They kinda look like chrysals, but I don't think they are?

[DC]

Since this yew is probably from a logging show, is it possible that the log was strained by a yarder or cat long before you got it. Do you have a sister stave that you could compare it to?

[Marc St Louis]

It is possible that it's the remnants of the rasp marks, they do travel a ways into the wood.  Generally on a D section bow you will find chrysals on the crown of the limb and not so much on the sides

[Slackbunny]

Looks like tool marks to me. Were you wearing a watch or bracelet when working that could have marked it up as you were going along?

I'm picturing a velcro strap watch scratching it up right behind your sandpaper. 

[Badger]

 They do look like chrysals to me also. How long is the bow, how far did you draw it?  Yew will chrysal when very dry. I saw you live on Van Couver Island. I wouldn't expect it to be too dry there. Have you got a full draw photo?

[PeteC]

You can definitely have compression fractures and not have set. Some years back I cut a beautiful straight Mockernut hickory. I split out 6 staves,took them to bow dimension,cured them on a reflex form,then set out to build the bows. The first 5 staves I heat treated the belly,as I always do. All 5 developed CP's. The 6th stave I passed on the heat treating,and it made a good bow. Who knows what made this wood susceptible to chrysals, when wood taken in the same area never caused a problem. God Bless

[Carson (CMB)]

Since this yew is probably from a logging show, is it possible that the log was strained by a yarder or cat long before you got it. Do you have a sister stave that you could compare it to?

I had the same thought, except I was picturing a big fir or cedar deadfall whacking it on the way down and giving it a good bending over. Hard to wrap my mind around how that could really result in chrysal fractures throughout a wide band, but does seem plausible to my gut.

Each tree is as individual as we are in terms of both genetics and life histories.