If the stave is relatively straight I would wait to bend it until you get it to floor tiller stage. At that point you have a lot less wood to heat and the bends are easier.
The bow in the pics below was built 2 months after the tree was cut. The recurve bends were done with dry heat with no checking(ends and back sealed with shellac). I use a heat gun and oiled the wood well before heating and bending. I find I have better luck with dry heat than with steam plus I can continue to heat while on the form if necessary to complete the bend. With steam, once you are out of the steam tube you have only a minute or less the get the bending done.
I haven't used steam since I started using a heat gun.
Many folks use steam to bend dry and wet wood with success. If you do use steam, seal the back and ends with shellac. Your wood is dry enough now it might check if it takes on moisture and is dried again. Newly cut wood works well with steam and steaming it will actually help dry the wood some.