This has been a big dicussion in my bow club...

How do you know if your bow is "quiet" and what do you if it's too "loud?"

Now, to me, I've never experienced (or even seen, for that matter) a super quiet bow. Meaning, I've never witnessed someone shooting their bow and said, "Did you even shoot?" In my experience, all bows make some noise to some degree.

However, I do know that if you want to quiet your bow, there are some things you can do to reduce the amount of vibration and noise. For example, I put dampeners, stabilizer, string silencers, and a peep with a tube. Also, my Martin bow is made with VEM reduction products built in to the riser as well as the rest shelf.

I have thought about taking the string silencers off (spiders, as some of you may know them), but don't know what to put in their place. What are some ways you guys are silencing your bows?

Here's another question:
Does bow noise really matter or does vibration reduction take priority over noise?

I think noise is a problem, Ive seen enough deer jump the string to know that a loud bow can cause issues. Alot of the vibration can be taken away with a good stabilizer and limb dampeners as well as a string stop.

Bow noise is a problem with a lot of the bows. We continue to put more and more little rubber doo-hickys on our bows hoping to solve this problem. Part of the noise problem actually has to do with how much the arrow weighs. Because of the ever present need for speed, most people are shooting lighter arrows (IBO or just over IBO). When you shoot lighter arrows, your bow does not transfer the energy to the arrow as efficiently. Therefore creating excessive noise and/or hand shock. One of the best ways to minimize noise is to increase your arrow weight. This will allow your bow to operate more efficiently and maximize energy transfer. Arrow weight tubes run about $1 each and come in a several options.
If this is not an option for you, then stabilizers, harmonic dampeners built into your rest and sight, good set of string leaches, etc...

Are "spiders" still a good option? You know, the string silencers that look like little koosh balls. I use those on my bow and have thought about going to leaches.

My arrows weigh 415g (shaft, fletchings, nock, broadhead, etc). I'm getting enough KE, so I think I'm good there. I don't care about the speed. As long as I have KE, I'm happy.

I like cat whiskers best.

Bow noise??? what's bow noise?? I don't ear anything when I shoot..

Al kidding aside, yes I think a quiet bow in needed.

Shooting next to others, especially indoors, will let you know where you are and where you are relative to others bows.

My thoughts:

1. Peep sight with rubber tubing will have a little bit more noise than a peep without tubing. Enough to notice? Probably not to us.

2. As stated above, the heavier the arrow, the more quite the bow.

3. I usually take my digital recorder, set it directly in front of my target, go back 20-yards and start flinging arrows. I then playback the recording to listen for any strange noises from my bow.

I'll try that out. Thanks, DFW PI!

I like the "monkey tails" and stabilizer. Both made a big difference on my bow. I also will not shoot with the quiver attached.

Ok... What are "monkey tails?" Never heard of that before.

Also, why not shoot with the quiver attached? What do you for a quiver when you're hunting?

Stick with the Cat Whiskers that are on your bow.

They have been around forever, and are still valid. I have no issues with them on my bow at all. They last a long time, and do a great job. I've used them on my bows for the last 25 years.

The quiver will change the weight of the bow, and can also cause torque.


I don't have a quiver on my bow at all, I don't like them. I have one attached to my backpack.



Keep it simple.


I believe that vibration and noise are going to be related when it comes to the bow.

I agree 100%; just make sure the whiskers are on right. I see so many of them look like a spinner bait and they will make a whipping sound. Also a string surpressor and a good stabilizer will help.

Cat whiskers... Never heard them called that. Where I grew up, we called them spiders. At any rate, that's what I use on my bow. Thanks for the input.

One way I've tested to see if the bow was quiet was to have someone stand behind me about three yards with their eyes closed and shoot a target that is 20 yards away. If they hear the bow before the arrow hits the target then it's too loud. It's not exact science; just something I've done in the past. Normally I can tell just from shooting a bow.

Nowadays most stock bows are so quiet you can hear them standing three yards behind some one.
Of course that is for hunting bows; I don't care if my competition bows sound like a freight train as long as they are smooth and shoot good. I still like the Bowtech Commander for 3D, very forgiving.

Pull your string back just a couple inches and let go. You shouldnt hear any kind of vibrations just a dull thump. Any noise at this point may be caused by loose parts or lack of noise dampeners string silencers, stabilizers, etc. BUT, as stated above, probably the number one reason for excessive noise is shooting too light of an arrow. The arrow cannot absorb all of the bows energy so what is left its the bow dissipating leftover enrgy in the form of vibration. This is akin to dry firing and will shorten the life of the bow.

I agree the whiskers are more effective than the leeches or monkey taiks but i have to have them replaced a lot more often than the leeches. And that's saying a lot because when they first came out the leeches were useless.

Quiet=Mathews!

Loud = Hoyt

I like this thread. As a newcomer to bow hunting, I see some fantastic comments here. Much learning is occurring...

The only way to know if its quiet enough is to shoot next to experianced bowhunters, and get their opinion on how loud it is. You can never be to quiet when it comes to archery.