First let me start by saying this site is awesome.  I'm brand new to traditional archery but, have been shooting a wheel bow for sometime as well as having been a 4H shooting archery instructor when my daughter was shooting archery.  Recently I have had a burning desire to start shooting a longbow.  So I decided the best way to get started was to build one.  I would appreciate any input on the subject.  I have read most of the post on here about building a longbow and have decided to build one out of hardwoods native to Kentucky, I would also like it to be deflex/reflex style around 66".  So I guess what I would like to hear about most is what woods native to Kentucky would be smooth and fast as well as which should be the belly and which should be the back.  ex. Cedar backed with Red Elm. bonded how?

thanks to everyone I think I'm gonna like the trad gang.

kyboy,im not a bowyer by no means but i aspire to be. right no im currently working on my first hickory self bow to replace my current hickory self bow of 13 yrsi would suggest getting copys of the traditional bowyers bible volumes 1- 4. you can order them on lineor through 3 rivers archery, which is one of the trad gang sponsers.i would also look at the bowyers bench section of this site and ask to talk with patb. who has ben building selfbows for 25 yrs. mr pat makes some beautiful bows. since you are in kentucky you are fairly close,in the month of may during memorial weekend there is a traditional shoot in hickory,nc that weekend you would be able to talk to mr pat there in person. its my understanding that he will be giving a bow building class/deminstration. i hope to be there that weekend myself. also i would go to your local bookstore and look for a copy of traditional bowhunter magazine. it contains lots of ads for building bows and how toos also. the best of luck in your endevour ruddy

thanks for your help.