I was told by the Gent who built my bow that I DID NOT need to unstring my bow and that it wouldn't hurt anything by leaving it strung even for long periods of time. I have unstrung it to relieve the tension anyhow just because it just seems like the correct way to store it during the off season. I guess my thoughts are that it may take a set in the limbs so to speak and reducing it's pull weight/energy. Thoughts on this anyone?

I leave all my stick bows unstrung. It is not that hard to restring them.

I keep mine all unstrung and hung on a peg. Whatever the truth may be my feelings echo yours. It just doesn't seem right to leave all that stress on the limbs.

I'm with the other two, I always kept my recurves/longbows unstrung for storage.


maddog

unstrung.

I use a gunsock and slide it in, then hang the sock from a nail inside the closet.

more damage is done to limbs while stringing/unstringing than at any other time. a quality bow can be left strung for years, and never lose poundage strength. i have a 56lb. bob lee recurve that has been strung (almost continuously) for 19 years. it drew 56lbs@28 when i bought it, and still pulls 56lbs. the secret is to store it properly (right environment, out of direct sunlight, in a proper manner, and shoot it every now and then). most bowyers will tell you to hang your strung bow by the string, on two pegs or nails/etc. spaced 2-3 ft apart (each peg/nail would be approx 1 foot from the tips).

always use a bow-stringer when stringing or unstringing your bow.

grab a copy of "traditional bowhunter" magazine and search out a few advertisements from bowyers. give a few a call and ask about leaving them strung. i'll bet every one will tell you if you shoot them with any degree of regularity, you should keep em' strung. good luck.

I leave mine --UNSTRUNG--Also always use a bow stringer when re-stinging IMHO

That's pretty much what I was told by the maker was to leave it strung and hang it on pegs. I also bought a bow-stringer from him, all leather and absolutely no metal rivets to scratch the wood. I'm always shooting it as well, be it at a target or whatever critter I come across.
I have been keeping in a felt lined bow case that will fit it even unstrung. Might need to put up some pegs now. Thanks for the info EVERYONE.

Only time mine is unstrung is when I'm changing a string, or when I'm packing it for a road trip.

I sent the bowyer a message to double check. I'm almost certain he told me to leave it strung and hang it on some pegs much like hotsoup states. It just goes against common sense is the only way I can explain it. I guess I can't get my head wrapped around it. Everything else tells me otherwise. Leaving magazines loaded for too long can ruin springs, leaving air rifles cocked, even trap springs can wear out or get a memory.
It doesn't sit long without flinging a stick though. About every third day I'm shooting a minimum of twenty or so arrows out of it just for fun. Every day before I go out to the stand I shoot six to nine shots just to make sure I'm sharp. If anything I'll wear it out from use.

I store mine unstrung, but I generally don't shoot my traditional bows as much as I'd like. I'm not sure that it would do any damage to my newer Hoyt Gamegetter II or my Sky recurve; but no way would I store my Bear Grizzly or Hoyt Prohunter both are 1970's era. I've heard stories from much more experienced traditional shooters of warping limbs on those type of 1 piece recurve bows.

My bows with wide, thin limbs (recurves in my case) stay strung. My longbows with narrower, thicker limbs get unstrung each day.

I always use a stringer when stringing or unstringing my recurves. Longbows with minimum backset or reflex are easily strung without a stringer without causing twist or damage.

Unstrung; bowyer said it would be okay to leave them strung, I choose not too. Too easy to string them.

If you're ever going to get anywhere in life shooting a trad bow. You need to shoot it daily...

I leave my Schafer Silvertip strung, unless its going on a truck ride in the summer and its over 80 degrees.

Seriously, I've watched Dave Windauer bend his recurve limbs over backwards standing on them on the floor and pulling on the wedge end and it doesn't hurt them.

As you can see, there is no wrong answer here. Bottom line is do whatever you feel is right. Either way, you are not going to hurt your bow if you string/unstring and hang/store them correctly.
Personally, I keep my primary hunting bow strung most of the time, and my other bows unstrung until I want to shoot them.

Forgot to mention that I always unstring selfbows and all bows that do not have fiberglass in the laminations as soon as I'm done shooting them. These are most susceptible to take a set and lose draw weight.

I leave the two widows strung, and the rest are unstrung!! I also leave several mags loaded!!! They do me no good unloaded!!!!

strung & in a case in my shop where temps fluctuate between below freezing to 100+. i took 9 practice shots last sept, all bulls. took an animal with 1 shot in oct which fell within 60'.

this is about the same scenario each year for the past 12. the last time i remember missing was my own fault a few years back because i bent my back at the hips while leaving the bow in the original position.

browning 53#.

-ken

My bowyer told me keep it strung and shoot it weekly as well as the gent from the local traditional archery store. I guess after shooting it so much it felt like it was loosing its pull weight. Must be just me shaking off the rest.

Dan Toelke said to leave mine strung (hung by string on 2 pegs). I have followed his advice for right at 10yrs and that bow is still in perfect spec. Only been unstrung to immediately change strings and then back into action. Follow your bowyers advice, he made it, he knows what it can take, he is the one that will have to warranty it. Good luck.

P.S. Just don't ever leave it in a hot car or harsh direct sunlight!

That last line sounds like it was a lesson learned.

I leave mine strung most of the time. If it is going to be a while before I shoot it I unstring it. I have noticed some fistmile change due to string stretching if I leave it strung a long time.
I use the Selway recurve stringer when stringing/unstringing the bow. My Osage 1 piece I unstring when I am not shooting it as it had the glass seperate from the lamination at the tip a few years ago shooting in the summer heat when my string broke.

mostly unstrung, but do not hesitate to leave them strung if I am shooting regularly.

Always unstring selfbows.