Arroweed???

[aao321]

I ahve a friend who just got back from Baja Mex.  he found a straight weed in some of the arroyos down there.  He said the Mexi's called it arrow weed.  said it is in the sunflower family.  he sent me a seasoned shaft. thought I would pass on some numbers and ask if anybody has any knowledge of this shaft material.  He said it does not spine out very heavy but darn is it heavy and dry.  the shaft he sent me is 30" spined at 40 lbs and weighs 620 grains.  He said most of his are around 45 spine and weigh around 800 gr.  this stuff is really straight stuff.  Not much spine I guess.

[2fletch]

I've used dog fennel here in the states. It grows in cow pastures, but the cows won't eat it. It's definitely a weed, but once dried it makes a usable shaft.

I made a half dozen arrows of it and shot them for a while just to evaluate. I shot one of them all the way through a 20 target tournament, and it was still in good shape. Several weeks later I shot it through a raccoon that had come up to the house during the middle of the day. I guess there is good weed.

[Osagetree]

I think of myself as a good Weed!

   

Joe Weed, that is!

[Minuteman]

Golden rod makes a fair arrow. Can't let 'em sit too long before you use 'em or they dry out too much and they'll split on ya. Collect 'em in the fall as they are bloomin', bundle and dry 'em, than scrape off the "bark". Scrape 'em first and they'll check.
They are naturally tapered too!