New specimen

sdc · March 07, 2010, 08:24:00 PM

Just had to share with someone that understood.
Took the fam out to a friends property today for a shed hunt. As we were getting ready to start walking I walked over to a pile trees left from a pond build about 1 1/2 years ago, and looky what I found :D
Osage, nearly straight as an arrow, 12 diam., nice thick rings and heavy as sin.

Thanks to a fellow bowhunting buddy we got it cut & into his truck and home for surgery, of course he mentioned that he found it much easier just to go and purchase a bow. But I said bow would be be jealous when I was standing over my button buck with a homemade weapon

jess stuart · March 07, 2010, 09:04:00 PM

Don't know too much about that osage, kind of scarce in these parts. Looks like a good find, should get several bows from it. Good luck and have fun.

Pat B · March 07, 2010, 09:17:00 PM

Get it split out into staves(or at least in half) and seal the ends.

WINDTALKER · March 07, 2010, 11:05:00 PM

Nice find. Sure wish that stuff grew around here

Eric Krewson · March 08, 2010, 08:56:00 AM

A year and a half is plenty of time for the bugs to go to work on your wood, hope you have some good wood under the bug damage.

I got permission to cut some similar osage that had been on the ground a year. Powder post beetles had gone in the top of the logs and come out the bottom. Looked a a dozen or so logs, all were ruined by beetle damage.

Zach Mikita · March 08, 2010, 09:06:00 AM

That's like finding a $100 bill under your seat in your car when you clean it out! =D

sdc · March 08, 2010, 08:08:00 PM

Thanks all, yes there was some bug damage that appeared when I dug into the bark. Once I split it in half last night though it didn't appear to have any holes in it that deep. So I guess I'm hoping for the best!

DVSHUNTER · March 09, 2010, 04:07:00 PM

I have used lots of logs that were down for over a year. They did have bugs, but I was able to chase rings down until all their damage was gone and continued to make good bows from them. Nice find by the way.
how long is that log? It looks like it twists a bit @ the end. Nothing that can't be heated out but if it was long enough I would cut it off.

sdc · March 09, 2010, 07:09:00 PM

I just went to measure it and it was 80" total, with that spot on the end you were talking about of about 10" in length.
I have also used downed Osage before, and ran into bugs. I was fortunate enough to get down past their damage also but I was still green enough that I go a little aggressive on the tillering "[dntthnk]"

Anyone have an opinion on how long air drying might be on deadfall? I'm a little antsy :D

DVSHUNTER · March 09, 2010, 10:02:00 PM

I don't havea moisture meter, but I have found that a month after being worked down to a ring I could introduce them into the hot box under 80 degrees without checking. Having said that, I also would like to throw in that it could have been sooner but I really don't think a few weeks is worth the risk of destroying a good stave. If it was me I would traet them as green and play it safe. Dean torges book gives good directions to get wood dry in about three months safely. Good luck and again, nice find.

DVSHUNTER · March 09, 2010, 10:03:00 PM

I don't havea moisture meter, but I have found that a month after being worked down to a ring I could introduce them into the hot box under 80 degrees without checking. Having said that, I also would like to throw in that it could have been sooner but I really don't think a few weeks is worth the risk of destroying a good stave. If it was me I would traet them as green and play it safe. Dean torges book gives good directions to get wood dry in about three months safely. Good luck and again, nice find.