First hickory score ever.

[Dune]

Scored about 1.5 cord of hickory. How long to properly season? Should I put is at the end of the line ('14-'15)?
Does hickory rot?

 

[48rob]

Dune,

Congratulations!

I pulled a Hickory out of the woods a year ago, it was a standing dead tree.
It had a little bit of punky wood on parts of it (first stages of decay) but most was in very good condition.
I cut split and stacked it right away.
I'm burning some of it now, it burns long and hot, but I'll bet the rest of it I left in the stack for next year will burn even better!

Rob

 

[Thistle]

About 20% of the wood I cut every year is Shagbark Hickory.Standing dead or fallen almost exclusively.It will last 3-4 yrs standing before rot sets in,2 or so if its on the ground.But will go quicker if its in a low wet area or you've had lots of rain and/or snowmelt for a few months.

Except in rare cases,I've found that Hickory whether dead or green will be good to burn in a year once its split/stacked,some times a bit sooner. Bit higher density than the Oaks,but much less natural moisture content.

 

[Grannyknot]

I like to burn it, but found that it takes a long time to season, much like oak.
I cut up a storm fall hickory last June that was the punkiest thing I'd ever seen. Probably won't be ready until next winter.
My friend burns hickory exclusively in his open hearth and the house smells awesome at all times.

 

[basswidow]

I can't wait to burn my shagbark next year. Smelled like bacon or ham the whole time I was splitting it! Made me hungry.

 

[ohlongarm]

Hickory if seasoned a year and put under cover from the elements will last for years ,I'm burning some I had in my woodshed that's 10 years old,back in the day when I thought fireplaces were heaters.

 

[muncybob]

This is good timing on this subject as I'm going to look at 5 hickory trees tomorrow a guy wants taken down from his getaway cabin. This will be my first time with hickory also and based on the btu chart I have I'm gonna love it! I'm no tree ID expert and if I'm unsure of what they are I'll post pics here over the weekend so you hickory nuts(get it?) can confirm for me.

 

[Jags]

Dune- your looking at a year to season and some fantastic firewood. Nice even heat with good coaling properties.

Get it off the ground and you will have several seasons before any degradation will be of any concern.

 

[bluedogz]

I have a full cord of pignut up on pallets behind the barn.

That doesn't add anything to the conversation... just braggin' on my wood.

 

[Dune]

Thanks. From the sounds of it, I should slip it into the line a couple years from now. Apreciate the feedback.

 

[seeyal8r]

I cut up some hickory last winter. Some kind of boring beetle larvae made holes all in it to the point it looked like swiss cheese. It cured easily in a year and was covered in saw dust from the beetle. I brought some in early in the fall and the beetles came out of the wood. Probably the last time I cut hickory since it burned so easily with all the holes. Of course we had an abnormally warm summer and that may have caused the infestation.

 

[Kenster]

I've got a bunch of huge pignut hickories back in our woods. They are very healthy and I'm not about to cut them for firewood. But I did find one smaller dead one a few years ago. I cut it down, bucked and split most of it right away. Maybe a quarter cord. Hand splitting wasn't too bad. But for some reason, there were about six rounds that I never split. About three years later I tried to split those rounds and both my ten pound maul and my Fiskers SS just bounced off without making a dent. This was before I bought my Huskee 35. I ended up just tossing them whole into the fire for overnight burns. Sweet!

So get it split and stacked asap. If you have excellent exposure and wind you MIGHT have some smaller splits ready by next fall but I think that's pushing it. You'll be richly rewarded if you save it until 2013/14.

 

[Beardog]

Had some hickory from Alfred. Put it in with the oak I got, won't see the stove for another 2 years. Hoping it burns as advertised!

 

[Kenster]

Had some hickory from Alfred. Put it in with the oak I got, won't see the stove for another 2 years. Hoping it burns as advertised!

In two years that hickory will be SWEET!

 

[Woody Stover]

I can't wait to burn my shagbark next year. Smelled like bacon or ham the whole time I was splitting it! Made me hungry.

I was bucking some Pignut earlier today, and suddenly had the urge to grill some meat! :lol:

I cut up some hickory last winter. Some kind of boring beetle larvae made holes all in it to the point it looked like swiss cheese. It cured easily in a year and was covered in saw dust from the beetle. I brought some in early in the fall and the beetles came out of the wood. Probably the last time I cut hickory since it burned so easily with all the holes. Of course we had an abnormally warm summer and that may have caused the infestation.

Almost always see the post powder beetles in Hickory here after you split and stack it.

 

[Thistle]

I can't wait to burn my shagbark next year. Smelled like bacon or ham the whole time I was splitting it! Made me hungry.

I was bucking some Pignut earlier today, and suddenly had the urge to grill some meat! :lol:

I cut up some hickory last winter. Some kind of boring beetle larvae made holes all in it to the point it looked like swiss cheese. It cured easily in a year and was covered in saw dust from the beetle. I brought some in early in the fall and the beetles came out of the wood. Probably the last time I cut hickory since it burned so easily with all the holes. Of course we had an abnormally warm summer and that may have caused the infestation.

Almost always see the post powder beetles in Hickory here after you split and stack it.

Especially when cut in late winter or early spring.

 

[Gark]

This thread makes my mouth water and gets me green with envy. Haven't had the good fortune yet to scrounge any hickory except the bags of chips that go on the barbequeue coals.

 

[artmos]

i burn a lot of hickory. must be at least a year ole,preferably 2 or more to get the optimal burn. i have about a cord aging with more in the woods to get at. i cut the smaller branches and stack them in the barn to use in my smokehouse when i get it finished. still haulin rock from the crick for the build. can't wait! art