i got some osage

[beaver#1]

what is the biggest osage tree that yall have ever seen.  i got a huge one on my father in laws land.  could i use a big limb to make a bow or do i need to try and find a smaller tree

[2treks]

In my humble opinion, THE BIGGER THE BETTER. BUT! I have made some very sweet bows from small dia stuff(4"-5").
I would use what is made available to you. Good luck.
Chuck

[beaver#1]

wheni say big i mean like 20+ inches diameter

[beaver#1]

would that be too big?

[bjansen]

I like the big ones too..but its alot of work. I cut a monster Nov 2008, I am estimating it to be around 20" as my 18" saw could not cut through the log from one side...I think I got 14 staves(maybe 2-4 were belly splits) from half of it...but only 1-3 staves from the other half as it was rotted, twisted and a total mess.

Maybe you can take a limb for now and save some for later?

[mike mcguire]

the wood in the really big one usually not real good,,several on the farm I cut that are around 50in   20 in tree just right size,, but size really dont matter, early wood to late wood ratio only thing that matters,,

[DVSHUNTER]

I saw one that was everybit of three foot around here in mo. I don't think there is a single bow in it. I have also seen a few that have made great bows.

[Pat B]

I think 8" to 10" is a good size to work with . The big guys are way too much work for the return. I have made very good hunting weight bows with 2" diameter osage saplings.

[scrub-buster]

Here is about the biggest  straight  one that I have seen on my place.  It grew next to a small stream so hopefully it has nice rings.  I plan on tackling it this spring.  That is my 10 year old son standing on it.

 

[2treks]

That is a nice looking tree srub-buster.
Chuck

[Eric Krewson]

I drive by one near an abandoned house that is every bit of 5 feet in diameter, possible 6 feet. We have a bunch of monster osage trees around here, the biggest are old growth trees lining the city streets in an antebellum section of Tuscumbia Al, which is close to where I live.

I won't cut a huge tree, too much work and the possiblity of questionable staves.

[John Scifres]

I have cut some really big trees and mostly regretted anything over 14".  But, to answer your question, yes it is just as possible that you have bow wood in a big tree as you do in a smaller one.  In general, the likelihood is less than 50:50 in the best stand of osage.

I have made bows from big branches.  It works OK but there are usually some reaction wood issues to deal with.

[mike mcguire]

I am getting ready to cut a 4 ft one, I hope to get some staves out of it if not I am going to saw slabs for tables,,all of the limbs I have tried off really big trees had very bad earlywood / latewood raito,

[Roy Steele]

I getting to old to tackle those big trees.I also like the 8" to a foot tops.I don't have a problem makeing limb bows.