1st bow, 2 questions

[flatheadkid]

hello,
i have really enjoyed a self bow i bought last fall.  i have now decieded to build my own.  I would like a native american style bow, preferablly ojibwa or other wisconsin tribe.  I have a nice dried piece of mullberry.  I am aiming for a 50-60# bow at 28"-28.5" for deer hunting.  I am planning on a sinew backing.
question 1.  how do I deciede a length?  i've read outstretched hand to opposite hip but this is only about 52 inches and sounds short.
question 2. I have noticed some bows in your postings have a 12" or soon the belly side at the handle. I would imagine this allows a narrower bow in the center by acting as a bolster and making the bow less spine sensitive (despite not being a center shot bow).  So what is that piece called?  I have a niece piece of elk antler that may work well.

thanks
 

[Pat B]

A good rule of thumb for self bows would 2x your draw length plus 20%. (28"x2=56"+ 10"=66") With sinew backing you can reduce that length a bit. Being this will be your first bow, I would suggest you start with a 68" straight limb self bow. Learn to tiller and how to teach the wood to bend. After you learn that process well, you will be able to build any style bow you can think of.

[flatheadkid]

for my second question, the region i am refering to would be a riser on my compound.  Is that the same on a long bow?  Did native americans use such a thing?  I have seen it in some "indian" reproductions but not in the few historical photos i have seen.