My first bow attempt was a dead HHB a
Lying 6" off the ground. The outermost most layers looked exactly like that elm. My first bow failed of course, I tried to use the outer ring.I But I saved the other half of the log too see if I could make it work with more experience. A few years later I removed the outer, rotten wood, rawhide backed it, and got a 55# 60" bendy shooting for about 50 shots, but then I noticed it had started chrysalling at a concentration of grub holes near the bottom limb. I'd say that that might be the biggest problem. I would be judicious with limb patches if a lot of grub holes start popping up.