Iron wood

[stockythelargefoot]

Is there a better or worse time of the year to cut a tree for a bow. I was thinking of trying iron wood(hophornbeam?). I spend a lot of time in the woods in the winter cutting firewood and was planning on felling an iron wood tree for a self bow. Also what are the immediate procedures to take if any after cutting it down. Remove the bark, seal the ends, etc...
Thanks for any advice.
                                                                           Stocky.

[Marc St Louis]

No need to do any of those. Just cut and split your staves out. You could seal the ends to prevent them from splitting but I just cut mine longer than needed then trim the ends off.

[GregB]

I would wait until spring when the sap is up so that the bark will strip off easy. Then you strip the bark off and seal the back of the staves and ends. If you cut it now, you'll have to remove the bark most likely with a draw knife and chase the grain as with osage.

[Pappy]

What Greg said with the exception that you can get the bark off without chasing a ring if you are real careful getting it off.It will dry faster if you take the bark off so I would wait till spring.I have cut it took the bark off and worked it down to a roughed out bow let it dry a few days and work it down a little more and so and made a bow in a little over a month. When I do that I usuall clam it to a form or board to keep it from twisting but other than that is will dry a lot quicker than Hickory.
   Pappy