If you had a choice

Splitting this elm was a dream.

I’d take 100 more dead standing elm logs if I could get them. Another species I would love to have more of is Hawthorn.
I have a slim to none chance for BL, so I’d go Hickory, WO, RO.

 

I’ve never even heard of smooth bark hickory, so hard to judge there.

For me, I’d pick white oak first. I’ve been burning the chestnut variety for years and still have years c/s/s. Love the smells, only negative is the messy nature of its sapwood/bark.
Next wood be red oak. When I split RO, my splitter wedge goes in about 2-3” and done. Really cuts back on processing time. I’m 5-6 years ahead so dry time is a non issue. I personally like the smell unless there is any decay, then it can get putrid.
3rd black locust. I really love having it on hand. It cranks btu’s for a very long time in my Englands add-on wood furnace. The smoke is not pleasant when reloading.
IF you listed shaggy hickory, it wood be #1 on my list.

 

He maybe referring to bitternut hickory. Of the three common here it has the smoothest bark.

I just googled it and the result was another name for pignut hickory
Carya glabra

 

We have some shagbark in my area and when I find it, I love it!! To me, it burns a little hotter than regular hickory

 

You know Buzz, it could be butternut. It's always been called smooth bark in my area.....

 

The smoothest bark hickory here is the bitternut variety. Some in my woods. Ill have to get a pic when the snow melts.

 

I can't speak for hickory or white oak since they don't grow this far north. Can't speak for black locust either as I have never scrounged any, but there are a few around and I actually have one growing on my property (how it got here is anyone's guess but it is growing in an area where I had several loads of fill dirt dumped). Like ole and RCBS, my vote will have to be for red oak because it is the only tree out of the four I have access to.

 

Thanks! I've heard folks talk about bitternut but I don't know that I've ever seen it. I just finished getting up a red oak that Helen blew the top out of. I dropped the stob and measured the stump. It was 49" Should make enough wood for a few seasons!