How young to start archery?

D_Eightch

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2016
Messages
476
Location
North Dakota
My son turns 5 this September and I would love to get him involved with archery.

Just wondering what bows you have experience with that are adjustable and won't break the bank. He's expressed interest in hunting since he could talk, so I am sure he would be absolutely jacked to unwrap a bow on his Birthday.

Obviously he won't be hunting any time soon, but I'd love to be able to bring him to the range with me and start teaching the basics of archery.
 

jyatsko

FNG
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
19
Location
Sacramento, Ca
My son turns 5 this September and I would love to get him involved with archery.

Just wondering what bows you have experience with that are adjustable and won't break the bank. He's expressed interest in hunting since he could talk, so I am sure he would be absolutely jacked to unwrap a bow on his Birthday.

Obviously he won't be hunting any time soon, but I'd love to be able to bring him to the range with me and start teaching the basics of archery.
I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, just sharing my experience... I tried to start my son at 5-6, he was mature enough, just didn't have the arm strength and to pull back but also keep'er steady.

I didn't want him to get discouraged so we took a break. Started him back up with a traditional bow at age 7. He is 8 now and for Christmas looking at compound bow.

Just sharing my experience

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Joined
Aug 4, 2015
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428
Location
Rose Lake, Id
For what this is worth:
I have heard a few professional archers/ instructors mention that starting a kid with a recurve and progressing to a compound is a good way to start.
 

CLICKBANGBANG

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 23, 2016
Messages
294
I bought my son a Diamond Nuclear Ice when he was 6. I found it on eBay with a three arrow quiver and a dozen youth arrows for $110. I added a three pin cheapo site from Amazon, and got him shooting. You can adjust the pull weight and draw length way down for little guys.

My son is 8 now and still loves it. We shot his little bow and my new bow this last weekend. It will be a few more years before he'll graduate to a larger bow.
 

Vids

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Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Messages
593
Location
Littleton, CO
I have three kids - girls 7 and 4, boy 2. The girls both started with one of these when they were about 4:

Amazon.com : 1004816 Bear Archery 1st Shot Set Orange : Sports & Outdoors

I haven't bothered looking seriously at an adjustable compound because they aren't strong enough for it anyways. I think it's best to start with a stickbow. At this age it's just for fun, I don't get too serious about how they aim or anything, just try to hit the hay bale if they can. The oldest was finally ready this summer for a lesson at the local shop, she loved it. Good luck, its fun getting them started!
 

ST52v

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Jul 12, 2012
Messages
637
I would probably get in touch with Joel Turner and pick his brain as much as I could. If you can get them started with the correct foundation they will be set for life. It's way easier to avoid bad habits than it is to fix them.

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Joined
Jul 28, 2014
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5 year old girl started on Diamond Nuclear ice shes 10 now and has PSE mini burner


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Joined
Feb 11, 2016
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I bought my then 4 yr old a diamond atomic. it is a little more expensive at 200 roughly but it is very adjustable has a low end draw weight around 5 to 8 lbs and will have arrows actually stick in targets.

He loves it but has since been more enamored by a 22 that goes bang.

He is a little on the small size and it was the only option that really fit him well. His favorite part was it looks just like mine.

Any bow that he can comfortably shoot will make him happy. If it's not fun for him he won't do it no matter how much you want.
 

jmez

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Jun 12, 2012
Messages
7,404
Location
Piedmont, SD
I have three kids - girls 7 and 4, boy 2. The girls both started with one of these when they were about 4:

Amazon.com : 1004816 Bear Archery 1st Shot Set Orange : Sports & Outdoors

I haven't bothered looking seriously at an adjustable compound because they aren't strong enough for it anyways. I think it's best to start with a stickbow. At this age it's just for fun, I don't get too serious about how they aim or anything, just try to hit the hay bale if they can. The oldest was finally ready this summer for a lesson at the local shop, she loved it. Good luck, its fun getting them started!

My boys started with these as well. Great bow for starting them out. Started them when they were 4. Never push shooting on them. If they ask if they can shoot I never say no. I let them tell me when they want to shoot.
 

Huntin wv

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 14, 2015
Messages
213
Location
West Virginia
My 5 year old son shoots a diamond atomic. I got it for him when he was 4. He started shooting very well with it this year at 5 yards. I have since backed him up to 10 yds to make it challenging again. He goes to some local 3D shoots with me.
8853905bc7e14a0ae427ce9bb716068e.jpg



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137buck

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
115
Location
Western Montana
My boy has been shooting since he's been 4, he's now 9 and shoots a Diamond infinite edge. It has been a good bow for him, just need to put a different string and cables on it. He's shot multiple 3D shoots with me this year and he did the Total archery challenge with me and shot every course there.
 
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2,032
My oldest is 6 and started at 1.5 years old. I got him a Cartel fiber glass recurve and zip tied a whisker biscuit to it. He shot that until he turned 6. He now shoots the Hoyt Fireshot. My 2 year old now shoots the Cartel. $15 well spent.
 

dariian

FNG
Joined
Aug 31, 2016
Messages
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Location
San Diego, CA
My 5 year old son shoots a diamond atomic. I got it for him when he was 4. He started shooting very well with it this year at 5 yards. I have since backed him up to 10 yds to make it challenging again. He goes to some local 3D shoots with me.
8853905bc7e14a0ae427ce9bb716068e.jpg



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I just had a son and this picture got me excited for things to come, that's how parenting is done
 
Joined
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Started my daughter at 5 with a diamond atomic. Nice little bow with tons of adjustments. She enjoys shooting it and has shot in 5 or 6 3-D tournaments with me.
 

woodmoose

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 27, 2016
Messages
149
Location
North Carolina
I always start them with youth longbows,,,,

my 8 year old grandson is getting ready to move to a youth compound, researching them now,,,
 

gumbl3

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Nov 27, 2016
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511
Location
Texas
My sons 6 and shooting a diamond bow. He's been hammering me and his mama with a nerf one since about 2
 

LostArra

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May 9, 2013
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Oklahoma
Here is a good post from a father/competitive recurve shooter. One of his son's is also entering the competitive side of traditional archery now with good success.

My opinion is that the younger a kid starts shooting the more reason to use a traditional bow just because of the physical weight of the bow. It's easier to carry plus there are less things for kids to break. As they get stronger then move to a compound if they want.

Teaching a kid to shoot - TradTalk Forums

The Black Rhino bows mentioned above have a trade in/trade up program as your child grows.
 
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oldgoat

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Mar 5, 2015
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Arvada, CO
Black Rhino bow is the best youth bow imo my son really likes his.

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This is what I would do too, if not this, then a Genesis bow. Kids just grow so fast, trying to keep the draw length set and a sight sighted in the with a fixed draw length setup is stressful to both the child and the adult,, also just get the No Glove string pads and have them shoot without a release. Keep it very simple and make sure they actually have arrows with kind of sharp points so they will actually stick in the target, they get frustrated when the are just bounces off!

Amazon.com : Archery Bowstring - FINGER SAVERS - By Pine Ridge Protects - 1 Set - Multi Colors (TAN) : Archery Finger Tabs : Sports & Outdoors
 
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