Which wood for beginner?

[Double Creek]

I need some direction.  I want attempt to make a bow from one the trees growing on my family property.

We have a typical southern hardwood forest.  White oak, red oak, cherry bark oak, Honey locust, hackberry, birch, etc.  We don't have any osage orange, at leat none that I have seen.

I am completely new to bow making and would appreciate any help you can provide.

[vanillabear?]

[shamus]

From the woods you have: White oak. But all of those woods make good bows if you match the right design to them.

Hickory is a another good one, but your climate may be a bit too humid to get the most out of a hickory bow.

You might want to pick up a  copy of "The Bent Stick" by Paul Comstock.

Also, The Traditional Bowyer's Bible series (volume 1 particularly) would also be good. But "The Bent Stick" will be enough to get you started on a solid footing.

[scrub-buster]

Try to find some osage.  You can make a lot of mistakes with osage and still end up with a shootable bow.

[kerryb]

Hackberry

[okie64]

I would try to find a piece of hickory or osage. But like the other guys said, any of those woods will make a good bow. Hickory will be the hardest to break but osage will be the most forgiving on the compression side.

[hova]

mmmm hackberry....that would be nice...


-hov

[REBbowhunter]

Where are you in MS.I've got plenty of Osage,some cut and some that can be cut.

[Roy Steele]

HICKORY

[Double Creek]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.    I'm not sure we have hickory, if so its not abundant.

REB, thanks for the offer, I may take you up on that!  I need to acquire some tools!

[Pat B]

Whatever wood you can get. Most woods will make a bow if you use the proper design for the wood used.

[REBbowhunter]

Most hardwood forests in MS have abundant oak and hickory and there is lots of hackberry around.If your not sure how to identify you can get a field guide.That is what I did several years ago and it really helps.