Hello Ron,
It's really not something to over-think. This is a high quality hickory stave that came from Pappy's place in TN. Hickory can handle these scallops without much thought. I sanded in the scallops...I have a drum sander. I went back and sanded each by hand and paid some time to just smooth out edges and make sure they were even.
I'm sure I'll make more of this type of bow down the way. I've got two more super staves of hickory curing now. Done right, hickory makes a great bow...even here in S. Florida where humidity reigns supreme. Keep the moisture content low when tillering the bow, give it the right design, toast the heck out of the belly, seal it well and I like to keep it in the a/c during summer. It is amazing though how hickory changes with our dry season. A hickory bow will pick up 5-10# down here in winter.
Osage, however, is still better wood for the southeast! Just can't make scallops.