Trad gear for youths

[JImmyDee]

Good tackle for youngsters is hard to find.  I've recently been looking for my nephew and the pickings are slim.

He spent this past summer shooting one of those 30# @ 60" glass bows.  I twisted up a string  and put together a set of arrows I built on some 1713 shafts.  It may be a kit for "just a kid," but everything we worry about when tuning arrows is, I think, more important in the light weight bows.  I  enjoyed working up those arrows and appreciated his patience.  In the end, it was worth it: he's been spanking marks out to 12 yards and isn't shy about trying from 20 yards.  (He's tried from 30 yards, but the bow's cast isn't up to it.  It's nice to watch those arrows fly, though...)  

And that got me thinking...

One of the clubs I shoot with has a collection of bows and arrows available for kids that want to shoot but don't have the gear -- but getting a kit of matching tackle suitable for the child is hit-or-miss.

My wife and I always been able to find couples with children when we no longer need high chairs, playpens, car seats, childrens' toys, and so on.  But there are many more variables involved in archery gear than there are in high chairs...

One archery shop I'm familiar with has a dozen Genesis compounds the beginners use.  Sure, the draw length doesen't matter with those -- but they're not longbows.

I'm sure this has been dealt with before.  What do other groups keep on hand so that they can outfit a group of youngsters with suitable tackle?  I'm particularly wondering about arrows: good, durable arrows for very lightweight bows seem hard to find.

[Mike Orton]

I'm bringing along my twin daughters (6 years) and my nephew (5 years) in archery.  If I do for one I have to do the same, exactly the same for the other, if you know what I mean...I found a couple of Martin Prodigy recurve bows, sweet little shooters...I made arrows out of 1/4" dowel stock, colored them using Highlighter pens, (some great wild colors w/ Highlighters), steel glue on tips and 1/4" plastic nocks. I used arrow wraps to get fancy effects and bright colored feathers.  Pink is a high demand color, as is Purple.  I don't worry about my girls breaking arrows, since they're easy to make up another dozen.

I've not had any problems with tuning the arrow to bow, but them mostly we work on proper form.  Also we use a lot of ballons w/ faces drawn upon them.   Instant gratification when target is hit!  

[styckbow]

Jimmy, Dennis at git-r-done archery (hes a sponser here) has 100 1/4 inckh ramin shafts for around 23 0r 24 bucks and they work great for most kids bows I have 3 kids shooting them from 5 yr to 10 yr in bows from 15-30 pounds and best of all they are really cheap. Also dennis has a great selection of kids long bows and recurves for reasonable prices. Also I second the martin prodigy as a great bow allthough a little pricey (we have 2) but right now our favorite kids bow is the Black Rhino longbow reasonably priced excellent quality and the company is a complete pleasure to deal with and they also stock a great deal of kid size accesories. I have found that the more you make there gear look like yours the more they want to go shoot with you. It may cost a little more but getting them quality equipment is worth every penny in my book. Good on you for getting him involved shooting with my kids and nieces and nephews is one of my greatest joys Delin