Short draw or youth bow question ?

[matt steed]

My son who is 11 years old wants to bowhunt and has killed a really small hog with his Bear Kodiak Magnum. The bow is 45#@28. He draws about 24 inches. I put it on the scale and the weight was about 32#’s. He draws it really easy, mainly because his draw is so short. I even thought about trying to find him a 50# Kodiak and maybe it would be around 40# at his draw.

Now here is my question. What style or type bow gives the best performance for a short draw? A short recurve or short Longbow?

[McDave]

Unless the recurved tips are worked, they are just along for looks and do nothing for performance. if your boy draws a bow designed for a 28” draw length to 24”, he is not working the recurves.  If you select a recurve, I would try to find him one that is designed for his draw length (plus some growing room).  Off the top of my head, I don't know what that would be.

OTOH, a short longbow is a good performer no matter what the draw length.  If money were no object, I would get him a 54” Shrew.  I assume 54” Shrews are described by draw weight at 28”, as are most bows, so you would have to factor in his actual draw weight and draw length to buy the correct bow, as you are already doing.

[Gdpolk]

You may give Mike at Mad Dog Archery a call.  He has specialized models for youth with short draws that could likely improve efficiency for your boy at his draw length.  He does a monthly bow giveaway here on the gang for kids just out of the goodness of his heart.

Also, I'd look heavily into arrow builds.  It honestly doesn't take much oomph to harvest medium sized game animals at all with properly built arrows.  If ole Ashby could bust buffalo ribs 100% of the time with a 40lb bow I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts that a similarly built arrow would bust a deer rib at 25-30lbs draw weight with 100% consistency given that the arrows were perfectly tuned and built for penetration.

[matt steed]

Yeah, his draw is not long enough to work the limbs. I will have to do some research.

He is shooting a pretty heavy arrow for his draw weight, about 470 grains.

[TSHOOTER]

Matt,  I have a Maddog prairie predator.  Mine is 60" and 52lbs.  It's as quick as anything I've ever owned.  Extremely light weight and slim.  Mine has a locator thumb pad.  Mike builds them from 50"-62"and up to 55lbs.  Very affordable and very fast little longbows.

[matt steed]

Ok. I will give him a call and talk to him.

Thanks for all the help. 

[KyStickbow]

My son is 13 and draws 23”. He is shooting a 58” 44@28 Zipper Zipstick...which pulls 33# at his draw length. He was shooting a Kodiak Magnum like your son as well...but I felt like he got more performance out of the longbow. He has killed a buck and a doe with it this season...it is working great for him.

But you can’t go wrong with a Maddog! I have a couple for my smaller boys...and am thinking of ordering another for myself.

[matt steed]

KYsticbow, what is your sons arrow set up, if you don’t mind me asking.

Thanks.