String Silencers?

[NY Yankee]

Im wondering how many hunt without string silencers on their bow? What are your thoughts about this?

[NY Yankee]

It's looking like very few, if any.

[McDave]

I think the Native Americans hunted without string silencers.  They did pretty well for themselves.  Robin Hood too, I would imagine.

[Wudstix]

Personally, I like as light a puff as I can get.  Less weight less speed reduction.  I'm currently using paracord sheath material, 4x2" at @12-13 grams.  One top and one bottom.  Do a search I've posted it before.
 

[mnbwhtr]

Never found them necessary on my ASL's. Recurves yes I 've used several  kinds.

[Wannabe1]

I had a Hill Redman 70" bow that was so quiet, I never put string silencers on it. Sure wish I had that baby still!

[mgf]

I think the Native Americans hunted without string silencers.  They did pretty well for themselves.  Robin Hood too, I would imagine.

They got by without a lot of things that we find useful.

[Buggs]

Don't use them. I do use a heavy string, which does absorb some vibration. They should not be necessary unless your string is slapping the limbs. I always like the idea of a fast bow, with skinny string and a couple of heavy wind socks to deaden the sound

[Pat B]

I usually use string silencers on most of my bows, not necessarily to dampen string noise, although that too but because I think they look cool. Not only on my wood bows but also on my Treadway R/D longbow and my Jeffrey's T/D recurve and a few other glass bows I have. 

[Smguinnip]

I like to use silencers for bare shaft tuning, if i am showing a slightly weak or slightly stiff shaft, i can move them closer to the center of the string to stiffen the shaft or away from the center to weaken the shaft. [that's if you get that particular when tuning]. using lighter or heavier silencers can stiffen/weaken a shaft also.

[George Tsoukalas]

I agree with Pat. I use 1/4" strips of rabbit fur wound just under the splice of  a Flemish string. Jawge

[Honest Jon]

Muskrat, beaver, mink, otter and my favorite, belly hide from a wolf. I don’t know if they make much difference at all- I just like the way they look on selfbows!
Honest Jon

[Pat B]

Nice bows, Jon. 

[Roy from Pa]

Very nice Jon.

[katman]

All of my bows wear them, the few fps loss is not a big deal for me. I want my setup as quiet as possible for the hunt.

[Honest Jon]

This guy and others like him, never mentioned anything about lose of fps

[Tim Reese]

To me it’s a risk reward situation. To me they offer more than they hurt so why not. I make my own and try to make them as small as I can. My longbows are so quite and to me that’s all I care about. Plus I dig the look of them. Lol.

[RIVERWOLF]

Agree Tim
My Longbows are VERY quiet properly tuned without any silencers , but....no bow is natually dead quiet without some string silencer of some sort eating that little bit of unused energy .I've never owned nor shot a bow that didn't advance in quietness with the usage of some type of silencer.   

I agree with "seeing no reason "not" to use them". I have used wool-wool blends-catwhiskers-all types of fur-leather-and many other materials over the years.  I prefer fur like muskrat-beaver , but it really doesn't matter in the Big picture.The bow and setup will tell you when you hit the sweet spot ....

[RIVERWOLF]

...My brown Montana Longbow "Rose" was sporting neon green kitty whiskers this year . Dead quiet Worked just fine..... 

[RIVERWOLF]

What ta....Who's  that "Old Man" in me pictures ???