Tree ID help request

[Mesophilic]

Hanging out at a park and found a few full length logs that have been cu down.

Here's a pic of the leaves.  Is this elm?  And if so, a good bowmaking variety?  I have a bow saw in the truck and will take some home if so.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Sure looks like elm leaves.

[BowEd]

It's the glossy type of leaves too.Every type is'nt glossy.A little investigation into that could easy tell you what type of elm.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I want to say slippery has the shiny top side. 

[BowEd]

Finding out the elms that are native in your area could help.Got pic of the bark?If it's big elm maybe siberian elm.If it's from a smaller elm maybe lacebark elm.The bark will show the difference too.

[Mesophilic]

Cut up two logs,  about 6 ft long  and threw them in my truck.

Here's a bark pic as requested.  Let me know if you all need closeups of anything or maybe a pic of the rings.

[Mesophilic]

Not sure if I should start a new thread with the "what now?" questions...

But...now to I split and debark, seal the back and ends, or can I work down to near bow dimensions to dry faster...what now?

[PatM]

Take a pic of the end cut.  The amount of heartwood in the branch cut makes it look like Red Elm.

[hoosierf]

+ 1 it looks like red elm to me.

[Mesophilic]

[BowEd]

Yep that looks like that red elm I've got here.Not sure whether siberian elm has darker heartwood.I imagine not since I don't have that here around me.The red elm here is on the lower end of density for elms.Elms are pretty diverse density wise but most are good bow wood.If you want to try it.It will make a bow.Up here not that terribly high a poundage bow though.It can make a 50#'er though at 2" wide parallel to midlimb and 66" long.
It very well could be a devil to split,but afterwards I would pop the bark off your staves as your new leaves are on already.The sap is flowing there.That'll be your back.I'd shellack it too ends and back.

[Mesophilic]

I'm at 8,000 feet and our humidity is unusually high today at 21%, does that change anything?

Also, would the elevation and low annual rainfall increase the density or have no effect do you think?

[Mesophilic]

Talked with some gentlemen at the range. Turns out this is most likely Chinese elm.  Guess the story is something about the government encouraging its growth here and now it is a weed.

[PatM]

Real Chinese Elm has different bark. It's more likely to be Siberian Elm which is often erroneously called Chinese Elm.
 
   All the Siberian Elm I have seen cut has browner heartwood but it has also been seasoned and exposed to light.

 It's also worth noting that Siberian and Red Elm are known to hybridise pretty readily in the wild.

[BowEd]

Well all you can do dieselcheese is split it up/debark it/shellack it/let it dry and make a bow to see what it is.I'm from Iowa and can really only say what I'm familiar with round here as far as elm goes.
In that dry humidity I'll get a stave of good old shag bark hickory over to ya.It'll like your area.I marked a candidate tree today that I should get 10 to 12 staves from.Sap is'nt flowing good enough yet to cut down.I want to pop all the bark off.
I heard you mention you got an elk tag.This hickory will make a plenty strong bow to take one of those.