I've got a pretty strange problem and question for the bowyers here on the site. I recently started my second board bow (first one was absolute crap. I use it as a hearthboard now for the bow drill) and I've got it down to the dimensions I want that in theory, should produce a  bow of the proper draw weight (target DW is 50#). It's red oak, about 1.5" across at the centre, tapers down to 3/4" at the nocks, is 5/8" thick at the centre and fades down to 3/8" at the nocks. It's tillered nicely and I can string it with no problem, but I can only draw it back about 20 inches, and when I release, I get a hellacious slap on the forearm from the string. Right now the inside of my left arm is red, black and blue and is very warm. :\I was wondering A) what causes that nasty stinging bruise on my forearm and how do I correct it? b)Why can I string it but not draw it back to full draw, and C) would soaking it in water for some period bring the moisture content of the wood back up to the proper level, around 12-15% I think it is, and subsequently help me to be able to pull it back to full draw?  Any help you folks can give me would be much appreciated.

Why can you only draw it 20"?  Is it an issue of strength or does it pull 50# @ 20" and you don't want to draw past weight?  If the former, then you need to tiller down to a lower weight.  If the latter then you need to continue tillering it down until it bends well and you get your 50# at your desired draw length.  Remember, just because you can string it successfully doesn't mean that it is finished.

As for snapping on the wrist, that could be a couple things.  Like mentioned before, brace height should be around 6" give or take.  When strung does the string run directly down the center of the handle?  What type of handle are you using?  It might also be the way you are holding it.  When you grip the handle, make sure that your thumb knuckle is in the middle of the handle facing you as you draw.  If you just have large forearms, then you may just want to make or buy a nice stiff leather bracer.

Finally, never soak your bow.  There are a few reasons that you would do that, but not in this case.  Your profile says that you live in virginia so I don't think that your moisture content would be too low unless you store your bow in a hot box all the time.  The normal humidity will keep your bow at a high enough moisture content (perhaps too high even).

I would say it is probably the way you are holding/shooting it. then.  Try shooting with your thumb in the position I suggested once you get the 20" problem solved and keep us updated on your progress. 

Also, Kiln dried wood will not stay at the very low moisture content that it comes out of the kiln with.  After a couple weeks it acclimates to the relative humidity of your area and will gain a couple %.  I used to live in AZ and had no problems with moisture content in the desert when using kiln dried boards.  And I would really suggest that if you do control you MC to any degree, 8% is about ideal from what I have seen.  I wouldn't bother though.

There really is something to be said about the purity and simplicity of the old ways, isn't there? I've shot a few bows, including a compound bow, but to be honest, it didn't feel "good" or "right" in any way. I set it down after a few shots and never picked up another one again. I was watching a bowhunting show on the television today, and every one of the hunters was using this huge, expensive, convoluted looking compound bow, some of which they said could fire an arrow at some ungodly range and speed. Not to demean their hunting prowess, but it looked shamefull. It looked to me like they had strayed too far from what archery was/should/used to be. So, I've decided to make my own bow and one day, all things going well, I'll get good enough to make one with which I can harvest my own food. And knowing I did it with my two hands will make that meat all the sweeter. I don't need a bow with so many gadgets on it that it can shoot the arrow and cook the meat itself. Seeing that show today, I was disgusted.

just out of curiosity mammot hunter, are you arms incredibly out of proportion to the rest of your body, or are you a giant?

You should NEVER EVER dry fire a selfbow.  That is perhaps even more damaging to wood fibers than to fiberglass bows.  It can cause all sorts of mayhem that could lead up to a painful end to your bow.  You should take a magnifying glass and carefully examine your bow after dryfiring to ensure that no damage was done.  When wood bows blow they can send wood splinters and large pieces of the limb flying at extreme velocity.  Please be very careful as injuries sustained from that can be devastating.

That's great that you are making the best out of a bad situation.  There's no reason you shouldn't try again though.  Constructing any weapon is a very satisfying process and bows are some of the toughest to get just right when you look at all the things that have to be just-so in order to maximize a design.  Once your new atlatls are finished you should try another boardbow or get ambitious and cut down a tree for staves.  I love seeing a new bow tillered perfectly and oiled to an exquisite finish.  It's a wonderful thing to gaze upon when you know that you did it yourself.

good luck and happy mammoth hunting!