Pacific Yew

[JT]

I found a good straight limb free dead standing pacific Yew. Bark is still on. Would this be good for a bow or should I keep looking for a live tree that would work?
thanks in advance,
JT

[Del the cat]

take it and see. The sap wood may be poor, but heartwood still sound.
You'll know if the sapwood is good by the smooth feel of it under and edged tool.
If it is at all crumbly or powdery take it off and use the heartwood backed with hickory or boo.
I've seen live Yew that was rorren and dead stuff that was still ok.
Del

[High-Desert]

If the sapwood is still good, give it a go. If not, take it down to a clean heartwood ring, do your best to chase a ring, which sometime seems impossible with yew, but some violations won't hurt. If you aren't going for a really long draw with a short bow, you don't absolutely need to back, other than piece of mind,  but if you are concerned, rawhide back it, or whatever backing you like, raw hide backing is just quick and easy.

Eric