River cane arrows

[Awanita]

Osiyo everyone, living in the Delta of northeast Arkansas we have plenty of river cane. I have found it is easy to work with and does very well to make arrows. Here are some photos of a few I have made and use. Most of the time when you harvest them young (and green) they are pretty straight, but here is something I have learned. If you have a small curve you can heat the cane and use a 2X4 to straighten. I also use light sandpaper to smooth the (for lack of a better term) knobbies. Then use sinew or nylon and pine tar to put the arrow tip and fletching on. Photo-0134.JPGPhoto-0070.jpgPhoto-0071.jpg

[MrFixIt]

Very nice Awanita!
Are those metal points?
I have a dozen or so that I made but have never mounted them...

[randyt]

that's awesome, do you use a wooden fore shaft?

[Awanita]

Mrfixit yest they are metal, lol now what I made them out of is really (redneck) shows that survival will go with what works. They are made from House trailer strappings. I made a forge and put the heat to them and shaped them. The edge holds very well.

[Awanita]

Those I did not, I have used a wooden fore shaft before and maybe it is just me but I find connected straight to the cane itself tends to shoot straighter(for me).

[hunter63]

Nice job....thanks for posting.
We don't have river cane anywhere close.... I have used willow, but not for a long time.

[Awanita]

Going to go harvest some this weekend. If you would like I will get some extra and try to send you half a dozen or so. Just private message me if you would like for me to send you some.

[hunter63]

Thank you for the very generous offer....but most likely won't be making or using any in the near future.

Might want to ask around, others may be interested?

[Awanita]

Howa, and if you come across someone steer them my way and I will help if I can. Wado.

[your_comforting_company]

How long do they need to cure before straightening? I have half a dozen or so I mean to use for atlatl darts, but I tend to crush them when attempting to straighten. Perhaps I just need less brutish hands when working cane?

[Awanita]

actually you heat and straighten when green, then put between ( I uses about a 4foot by 2foot pieces of plywood) two pieces of wood with something heavy on top and let them dry...works pretty well for me.

[hunter63]

I used a pieces of 2" PVC to straighten some willow cans.....peeled them and kept stuffing them in the tubing till tight.....worked pretty well.
Wanted to make a squared-off willow back to use as a chair and bunk.....
Didn't have enough though to make one....beavers beat me to the willow in my river bottom and pretty much leveled it.

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[Awanita]

I am going to start tanning about a 50lb beaver hide in the next couple of weeks. Biggest beaver I have seen.

[hunter63]

That is a big beaver......I get a lot of damage done by them.....tunnel under the river banks and cause cave in's.
They are on the up swing again....had a guy trap them but doesn't do it any more....and I not there long enough to tend the traps.

[Awanita]

My cousin who lives on the floodway shot him last year, had him in the big freezer for awhile looked like a dead body in there....lol the wife said we needed more room. So I took him out and got him skinned and we are going to tan the hide and make some mocs and maybe a hat. He will be big enough good gravy.

[hunter63]

I had a bad experience going after beaver with a shot gun.

Early on when they were dropping 60ft maples into the river....I called the state DNR....Nuisance animal Hot line.
Was told I could shot the during small game hours....(daylight)....but they are mostly nocturnal.

So got my lawn chair 12 ga w/buck shot, and spot light, and was just sitting dowen to get me a beaver....spooked a couple of deer that ran 1/2 mile to the highway....one got hit.....car stopped .other cars stopped and checked..... till the cops showed up and a tow truck.

Now here I was..... in the dark,...... with the cops 1/2 mile away,..... with a loaded shotgun and spot light....What is wrong with this picture?
Walked back to the cabin and we went to the saloon in town....End of beaver hunt.....in the river.

[your_comforting_company]

deadfall traps don't make anywhere near the noise of a shotgun

[randyt]

conibears work well too

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[your_comforting_company]

I watched a few videos on cane arrows and it looked like they all had been cured almost brown before heating and straightening. I'll try some green ones. I usually bind them together in a bundle with string to cure somewhat straight. From what I understood you warm them until they gloss over, then hold straight.
I find cane on the side of the road here. Been seeing it for literally YEARS and didn't know what it was. DOH!

[hayshaker]

hey randt is that a hand built piuro the beaver is in or a tow behind.?