How old did you start your kids?

Jethro21 · January 17, 2011, 01:32:00 AM

My son is just about 3. For his 2nd birthday my inlaws told me they wanted to get him a bow. I wanted it to be more than a garbage plastic toy. I knew that my local shop had some low weight wood or fiberglass bows (under #10), so I sent them there. To my dismay they brought back a metal compound made for little guys (pretty nice for what it is, came with 3 tiny carbon arrows). Anyway, we shoot together at home and out in the desert, he loves it.

Hopefully gonna get a small fiberglass little guys stickbow for him this year, he wants one like daddy.

How about you guys with your kids?

park · January 17, 2011, 03:33:00 AM

My son is also 3 and im finishing a hickory selfbow of my own design.Nothing special just carved with a knife.I hope he likes it.I picked up a Ben Pearson Bronco from a gun show for him but ended up letting my daughter use it who is 10.She loves it.I had intended to get her a PSE Bullseye but this will work.

Jim Picarelli · January 17, 2011, 06:07:00 AM

Bought the grandson his 1st longbow when he was 3.5yrs old. This is him last summer at a 3D shoot when he was 4.5yrs old. He put a better shot on than me...and he knows it

doug77 · January 17, 2011, 06:10:00 AM

My daughter Mattie started when she was 4 years old, just make sure it's fun for them. She will be 9 this summer

doug77

Slasher · January 17, 2011, 06:34:00 AM

Three is the perfect age... make it close and fun!!!

Koko Bow · January 17, 2011, 06:44:00 AM

Started my daughter at 4 and my boy at 3. I started with a homemade 32" bow and 1/4 diameter dowel rods for arrows.

jsweka · January 17, 2011, 06:56:00 AM

I started my daughter when she was 4 with a little oak board bow I made for her and took her to her first 3D when she was five. That little oak bow was passed down to little brother when he was 3, and she moved up to a glass laminated bow that I finished from a blank from Maddog.

January 17, 2011, 07:19:00 AM

My son Andy started to actually shoot with me at age 5. He started with a little recurve (no namer) but transitioned to a compound bow at age 12. He shot a doe the first season he hunted. After that year and for many years following he became interested in a different breed of does...HA

Four years ago I built him a longbow and we started to shoot together again.

Terry Lightle · January 17, 2011, 07:43:00 AM

I started my boys at about 3 years

hvyhitter · January 17, 2011, 07:45:00 AM

I started my daughter at about 6 when she asked for a bow to shoot. At 22 she still goes to shoots with me. Some years she was more into it than others but I never pushed so it was always fun. Dont over "coach", let em find their own style, and "foam is better than dirt".(any hit is a good hit at 3D)

Eugene Slagle · January 17, 2011, 07:56:00 AM

I have 3 daughters.

Audrianna "stays with her mom" is now 16 & I started her out when she was 5 or 6 & she was doing pretty well but her mom's influence curbed that part of our time & she stopped shooting all together.

Erin is now 9 & I started her when she was right at 3 1/2 but later I found that she had a left eye dominance so changes had to be made "thankfully early."
She shoots really well when she has her mind into it & here recently I got har a custom recurve like her daddy's, I really hope she sticks to it but she has so much other stuff going on right now.

Katherine is soon to be 4 & this past year I've been letting her shoot the same lil long bow that Erin started out with & so far she has been the challenge because she has so much energy & doesn't hold the string long enough to get to her face but that is all in the learning process.

If I had it all to do over again I would not change a thing because I love my girls, my only wish is that my oldest would have stayed with it, my middle one finds the patience & time to continue with it & that my youngest would slow down a little & eventually learn.

Time will tell on my wishes.

JamesV · January 17, 2011, 07:57:00 AM

I started all my kids early, unfortantly they grow up, have their own lives and families and move away from archery. Hopfully they will come back this way.

Celtic Dragon · January 17, 2011, 10:21:00 AM

I got my first bow, a green fibreglass jelly bow at about 5yo, I'm now 34 and apart from the 12 year gap through injury, girls and uni, I've always had a bow to hand.

magnus · January 17, 2011, 10:28:00 AM

My girlfriends kids are 11 and 9 now. I started them last summer. Late I know but they enjoy it. Alyssa the oldest is a good learner and has great form. Robert is a natural with his own style. I think they're both over bowed though. Old green glass bows. I'm hoping they grow into them soon before they develope bad habits. Can't afford new ones for them. Just love family time at the target!

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus

Ricker · January 17, 2011, 10:38:00 AM

My daughter was 2 yrs old when she first got to shoot arrows with me sitting on a stool, her standing with her back to me as I helped her with it. Within a few weeks she could draw and loose the arrow by herself as long as I nocked it up for her. She liked to shoot so much I used shooting to break the pacifier habit. The pacifier kept getting in the way of things so I told her to just throw that thing in the trash so she can shoot some more with Daddy. To my surprise she did it immediately and never looked back.
Ha, memories. Now she is 13.....I sure miss those days.

Covey · January 17, 2011, 10:40:00 AM

I started my boy when he was 5, now he's 12 and shoot's with me all the time. I never did push him, I just let him shoot when he wanted, and without trying to show him everything. Now he is a really good shot and every time theres a 3D shoot he want's to go. I dread the day when he discovers girls, and don't want to shoot with ol dad anymore, because I sure would miss my hunting and shooting buddy! Jason

Rosco1 · January 17, 2011, 10:47:00 AM

I started both of my girls at age 2 with a little fiberglass bow and suction-cup arrows shooting at "approved" targets in the house.

My youngest is almost three and it is her favorite thing to do and the other is almost 6 and throws a fit if she knows I'm going out to shoot and she cant go.

reddogge · January 17, 2011, 10:49:00 AM

Kids and grandkids all between 4 and 9.

hogdancer · January 17, 2011, 10:52:00 AM

both my girls at about age 3 my oldest is now 12 and killed her first deer with a bow this year.

kpete · January 17, 2011, 10:55:00 AM

My kids have been 3-5 when they started. First two started with a little wooden recurve from a garage sale. I made arrows from hardware store dowels. Not the fastest sticks because or the weight, but durable and the kids got to help.
Last one started with a hickory self-bow that I built. Scary cast for a crude little bow. Startled me-shouldn't have tested it indoors!
That son is 21 now, and the little bow is still in his room and he still picks it up and handles it. He now shoots a longbow given to him by a good friend. Both sons are coming back to trad archery.