Living in southern Iowa, we are blessed with many different types of wood (and weather). I've burned many of them in my short 4 years at this. I did have only about a wheelbarrow load of good seasoned hickory from a friends stack. It was around three years CSS and burnt great, surprising energy and nice smell (if you go outside and downwind). I didn't see any but it was somewhat eaten up by bugs and a little rotten in places. Last weekend I acquired a 1/3 pickup load of hickory by using my log splitter to help another friend. This hickory is coming in at a not at all surprising 36 to 40% moisture so won't be even considered at all this year, likely not next either. He said it was dead standing for two years. The moisture is expected but this hickory was also chewed up pretty good. When splitting I had the wedge knock lose bark off to expose the heartwood which has some bug damage too. It's January and I saw no bugs except one piece with them hiding deep inside. So my question: Is hickory always susceptible to bugs and/or rotting? What if I took a live tree then CSS it well off the ground, would it still have the problem? I wouldn't attempt seasoning in a shed but if you had 10 years to do that, would it still happen? The hickory I just CSS Sunday has no bugs and is now up plenty high off the ground in a well ventilated area same as I do the many other types of wood. Will it continue to sustain damage? Bottom line, there is hickory around here, not as easy to get due to other hoarders but it's around. Guess I didn't want to put a lot of effort into this flavor if it's gonna rot in my well ventilated stacks before it's suitable for the EPA stove. Thoughts??? Thanks
