Another tree ID question

[NewBowyer]

Central Indiana, smooth gray bark. It’s hopefully for a kid’s bow.

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

Looks like dogwood

[Pat B]

Yes, it's a dogwood. The smaller shoots(2nd year growth) will make great arrows too.

[NewBowyer]

Cool; thanks. A quick search here says it makes a decent bow. I cut a tiny sapling for a 40-45” kid’s bow so I’m hoping it’ll work. Easily debarked and drying already. Do most agree that it’s not necessary to seal the back & ends on little saplings?

[dylanholderman]

i'd still seal the ends, and if you already stripped the bark rough out the belly side and you should be ok.

[bownarra]

That stave looks a bit narrow to me....

[NewBowyer]

  But yes, the real "stave" IS very narrow. The "kid" I referenced will turn 3 in July. So I'm basically gonna try to turn a fat twig into a toy.

[Pat B]

Be sure to collect some arrow shafting for yourself and the kids.   

[bownarra]

But yes, the real "stave" IS very narrow. The "kid" I referenced will turn 3 in July. So I'm basically gonna try to turn a fat twig into a toy.

It was a joke
Dogwood makes superb bows and it is a very tolerant wood.

[Eric Krewson]

If it has slick bark it must be a different kind of dogwood than we have here, ours have bark like a young persimmon.

[NewBowyer]

I think it might be Cornus alternifolia, aka Alternate-leaf Dogwood or Pagoda Dogwood, based on location. I'm gonna give it a try.