asmjock wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2007 at 3:58am:

...reap some tasty treats.

Well... Maybe not.

The variety I stumbled upon is the Bitternut Hickory which has a bitter nut  ;) due to a high tannin content, similar to some acorns. I still plan to give them another try later this year to see if they can be used.

FWIW, if you stumble upon hickory nuts that look like   (You need to Login or Register, you have hit the jackpot with Shagbark Hickory and will have a tasty treat. Although Shagbark can be found in the upper midwest (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota), it is rare in the most northern areas.

-aj