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Spectacular trees... ever come across them?

IkemanTX

IkemanTX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
3,501
I feel really blessed to have come across some astounding trees on public land in my lifetime. Most people never see, or take the time to see, how spectacularly large they really can get when they are forgotten on land where few humans walk. I came across two such trees today, and one early this past deer season.

The first is a Blackjack Oak I found in October. These trees are typically scrub trees, usually topping out around 30 feet. That makes this tree ancient.
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The second is a Bois D’arc (or Osage Orange, Hedge Apple, Horse Apple, Bow Wood, Monkey Ball... whatever you call it). I found this tree this morning while scouting, and put my shotgun at the base for size reference.
b73f6d3825a8f8a7f7f788d19867cf87.jpg


The third is a Bur Oak. As valuable as this tree is as lumber, it is a very thing to find one so d^#* big. Once again, shotgun for size reference.
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After really reflecting on my fascination with big trees, I have decided that at some point in my life... I WILL register a “Champion Tree”. A Champion Tree is a verified largest specimen of a species in either a state, or the nation depending on which list it qualifies for. I think I’d find that more satisfying than a Booner, to be honest.


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I LOVE old trees. One of my favorite things about river life is the opportunity to be in close proximity to some old swamp-monarchs. My wife pokes fun of me because sometimes I get a little dust in my eye looking at them. ;)

Here's a few favorites I pulled from my facebook real quick. That last one is the Alabama Champion Cypress. It's hard to really capture the scale of the darn thing. 5 grown men couldn't join hands around it. It is a STUD.
0adf94614f008f9e1382412e185ed83d.jpg
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I love me some trees. If only those things could talk! The best hunts I had this past season were out of a big Osage Orange. Although it wasn't quite as big as the one in your pic. After climbing the first few feet by hand, I still ended up using 6 foot extensions on my bottom sticks. Nice pics of some majestic old "jungle book" trees. Thanks for sharing!
 
Nutterbuster said:
I LOVE old trees. One of my favorite things about river life is the opportunity to be in close proximity to some old swamp-monarchs. My wife pokes fun of me because sometimes I get a little dust in my eye looking at them. ;)

Here's a few favorites I pulled from my facebook real quick. That last one is the Alabama Champion Cypress. It's hard to really capture the scale of the darn thing. 5 grown men couldn't join hands around it. It is a STUD.
0adf94614f008f9e1382412e185ed83d.jpg
aaf40cfc561d6d1c6734211aa71cadd0.jpg
7c131a7263e83e29132d44e32df2c21a.jpg
c08ec139eaf9e762d10b81aa1074b63d.jpg
a3e998767bb218221e17e6aecac09343.jpg


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

We have some truly massive Bald Cyprus trees in south Texas along the Guadalupe, Brazos, Blanco, and Nueces rivers. They are abut 5 hours from me, though so I rarely get down to see them. They are probably one of my favorite species.

Many of the really big ones were lost with the flooding along the Blanco River in 2015, and some more during Hurricane Harvey.
0143cf3a8a3223f082f62e2d1e06fd68.jpg


Of course, roads, bridges, and the town of Wimberly were basically wiped out as well.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Nutterbuster said:
I LOVE old trees. One of my favorite things about river life is the opportunity to be in close proximity to some old swamp-monarchs. My wife pokes fun of me because sometimes I get a little dust in my eye looking at them. ;)

Here's a few favorites I pulled from my facebook real quick. That last one is the Alabama Champion Cypress. It's hard to really capture the scale of the darn thing. 5 grown men couldn't join hands around it. It is a STUD.
0adf94614f008f9e1382412e185ed83d.jpg
aaf40cfc561d6d1c6734211aa71cadd0.jpg
7c131a7263e83e29132d44e32df2c21a.jpg
c08ec139eaf9e762d10b81aa1074b63d.jpg
a3e998767bb218221e17e6aecac09343.jpg


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Caught a lot of bass around cypress knees. Love them purdy trees.
 
I have run across a few Osage that look to be about that size. I also remember in Montana seeing some old river bottom cottonwoods that amazed me how big they were. I often wondered the shear weight of that entire organism, roots and all. Kind of cool to think how long these trees have been around. I've heard there are redwoods in CA that have been standing since the time of Jesus - that to me is amazing.
 
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DaveT1963 said:
I have run across a few Osage that look to be about that size. I also remember in Montana seeing some old rive bottom cottonwoods that amazed me how big they were. I often wondered the shear weight of that entire organism, roots and all. Kind of cool to think how long these trees have been around. I've hear there are redwoods in CA that have been standing since the time of Jesus - that to me is amazing.
Click to expand...
Dave, since you're a paddler, make a trip to see the virgin cypress stands on Lake Fausse in Louisianna. That 4th pic in my post is them from a distance. By the time I had paddled up to them it was too rough to try and take pics, but this article has some info and better pics:

https://rootsrated.com/lafayette-la/flat-water-paddling/virgin-cypress-of-lake-fausse-point

Supposedly they're at that 2,000 year mark as well. There were some hollow ones I paddled THROUGH. Massive old trees, the likes of which you don't see often east of the Mississippi. Individually they're impressive, but as a group it's awe-inspiring. The storm that rolled up on me added to the mood.

Definitely one of my life's highlights, and you can do it for free, minus the cost of gas out there.
 
Nutterbuster said:
Dave, since you're a paddler, make a trip to see the virgin cypress stands on Lake Fausse in Louisianna. That 4th pic in my post is them from a distance. By the time I had paddled up to them it was too rough to try and take pics, but this article has some info and better pics:

https://rootsrated.com/lafayette-la/flat-water-paddling/virgin-cypress-of-lake-fausse-point

Supposedly they're at that 2,000 year mark as well. There were some hollow ones I paddled THROUGH. Massive old trees, the likes of which you don't see often east of the Mississippi. Individually they're impressive, but as a group it's awe-inspiring. The storm that rolled up on me added to the mood.

Definitely one of my life's highlights, and you can do it for free, minus the cost of gas out there.
Click to expand...


I might just do that - I loved the cypress in E Tex when I was growing up - nothing like them. Some of out northern friends just think they have swamps - they need to come down here to fully appreciate a real swamp :)
 
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