Entertain a curious newbie

[Mikeeeeeeeeee]

I love all the bows I see in here. Some are straight up, look to me like they would make good hunting bows. Some have all the kinks and knots and are truly quite beautiful. My question is can the knotty, curvy bows actually be shot?
I have some staves from my shagbark hickory that are knotty. That is why I'm asking.

[BOWMAN53]

Not only are they beautiful, but they shoot too. I personally dont have one but i know they do. All the knots are just beauty marks.

[H Rhodes]

Oh yeah.  Some of these guys don't even want to hunt with a boring ole straight bow.  Some of these character bows are real sweet shooters.  Knots on hickory are not a big deal.  If a knot is close to the edge of your bow, be sure and leave a little extra wood around it.   I think it is a good idea to be sure you get all the inner bark off of the back of your bow around the knotty areas.  Those winter cut staves you are working are going to have a cambium layer that is really going to want to stick to your stave and I found out the hard way that it will want to pop off later once the wood dries and it can tend to pop a splinter right down into the good wood - especially around big knots.   Hickory is good stuff though.   

[Newindian]

Knots can cause problems, but it can curve all it wants so long as the string bisects the handle

[Del the cat]

If it doesn't shoot... it's not a bow simple as that.

I occasionally get asked to make a bow just for decoration or show. I don't do it.
To me there is no such thing, it has to work.
BUT if an old bow is past it's best or a bow is damaged or broken then fine hang it on the wall.
Del