"Multiple archery opportunities at elk"...showoff....id be happy with one in a decade
Best thing as always is to shoot a bunch of bows and see what feels good. Perhaps meet up with a trad club if there is one in your area. Some people say it's a huge jump, some say it's relatively simple to learn.
Making your own IS a huge jump. I've researched this, and while the topic is fascinating it would be very time consuming, and it's likely you need a solid understanding of how that particular style of bow should shoot to make a good one.