Do string silencers REALLY make a difference?

[gobblegrunter]

...I know that most everybody uses them...but are there any out there that DON'T use them? Do they REALLY make that much difference? Just curious...        

I ask because I've shot with and without them, and I'm not certain I notice that much of a difference...

[coyote1956]

make differeance on some bows some not so much. your mileage will vary.   experiment for yourself  and enjoy tuning your bow and seeing what works best for you , put them in is easy try and see.  some wool yarn works good, or cats whiskers or water mammel fur is good.

[sawtoothscream]

i have tried a few and actually think the limb saver leeches work better then most. i have cat whiskers on my hybrid though.

when i take them off my bows i know there off

[Bowwild]

They definitely can make a difference in the amount of sound your bow puts off. I've never tried to hunt with a completely unsilenced bow. Dampening the "twang" is just part of the set-up.

Now, does it matter to the animal we hunt? I don't think my bow is silent to deer in bow range and I've never had one react to my shot until after the arrow hit or missed.

[Zmonster]

I have a 56 Kodiak that I shoot heavy arrows out of and its one of the most quiet bows I own. No silencers on its D97 flemish string.

[Arwin]

I really notice a difference and I would rather gain silence having them on vs gaining a few feet per second. Love cat whiskers.  

[ron w]

They work well for me. I hate a loud bow....silence is your friend when hunting!!

[kongo]

The right brace height & string silencers make a big difference . Limb savers for a recurve seem to help too .

[divecon10]

More noticeable on some bows than others, regardless of style, about 9-10"in from the nock has been beneficial. I experimented as coyote 1956 described

[stykbender]

As all above but I think the beaver hair strips add a touch. Brush buttons seem to help as much on a recurve to ease string slap on the limbs.
Agree on heavy arrows!
My $.02

[Roy Steele]

I don't never have except along time ago with some recuves not so much with longbows. Now I shoot selfbows always right of the wood. Dead quite. People with good form and release shoot quiter.Also arrow weight makes a great difference. as wellas poundage you shoot. Some bows are louder than others no matter what.

[cyred4d]

I think it makes a difference to me. I like the bow to be as quiet as possible.

[Night Wing]

I've been doing a little experimenting lately so this topic is right up my alley.

I have just recently been experimenting with different arrow spines since both of my two bows shelves are cut 3/16" past center so it allows me to shoot quite a few differently spined aluminum arrows.

When I was shooting my 66", 42# @ 30" recurve (12 strand Dyna97 bowstring) with a 32", 2117 arrow weighing 602 grains, the bowstring didn't need string silencers. Bow was whisper quiet with no bowstring noise.

Two days ago, I wanted to see if I could shoot a light 2212 target arrow out of it. After getting a 32", 2212 arrow tuned perfectly with an overall arrow weight of 476 grains, the bowstring noise was very loud. I put on a pair of rubber catwhiskers and it helped a little, but my wife, who was standing 20 yards from me said the bow was still loud to her ears.

I then put on a pair of homemade yarn puff silencers I made and the bow instantly become whisper quiet. No string twang noise and my wife couldn't hear any noise at 20 yards.

String silencers do work. Do a little experimentation on your own and you'll probably come to the same conclusion.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Usually the bow you are shooting sounds different to the shooter than it does the bystander.

Do silencers work?  Yes!  can your bow be quiet without them? Sometimes!  

Personally I like the way they look so I use them regardless.

[Steve Chappell]

I think it depends on the bow to what degree of noise comes from a shot but use them on all my bows just to try to get that extra degree of silence.

[Keefer]

Set up a camera on a quiet day with no wind or background noise near a target and launch a few arrows with a bow that has no string silencers for starters say about 18 yards ...Just show the target and not the shooter and shoot a few then go back and watch the video with the sound up cause it seems most animals can hear a tick past gas so the louder the better...This will help let you determine if that bow is loud...Now put whatever style string silencers on and do the same and see if you notice any difference in the noise....Some bows don't need anything and others do and strings ,brace, arrow weight and release style can make a difference... As I watch others videos and they set the camera up near the target facing it I try to pretend I am a deer and I turn the valume up to see if I hear them release before the arrow hits the target...Close your eyes and listen as well and that may help you determine if you need to quiet  the bow more...Just an idea not something I actually do but thought about when people show their shots as they record them ...I always notice the sound of the bow releaseing before the arrow hits it target....Now if you shoot 40/100 yards then you may not hear nothing...I personally never cared about the speed thing but worry about the sound and I like making my own puffs...They also look nice on a bow to me...  

[medicineman]

I think what kind they are and where they are located on the string makes a big difference.

[ti-guy]

To me;nice look,lower pitch sound,less vibration.Will it help prevent to jump the sting 100% sure?Do'nt know but I prefer with than without.

[Rob W.]

I've got the beaver balls on all my bows. i love the look of them but my bows are quiet without them. I have had them loosen up a little and make a bunch of noise on there own. My buddy's bow sounded like a banjo til he put some on and the lowered vibration was noticable also.

[smilinicon]

If you put silencers on a guitar string it would not make a tone. Kind of the same thing and that is a fact.

The rest is opinion about dealing with the trade-off involved.