Hunter Gatherer Skills

[Goose Gossett]

I happened onto a stash of these while looking for some smallmouth.  Tied em up and I'll let them dry.  I think I might have a couple that will be worth shooting once they are dry and straightened.  

Now all I have to do is figure out how to make an arrow out of them.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 
 

[adeeden]

I wish we had river cane this far north!

[Pat B]

Looks like good stuff you found there, Goose. Give it about a month to dry and it should be ready to work.
  You can "cold" straighten it by hand every few days and get most of the major bends out before it dries and be ahead of the game. Then just a little heat straightening should get you some great arrows.

[Roy from Pa]

Very nice goose. Cane arrows are easy. Little heat at the nodes first off. Heat them with a heat gun and bend them straight, they bend like soft rubber while green. Let them cool, then more heat all along the length of the shafts, bending where they need to be. Could take 3 or 4 heat treatments to get them straight. You will love  it..

[SEMO_HUNTER]

You really will be amazed at how well they fly Goose, I know I was. Even though they are heavy when finished they don't drop as much as I thought they would. Kinda like one of those balsa wood air planes we had when we were kids, they almost seem to hang in the air duing flight.
I haven't noticed that with manmade shafting material, only the river cane.

[b.glass]

A hill cane arrow that Pat sent me when I got some raw hill cane from him. It was a little heavy for last years 51# bow but shoots very nicely from this years trade bow at 56#. At 18 yds.

[hardwaymike]

Nice find Goose! Hope they work out good for ya.
Considering that it does not grow this far north, where would someone find a good source for the cane? Any suggestions anyone? Mike

[Pat B]

I'll have hill cane for trade in January or February when I harvest it. Depending on how much I can collect will determind how much I have to trade.

[KellyG]

I wonder why hillcane would not grow up in them parts, I know about where you are pat and I know you can have some cold long winters too.

[fish n chicks]

Is there a diameter one is looking for when gathering cane? I had no idea you can make arrows out of the stuff. Looking forward to seeing the results Goose!

[Goose Gossett]

We will see how they turn out. New area for me to try something. As far as diameter I am guessing from examples that I was given at MOJam on thickness. We will see about that and figuring out a spine tester.

[fish n chicks]

Here ya go brother!

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=004573;p=1

[Goose Gossett]

Brilliant!  That's what I'm looking for.  I now need some extra wood for the frame and a KC Royals koozie.

[Pat B]

Take a 3/8" open end wrench when harvesting cane to use for measuring the base of the cane to cut.
 Kelly, hill cane (Arundaneria appalaciana) is indiginous to the Appalacian Mountains but would probably grow in similar climates elsewhere. It is very similar to switch cane(A. tecta) in size, growing to about 6'.     River cane(A. gigantia)can reach 12' to 15' tall and gets to about 3/4" in diameter.
  These 3 canes, hill, switch and river are the only bamboos native to the US.

[Goose Gossett]

Pat you are brilliant.  3/8" wrench for diameter checking.  Much easier than jumping in the poison ivy and putting my pinky down next to the base.  (Note to self leaves of three leave them be)  I now have poison ivy on my bald head...

[hova]

pat , dont forge hill cane is a recent addition , and can be differentiated by the dropping of its leaves in winter. the others hold leaves through cold supposedly , but dont grow up north so its not much issue...


and i'm still interested in some of the spreaders...

-=hov

[DVSHUNTER]

Goose, don't you awe me a dozen cane shafts? I thought you said that a MOJAM.   :D  Nice find.

[Goose Gossett]

DVS I told you I would trade you straight up for a 53lbs 29" draw osage bow with copperheads I don't NEED the copperheads though