loral,the tree that sheds it bark..and is orange or redish thin bark..which is also know as pacific madron...and yes you can make a bow from it and it would have to come from a large tree that is straight..the younger one like to twist in growing and drying in stave form...it might take some pratice the wood is hard...i havent made a bow from it..BUT,there was a guy from northen cali that wrote a artical in primitive archer about it in the first issues of pa i think...this is the right time of year to go looking and cutting..i would say give it a try AND DONT GIVE UP...maybe you could do a search for the pa magizane..i hope this help alittle...john