FYI There is a Trad section under the archery section.

To answer your question there are a few of us on here that hunt with recurves, longbows, or selfbows. I hunt with a selfbow that is 70 lbs. I think the length is 62" can't remember now. I made it a couple years ago. I'm made enough to feel comfortable building them but am by no means an expert. For wood I like Osage (hedge apple) If you can find the right tree you can get some great bows out of it. This is for selfbows. Laminated bows are a hole new animal.

Osage is not the easiest wood to work with becuase its hard. But it is pretty forgiving as far as design and as far as making mistakes while building it.

Be carefull starting a project like that though. Its adictive.

There is some other good info online too. Tradgang.com is a great site and is all trad guys. Some great info on building there.

Some advice if you do try it. Take your time. If you think you know what your doing slow down. Do not use a power tool on it. (Untill you have built a few) Ask questions and/or findsomeone local to you to helpyou along.

Good luck its fun.