Favorite bow woods and designs are as varied as are bowyers personalities...as it should be I guess.
If I had to choose one selfbow to go into the wilderness with, it would be about a 62"ntn osage. The shorter length is much more manueverable in the woods, especially if you were hunting out of a ground blind. It can still be a smooth hard shooter. It's the best wood I'm aware of from a weather standpoint under hunting conditions.
I also think that once a grain is chased, and chasing a grain does take some experience...once that is accomplished and the bow straightened if needed, the actual tillering of the bow is easier then white wood. Osage doesn't seem to be as sensitive to mistakes and easier to correct those when they occur, and it's not as sensitive to keeping it good and dry to reduce set during tillering as is the case with white wood. I'm not downing whitewood, I've made quite a few and been involved in many many more. They can make a great performing bow and have their pro's and con's for the beginner. One of the pro's is that they're typically straight, where osage very well may not be and might require some straightening.
Whichever I chose, I might would consider going shorter then 72" for a hunting bow...but that's just my opinion.
