Grey, although hunting with it is the goal, the year timeframe is entirely flexible. Besides, it's not really the result I'm after, but the process. If I never get to hunt with this bow, that's still ok with me as long as I learn what went into the making of it and the arrows. I appreciate your comments, however and after looking into this project deeper, I realized just how ambitious it was.

That said, I had already decided to simplify this task. I've started by buying a hickory stave, back sinews and Dacron for making bowstring. For arrows, I'll start with dowels and cut the arrowheads from high carbon steel (I've made knives before, so I know what goes into this part). I tie my own flies, so I have ample turkey feathers with which to fletch the arrows. I've laid out the bow on the hickory and I make my first cuts sometime tomorrow once I've gotten ahold of a draw knife that has been promised to me.

I figure that once I have this experience under my belt, (assuming I don't break the bow in process or have any other unforseen failures), I can tackle the other aspects of primitive bow hunting one at a time. If I get a successful bow, I'll try cutting some shagbark hickory logs and seasoning to try doing it from scratch next year.

Anyway, I appreciate everyone's help. I'm going to document my process from the perspective of a completely clueless neophyte. I'll post the page when it's live if anyone is interested.