how long can you leave bow strung?

[deertag]

how can you leave a recurve strung without damaging it?

is it ok to leave strung all weekend while hunting or should you unstring after each hunt over the course of the weekend.

also, can it be stored by laying it unstrung on a flat surface, either on its side or on its back?

thanks,david

[Longrifleman]

Depends on the bow. Home made self bows are probably better off being unstrung at the end of each day. Modern laminated bows can be left strung for a season with no damage. Keep the bows out of hot areas like cars and garages and you'll be fine. I store all of my bows in my basement year round, where its nice and cool. The ones I'm currently playing with usually stay strung.  If its an older bow with a little limb twist, it shouldnt be left strung.

You'll get dozens of different answers on this subject, so I'm telling you what works for me.

[Rob W.]

My primary bow stays strung most of the year. Haven't had a problem with glass bows. I unstring all wood bows after the hunt or 3d shoot.

Some will argue about storage options. Mine are flat on a rack with no problems. My next rack may hang vertical though. The kids are getting older and less likley to mess with them.


Rob

[Wallis Wetzel]

This is a tough one.  For self-bows, or any all-wood bows, there is never any question - do not leave strung any longer than absolutely necessary.  For modern bows with fiberglass on back and belly, I am of the opinion that it isn't an issue.  Certainly, there are some bows that are under an extreme amount of tension when only braced, such as my '53 Bear static-tip Kodiak.  That bow has the straight limbs three inches forward of the handle when unbraced, and then it has the recurved tips added to it to boot!  There is a lot of tension on that bow when braced, so no way will I leave it strung too long.  My Samick Red Stag, on the other hand, has a deflex design, and the limbs are not under much tension when strung, and I have left it strung for years, and recent testing shows absolutely no loss of draw weight.  I would also say that modern-materials longbows that are of straight-limb design or very mild reflex/deflex are probably OK to leave strung, due to the limbs bending mostly throughout the entire limb, therefore not stressing any one area too much.  Long and short of it - weekend, no sweat, more than that, make your own decisions.

[Wallis Wetzel]

Oh, I forgot your other question: laying on their sides is better than laying on their backs, though, again, I think this is being nit-picky.  Shoot safe.

[ishoot4thrills]

My R/D longbow(Kanati) stays strung all the time as per the manufacturer's approval. My recurve and my kids' recurves all stay strung constantly as well. I hang all the bows horizontally by their string on two nails. My osage selfbow stays unstrung except when hunting/shooting with it.

[kat]

Todays glass bows can be left strung with no ill affects.
I leave mine strung unless I decide not to shoot it for the next few months.
More limbs are damaged from mistakes in stringing and unstringing than any other cause that I know of.
I like to store them horizontally; supported by the string.

[dino]

Modern bows leave them strung. Especially if shooting them often. Bows that I shoot regularly stay strung. Self bows, bows not being used regularly, and bows in storage all get unstrung   That's it.  All of my bows are hung vertically strung or unstrung and if in "storage" they are cased laying horizontally.   Modern glass bows can stay strung for years without issue.

[USN_Sam1385]

You all state "modern" bows are okay to keep strung.

 I leave my 1964 Bear Grizzly strung most of the time but shoot it quite regularly. Is this a bad idea?

[Wallis Wetzel]

When we say a 'modern' bow, we mean bows made with multiple layers of fiberglass, rather than an all-wood bow.  Wood will take a set, glass does not.

[damascusdave]

I believe that there is more likelihood of causing issues with a recurve by unstringing it and restringing it than there ever would be from leaving it strung...my takedowns, because of their nature, get that fairly often...my one piece bows are usually strung...best way to store a bow is hanging from a couple of pegs by the string...I often used the fence arms on my table saw in my cool basement...the biggest enemy of any bow is excessive heat

DDave

[reddogge]

I have a Wes Wallace and he tells you in his instructions it's OK to leave strung. I also leave a Buffalo and two pairs of ILF BF Extremes strung. I do unstring them for transporting in a hot car. I don't leave 60s and 70s classics strung.

[Bjorn]

My regular shooters stay strung till it is time to do some tweaking or maintenance-stay strung for years-decade even.  

[Frank V]

I called Norm Johnson (Blacktail Bows) on that very question several years ago.
He told me more bows are damaged from stringing & unstringing than leaving them strung. Norm said if the bow is being shot several times a week leaving them strung is fine.

[ronp]

Black Widow recommends leaving them strung.  Mine stays strung unless I am not using it for several months.

[SKITCH]

If leaving them strung.....do you then hang by the string or wood when on rack, hook...????

[Frank V]

I leave mine strung & I hang it on a peg between the string & limb.

[Easykeeper]

All I have are modern laminated bows.  I leave my main bow strung all the time and it hangs vertically from the main beam of a european mount.  Any bow I'm not shooting regularly I unstring and they hang horizontally across other euro mounts or in socks on a shelf.

I think the one thing you   shouldn't do is stand it in a corner on one limb, strung or unstrung...    

[Daddy Bear]

I don't like to leave a bow strung, it goes against my grain.  I do push this a bit with my glassed bows, but even then, the warranty card on my Hills warn against leaving them strung for long periods, whatever that is.

[tomsm44]

So, I have a 64ish 53# Red Wing Hunter that is shot almost every day this time of year, a '69 70# Super Kodiak that I rarely shoot, maybe once a month, and a '70s 35# Black Bear that used to never get shot but my son is starting to shoot occasionally now.  I currently unstrung them every time I shoot.  Would you guys put these in the "leave strung" group?