VA Osage - Updated *Pics* + Stumpshoot

Talondale · June 25, 2007, 11:46:00 AM

I have access to a few(3) osage trees in western VA, Fincastle area. The trees are about 10"-14" diameter trunks. Trunk extends unbranched about 7'-8'. I was going to get with Bob Walker and cut them but we haven't been able to coordinate schedules so he told me to see if I could get someone else to help out.

Anyone else interested in helping for a share of the harvest? I'm thinking we'll need a tractor/4-wheeler to drag out the logs unless we split them first. I can get access to more than the three trees if someone is ambitious and thinks we can get more done in a day. I have this Saturday free and after that it will have to be coordinated.

Any takers?

Ed Frye · June 25, 2007, 12:00:00 PM

Jesse, what is the terrain like to the trees? PM me or call me at 804 852 0768

Talondale · June 25, 2007, 12:55:00 PM

PM sent.

paleFace · June 25, 2007, 12:57:00 PM

give either Ed or me a call and we can try and work something out. might have to split them where they fall. i have some time during the week and on sunday the 8th. 804.402.6900

Ed Frye · June 25, 2007, 03:07:00 PM

PM returned

Talondale · June 27, 2007, 04:18:00 PM

Looks like Ed and I will try to cut some on the 7th, and maybe do some shooting afterwards. Thanks for the offer Paleface but Sundays don't work for me. If anyone else wants to help out let me know. I've got access to quite a bit of osage, and a stump shoot afterwards would be fun.

chessieboy · June 27, 2007, 05:56:00 PM

PM sent

Talondale · June 28, 2007, 10:01:00 AM

PM Reply sent Cheesie.

chessieboy · July 01, 2007, 12:43:00 AM

how'd ya'll do? send us all some pics

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 10:25:00 PM

Okay Chessieboy here's the update. Ed and two of his boys met me and a friend of mine from Atlanta at 8:30am. We then caravaned to the site and did a little recon. Ed was able to get his beefy F350 down to where the trees were and save us a lot of work hauling. Here's a look at the group of trees we had selected.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Osage/trees.jpg

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 10:30:00 PM

Here's a look at our enthusiastic crew.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Osage/crew.jpg

Don't they look ready to go?
My friend Steve on the left, Seth in the middle, and Sean(or is it Shawn?).

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 10:45:00 PM

The first tree came down pretty quick and we got it cut into several 6' lengths. The second and third were a little more work as they were one tree that had two trunks grown together. We were able to get the smaller section down with a little wedge work, but it fell right where we wanted it, and was sectioned off fast. The last trunk was a big one and we could tell it would cause trouble. Because the way the two trunks grew together all of the limbs on the big trunk grew the on the opposite side of where we wanted it to drop. We nocked one side heavily and then cut above the nock but the tree wouldn't go. It was being held up by the limbs resting on the trees behind us. Ed decided a little "persuading" was in order.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Osage/hauling.jpg

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 10:51:00 PM

And down it came!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Osage/pulling.jpg

This was about 22" across at the base, and heavy!! Good thing Ed was a big guy. I think he was beginning to see why I wanted someone else for all the heavy lifting.

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 10:56:00 PM

After a little over 3 hours we had our golden reward.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Osage/reward.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Talondale/Archery/Osage/myhaul.jpg

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 11:02:00 PM

Ed thought I was being overly generous with him, but I told him to wait until he was done splitting all that wood before he made up his mind. I plan on having the big log milled to a bunch of 1"x2" and 1"x4". Will I need to seal the whole length of every board after milling? We were hot and hungry so we went and got something to eat and then went swimming in a nearby mountain stream. Afterwards we went to my house for a little stump shooting.

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 11:07:00 PM

Ed was kind enough to think of my twins and brought them two bows his granddad had given his boys. Thanks again Ed for that gracious gift.

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 11:08:00 PM

Here's Caleb with his new bow.

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 11:09:00 PM

And here's Emma:

I was so busy helping them shoot that I didn't take any pics of them shooting. Hopefully Ed did.

Talondale · July 07, 2007, 11:16:00 PM

After some warm-up shots and giving my kids their first instructions in shooting we headed off to do a little stump shooting. Caleb and Emma were disappointed that they didn't get to tag along.

Not to be Charlie-esque but I'm going to go to bed now because I'm beat. I'll throw some stumping pics up later and maybe Ed will get on and add his pics.

chessieboy · July 08, 2007, 03:13:00 AM

Looks like you guys did a lot of work and had some great fun. Let me know next time you're goine out.