If the tree is dead what could it hurt to harvest and make use of it. I say go for it. We often think of dead wood as being no good and already well into the decaying process. However if you havest it soon enough it sometimes is well cured and can be great wood.
i have a Juniper bow that I'm working right now that is from the central oregon rondevous. It was a dead limb with a few drying cracks in it. So far has turned out great and held togther. Didn't have to wait for a drying period