I try to make bows with little success but i know a lot about them some woods you can use are osage,yew, those two being the best, hickory a good starter wood,red oak,maple,ash,black locust,walnut and a great site is http://www.xsorbit4.com/users/buildabow/index.cgi just click around and ask questions you will learn it all and some good reading is The Bowyers Bible 1 through 3