Need help with walnut issue......

[TurtleCreek]

  I have a black walnut stave perfectly straight, 72 inches long, a hair over 2 inches wide by 2 inches deep.  I would like to make an eastern woodlands style of bow with it about 66 to 68 inches long and in the neighborhood of 40 to 50 pounds at my 27 inch draw length.  My issue or problem is this-  along the length of the stave which would be the future bow's back there are shallow grooves and ridges.  When looking at the corner edges of the back of the stave, these grooves and ridges are no more than an 1/8th of an inch higher or below the back corner edges of the stave.  When making the bow, can I basically "ignore" these and proceed as if they aren't there or would it be safe to flatten the back and back the bow with rawhide?

[Pat B]

Is this the natural shape of the back or were they gouged in there? If they are natural, just ignore them and tiller your bow out.

[TurtleCreek]

  This is the natural contour of the back of the stave.  I was extremely careful and worked slowly to remove the bark down to the cambium, and then took the cambium off with very light scraping and when that got thin enough, I took the rest off with sand paper to make sure I did not violate the back ring in any way.

[Buckeye Guy]

Should be good to go then !!
Guy

[PEARL DRUMS]

Thems just character marks! Should make a pretty bow by the time you whip it into shape. Hackberry also has lumps and bumps on the back sometimes. Makes for a sweet back.

[Pappy]

As does Hickory and IronWood,what everyone else said.
   Pappy

[TurtleCreek]

  Sounds good guys.  Thank you all for the input.  I will try and post some pics tonight so you can see exactly what I am working with.