Beaver balls or Otter fur which is better?

[TC209X50]

What's your vote on looks and sound dampening.

[KSshrewman]

Two tracks string scallops.        

[Msturm]

I own both of different bows. I cannot tell the difference in noise. beaver looks cooler to me.  You also need to look out for the occasional joke about people stroking your beaver...

Msturm

I just got my first otter fur silencers last week. I can't tell a sound difference between them and beaver balls, but I do think the otter looks better.

Bisch

[Michael Arnette]

I've used both and haven't seen much difference

[Phillip Fields]

I've used both and don't see much if any difference. I pefer beaver.

[Gdpolk]

I've used both as well as muskrat.  I can't tell a difference.  Muskrat in my opinion sheds water a very very tiny bit better, though not enough to pay more for them.  

That said, I typically hunt with catwhiskers tied at the 1/4 and 1/3 marks on both sides of my nock for hunting.  Catwhiskers in this configuration offer the most sound dampening and the quickest vibration reduction after the shot, are impervious to water/elements, and are cheap.

I typically have 3 strings for my bow at any given time (2 hunting strings and one practice string).  All are tuned in perfectly and ready to go.  I keep a brand new string in my pack as backup for hunting, and a "used" string for hunting on the bow when in the woods to ensure perfect nock fit and fresh threads.  Both hunting strings have catwhiskers and my practice string has fur making it easy to ID and I like the look of fur better.

At the end of deer season, I rotate strings.  I order a fresh "backup string."  This year's backup becomes next year's hunting string.  This year's hunting string becomes next year's practice string which is re-rigged with fur for looks and easier ID of it being the practice one.  This year's practice string becomes trash.  Rotating strings this way means I am ALWAYS with a good string, always with a backup string, my hunting strings always have perfect nock fit, and even if I break a string on a hunt, I still have a third string laying around for an extra backup.  I costs me 1 string a year and a little string wax to keep my longbow running in top notch condition year round.

[TxSportsman]

Originally posted by GDPolk:
I've used both as well as muskrat.  I can't tell a difference.  Muskrat in my opinion sheds water a very very tiny bit better, though not enough to pay more for them.  

That said, I typically hunt with catwhiskers tied at the 1/4 and 1/3 marks on both sides of my nock for hunting.  Catwhiskers in this configuration offer the most sound dampening and the quickest vibration reduction after the shot, are impervious to water/elements, and are cheap.

I typically have 3 strings for my bow at any given time (2 hunting strings and one practice string).  All are tuned in perfectly and ready to go.  I keep a brand new string in my pack as backup for hunting, and a "used" string for hunting on the bow when in the woods to ensure perfect nock fit and fresh threads.  Both hunting strings have catwhiskers and my practice string has fur making it easy to ID and I like the look of fur better.

At the end of deer season, I rotate strings.  I order a fresh "backup string."  This year's backup becomes next year's hunting string.  This year's hunting string becomes next year's practice string which is re-rigged with fur for looks and easier ID of it being the practice one.  This year's practice string becomes trash.  Rotating strings this way means I am ALWAYS with a good string, always with a backup string, my hunting strings always have perfect nock fit, and even if I break a string on a hunt, I still have a third string laying around for an extra backup.  I costs me 1 string a year and a little string wax to keep my longbow running in top notch condition year round.

Man, that sounds like a great process. Going to bookmark that one.

[JRY309]

I have been making my own strings for around 20 years and have tried a lot of different fur silencers.Didn't really found any big differences in them.I used to kind of match my bow.Like my Fred Anderson Skookum,nice cocobolo riser and made a black and red Flemish string and used red fox fur silencers.Another bow I did a black and white string with white artic fox silencers.Looked good!These days I don't use fur as much as I used too,I like cat whiskers or my home made alpaca wool silencers for my modern low stretch strings.

[Blackhawk]

Tx, looks like hunting is serious business in your neck of the woods...very good procedure I would think.

As for the furs, I like both but give my nod to otter.

[bulldog18]

I have both and haven't noticed any difference.

[goobersan]

I think otter fur would be more humane.
Wouldn't you agree gentlemen ???          

[CoachBGriff]

I've also had both, and I agree that otter fur is more humane    

[Tradcat]

X2 on the string scallops !