The last two yew bows that I've made have the sapwood reduced without chasing a ring. the back is violated and they shoot fine. I know Del has done the same on several occasions. I agree that it depends on the wood and the design.
I have read that on here so many times, that is just insane. I wish I had yew near me. I would move out west, but than I wouldn't have osage anymore, 
. Maybe I will just pull an osage outlaw one day, pack me up my 500 osage staves on the top of our plymouth voyager, and move out to oregan to annoy my sister who lives in portland,... and cut her yew trees down in her back yard, 
.
Toomany, Your plan is on the right track just needs a little tweeking. To heck with the big city stuff and aim for the little small towns in the foot hills of the Cascades. Something right on the edge of the forest. Get a good draft breed horse and train it to pull logs
and start your own Yew stave business, offer room and board living in exchange for labor and you could have all your bow building buddies along for the ride,,,,,,,,if only it were that simple
