question about "natural" arrows

[ChuckC]

Ok  asked that poorly.  

I want to plant some shrub / other species on a lil chunk of land I have in UP MI.  It is zone 5, about a mile or so from Lake Michigan.  It is very sandy soil and there is some lower ground with a small creek running thru a portion of it.

I am most interested in seeing if anybody feels there is any sort of cane or bamboo that will tolerate the winters and be useable for arrow materials.  Also, any other plant recomendations.

Thanks
ChuckC

[luv2bowhunt]

I don't know the answer but am very interested in this question as well...

Primitive archers, where are ya  :D

[lpcjon2]

If you plant bamboo it will take over and you do not want that.

[Pat B]

There is probably not any bamboos or arrow type cane that grow will in your area. Red osier dogwood(Cornus sericea)will and does grow in your area and makes excellent arrow shafting. There are probably other native and exotic bush type dogwoods that will also. Meadowsweet(Spirea sp) also grows in the northern tier states as well as Canada. You may also have viburnum species growing there. Check your State Ag office, Soil and Water, or State University for the different plants indigenous to your area. Some, if not all are even beneficial to wildlife too.

[Rob DiStefano]

got some big patches of bamboo growing around my town, and they have no problem surviving nasty winters. dunno what species of 'boo it is but i've got to take a closer look at the smaller shoots and see if any are arrow worthy.

[moebow]

Check out wild rose.  Should be common in MI, it is here in northern MN.

[Shawn Rackley]

bamboo grows in japan and a lot of it is a zone 5 or lower. u would want a slow growing thick walled variety. madake is a good timber bamboo that has very thick walls . u would be better off finding someone that has a patch growing and take a couple root nodes and plant them.

[woodchucker]

Why don't you just cut cedar,and split it to make shafting???

Lots of work,but it will be fun crafting your own shafts!!!!!

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by woodchucker:
Why don't you just cut cedar,and split it to make shafting???

Lots of work,but it will be fun crafting your own shafts!!!!!

betcha can't do this with cedar ...        

   

   

[lpcjon2]

Nice Rob!

[Pat B]

There may very well be bamboos that grow in colder climates. Check out a bamboo specialty website to see what they have available.
  Rob, the trouble trying to make shafting from the larger bamboos is bamboo grows to it's ultimate height it's first year of growth. Only after it's second year is it appropriate for shafting(the same with hardwood shoots). Some bamboos like golden bamboo, which grows to 15" and about 1" in diameter at the base can be used for arrows if you cut from the top of the culm(cane) where the size is appropriate for arrows. In many cases the nodes are more pronounced on the bigger bamboos and even though they will make decent arrows most folks wouldn't like that much irregularity in their shafting.

[Orion]

I vote for red osier dogwood as well.  Makes a good arrow and the deer love to browse it (which can ruin its arrow quality).

[Hill Hunter]

You also don't want to plant wild rose, it will take you place over and you can't walk through it, also if its not already there you neighbors will hate you.

[ChuckC]

I know that rose ( multiflora ?) is considered an obnoxious weed but do any of you recall all the rabbits and quail we USED to have back when there was a place for them to hide from predators.

I have some red osier dogwood in place and I planted a couple "arrowwood" shrubs.  I am in "planting mode" and trying to really diversify on my little piece of heaven.  

I would really like to start some cane back along the creek if some will tolerate the winters.  I guess I need to look into that a bit closer.

Thanks for the ideas.
ChuckC

[moebow]

Ya and I wasn't suggesting you plant it!!!!!!  It grows wild all over the place -- just go find it.

[Kenneth]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
 

Originally posted by woodchucker:
Why don't you just cut cedar,and split it to make shafting???

Lots of work,but it will be fun crafting your own shafts!!!!!

betcha can't do this with cedar ...          

   

    [/b]

WOW!!!   :eek:    I'd like to get a dozen of those and not have to worry about buying arrows again for a LONG time; unless I lose them of course!  

[ChuckC]

woodchucker,  I have quite a stand of cedar in the back.  I might hang a sign and name the area Port Orford and see if the arrows turn out any good.
ChuckC

[Grey Taylor]

Pseudosasa japonica, Japanese arrow bamboo.
Sasa coreana, Korean arrow bamboo.

Guy

[Bowferd]

Rob,
I'll admit that photo is impressive, but I'll venture to guess it's fairly green. The only reason I say that is because even though I can bend mine almost beyond belief, they are a bit more brittle than that.
Now I'm not saying they won't bend further without snapping, I'm saying my gonads aren't bigenuf.