Thought this was interesting. Sapsuckers love the sap of hickory trees. This 13” hickory had a huge wound all the way around it from Sapsuckers, and splitting it open showed the internal scares from years of feasting since it was a small tree.
Sapsuckers and Hickory
- Thread starter MoDoug
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CincyBurner
Minister of Fire
A friend commented that there are two types of hickory: easy splitting, and tough splitting.
Ran across some of the tougher splitting on a scrounge late summer that yielded a full cord CSS, but I earned it. Despite having a nice straight trunk, closer inspection when cutting revealed numerous, perenial borer attacks causing woundwood growth response making for some real tough splitting.
Ran across some of the tougher splitting on a scrounge late summer that yielded a full cord CSS, but I earned it. Despite having a nice straight trunk, closer inspection when cutting revealed numerous, perenial borer attacks causing woundwood growth response making for some real tough splitting.
Hickory sap can be boiled down and made into syrup, but it's a very small market when compared with maple.
Grizzerbear
Minister of Fire
Been choppin hickory for years and I never knew it had sap. I've seen the holes from the sap sucker but never made the connection. You learn sumthin every day I guess. Never heard of hickory syrup either but my grandma used to make a hickory pie that was better than any pecan pie I ever had.
I think these hickories are shagbark, they weren't as easy to split as oak, and not nearly as tough as elm. When they do split they leave strands of fibers inside. I'm using hydraulics.
One thing I noticed when a fresh tree is bucked up, it looks like it practically bleeds to death with all the moisture oozing out the end cuts. The ones standing on end on the road, left a wet spot.
I never heard of hickory pie, I'm gonna have to look that up. We have several hickories in our yard. I hate all the nuts they drop, maybe some good can come of it. LOL
Speaking of hickory, for those that smoke meats, is there any particular part of a hickory to save for smoking or just any of it. I'm wondering if the darker interior wood is any better than the outer lighter part?
This piece of hickory had a nice clean split.
This piece of hickory had a nice clean split.
walhondingnashua
Minister of Fire
Sawset
Minister of Fire
It's been unseasonably nice out last couple of days, so went for a few walks to enjoy. Noticed one of the few hickories around - sure enough, there were the bands of pilot holes. I like learning new things like that. And of course had to look up the culprit - they're common enough, but would never have put the thought together - sap, sapsucker. They look like wood peckers is all. Kind of like all dark colored birds are just black birds.
It's been rainy here all day, it's a good day to fix my leaky shower in the basement. We have some Bradford Pear trees that had the holes in them and when I looked up why, it turned out to be Sapsuckers. I've read Sapsuckers will return to the same tree to feed year after year, even if they're just migrating through. Hickory bark has to be one of the hardest barks out there. I've had my chainsaw glance off of it if I don't get a good solid bite on it to start. it amazes me they peck holes in it. Nature is fascinating.
