Maybe, yes. Sometimes you can scrape down below the split as you tiller and problem solved. I have filled them with CA glue and moved on if they are minor, then wrapped with sinew. I will say that that is in my opinion a bad spot for it to happen I would think. I have had them occur nearer the tip without any problems. I am talking about very minor little separations, and again most I sanded out. You could put a very thin belly lam on that spot, but I would consider that only if I had no other options.
Now analyze why it happened so you can minimize them going forward. Could be that it simply wasn't hot enough to bend yet and you forced it. There shouldn't be that much bend that close to the handle so it splitting there is a bit peculiar. Was there a kink in the limb you were working out? If so you took it too far to fast. Heat gun? If so you must go very slowly and make micro moves on the wood. Heat, turn the crank just a bit, heat, turn the crank just a bit and so on. I have started to lightly sand the belly on those spots right before I tighten another notch. Purely speculation, but I believe it sands away any minor tears before they become what you have. It cant hurt anything and it has reduced the number of splits for me, so there you go.
Very sweet color on that piece of wood by the way.
