I went to lower my custom BW down out of my stand last night and lo and behold... after about a foot of cord went through my fingers, it disappeared and my Widow fell 20 feet. I had a hold of the tag end of the cord instead of the one connected to the stand. Things happen.  She made the "trip down" okay with just a stretched bowstring... thankfully.  If you hunt with them, they will get bruised eventually. ;-)

Like Westbrook said, you don't abuse a bow, but don't baby them either...
I just got the first "nick" in my go-to...I was actually a little relieved (after the initial shock wore off), because now I don't have to worry about the first scratch...!
I saw a picture of Willie Nelson playing a guitar once, and that guitar was so worn out from strumming, that there was a long and wide HOLE in the front!!! At first, I couldn't believe that he would want to use a guitar in that condition...after thinking about it, I thought it was really GREAT! Like an old friend who's been with you through it all!
Honestly, a pristine bow in my opinion is not as beautiful as a used bow...

life leaves a mark, sooner or later...
It's a Memento Mori of sorts...embrace it!

Nice bows are like nice cars. Sooner or later it's going to get a ding!   :D

agree with all above - they were made to be hunted and are a tool to me.  I take very good care of my tools - ie. maintenance - but I don't baby them.  The finish can be replaced if you ever want or need to and they are pretty durable.

I was hunting with one on my custom Bighorn's that cost more than I really wanted to spend but love the bow.  COLD night and after dark I looped my bow rope onto the top limb tip and let it go like I have maybe 1000 times.  Well, maybe it was the cold and maybe just total human error but the loop was not hooked and away she went straight up and down on a 18' ride.  Dang thing bounced on that bottom limb nearly back up to me  

Other than some dirt in the arrow nocks she was no worse for wear.  Bows are tough!  I throw my longbows out of the tree when I am done hunting and climb down.

I have bows to use and not to resell.  I don't intentionally abuse them but stuff happens.  Just this morning I was looking at the scratches on the belly side of my riser................and remembered the 4-wheeler ride across the bogs the last two days of my moose hunt this year - that's where those stratches came from.  I don't want to get rid of them, those memories are priceless.

A bow is a tool and wear marks add charm-a bow is not fine furniture.

I personally don't worry to much about it! I just hunt!    

Dble post - stupid computer

A few scratches and dings are like a road map, or a scrap book, of where you've been. Don't worry about them, wear them with pride.  :-)

I love good looking bows.  I buy them to hunt they are going to get character marks.  The ones I have now have super durable finishes.

Its only the first ding that hurts. After that the sting goes away.

QuoteOriginally posted by KentuckyTJ:
Its only the first ding that hurts. After that the sting goes away.

Ain't that the truth.

Love hurts.  

Man dont take that bow hunting if you dont want it to get scratched up.  Its like guns, those high dollar safe queens dont usually spend much time out in the world

C

I am pretty careful with my bows,  but don't go into woods worrying about what might happen to it.
Eventually it gets dinged up,  but everything does over time unless it is kept behind glass or a safe.
Back in the day when I rifle hunted I was real particular about keeping my high dollar .270 in pristine shape.  After a few seasons it got some dings and then I quit worrying about - 30+ plus years of beating through the Wisc northwoods has taken its toll, but I like it just the way it is.