a very VERY strong wood?  I chopped down a tree last winter, and it is so strong that I am unable to split it with a Fiskars x11 axe.