ethics

[DC]

I would like to remind people of the other side to this arguement.  it is definately unethical to take more than you need from this world...we should walk lightly through this world taking the minimum we need for survival...Isnt this the philosophy of the native american tribes, who have taught us so much about making bows, shouldnt we follow their example in all ways? not just when it suits us....If everyone lived like this the world would be a better place and we would all be much happier? Bit of devils advocate in there, but true non the less...cant imagine the original primitive bowyers massing great piles of staves in their lodges.....just incase they run out in the future

I kind of agree with you but the natives didn't have tree surgeons and landscapers to compete with. There was also no concern on their part that there may not be any wood when they needed it. At the same time we're not depending on our bows for food so we don't really "need" them at all so do we have the right to cut anything.

[Del the cat]

Who pays the council? That would be you! So they are your trees!

I'd say that as long as the trees aren't lost and as long as the wood isn't wasted that's fine.
There was a post a while back (dunno if it was this site or AIUK) where someone had trouble with the council.. basically they got a daft answer from some receptionist who was unqualified to offer an opinion. When they persevered, they eventually got permission.
To be honest, it doesn't make any difference to three if you have permission or not!
Del

[owlbait]

WWID. What Would Ishi Do?

[Lucasade]

There was a post a while back (dunno if it was this site or AIUK) where someone had trouble with the council.. basically they got a daft answer from some receptionist who was unqualified to offer an opinion. When they persevered, they eventually got permission.

That would have been me. What I've learned from the exercise is that the key is getting yourself an introduction to the council tree officer. I went through my parish council - they agreed they had no issue with my request and unofficially suggested to our county councillor that he have an unofficial word in the ear of the tree officer. Said officer turned out to be a first rate tree enthusiast who was delighted that the wood would be used rather than chopped and left to rot.

On the flip side, I would put myself firmly in the camp that if you have enough material for your forseeable purposes then any more wood is best left on the tree to grow/be there for someone else who doesn't have enough and could use it. I make an exception if I know the wood is going to be cut soon anyway or if the tree clearly needs work doing to it (and that work legitimately includes removing the bit you want).

Ultimately the decision is one for your own conscience.

[adb]

What is the worst case scenario if you do get caught in the act? That would decide it for me.

[Del the cat]

What is the worst case scenario if you do get caught in the act? That would decide it for me.

In the UK, we are unlikely to get shot   
Unless of course the Yew is in the grounds of Buckingham Palace
Del

[adb]

Not going to get shot here in Canuckville either.  Likely get chewed out and asked to leave on private land, and I bet you wouldn't get even a second look on public land.

[joachimM]

I recently cried my heart out for not having cut that inner pipe straight yew log when i could. I came round and saw the entire tree had been felled and chopped up to fire wood, and turns out the city workers had no official permit to cut the entire tree. They just felt like it stood in the way... And they were proud of it too. I complained for cutting this majestic tree, and they replanted a sapling...

You dont want to experience this feeling, trust me.

[Marc St Louis]

A few years ago, when I lived in a nearby town, I spotted 2 Yew trees, unheard of here in Northern Ontario.  These trees had been planted over 100 years ago near a building that was, at the time, a Hospital.  This Hospital, along with the replacement that had been built some 40 years ago, was scheduled for demolition and a new school to be built on the land.  When I saw that the construction had started I went to the temp office of the construction company and asked them if the trees were to be left alone.  They said that no landscaping of the area was planned.  A couple weeks later I was driving by and the trees were gone, dug up by a backhoe and taken away to the dump.  I was sad

[hunterbob]

Quickly  , Quietly,

[TimBo]

This sort of argument could work in discussions with non-hunting friends.  "Well, I was afraid some other hunter might come along, shoot the deer, and not cook it properly, so I had to shoot it myself."  Or even better:  "I am just trying to shoot these deer in case someone buys the land, bulldozes the trees, and puts in a parking lot - then where would they go?"  Heh. 

Seriously though, I would love to have a good piece of yew, but I do understand not wanting to wantonly cut trees.  There are a bunch of big Eastern Red Cedar trees on my parents' farm that I have been eyeing for years, but it makes me a bid sad to cut them since it would change the landscape I remember from my childhood.  Still, it doesn't sound like you have THAT many staves...

[Eric Krewson]

I always ask people on this site "do you have permission to cut the tree". To many on PA steal wood wherever they can find it. I always ask permission to cut and always get it.

[DC]

I always ask people on this site "do you have permission to cut the tree". To many on PA steal wood wherever they can find it. I always ask permission to cut and always get it.

This brings up something else, is it easier for us old farts to get permission than it is for the young bucks? I'll bet it is.

[Onebowonder]

I've never had any trouble getting permission to cut wood if I ask, ...and promise faithfully to clean up whatever mess I might make harvesting the wood.

Your circumstance sounds almost ideal for getting real good permission based access to not only this wood, but future bits of it you may not otherwise be made aware of.  Speak to whatever public servants are rightly in control of this patch of land.  Explain yourself as a preserver of the ancient and patriotic tradition of bowyering, and apply for official sanction of the harvest.  You might even figure out how the wood might have been taken historically and re-capitulate that process and have it filmed or photgrqaphed  for historical documentation.  Public servants LOVE to be seen as the patrons of historical preservation or traditional arts.  Offering them a bit of good publicity could serve both your aims and theirs effectively.

Onebow

[WillS]

Personally I'd never cut wood without asking permission, and as a result never recommend or support doing so either.  It takes 5 minutes to find out who owns it, and what their thoughts are (although it often takes a lot longer to actually sort out getting the wood) and you'll either be told it's fine and you can go down the route of obtaining it legally and ethically, or you'll be told it's not allowed and you won't take home a bit of wood.  That may sound daft as a bowyer but life isn't always about getting what you want regardless of others.  At the end of the day it IS just a bit of wood.  You've also said you have enough anyway, so stealing some would definitely be unethical and downright uncool in this particular case. 

As bowyers I believe we should all be respectful of trees and the wood we use, and I think it should be an unwritten rule to ALWAYS ask permission instead of just chopping down stuff we want because we're greedy.

On a more positive note, I've found that here in the UK once you actually approach those who have the power to say yes or no and tell them it's for primitive or traditional bows they usually get quite excited and interested.  I ended up giving a bow making talk to a park full of tree wardens, councillors and volunteers as a result of asking the local council for a length of yew.  It's a much more pleasant way to do things, and you end up with a pocket full of contacts for the future and the support of the locals if you spot another good bit.

Drop an email or phone call to the local council or tree wardens and pump them full of enthusiasm about your hobby and the history of yew trees in archery and you can almost guarantee a brilliant response along with some more good bow wood!

Good luck, either way.