String Tension

Hello everyone. Here's a question for some of you bow experts. In the off season, do you typically take the poundage
down on your bows, or do you let it sit from season to season????  Just curious as to everyone's opinions on what is best.   Thanks!!!  

NRA, Buckmasters, NAHC-Trophy Life Member

Welcome to the forum Tim!  Great question.  Here is my 2 cents worth:

I think back in the days before many of the high tech polymers and carbon fiber strings this may have been a necessity.  I remember many a time I "back strung" my recurve in the off season and had to replace the string almost every year.

Now I do not worry about lessening the poundage on my Hoyt and do not worry about replacing the string until seeing signs of wear.  Now I shoot a pretty good bit and my string starts showing wear about every other season.  I have gone as long as 3 years without a replacement.  I think that temp and moisture are a bigger factor than most give credit to.  I keep my bow in the house year round and at a constant temp and humidity except when hunting.  I have seen less stretch or poundage loss since keeping it indoors at all times.

JMHO

Dave

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

Tim:
 
Good question... 
 
Bowman_No4 (Dave) basically answered your question.  With today's high-tech bows there is really no need to lower the poundage on your bow.  I have my Hoyt Vectrix XL set at 78 and keep it there the entire season and off-season. 
 
Also, my bow doesn't sit for too long before I'm shooting it again so there is really no need to do this.  I have not seen any wear on my string or cables.  Also, my G5 peep has not moved either.
 
Glad to have you aboard, Tim.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve 
 
 

My BowTech is an 06 Mod Tech Hunter Extreme and I have not backed it down yet. As Steve stated, it never sits too long before it's out of the closet again. I also do as the bowman does. It stays in my closet except for target shooting and hunting. Less stretch this way I think. After this season though, I am changing strings on it to the Firststring FlightWire 400 series string. Pre stretched and hand woven servings. 89 bucks for strings and cables.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

I will have to go along with all the rest of the guys. My BowTech Extreme VFT gets lots of shootin', but I just leave it indoors when it is not being used and have never had any trouble with it in the last several years.

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

NAHC-L, NRA

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the information.  I'm shooting a PSE Mossyoak @ 70lbs, I've only had this bow for 2 seasons. I shot a PSE Mach Flite 4D set @ 85lbs for several years. I had a lot of string and server problems with that bow and oftern wondered if not backing off the tension might have contributed to it. Just wanting to do things right.  Thanks again!     

NRA, Buckmasters, NAHC-Trophy Life Member

I could never get any of my strings in my old PSE's to ever last more than one season. The cam tolerances were so close, it would always fray the servings and better to not take a chance and replace them.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Never thought about it before, but I too had issues with fraying on my old PSE.  My Hoyt has little problems with fraying.

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

Fraying in the servings at the point where it meets the cams or elsewhere? If it is at the cam's, check for the correct size servings or sharp edges at the points on the cam. That is what ate all of my strings on my old PSE. Tha cam tolerances were tight and would start to fray my serving at that point within a hundred or so shots.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Gary,  That old PSE has long gone the way of the Dodo.  I am sure some kid bought it last year at a yard sale for $10 to hunt rabbits LOL!  Have had no issues with the Hoyt. 
 
But I did find out a few years ago that a Hoyt strung at 65# will leave a nasty whelt on you when you accidentally touch the string with a Muzzy.  It stung, bled and oozed like a "strawberry" for a while after that.  I think I even remember dropping my bow and saying a few choice phrases.  Hehe!

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

I had a string come apart on me one time at full draw. I never even suspected it would do that but it left me with a pretty good shiner.  LOL

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

I know how it felt on my arm and hand.  I can imagine a shiner.  Owwie!!!!

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

You can never be too careful with bows.  You can literally take your own eye out or worse if a string, cable or a piece of rubber tubing breaks!!
 
I'll never forget for as long as live the top limb of the Browning bow -- XCellerator Plus -- I had splitting down the middle while I was holding it at full draw!  HOLY MAN!!!!  You want to talk about having an accident in your own shorts!?!
 
I'm just thankful that it split vertically and not horizontally, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here today.  The coroner would have been picking splinters out of my forehead for days.  That was a scary day.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve

Guys,
 I would also like to caution all of y'all about the dangers of Carbon from your arrows. I friend of mine from Co. a couple of months ago was cutting some of his arrows down, and got a splinter in his thumb. He got most of it out, but it ended up getting infected. He had to undergo IV's for 3hrs ea every 12 hrs for 2 weeks to counter-act the effects of the carbon in his bloodstream. Guys, be really careful to inspect all of your equip prior to use and be extremely careful if working on your own carbon arrows.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member