Here is a nice Black Cherry burl staff ready for carving. It is fresh cut and only the bark has been stripped with a drawknife to start the drying process. Currently it weighs 5#5ozs and it stands 68" tall. To the top of the burl it is approximately 65". The burl still has some cambium in the irregular texture, but you can see where the drawknife stripped the areas and exposed the "eyes." Once carved the entire burl will have that look, and a good oil polyurethane will make it visually "pop". The shaft has a large "dog leg" in the middle but the base returns pretty well, so the balance transfer is good. It should be a fine walking stick. The shaft varies from 1-1/8" up to 1-3/4", and the burl is about 3-1/2" at the widest and up to 9" high, although one side is shorter. Make it what you want, I see a good owl possibility but I probably lack the artistic talent. When it is wet you may have some success with gouges and chisels, but the grain makes it difficult. When it dries it becomes rock hard. A rotary burr would be the easiest choice to carve it wet or seasoned. (ufws268)