Got a lead on some free Scaley bark hickory wood close by my house. Went by this morning and man does this fella have a bunch of wood. Had a giant, blow down and clip his house, to save on funds he just had the rest dropped and cut up. I'll be working up wood from this guy for a few days. Carried a load home today. Next trip will be Thursday and I'll make sure to post some pics!
Awesome. Hickory is rare on my woodlot. Rare enough that I won’t cut them. I’d like to try a good bunch of that stuff.
Very good! Hickory is rare in my neck of the woods, too. I got one big three stemmed monster a few years ago, burned like coal. All that's left now is a handful of splits for the smoker... Guess I'll have to find another one in a couple years to refill the smoker pile.
Wow, I guess I'm blessed then. We have a fair amount of Hickory here. Didn't realize it was so rare in other regions.
We don't have Hickory down this way, I've heard a lot about it but I doubt I'll ever get the chance to burn it. And yeah, you better post those pics.
Nice score, buckman84 . I'll be getting my first load of hickory real soon, also. Had a nice one uproot where I cut.
Shagbark hickory is my favorite firewood. There's spots of it, you just have to know where to look. It's picky on where it grows, and I am pretty sure that it needs a forest bed that is high in organic matter, as in a mature old growth type of forest floor.
Tell you what that stuff is hard on a chain as well! I'll be setting some aside for the smoker as well.
There used to be lots of hickory and walnut in MI when I was growing up but sadly, most of them got cut down. Now there aren't many to be had. I do know of one place that still has lots of shagbark hickory. It is owned by a sportsman's club.
Is what you call scaley bark the same as shagbark? And yes, it surely makes you file the chain often.
Makes sense considering what I see in western MA. Most of the land here was cleared for farming in the 1700-1900's. Not a lot of old growth until you get to the steep tops of the hills. Have never wandered them with an eye toward wood species.. Maybe this fall if the honey-do list ever gets finished. (Yeah.)
Most of the northeast was logged between then. There are pockets of true old growth. The forests look nothing like they did pre colonial settlement. I've got quite a bit of shagbark. I have never actually burned any of it. Too much dead-damaged stuff. I will be thining a few and milling them though!
