Stick

[Linc]

I found the value of walking sticks years ago on a 50 mile hike in the Adirondaks. I won't hike without one now. I will usually find a stick at the beginning of a hike.. If it suits me after a while I will keep it. If not I will find another candidate. When I find one that suits me I'll work on it whilest sitting at the campfire. Strip off and carve whatever stikes my fancy at the time. Usually dates and location,etc. When I get home it goes into an large old crock pot where I keep old walkingsticks and canes that I have collected. They help preserve memories of previous hikes. Sometimes I will take one out and use it for old times sake. 

Pathfinder, You should come to my house. I've had a few garters over 3' here. Almost tempted to use them for bow backings.LOL.

[pathfinder]

I've come across a few of the Masuaga[sp] rattlers we have here,more of a pain in the butt than dangerous. Caught a 7 1/2' blue racer once at a customers house as she was doing some pruning under her shrubs, grabbed him by the neck more out of self defense than bravado , took him home and let him go in the woods next to my house, not many mice for the next few years!

[William]

Have made two out of cedar (mountain juniper).  One was just a straight sapling with the bark peeled off, some sanding and a coat or two of tru-oil.  The second was a straight limb that had been covered in dirt long enough for most of the sap wood to rot off, leaving the very dense heart wood, a dark reddish brown that I've covered with a gloss polyurethane.  Neither one had seen that much use, but maybe someday one of them will go with me on a real trek.