Tree....or at least that's what we call em.....I think they are actually called honey locust trees.......I know they hurt like heck when you watching the ground and not paying attention where your walking.....lol

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/37047e5f9e00f343.jpg

Yep they will flatten a new 4 wheeler tire too :mad:. Trust me I know :D!

Harry I have seen those things go in a tractor tire a few times.

PS if you ever get stuck with one of those (or if your dog does) the are around where it sticks you will swell up. Rocket (my birddog) did that last year and his foot swelled up about double sized, fine the next morning.

That's a good name for them Bam!
The honey locusts don't have the awful thorns..those are black locusts and they make a nasty wound..trust me..I had a little mare that always was getting into them..and Dad could have cared less about MY injury from them..he was too busy growling at me for letting the horse get buggered up LOL
Bag Balm or some kind of drawing salve helps..but it's still painful and nasty..even the comfrey salve that will heal anything doesn't help much!

Gretchen you're right, I was thinking black locust, them boogers are mean!

I had a piece of one of these break off in the back of my leg back when I was a kid. I spent almost the whole time we were at my grandparents lying on the sofa with an Epsom salts plaster on my leg till a solid green core came out. It hurt like the dickens when it came out too.

I had one stuck in the top of my head real good one time. We were out chasing rabbits. My dad had to pull it out. Funny thing, had my hat pinned to my head. Not so funny, was the pain. :(

yup, we had one right out back and it we got rid of it rather quickly..lol...it was right by the kids swingset......lol

That is allot nicer name for them than I ever gave em..........

Tree....or at least that's what we call em.....I think they are actually called honey locust trees.......I know they hurt like heck when you watching the ground and not paying attention where your walking.....lol

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/37047e5f9e00f343.jpg

I think you are correct Bam. Looks like Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) to me. The thorns in the picture look long and like they are starting to branch. The trunk would also have thorns coming out of it. (Prehistoric defense from being stripped and eaten)
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) has nasty thorns also but they are short and don't branch.
[a few years in forestry courses gets me talkin' all fancy-like]

Honey Locust is a favorite tree of mine. It has this soft look from a distance but up close, watch out! Neither are native to Illinois. Almost took a picture of one the other day just down the road. Check this for reference, from Mn Tree Care Advisors. Odd source but pretty comprehensive.
Honey Locust - (http://www.mntca.org/Reference_manual/Tree_info/Images/Caesalpiniaceae/Gleditsia/gleditsia%20triacanthos%20-%20thorns%20on%20main%20stem%20-with%20keys-WS%20%20dwu%20mitchell%204-02-05.jpg)
Black Locust (http://www.mntca.org/Reference_manual/Tree_info/Images/Fabaceae/robinia%20p%20-%20dead%20twigs%20showing%20thorns%20%20WS.jpg) -

Bam you are right...that is a honey locust tree. They produce long, dark reddish, curly seed pods that deer eat after they have freshly fallen. If you break one of the pods open they have a sweet aroma.

When I was climbing trees every day my boss always loved to send me up em'. Some of the bigger ones I'd have to strip the thorn clusters off as I climbed up. I've called em alot worse than the jesus tree. Runnin' em through the chipper was fun too.:eek:

Tree....or at least that's what we call em.....I think they are actually called honey locust trees.......I know they hurt like heck when you watching the ground and not paying attention where your walking.....lol

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/37047e5f9e00f343.jpg

I punched one one time trying to clear a branch and got it stuck in my knuckle. I ended up having surgery to have it removed. I lost that battle.

Im not sure of the difference between the black and honey locust.I found this on in the middle of a Bunch of pines today............
I used the focus dots on this one right on the thorn....Huntrz if you haven't tried the points yet.I would def at least give it a try...I think the nikon had 5 different dots! I also think it makes the shot a little sharper to be focused on exactly on what you want...:D

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd125/bambam203silo/thorn1.jpg

I just remembered having to actually plant these things near the Mt. Vernon airport. Something about there are birds that fly into these with their prey, ie: mice, small rabbits, etc........
When the birds get into them they impale their prey on the thorns and then proceed to eat their dinner.

I just couldn't imagine someone wanting these things around!.............LOL

We have always tried to kill them out. We have even ventured onto the neighbors ground to cut them down when their branches hang over our driveway.