I have a HBH bow I have been very slowly finishing and when I put it on the long string the other day I started to feel that fire inside me. I could finally see the wood coming to life as a bow. It got me thinking about what others may feel. At what point do you feel a tree, stave, or peace of wood starts to feel like a bow to you? Is it when you see a tree to cut? Is it when you rough out the shape or when you have it braced etc... etc... ?

Braced for me. Once I get a bow braced and I can see/imagine how it will look finished and strung I get excited and usually end up finishing it up as fast as I can.

I try not to call it a bow until it has 100+ shots through it.  But it feels like a bow the first time I shoot it.

it's just a nifty piece of wood until it sends and arrow.

When I first feel the "pull" at low brace.

First shot for me.

It's a metamorphasis. I can see and feel it gradually coming to life throughout the construction process, but it doesn't really feel like a whole bow to me until the first bunch of arrows off it during shooting-in. And doesn't feel like a COMPLETE bow until it's 'detailed' with dye, finish, grip, new string, silencers, etc... which is what I'll be doing today after work.... finishing one.

That's probably the most rewarding part of it for me.... after it's completely finished and admired at arms length as I'm heading out back to shoot. Wooden bows are awesome. Simply awesome. Hot dang I love this bowyerin' stuff! Just never get's old.

My wife thinks it is everytime we go for a walk in the woods.  I suppose it is because I point out every great bow wood tree we pass.  
I agree with Bowjunkie, it is a steady transormation.  Just the feel of the wood starts the process.

When I send the first arrow downrange with it and it stays intact.

When both limbs start to make that graceful bend equally while tillering.......

when I can finally put a sting on it for the first time and not have it break.

When I begin seeing the limbs bend it gets me going. By the first shot I'm looking to see if it is a shooter or a good shooter. Where exactly it becomes a bow, I don't know.