Tips for a Beginner?

[parallel]

I bought my boy a Fred Bear Scout Bow Set for Christmas as he has shown an interest in archery. I have zero experience with archery and want to be able to start him off on the right foot when he opens his gift tomorrow. Advise on what NOT to do would be appreciated. If he does well with this one I'll probably upgrade to one of the nice ones as soon as it's appropriate to do so. Advise on youth model bows would be appreciated as well. Thanks.

ETA: He is four years old and a southpaw.

 

[BigNick73]

Be sure and tell him not to prop it up in a corner like you might to a rifle. Someone gave me a old recurve when I was a kid and not knowing any better I stuck it inthe corner behind the door until my dad got in from offshore to get a string. Well by that time it had warped just enough that it wouldn't string properly.

 

[jphilp87]

No advice other than have fun.... get yourself a bow and make it a father-son hobby... I did it with my dad as a kid and I regret that we stopped. I recently bought a bow, but it just isnt the same.

Merry Christmas!
Phil

 

[lost]

With your son being 4, the most important thing is just to let him have fun and teach safety. The rest can be worked up to. I assume he is going to start out shooting fingers rather than with a release? If so, get him some sort of finger tab and a wrist guard. Will make alot of difference in how long he will be able to keep at it. Oh yeah, do not dry fire any bow.

Otherwise, consistency (sp) is key to bow shooting, IMO. When we taught Boy Scouts archery at Winter Camp, we taught them to remember "S.N.S.P-DARF" Stance, Nock, Set, Pre-draw, Draw, Anchor, Aim, Release, Follow through. Do the same thing every time and it will make all the difference in the world.

Like said above, get you one too and have a blast together!

 

[SpencerSS]

I don't know how far away you are, but ARTAC does some stuff with kids. http://www.artactradbow.org/

 

[parallel]

Thanks for the replies. Next week I'll be looking into a couple of local archery clubs.

As expected he LOVES the bow and arrow set.

 

[LACamper]

I wish someone would set up an archery range in the spillway.

Best advice, keep it fun. Its no different than plinking. Plinking is fun for kids, shooting at a dot on a piece of paper gets old. Take him out and shoot at targets of opportunity.

 

[parallel]

I wish someone would set up an archery range in the spillway.

Best advice, keep it fun. Its no different than plinking. Plinking is fun for kids, shooting at a dot on a piece of paper gets old. Take him out and shoot at targets of opportunity.

This is going to become our archery range. Thanks for the idea of plinking. I was going to go buy one of those targets with the bullseye on it at Cabellas... but I'm thinking it might be more fun to get a bunch of bails of hay to use as back stops and perches for milk jugs and such to shoot at.

 

[LACamper]

That's good for home. Once he gets that under control take him to a new section of woods and walk with the bow and field points. Make a game of it. 'Bet you can't hit that stump!' and pick some things that are at varying distances. He'll learn range estimation and snap shooting. Teach him to shoot without a sight also.

BTW, +1 on storing the bow correctly. Those limbs twist easily in with our high humidity.

FWIW, I wouldn't have started him on a compound. I'd have found a simple stick bow and made him work up. Maybe 35 pounds or so. It would make a good fishing bow later. Its not too late...