I bought a Pearson Cougar a few weeks ago off of ebay to help me with the trad learning curve while I'm waiting on my Chek Mate Hunter II (that I ordered yesterday). When it arrived it had a few surface scratches but nothing to worry about. Today while stringing it I noticed a patch of small light colored lines running the width of the top limb. They haven't broken through the surface, and I shot about 50 arrows with no change. Are these stress marks? If they are, is the bow still safe to shoot? The limbs are strait, and the tips are good, I just hope it can hold out until my hunter II makes it in later this year.

It is a flaw in the finish, it is splitting where the bow bends, won't hurt a thing, just isnt pretty

Dale's right. It's just the old varnish cracking. It is merely cosmetic.

I'm going to try to post pics of it after work today. Your probably right on the varnish cracking, but I'd feel better if I can get a pic of it out there to be seen.

I can't load the file due to size limitations, but I was able to post a pic on archerytalk.com in the trad section under the user name dick0830. For those interested please check it out there and let me know what you think.

I was sensored on my user name, it's a nick name short for Richard that was bleeped out.