Need some advice from you fathers..

[vtmtnman]

Originally posted by Spectre:
Let him shoot a wheelbow for now. Just because he shoots a wheelie doesn't mean he can't go stumpin with Dad. Maybe throw the old Pearson in the truck, too, just in case.

 At least he is into archery.

I'm not a dad,nor did I read every post in this thread,but I agree with this.

[Dean Lintz]

I agree let him try what ever type archery equipment he wants to keep hts interest. Get him shooting and hunting with you. I was told many years ago it is better to hunt with your kids than to hunt for your kids.

[woodchucker]

Just be THANKFUL That he want's to HUNT with you!!!!!

My oldest son Kevin hunted with me the first few years that he was old enough to hunt. 2 years with a 1967 Bear Grizzly,Then the 3rd year with my old Mikuta longbow that I had refinished for him and his name put on. Later that season,he was also old enough to gun hunt with his 16ga. Ithaca Deerslayer that my neighbor gave him before he passed away. He hunted for a few hour opening day,then spent the remainder of the day watching football with his grandfather. (My Dad was recouperating from a double hip replacement.) I asked him a few more times to go with me,but he always had something going on..... He did go to 2 of Shawn Leonard's JLMBHs with me and had the time of his life.

The following year I handed him money to go buy his hunting license and he told me that he didn't think that he was going hunting that year. He said that he didn't want to dissapoint me,but he found hunting "boring".....

Kevin was always a traditional shooter,and a very competative traditional 3-D shooter as well,with MANY trophies on his shelves. It just seems that hunting was not his "thing".....

Next year his younger brother Tyler will be old enough to hunt. We'll have to see what happens then.....    

[Wary Buck]

Get him a simple compound and let him give that a go.  While I hope my daughters will follow me down my path...MY PATH started with guns and at one time included compound bows.  Hmmm.

I just bought 'em BB guns for Christmas and I can't wait to get out in some decent weather (it's -10 now) and try 'em out.  They love shooting bows but I want to expose them to the whole gamut and let them find their own way.

Just like I HOPE they'll want to do cross country, basketball and track like their dad, but I'll support them if they gravitate toward other sports or no sports at all.

[NightHawk]

   

[Tyke]

I haven't read all the posts on this thread, most of my thoughts were given by others very well in the first 2 pages.  But one thing to consider(and I don't know if this was touched on in the posts I skipped) is if he will be hunting soon, it may be easier for him to handle a compound that is heavy enough(draw weight) than a trad bow for now.  A buddy of mine has a son that is just turning 12 and has an interest in traditional archery, but my buddy insists that he use a bow of at least 45 lbs to hunt with, and for now that means the c-bow.
  But the most important thing is that he stay interested in archery and doing it with Dad. It's not something he can't change his mind on at some point.  If you shoot trad, eventually he's likely to want to try it as well.

[bowfiend]

Not that you don't know this, but I wanted to point out that he could get a tradbow with a sight on it!

Maybe he's just looking for something that seems new and exciting to him. Maybe one of those aluminum-riser  rigs (e.g. gamemasters, dorados, etc.) that's drilled for attachments like sights and stabilizers would keep his interest?

[Hit-or-Miss]

That is right Mr. Lintz! I heard that as well. I think it was Herb Parsons, exhibition shooter for Winchester in the 50's who said "Take your boy hunting, and you won't have to hunt for your boy".

   Great advice!!!!

[Grayseas]

Just because he is shooting a compound does't mean he has to use a release and sights, he could still shoot with fingers, and instinctive.

My three oldest sons all shoot compounds, and don't want anything to do with recurves or long bows, my two youngest bows both shoot recurves. My four year old daughter shoot a compound with fingers, and instinctive. Every one still has fun.

[Burnsie]

Hey lets face it, kids growing up now days are in the age of instant gratification. I don't like it, and I try to instill values in my two boys that will counter these forces, but the reality is they have a ton of different things competing for their time - plus a lot of peer pressure, with all their buddies shooting tricked out componds and taking game right out of the gate. I don't think everything should come easy, there are good lessons to be learned by doing things that are more challenging, but if kids can see some kind of success early on they are going to be more likely to stick with it. If they get bored with it and quit all together then what do you have.  
My oldest is already shooting my recurves in the yard with me and showing an interest in doing it like dad, but I let him use the compound and see some success early on.

[trapperDave]

let the boy shoot what HE wants, not what you want  

its all archery, and its all good.

[riivioristo]

Hi!
My nickel here is, that the bow itself does not matter so much, but what are  feelings after you and your little man have solved this issue...like if the little fellow feels he is over run by you, It is not a good thing. But like all difficult things, this can go in so many directions...I did read from a old TBM a story about this lady, who loves to cook with cast iron cookware(dont remember the name of the lady)...and she told there an advice about cooking, that goes (in my opinion ) to all situations ( esp. in family)...if nothing helps - add some love, it will always work !  

[woodbender]

2 cents worth let him go to the wheel bow for now main thing is to keep his interest in archery. i started both my girls out on long bow they would get discouraged because they could not hit like dad neither one shoots much anymore have to wander if i had started them out on wheel bows if they would still be interested

[Mike Most]

My grandson shoots a T/D longbow very well, as his older brother outgrew the compound bow, it was passed on to him because of its size (browing microflite 4 if I remember). He is trying it out because of its design and all the whistles and bells. I like all the others did not discourage because of bow type but just enjoy his company on the hog hunts.

[Spectre]

Originally posted by Grayseas:
Just because he is shooting a compound does't mean he has to use a release and sights, he could still shoot with fingers, and instinctive.

My three oldest sons all shoot compounds, and don't want anything to do with recurves or long bows, my two youngest bows both shoot recurves. My four year old daughter shoot a compound with fingers, and instinctive. Every one still has fun.

I shot my old wheelbow with a glove for a long time---seemed to work great. My brother shoots one with a glove and zero sights.(I'm still trying to get him to come into the fold)

[J. Holden]

Iron, I have not read all the responses.  I will give my .02 though.  I would say get him a used compound first and shoot with him.  Don't push the traditional aspect of it yet.  My son is 9 and wants guns for cryin' out loud.  I've told him I want to hunt with him no matter what weapon he chooses.  I think it would be wiser to find that comman bond and cultivate it than force a common bond and push him away.  If you're not careful and push to hard for a trad bow he may say forget it and decide to look for something else.  Just my thought on the subject.  In closing, I saw a bumoer sticker once that read " Take your kid hunting instead of hunting for your kid".  I encourage you to encourage him!

-Jeremy

[richbat]

i went through the same thing here recently with my son.here's what i did i got him the compound from roy ''blindone'' on a trade for a quiver,so the cost to me was just the shipping.anyways after dillon my son started shooting it he decided not to leave the sights on,so i removed them for him along with the peep sights. now he is shooting the compound instinctively[sp] and doing very well at it to boot.i'm gonna let him shoot it that way for as long as he wants,this in turn will give him some enthusiasm to get better with the compound shooting it without sights which in turn may draw him back to the recurve. i asked him today if he would like me to get him another recurve and to my surprise his answer was yes.peer pressure has alot to do with everyones decision,just let it slide and just maybe he'll come back to the recurve or longbow.

[Benha]

Buy the compound. Shoot with your son. No brainer.

[razorsharptokill]

Main thing is to make it fun for kids. Doesn't matter what he shoots, just be glad he's out with you.

[skarcher]

My 2 bits: Let him shoot whatever he wants and treasure the time you two can have together in the field. My son shot with me for several years and is now into other things, cars girls you get it. He prefers a compound, and still shoots it occasionally. I know that if I got too insistent about the trad thing, we'd spend less time shooting together.

FWI I know very few people that have been faithful to trad since inception - most have had a compound and gravitated to trad for the simplicity and purity if offers. Jake is still a little young to realize all this so my advice is to let him grow into it.

Good luck and happy new year