This is my first post here and I'm brand new to traditional archery having made the jump from a compound to a recurve (my first trad bow is an old Ben Pearson Cougar - shoots great and I love it!). Now that I'm spending more time in the yard losing arrows (cut me some slack, I'm just starting), my almost four year old wants to be like daddy. Anyone here have any knowledge or experience in setting up a small child with an inexpensive longbow or recurve? Thanks!

Welcome to the Gang!

Black Rhino, Maddog and St.Joe, all can be found in the sponsor list above. They all make great youth bows.

Maddog.

Call Mike at Maddog!  I've bought four from him for the kids so far... When the baby turns 4 in a year and a half, I'll buy the fifth from him!

God bless!
Kenny

I picked up a nice Youth Bear from Big Jim's for my grandson. Kids grow fast so get one long enough like the Bear or you will be replacing it very often.

Went with the small 3 piece recurves like the samick polaris etc. My 8 year olds were wanting a recurve because of "Hawkeye" and I got some used and some cheap. Seem to shoot fine.

Welcome to the Gang!!  All mentioned are good bows.  I keep a Black Rhino around for the kids to shoot.  BR has a pretty good trade in policy, too.  It really helps as they grow older and need to move up.  Keep the poundage LIGHT so its easy for them to shoot.

I would think for a four year old, you would want something like a toy bow with suction cup arrows.  I teach archery to kids, and have 8 grandkids of my own, and my experience is that by 7-8 years old, they are ready for a "real" bow of about 15#.  At 5, one of my granddaughters seemed to shoot the 15# bow pretty well and I got all excited about it, but the next time she came to visit she was on to something else, as they have a tendency to do at that age.  Every kid is different, of course.

Talk with Mike over at MadDog, you won't be dissapointed.................Welcome to the Gang from the Mississippi Delta

James

Thanks for all the recommendations. I hope to have him pinning squirrels down with his old man some day!

I'm throwing St. Joe River bows into the hat. Their youth line and program is EXCEPTIONAL.

 

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Rhino

St. Joe River Bows!  My daughter Gwen loves hers!  My wife also shoots a SJR longbow and we just put in an order for two more for my 4 year old son and myself.  SJR also has a trade in program for when your child is ready to move up in weight.

Regarding weight, my 4 year old currently shoots 12@20 and is ready to move up a little.

David and Tracey are wonderful to work with!