Back about 1963 the late season archery season attracted my attention so I vowed next season I would be ready. I purchased a Pearson Puma, after that a Pearson Wildcat I believe, then moved up to a Bear Kodiak that accounted for my first buck. After many hunting adventures and fond memories I lost a lot of my interest in hunting due to working, raising a family, and other hobbies and interest. So after years went by I became interested in building my own bow and getting back to hunting. I always wanted to hunt with a longbow but thought the ones I was seeing were too expensive for me so I built a hickory longbow with hatchet, drawknife, and scraper. I have since acquired a few more tools and built many more pignut hickory bows. These were not boards, but split from a tree where the game walks, well dried and well tillered. I even glued up a glass laminated longbow. After all that I've settled on the pignut hickory longbow as my favorite! To be honest I've never tried other woods, but when moisture is taken out and kept out of hickory it works as well as any bow I've shot including the laminated recurves. But I must admit to prejudice. The wood is warm and beautiful when stained with alcohol based stain. The stuff is tough enough for axe handles so us geezers can let it double as a walking stick in the woods. Hey, wood bows have personality. Most have names. I shoot all my bows, recurves, glass longbows, and like 'em all but the hickory stick will be my favorite.