Sir, I had a similar situation with my son. I thought him how to shoot and darn if he didn't win a state championship in his age group. Then all of a sudden he gave it up and didn't want to have any thing to do with me. That really hurt I have to tell you it took me along time to get over it. Well to make along story short he joined the US Army and he just got back from a 9+ month tour in Iraq. He called me and said dad I want to start shooting with you again. So we met at Denton Hill last month and had a blast. All I'm saying is even if he wants to shoot a slingshot so he can be with you take him. You will never regret it. It was a 10 year span since my son and I last shot together. I have tears in my eyes cause I couldn't be happier and I have the zeal to shoot again. Mike in Ohio

If anybody would fault you for spending time hunting with your kid or anybody for that matter that shoots a compound, they have either forgot or never knew what the outdoors are all about.

I don't particularly like playing with barbies, but when my 4 yo daughter asks me too, I do it.  There will come a day when she is too busy to spend time with dear old dad and I want to be able to say that I took every possible opportunity to play and spend time with her when she was growing up.

Have fun with your son this fall, and never let someone else determine what is quality time for you and your family.

My son and I hunt together every opportunity we get--which is not often since Mom and I live in WV and he lives in Indiana and has recently come to own his own optometry practice in Bluffton, Indiana and is very busy.  But we do get a couple of times a year to hunt and those times are priceless.  He hunts with a compound and I recently helped him pick out a new one (his old one he's been using for 20 years now).  I was more than happy to do that and love the fact that he still wants to hunt with Dad.  One week  last season he took two days off to hunt.  The first morning my phone rang at 8:00 AM as I prepared to leave for work--it was my son.  When I asked what he was doing he told me that he was standing by a corn field watching the best buck he had ever seen in the woods--and it had his arrow in it!  He called dad before he even went to his deer. That was priceless!  Would I have been any happier if it had been shot with a trad bow?  Not a bit!  One happy dad here     . He's 39 years old now and calls me often to report on a new spot he's found to hunt this fall.

Just spend time with him.  My number one hunting partner is my Dad, who cares what he is hunting with.  

Scott

let them shoot what they want,they wont take our advice till they learn for themselves anyway. Besides you can never get tired of hearing "you were rite Dad"...LOL

This is interesting to me, because Dad and I are pretty close.  I hunt with my stick and he hunts with a compound, I just wonder what would have happened if he had not been so supportive of my choice, I think he had his doughts at first, but that first hunt I killed a deer, so any dought was gone after that.

I think the advice above about not downing his choice is critical, a compound hunter/shooter is better than no hunter/shooter!

There is no better feeling in the world then spending time with your kids on a hunt. Everyone has their own weapon choice, who cares? Savor the moment. Its not going to be too long before you will say "I should have" "If I only knew" and so on. You are lucky, take advantage of it while you still can.

I have 3 of my nephews hunting with me this weekeed and all are shooting wheels. I am just happy that they would rather hunt than play video games. One I had shooting a recurve until his buddy convinced him it would be to hard. I have a couple of older LB/cures to play around camp with,I think I will do as buckeye suggested.

all my hunting buddies shoot compounds and crossbows. i dont put down there bows i just enjoy hunting with friends. i like it when they ask me questions about my stick bows. and seem to really think im  awesome when i kill something.

I love these responses and stories. Each one has merits worth noting. Thanks

Oh, he just text messaged a pic of four carbon arrows in the bull's eye on the target I put in the back yard for him.  He's showing off now.
Stan

Heck, I took up snow boarding @ 50 just to be with my son...not a pretty sight but I wouldn't do it any different the second time around.  Enjoy & cherish the relationship...Doc

Do what you gotta do to spend time with your son.  Many of us hunted with compounds.  Your son is making an effort to spend time with you.  If I were you...I would take it.  By the way.  My dad is not a hunter.  We did not see eye to eye untill I was out of college.  My dad is my best friend now.  Men hit that age where they "know everything".  I know I did.  Even though my dad was never much of a hunter...he did like to fish from time to time.  Nearly all of my best memories were of me and dad fishing.  Now we fish whenever he can break away.  Now that I am 32 years old...I have realized that my old man was smarter than I thought...and a good person.  Sounds like you have a great son.  Be thanfull of it.

I never met my father. Long story. By the time I looked for him, he had already crossed into the next life.

A father is a blessing. Your son sounds like he's becoming quite a man. And, so, he's learned a lot from you.

Blessings,

Would you work on a car with him if he drove a Chevy and you were a Ford man?  Enjoy the time together and don't sweat the details.  My Dad shoots a compound as do all my friends.  I just enjoy the time together.