I fiddled with it quite a bit when I started out. I'll recommend it, especially for your learning curve. I'd cut some saplings and throw them in your car to dry out quick then make some simple "native style" bows to get you tillering, etc.
In my experience it's this time of year to cut it. The bark will probably peel off in one strip with it not being the growing season. If you cut in the wet season it sticks to the wood and can be more of a pain to remove.
I don't think that it likes being recurved much and doesn't seem to respond to corrections...but, it isn't hard to find pipe straight stuff.
Follow the grain of the "rays" as close you can. I've had splinters pop off towards the tips where I've narrowed down. I really recommend making a very traditional type of SE native American bow with side nocks, bending through the handle, and not narrowing your tips that much. Keep it traditional. Much of the wood is over 1.0 in specific gravity and it can perform very impressively.
