Around here at least, I've found decent staffs are pretty easy to find along maintained trails & camp-sites. You get the little saplings that grow for a little while and then get cut down as they start encroaching on the trail / site.

Personally, I found one I liked and held on to it instead of trying to forage for one every time I wanted to use one. I've had the same one for quite a while now, but its not really finished or anything. I just found one I liked and cleaned it up (took the branches & bark off, cleanly sawed the ends). One good thing is if you decide the one you picked doesn't quite work for you can just grab a different one and not really be out anything but a little time. The same holds for if/when you loose or wreck it somehow.