There's definitely a good bow in this

[Taxus brevifolia]

I posted this pic a few days ago, someone said I should have let it grow another 150 years...I disagree. It's an old branch, and it's as straight as one of Carson's arrow shafts, and plenty long enough. I have a strict system of ethics regarding what I cut. I call it the cut/no cut matrix. Just because you have the green light from the powers that be, doesn't mean you should cut. This piece passes all tests with flying colors. If your preference is for wood 200+ years old, fine, but please don't act like cutting anything younger is a bad idea.

[Marc St Louis]

I never complain about anything anyone cuts.  It's another matter if you complain about after 

[wizardgoat]

A lot of yew I cut is that size, maybe a little bigger. 2-3” is my favourite stuff.
Much easier to cut and haul out, and you don’t have to kill a tree to get a few staves from it.

[Bryce]

I’m the opposite. If I can’t get 4-5 staves out of a round I won’t cut it.

[Yellarwoodfellar]

I'd be willin to trade ya a nice Osage stave for a nice yew stave. Never worked yew over yet😅. Seriously though. If you're up for it I am too

[Taxus brevifolia]

Whew I'm glad I'm not the onliest one!

[High-Desert]

If it's a tiny branch or a big 10" tree, if I can use a majority of it with out waste, I'll cut it.  This piece looks like it will get good and used.

[Bryce]

It will make a bow. But the amount of heartwood is gonna be minimal. If I had to guess it will probably follow the string 3-4 inches.

[PatM]

 Bryce,   remember the sapwood thinning  debate. 

[Taxus brevifolia]

I think on this one I'll probably end up chasing down a sapwood ring

[Bryce]

Bryce,   remember the sapwood thinning  debate.

How could I forget it was hilarious. Even still. Not much.
I’ve done sapling yew bows where there is sapwood on the sides of the belly. They never really shoot that great...

Great back to chasing rings on yew again SMH

[PatM]

Ishi's best bow was only yew heartwood backed with rawhide.

[Bryce]

Ishi's best bow was only yew heartwood backed with rawhide.

I’m not sure what your point is?

[PatM]

Apparently reducing yew sapwood is a good thing if you  need to access the good stuff.  That's  all people are trying to do.

[Bryce]

Sure.... Not making much sense there pat. I’m talking about the stave in the picture. Nobody said anything about heartwood bows or whatever. If you look at that stave it’s 2/3rds sapwood which is garbage when it comes to compression. Yeah he can take the sapwood down but then that all around less wood to work with. Being 1/3rd heartwood there is gonna be more that usual amount a string follow Bc the proportions are off.
Now, that being said, yeah it’ll make a bow. Now compared to a bow with the proper ratios and dimension they’re going to be entirely different shooting bows performance wise. Granted it’s a good stave to learn on.

If it where mine I would definitely decrown and try and make it as narrow as it would let me.