Congratulations to Roger Baker - His Easily Viewed Historic Tree Scored 222.5 Points!

We are pleased to announce the winner of the BIG TREE CONTEST for Shagbark Hickory in Wayne County goes to Roger Baker’s large historic tree that scored 222.5 points!  This lovely ole tree had a total circumference of 127 inches (10’7”) and was 80 feet tall!  If anyone want to view the winning tree, it can easily been seen just off North Firestone Road, diagonal from the Bethel United Methodist Church! You can’t miss it! A very close 2nd place was Jr. Richard’s grand tree that scored 219.75 points. His tree has a total circumference of 114 inches (9’6’’) and was 94 feet tall.  Not far off was 3rd place that went to the TALLEST Shagbark Hickory that we measured, owned by Will Moore – that scored 208.5  points. It had a total circumference of 98 inches (8’2”) and measured 95.5 feet tall. We were thrilled to have 7 entries  in our contest this year, and along with viewing and measuring these important trees, we were more than happy to meet the people belonging to the trees, and hear their stories and share their enthusiasm and passion for the trees and the environment. We want to thank all of the individuals for their entries so please come by our fair barn at the Wayne County Fair and check out the tree pictures.

Here are the complete results and scores of our entries for the contest.  

• 1st  222.5   points Roger Baker
• 2nd  219.75 points Jr. Richard
• 3rd  208.5   points Will Moore
• 4th  195.5   points Sherri Gochnauer
• 5th  190.75 points Arlin Geiser
• 6th   187.25 points Ron Bosley Jr.
• 7th  174     points Neva Tegtmeier

It’s easy to see how shagbark hickories got their name—their trunks are characterized by long, peeling strips of bark. Some animals, like Indiana bats, make their homes in snug crevices beneath the loose bark. Branches and leaves of shagbarks form oval-shaped crowns in the spring and summer. Hickories are deciduous trees, so when autumn arrives, their leaves turn pale green to yellowish-brown before falling to the ground. The average height of shagbark hickories is between 60 and 80 feet (18 and 24 meters) tall, but they sometimes reach 120 feet (36.5 meters) in height. Hickories are members of the walnut family, and the fruit of the shagbark hickory is highly prized by both humans and wildlife. The fruit is a nut with a hard outer husk that splits open when ripe. Black bears, foxes, mice, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, and a number of birds enjoy the nuts every fall. Shagbark hickories reach maturity and start producing seeds at around 40 years old. The average lifespan is 200 years, but some longer-lived shagbarks can continue to produce seeds until age 300. The trees have a number of commercial uses. The wood is excellent for burning, and it’s used to produce flavorful food like hickory-smoked bacon. Hickory lumber is strong and shock-resistant, which makes it a great option for making tool handles, ladder rungs, athletic equipment, furniture, and flooring. Fun FACT: Andrew Jackson, the seventh U.S. president and Major General during the War of 1812, was nicknamed “Old Hickory” because he was considered to be as tough as a hickory tree.  Enjoy the hickories and cherish the old ones! https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Shagbark-Hickory

2025  Wayne SWCD BIG TREE Contest ~ Shagbark Hickory!

We are nuts about the contest.. so get out, and get looking! We are ready to find the largest SHAGGY tree in Wayne County!  You have until July 18th 2025 to get your nominations in to us! It's simple and easy to do! Fill out the form. Let us do the rest. In 2025, we will send you a confirmation of your entry to verify we have received the forms. We visit and score the trees in July.  Winning nominator gets a $25 gift card and the winning tree owner gets a special plaque. Forms and details are in the office or can be downloaded by clicking the links below. 

Web Links : 

Know Your Hickories

Identify 6 Common Hickories 

DID YOU KNOW?  The number of leaflets is one good way to distinguish shellbark hickory from shagbark hickory, which mostly has 5 leaflets.  So LOOK for the tree with mostly FIVE leaflets.  Leaves are broad, up to 15 inches long, alternate, pinnately compound, and almost always have 5 finely toothed leaflets with serrations on leaflet margins.  For more information, go to page 54  & 55 on the Trees of OHIO Field Guide.