Baking wood from outside?

[Leefrogs]

Absolutely!! I've found perfect pieces from outside. Just bake for 1 hour (or until it starts on fire) at 200 degrees, this is mainly to dry it more, kill any pesty eggs, and eliminate chytrid fungus. All hardwoods are safe, oak, birch, ironwood, etc.. Stay away from pine or aromatic woods like sicamore and cypress. These leech and have irritating saps. I had a similar thread and someone gave me a link that was for woods suspended in an aqarium. Does not apply
Here's the basics--
Anything barkless and sun bleached

Any driftwood

Even dry rotted and crumbling

It will still hold up for 5-10 years. Take a rock and scrub off most of the rot. If the core can hold up to you scrubbing, it's good. My stick for kermit is perfect, looks like an antler, and was only dry rotted where there's like platforms on the tines of antler.

Mature trees have the best stuff, but don't use cut wood. It still has to leach out all it's sap and moisture.

Check your local law. Usually you cannot pick wood from the water, for these are Lil fishy homes. And no trespassing!!
Happy hunting