Corvus, I've been that way most of my life. For walking sticks, you can't beat hickory. They're stronger than most species for the size, even when green. Osage is also good, along with hornbeam. Oak isn't, apparently the saplings don't have the strength of bigger trees. Lighter woods like yellow poplar, cherry, and red cedar are pretty good, but not as durable as the heavy hardwoods. It's a good idea to let them dry indoors or inside a screen room in bug season, because the wood borers will infest them. Or remove the bark, which will keep the borers out.
I also carry a longbow rather than a recurve in the woods most of the time, because the stiff limb tips are good for those times you need a little extra help. Yes, I'm a bow abuser.