How to Make a Wooden Bow Out of a Tree

Search your grounds for a sapling about 2 inches in diameter, growing straight. The tree should be free of twists, bends and bumps, at least on one side. The sapling should be about 6 inches to a foot taller than you.

Grip the tree about 6 inches from the base with one hand and pull the saw against the tree with the other hand. Branch saws are small and lightweight with sharp blades, perfect for sawing through saplings.

Strip the sapling of branches, twigs and leaves. Most should snap off easily without leaving large gouges in the wood. If a branch threatens to gouge, saw it away with the branch saw.

Saw away the top 6 to12 inches of the sapling, trimming it down to your height and creating two flat ends.

Look at one of the ends of your sapling straight on. Bisect the end of the sapling with a utility knife score line.

Chop into the score line with a sharp hatchet, cutting away one side of the sapling and leaving the other side intact. Cut away the side of the sapling with the most imperfections. It may come away in pieces, which is OK as long as the other side is solid and smooth.

Wrap both ends of the half-sapling bow staff in plastic wrap, securing it with rubber bands. This prevents the ends from cracking and splitting as the staff dries.

Lay the staff, rounded side down, on a sawhorse. Tie the ends of the staff to the sawhorse with rope, settling the rope about 6 inches from either end.

Push two 3-inch-thick bricks under the center of the bow staff, spacing them about 4 inches apart. This encourages the staff to season and dry into a proper bow curve. Allow the bow to season for about a month.

Remove the rope, rubber bands and plastic wrap from the bow staff. It should be dried into a subtle curve from the center to the ends.

Draw pencil lines on the back of your bow, starting about 3 inches from either side of the center of the staff and ending at the tips of the bow staff. The lines show the new shape for your bow staff, which should start at about 2 inches thick at the center (handle) and taper to about 3/4 inch at the tips.

Carve away the excess wood on the outsides of the lines with a sharp utility knife. Work slowly, shaving away no more than 1/4 inch of wood at a time. When you are finished, remove the bark from the inside of the curve using the same method.

Sand the bow staff with 80-, 100-, 200- and 400-grit sandpaper in succession to make it perfectly smooth and comfortable to hold. Wipe away the sandpaper with a soft cloth.

Carve a 1/4-inch deep notch about 3 inches from either end of the bow staff, on the outside of the curve. These notches are for the bowstring.

Paint the entire staff with sealing wood stain in the color of your choice. Allow the stain to dry overnight.

Slip one loop of a premade bowstring into each notch, pulling your bow into its proper curve. Allow it to stay this way for about 48 hours so the wood "remembers" the shape. Your bow is ready to shoot.