Florida bow woods

[gringol]

Can anyone here suggest some trees that grow in Florida that produce decent bow wood?  I'm a ways south in Florida, so trees that only grow in the panhandle aren't going to do me a lot of good.  We have some hickory, but I hear it doesn't do too well with humidity (lots of set, a little sluggish). I'm just learning this so I don't want to spend $$$ on osage or yew staves that will just end up getting broken.

[Living_waters]

Just got home from a few days in FL. part of the obsession is this constant primal need or want to cut down a tree to make a bow.
Watched a landscape crew trim up a live oak tree and was trying to figure in my mind how to get a limb in the car.
Seen ironwood, birch, eastern red cedar,red oak, sweet gum, sycamore, elm and ash. And your hickory and pecan will work, keep it in a hot box while you are working on it to keep moister down and then seal it good when done. Osage and yew are very good bow woods but contrary to some they are not the only woods, often a white wood bow will out shoot either one.

And there is always lowes and menards, the oak, maple and Ipe in board form.

[TroutGuide]

I bet your hickory will be fine if like stated you keep it extra dry while working and then keep in a air conditioned part of your house. R/H may be higher than some places but your AC should keep it relatively low, as long as you have central heat and air.  And if you are just learning like me you will be happy just to get shooters even if they get a little sluggish over time.  You could always send them to me and I could store them for you.    

Troutguide

[dmikeyj]

Luke, if you can find straight trunked fruit trees (good luck with orange trees, they are grown bushy and short for a reason), they'd be worth a shot.  I have seen quite a few plum wood bows, but have read that basically any fruit tree will have decent bow wood.
I have seen bows made from pine- not many, and they were very wide limbed, so its possible to make a bow out of non-ideal wood.
Not sure if you are stuck in Tampa Bay city proper, but you should be able to find cedar and juniper trees near you.  
The Seminole Indians made bows from Cypress, and it is everywhere near water.
Most of the oaks you will find are red oak wood, some may be white oak, which is very strong.
Out in the bay, you will find mangrove, almost everywhere, even near the downtown area.  I know for a fact near 34th street on the water is a big patch of mangrove you could get some branches from (right next to the power plant I used to work at).

I am about 1.5 hrs north of you, and have some ERC staves seasoning, cut in mid September.  You are welcome to come grab one if you'd like.

Its funny what Jeff said above about the obsession to cut wood- I never paid much attention to my surroundings when driving, but now- I can't stop scoping out the trees wherever I am, and carry a hatchet and saw in the car now, cause, well, you never know...      
Mike

[Robertfishes]

You might need a special permit to cut mangrove? I  have heard of people  getting fined for cutting it.. I made a bow out  of mullberry, it was cut down near Lakeland,Fl..

[gringol]

Thanks, Mike!  I'd love to come meet you and get a stave or two!  That's awesome!  pm me if you like and we can figure out when is a good time

I'm in Tampa city proper.  I'm sure my neighbors' yards have some great trees.  Maybe I'll get some black pajamas and do a little night raid  :D  

I thought about cypress, but I've worked with it a little and it seems to splinter pretty easy so I figured it wouldn't be very good.  Looks like I'll have to try it.

Have you tried mangrove?  That sounds fascinating.  I'm imagining a working-handle D-tiller...I know the spot you're talking about.  I think my weekend just got busier.  

Thanks again.

-Luke

[gringol]

I just checked, and Robert is right.  You need a permit for cut mangroves.  Thanks for the heads up.

[dmikeyj]

Ok, sorry for the bad info on the mangroves.  The plant I worked at setup that area, and once a year we would go out and clean up as part of the permit for building the plant (there's a whole lot of NIMBY involved to get trash burners built anywhere).
I mistakenly assumed it would be ok for any to take a branch or two.  Thanks for the headsup Robert.

I have not tried mangrove, but have read it makes a fine bow.

Here is a video showing the Seminole type cypress bow:
 
The cypress bow starts at 8:25 in.

Mike

[Living_waters]

Mike which plant did you work at? sorry for the short derail.

[Pat B]

Hickory should be fine for you if you keep your bow in the AC while not in use. If it feels sluggish, don't string it or shoot it.  
  Australian pine, sour orange and some of the exotic woods should make good bows.

[monterey]

Pick up a copy of the current issue of Trad Bowhunter mag and scan the article about Howard Hill's "Florida Snakewood" bows.  Article explains some of the author's research in determining what wood it was.  Turns out it is not called snakewood but goes by another name.  Not anywhere near the issue and can't remember the name of the tree but it does grow in florida, I think around Ocala and who knows where else.

[dmikeyj]

Wheelabrator McKay Bay, Jeff.

[Living_waters]

Is that the trash burner downtown? I was a supervisor for a contractor and worked in Bid bend and Lakeland about once a month.That was some time ago though.

I think Hills snakewood was florida red stopper a type of myrtle. Its in the next to last issue of TA and my issue is folded up in the camper I believe.

[rimes]

Hey Pat when you say sour orange, are you talking about an orange tree that produces sour oranges? I am on my way south to visit my folks for Christmas and wouldn't mind bringing something back that I could work on. There are a couple of orange trees out at my dad's camp that have awful oranges on them. He might not care if I cut one down.

Thanks

Kris

[Pat B]

Kris, I've never used it but a few guys on PA from FLA have. Apparently it is a wild variety that grows there. If I remember correctly the oranges are small and very sour.

[Living_waters]

My bad the Hill article is in the current issue of TB, and it says most likely it is stopper wood.

[Robertfishes]

Theres a small tree called crooked wood thats real name is wax myrtle.