Cutting white wood timing critical?

[DLH]

My parents are going to have a hard maple cut down this fall so the leaves won't make as much of a mess. I was wondering if there is any other advavtage of cutting a tree while the sap is up or is it just to help getting the bark off?

[George Tsoukalas]

No other advantage. Jawge

[PEARL DRUMS]

Cut it later in the summer after the new layer has had time to thicken and harden up. The bark will still come off in August and even Septemeber up here. Rough a bow out the same day and you can have on ready for deer season this year.

[dwardo]

I find its best at night so I don't get caught. Besides that no 
My only finding is its a bit easier in the warmer months and that's only because it's easier to get the bark off.
No matter what the season a good thin bladed knife and scraper will get any bark off.

[JW_Halverson]

In extreme heat or cold the bowyer will suffer, but the wood is fine! 

September is usually some pretty nice weather, so I think you are gonna be just fine.  I will echo Pearlie's advice about taking it down to near-bow dimensions and having a bow ready by deer season.  I suspect there are more compounds other than just good old water that need to cure out of a stave, but if you leave it unfinished during the forst deer season some of the organic conpounds will probably cure a little further still. 

I had a quickie hackberry done in three weeks from cutting the tree once.  I left it unfinished over winter and the next summer it just seemed to throw the arrows with a bit more oomph. 

[youngbowyer]

i prefer to cut it in the winter only because it is too hot in the summer to be dragging logs outa the woods