Works fine just like it is. Just rub it in-several light coats and let it soak into the wood instead of heavy greasing all at once. Getting the bow warm first will help. With bear grease or any other animal fat, it's a good thing to hit it with more from time to time, especially if you're out in the weather hunting a lot. If it's rendered right, bear grease will be pretty much liquid at room temp, and like lard if you chill it in the fridge. It's good stuff. Workes great to waterproof leather boots also, and even makes good biscuits. A friend of mine was rendering some on his deck and spilled part of a pot-it beaded up water on that corner of the deck for years, long after the Thompson's water seal was gone on the rest of the deck.