Howdy everybody!
I've had this account for a while, but never posted anything before now. As I'm working a stave of hickory for the first time, I figured it was as good a time as any to introduce myself to community. I'm 23 and living in Ohio right now. It was only a few years ago when the inner caveman woke up and really compelled me outdoors. Since then I've read up on and tried to practice some rudimentary perma-gardening, camping trips (along with all the fun skills you get to practice out there), archery, survival skills, hiking, etc... and now bow-making!
Picked up The Traditional Bowyer's Bible Volume 1 last winter and armed with that and this forum, felled a nice shagbark in my woods. Well, being new I didn't know how big of a pain stripping the bark from winter-cut hickory is, but I managed to get most of it and the cambium off. What I've learned so far: I used my hatchet too little, leaving a ton of work for my drawknife. The future is uncertain for this bow. Hopefully, I do everything right and the wood cooperates and doesn't explode when I try to tiller it. I've got suitable motivation because I've vowed not to hunt until I can do it with a bow I've made.
Anyway, hello everybody! I've enjoyed the community from afar, but now it's time for me to creep up and take a seat by the campfire.
Additional info for an already long-winded introduction:
I'm a college graduate in digital media (so while I can't trade much in the way of bush craft accessories, I can trade service doing graphics work for websites or videos)
I'm a pretty good cook
My ultimate goal is to have a nice little house on a big plot of land in Montana that I can work and live off of.