Beginner at bow making...

[Barefoot_Jake]

Sorry I dont know if there is alot of posts like this but I am really new to all this. A few weeks ago I found videos about primitive hunting and bows and just fell in love with the idea and have really want to make a bow. The thought of making everything yourself is such a awesome idea and sounds so much fun! So my dilemma is I live in central Florida about 45 minutes from Tampa Bay and the woods behind my house only has oak and this other type of tree that I cannot identify, Ive looked at websites to help me identify this tree but I just cant find a match. So i was wondering if any you guys on here could help me  identify the tree and tell me if it is any good for making a bow.

Also on another note how hard is oak to use to make a bow and what are other woods in Central Florida that are good for making bow.

Sorry to bother yall with my idiocy on bow 

Heres one tree

Thought this one looked good for a stave 

Close up on the bark

The leafs on a sapling, all the of this type of tree have lost their leafs right now

Can trees with little limbs coming off the sides still be used?

a whole bunch of the type of tree

[seabass]

go to the how-tos and build a long page and click on Jawges archery website.there is a bunch of info for a beginner.this page  will help you out building your first bow.

[ojibwatbowyer]

If its free take it! I have no idea what bow wood grows where you are, but if you find some oak as "pipe" straight as that one tree in your pictures cut it, split it, season it! Thats what I would do, im no expert just my two cents 

[seabass]

+1 on if it is free cut it and season it.lots of wood will make a bow.

[David_Daugherty]

I'm not a professional bowyer by anymeans but I think if its a hardwood then it should be ok form making a bow.  Those oaks, I would cut em, split em, season em.  Then get to work on my bow building.

[Barefoot_Jake]

Thanks for the advice guys definitely going to get that tree and start working on it!

[spyder1958]

The leaves you show looks like a bay tree, at least thats what I was told they were. Also the live oaks from what I could find should be real good. I'll post as soon as I get them cured out.
I'm in plant city, where are you?
Graylan

[Barefoot_Jake]

The leaves you show looks like a bay tree, at least thats what I was told they were. Also the live oaks from what I could find should be real good. I'll post as soon as I get them cured out.
I'm in plant city, where are you?
Graylan

Hey Graylan Im not far from you at all I live over in Valrico, so its a bay tree you think? have you ever tried to make a bow from that kind of wood?

[spyder1958]

Man, you are close. As for the bay tree, no I haven't. I have one tree and its tall and straight, thought about cutting, but havn't pulled the trigger. Cut some and thin it down and quick dry it and lets see.
Welcome aboard.

[sleek]

Man, sure wish I still lived in New Port Richie, we could all get together...

Anyways, in your second photo, there is a sapling growing really tall to the immediate left of the tree you were taking a pic of. Its the first sapling to the left of that tree. Cut it. That looks nice and straight, easy to handle with basic tools, and I bet what ever tree it is, you can get a bow of it. Also, being so small, it will dry fairly fast, within a month or two while you work on it. Also, heat treat it to make sure its good and dry. Yes, by the way, branches on a tree make wonderful bows. Good luck!

[burn em up chuck]

         welcome to pa and the pursuit of therapy trees. 

                                                        chuck

[osagejack]

I have seen some great bows made from the wild orange trees

[sleek]

Hey! There ya go! Any fruit tree makes a great bow!

[darwin]

cut some and while you let it dry build a board bow for practice 

[StickMan47]

Hey Jake, I'm not an expert by any means and I'm not trying to step on Spyders toes, but I believe what you may have there is a Laurel Oak. I looked this up in my Field Guide to Trees of North America book. The Red Bay Spyder mentioned is very similar to the Laurel Oak. Both are native to your area. The main differences, noted in the field guide, is that the Red Bay has a fissured bark pattern versus a scaly type pattern as shown in your photo. Sometimes identifying a tree by bark alone can be difficult because as a tree ages the barks appearance will change somewhat.

The leaves in your photo helps a lot. A Red Bay's leaves are more narrow through the middle than the ones shown in your photo. They also have a greenish tinted twig just before the leaf. If you crush the Red Bay leaf in your hand it will have a distinctive odor such as the bay leaf you find in the spice section in the grocery store, which are used for cooking.

The leaves of the Laurel Oak are lance shaped to eliptical, but are wider in the middle than the Bay. The twigs on this tree are a dark reddish brown in color. And of course the leaves won't have that distinctive smell when crushed.

Like I said I may be mistaken on this. I think that when these trees put their leaves back on, you can collect some and crush them and see if they smell. If so, I am wrong and Spyder may be correct.

The book also notes this: The Laurel Oak is also referred to as: Diamond-leaf Oak and Swamp Laurel Oak. It is also calling it a red oak. And I'm assuming that it is refering to the wood type on this tree. Also come spring the Bay will make a small greenish white flower cluster and the Oak will not.

Hope this helps. As for as making a good bow, I can't give much good advice on that. I'm still working on my first 2. But according to the TBB any wood can be turned into a bow, it's just that some woods make good bows and others make excellent bows.