Posted: 12/13/2013 7:05:23 AM EDT
|
I know this is arfcom, but you local guys seem to know your stuff on just about everything.
I've never been a hunter or really into archery (although I've always thought it was fun when I went to the range with friends). We took my kids (7YO girl, 8YO boy) to a 4H event and they both were really excited by the archery. My daughter saw the movie 'Brave' and has been running around with her pink suction cup bow since. I have an old compound bow that I've showed them and I do atrually know how to use it. We have property where we can shoot bows/guns. I'm all for getting them involved and spending some decent money on equipment, but have some problems and questions. First Major issue. My Daughter is right handed but left eye dominant and my son is left handed and right eye dominant. I'm about 95% certain on this as I've watched how they line things up and I had them do the self triangle test with thier fingers. For an adult this isn't too big of a deal, but trying to get them to hold a bow/gun opposite of how they feel comfortable is REALLY difficult. The good thing is that I'm left hand left eye dominant, and my wife is the opposite, so we can each help the respective child. But do you guys think it is too big of a thing to work through at this age, and maybe wait until they get older to work through it? So, say we decided to go ahead with it and look into equipment. A lefty bow for my daughter will be hard to find. How many sizes are there and what ranges will they work.....meaning if I buy them bows now, will they last until they are 12, 16? When do they move to Adult bows, and how many steps in between are there? They are both very respectful, smart kids, so I'm not worried about bow care, or safety. Thoughts? Opinions? I'm not in a hurry to do anything, just looking for some info. I really appreciate the knowlege base here. |
|
I'm not a huge archery guy now, but I was as a kid, so I have some feedback about archery as a kid.
Go straight or recurve. There's no reason for them to have a compound at this point. While there's slightly different skill sets involved, it's like acoustic vs electric guitars. They're complementary. They don't need sights or releases. Just guards and I'd probably throw some safety glasses on them if you're going to be shooting at short range (which most 8 y/os shoot at). As for the eye dominance, they could easily adapt to shooting strong-side with an off-plane eye. For sights you could just mount it on the opposite side. That said, given your situation, I would let them work it out for themselves. Just buy a right and left handed bow. Don't give them as gifts or anything. Make it like bowling where the kids walk up and select a bow to shoot with. They should be able to work out which one works for them on their own. If they end up using their weak-side/strong-eye then they're young enough to make their "weak-side" not weak. Once they settle on one or the other, buy them "their own". Keep in mind that eye-dominance can change some in kids, especially if they're compensating for degenerative eyesight. That's about the age when kids eyesight starts to become noticeable. Good luck. Archery is a great sport for kids. |
|
My Daughter is 11 and been shooting since she was 7 and doing Archery since she was 9. She is just like her Dad, Right handed and left Eye Dominant. And her and I both shoot right handed. She enrolled in our local 4H which has a great Archery and Air rifle/22 program Which I instruct on the Air rifle side.
The one thing I learned is to let someone else teach her Archery as that is not my thing. I can shoot a bow but taking instruction from some one else, has helped her a great deal, There are bows that our club use that are made for youth and can be adjustable, I wrestled with her eye dominance and thought about trying to get her to do everything left handed. but Kids are very adaptable. She shoots very well right handed and continues to increase her skill. I would let her continue down the path and develop her skill. Using eye patches, you can teach the non dominate eye to take over from the dominate eye. Just like how when once sense is lost, another one takes over. |
|
Go cheap at first. |
| Best bet.... go old school! All instinctive, get a recurve, no sights. When shooting instinctive, you don't use sights, all you look at is the target and let fly. Basically the same rules as throwing a baseball, you just do it and it works. You of course still have things like making sure you follow through with your shot by keeping your bow arm up until the arrow hits the target, making sure you release the string the same way everytime and making sure you pick the same anchor draw point every time. But otherwise, all is is natural. That is how I bowhunt. And with no sights, I shoot with both eyes open looking at the target. |
I don't think the kid's will keep the intrest up unless they can do a good job, yeah flinging arrows is fun but going from never shooting a bow to shooting in the vitals every time at cardboard silouette between 10 and thirty yards is pretty impressive. my daughter is 10 this year and had a fifty dollar Walmart bear bow last year and she did awesome. yes I did put a real rest and sight on it but for what it was she did great. problem is those bows don't grow with the kid's two years and it's already maxed draw weight and length. the next step will be a mission craze by Matthews it will be the last bow I buy for her or her brother because it is so adjustable length and weight ect. Even a full grown adult can use it also. I don't just like matthews I have been hunting with a bear epic extreme since 2000 and they make excellent kids bows also apprentice 2 I think is comparable to the craze. either one of these new kid's bows you can make adjustments yourself you don't need a bow press.
|