Wood ID and riser block size

[Hummer3T]

Does anyone know what kind of wood this is, I believe it is from the southern United States. I came off a pallet cross member. 

looking to get a riser build out of it what size is minimum (mountain monarch bow)

[Woodpuppy]

Poplar?

[Rough Run]

Looks like red oak to me.

[Tim Finley]

If it came off a pallet it could be poplar here they use cotton wood , pretty blah for a riser and poplar may not be strong enough depending on your bow weight .

[Roy from Pa]

Looks like poplar, not good for a riser.

[Hummer3T]

It very hard, to sand one side took 4 minutes.  not polar but looks like it.   not red oak, doesn't have the cell structure... I know the pictures are hard to tell from, wouldn't be birch, hickory or maybe another nut?   

[monterey]

Where did you get it?

[wood carver 2]

It's definitely not oak. It does look like a poplar. Is it hard and heavy? Does it raise a fuzz when you sand it?
Dave.

[Hummer3T]

very very hard and heavy,  one direction (cross grain at gets a fuzz) but not like Elm (does not have cell structure of Elm), I will post a few more pictures to assist.  It is quarter sawn, which outlines a looped grain.  The grain also has sap lines which are almost at a petrified state.

[Hummer3T]

My guess to this point are Pecan, hickory, Alder or Birch, leaning toward birch, but does not seem right with color variations and cell structure.  I don't have a lot of experience with hickory or Pecan other than through my training and some ax-shovel handle wood.

what type of popular are you guys thinking?  Ours in Canada would not be this hard

[Eric Krewson]

My guess would be walnut with darker wood and the sapwood present, inferior walnut. Walnut is an open pored wood, if you sand it, clean off the dust and can still see pores it may be walnut. Walnut has a distinctive smell as well. I have made gunstocks out of both light and dark walnut.

[Bowjunkie]

Sure looks like maple to me. I have a piece just like it. Maple is diffuse porous, so would have a closed and tight cell structure. And if it's as hard and heavy as you say, probably Sugar/hard Maple. A lot of pallets and cribbing are made of maple.

Eric, not sure, but what you think may be heartwood might be a shadow? Maybe there's some heartwood there too. I'm still going with maple.

[Eric Krewson]

Looking again I think your are right, it is a shadow and definitely not walnut.

[monterey]

That shadow threw me too.  I'm thinking maple.

[wood carver 2]

That greenish tinge had me thinking poplar, but the grain sure says maple. If it's heavy and hard, I would go ahead and use it for a riser. It certainly looks sound.
Dave.