I have been worse than a kid waiting for Christmas to arrive. My daughter (11) informed me a month before Christmas that she wanted to ditch her training wheels in favor of a recurve or longbow.
After a little sweating over being able to find one for her in time, I spoke with Dan Toelke and he set me up with a Toelke Tadpole, 19# @25" longbow. I also got a half dozen beeman flash arrows, a leather armguard, and a claf hair tab. Then the wait began.......agonizing!!!
Well today arrived and the wait was over! She guessed it was a bow as soon as she saw the round, wrapped tube the bow was in. However, she was not expecting what was inside. The smile on her face was priceless. I will never forget how happy she was. ( This from a kid that also got a Nintendo 3ds, a Samsung Digital Camcorder and a host of other goodies. ) She could not wait to get outside to shoot.
(She will not be happy about my posting the picture I took BEFORE she took her new sock monkey hat off)
(http://i.imgur.com/Tr0Ny.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/IsSXo.jpg)
We had tons of family over so she had to wait several loooooooong hours, luckily it was raining, but finally this afternoon we finally slipped away and headed out back. It became apparent that she will be shooting a heavier bow very soon. She pulled the 19#s like she had been shooting it for weeks.
Nocking the first arrow....
(http://i.imgur.com/Gu8Vj.jpg)
Listening to instruction from Dad. "Focus on where you want to hit .......
(http://i.imgur.com/XQ3Od.jpg)
"Now while looking at your spot, raise your bow and prepare to draw...."
(http://i.imgur.com/jWFuB.jpg)
"draw all the way to your anchor......."
(http://i.imgur.com/fyeIu.jpg)
Pretty good form I think. First day with a longbow and dad as a coach....
(http://i.imgur.com/5Z5wn.jpg)
6 arrows later and a pretty decent 5 yard group even if I do say so myself!
(http://i.imgur.com/s4fqG.jpg)
Merry Christmas Trad Gang. I hope your holiday was as wonderful as mine! I will remember this Christmas for the rest of my life! Thank you for letting me share with you!
Steve thats fantastic she has great form even if Dad was coaching her congrats. :biglaugh:
That's awesome!!!!
Thanks for sharing this with us! She has great form already! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I wish my daughters would show some interest in shooting.
I love the pictures and Merry Christmas!
That is awesome :thumbsup: You two are gonna be spending a lot of time together flinging arrows :archer2:
PDQ she'll want to go along hunting. Awesome events at your house lately! Excellent!
Awsome ,good job . :thumbsup:
Outstanding. :archer:
Well done this was my daughter's first year hunting and the experience is priceless.Congrates, I bet her smile is almost as big as yours
Good form and coaching. You done good! :thumbsup:
Sock monkeys rule!
What a great Christmas!
Killdeer :clapper:
That's what being a tard dad is all about we couldn't be happier for the two of you!
Very well done Dad, Great bow for cute young archer. She looks to be shooting well. Enjoy Dad
Awesome!
A new pro arrived!
Fantastic!!!
what kind of arrows did you get your daughter? I have a friend whose son shoots a kids bow like that and looking for arrows.
Thanks
Dave
They are Beeman Flash arrows. I got those from Dan Toelke as well. I think they were $45 for 6.
That is what it is all about!! :thumbsup:
Way to go.
That right there is PRICELESS!!!
John
You did real well.
How excellent is that! Well Done Dad. Thanks for sharing with us! :clapper:
Thats terrific! I got 2 new Toelke's recently and Dan was great to deal with. I gave my nephew a bow for Christmas and I wish I could have afforded another Toelke. Congrats!
Good stuff.... :thumbsup:
Outstanding!!!!! Way to go Dad.
Steve, thanks for sharing this with us. Best Christmas present a Dad could get for his daughter, and what better way to spend precious time with her!
You go Dad!!
Post Christmas Day 2. Is she outshooting you yet? I already know she wants target access every 15 minutes! How about set her up something in the house? Looks she'll be up in draw weight pronto. Real good stuff here Steve!
Buddy, she has been doing her "Bow Excercises" with dad while I build strength for the new Hill. She has been out to shoot a couple of times but the weather has not been cooperative. So far as in the house. She won't shoot in the house because of her kitties. She is afraid one of them might sneak into her line of fire. For now that is probably a well founded fear. Wind is blowing about 20 mph here today. Hopefully it will die down a little so she can get some shots in today before her crazy father goes and climbs up a tree this afternoon.