Hi Folks, Thanks for your remarks and questions. I've identified the wood as colorado red cedar, which is a popular term for J. scopulorum. The stave was actually collected in north central Nebraska where hybridization with eastern red cedar is big possibility. I'm not familiar enough with other juniper species to give much advice on identification. The wood is very similar to the lumber yard eastern red cedar ( J. virginianum) in appearance and working properties. The grove I'm collecting staves from has numerous trees that are 5-6 inches through the base and ~ 50 growth rings. It's not high elevation yew, but it does seem a little denser and springier than the lumber yard eastern red cedar I've worked.
This bow wound up being mainly sapwood with just enough heartwood coloring in the handle area to keep it from looking boring. I was shooting for a 5-10 pound higher draw weight, but !!!!! Oh well, it was just the right weight for Ben.
M-P