setting up a bow for a child
10-16-2004, 11:58 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Macon, MO
Posts: 288
setting up a bow for a child
I got an second-hand bow for my daughter. She's small for her age of 11 but stubborn. I need to know what to get for her to have this setup right. It appears to only have a quick-tune on it and the string. I know there's more to them than that, but what?
10-17-2004, 10:09 PM
#3
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 20
RE: setting up a bow for a child
Well Foxfire it's hard to help when you give no info.
Brand, poundage, drawlength, shoot fingers or release. ect...
Your best bet would be take it to your local pro shop and have them set it up for her.
Also most guys hunt here so sometimes you need to be patient. I was in the woods all day like most of the guys here.
Jeff
Brand, poundage, drawlength, shoot fingers or release. ect...
Your best bet would be take it to your local pro shop and have them set it up for her.
Also most guys hunt here so sometimes you need to be patient. I was in the woods all day like most of the guys here.
Jeff
10-18-2004, 03:02 AM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chenango County, NY
Posts: 224
RE: setting up a bow for a child
Foxfire:
Sorry for the "late" reply, but the weekend after opening day of hunting season isn't the best time to catch me online.
From the info given, it sounds like you need:
1. Sights
2. Peep sight / kisser button / both
3. Arrows to match poundage / draw length
Optional:
1. Release / string loop
2. Stabilizer
3. String Silencer
4. Any other shock dampening stuff you want (Limb savers, etc)
Best bet is do as Flash suggests. Take it to a pro shop with her and have them help with initial setup of draw length, etc...
I would also recommend putting everything you want her to use on at once so you don't keep changing the configuration on her. That can get frustruating for new archers.
Hope this helps!
Sorry for the "late" reply, but the weekend after opening day of hunting season isn't the best time to catch me online.
From the info given, it sounds like you need:
1. Sights
2. Peep sight / kisser button / both
3. Arrows to match poundage / draw length
Optional:
1. Release / string loop
2. Stabilizer
3. String Silencer
4. Any other shock dampening stuff you want (Limb savers, etc)
Best bet is do as Flash suggests. Take it to a pro shop with her and have them help with initial setup of draw length, etc...
I would also recommend putting everything you want her to use on at once so you don't keep changing the configuration on her. That can get frustruating for new archers.
Hope this helps!
10-18-2004, 06:42 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Macon, MO
Posts: 288
RE: setting up a bow for a child
Sorry guys. Daughter was just hoping to get started this weekend. She's all excited. And was very impatient reading over my shoulder! I'm new at this. But I want her done right. The pro shop gave me all kinds of crap. They were even laughing about women hunters. I wanted to sound a bit knowing before I went back. Her bow is a Little Delta, draw weight 35 lbs, draw length 28. That's all the info on it. She can pull it fine. Just the string hurts her fingers. Will take notes on the supplies you listed, I knew it looked bare. Thank you so much!
10-18-2004, 07:22 AM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: setting up a bow for a child
The pro shop gave me all kinds of crap. They were even laughing about women hunters. I wanted to sound a bit knowing before I went back.
They need their butts kicked out of the business, IMO.
10-18-2004, 11:14 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Macon, MO
Posts: 288
RE: setting up a bow for a child
[ORIGINAL: Arthur P
.... Don't bother going back to that shop. Find another one that has decent people working in it. Sounds like that bunch of numbskulls thinks archery should be a 'guys only' thing, and would be just as likely to intentionally screw things up to discourage her.
They need their butts kicked out of the business, IMO.
.... Don't bother going back to that shop. Find another one that has decent people working in it. Sounds like that bunch of numbskulls thinks archery should be a 'guys only' thing, and would be just as likely to intentionally screw things up to discourage her.
They need their butts kicked out of the business, IMO.
I found another pro shop in Kirksville! Will be going there. Thank you for the advice. And the boost! Much appreciated!
10-19-2004, 03:08 AM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chenango County, NY
Posts: 224
RE: setting up a bow for a child
Good luck Foxfire!
If you have a decent shop, they should be able to adjust the draw length if it's not right. Those 35# bows can pack some punch! My wife just got into the sport and she's very tiny. I am starting her off with a 35# bow this year which is adjustable up to 50#. It's a 65% let off so she's still holding enough to make her accurate. Let me tell you, that bow is great out to 20 or so yards and shootable out to maybe 30. She doesn't want to hunt this year, but instead work on form.
I'm a bit old fashion in that I would recommend getting her a glove and letting her learn to shoot fingers with a peep sight and sights before moving to a release. This will really force her to have good form and learn how to release the string cleanly. Takes a bit more effort up front, but will really help in the long run.
If she's not going to hunt right away, you can avoid the silencing stuff. Just more to fight with. I would recommend a good stabilizer that feels good to her. These can be very personal, so find one that balances the bow out in her hand well. Preferably something which lets the bow rock forward a little after the shot.
Other than that, get her some arrows and a target and let her have at it! Practice makes perfect!
Best of all, get out there and shoot with her. No better way to enjoy a sport than with those you love!
If you have a decent shop, they should be able to adjust the draw length if it's not right. Those 35# bows can pack some punch! My wife just got into the sport and she's very tiny. I am starting her off with a 35# bow this year which is adjustable up to 50#. It's a 65% let off so she's still holding enough to make her accurate. Let me tell you, that bow is great out to 20 or so yards and shootable out to maybe 30. She doesn't want to hunt this year, but instead work on form.
I'm a bit old fashion in that I would recommend getting her a glove and letting her learn to shoot fingers with a peep sight and sights before moving to a release. This will really force her to have good form and learn how to release the string cleanly. Takes a bit more effort up front, but will really help in the long run.
If she's not going to hunt right away, you can avoid the silencing stuff. Just more to fight with. I would recommend a good stabilizer that feels good to her. These can be very personal, so find one that balances the bow out in her hand well. Preferably something which lets the bow rock forward a little after the shot.
Other than that, get her some arrows and a target and let her have at it! Practice makes perfect!
Best of all, get out there and shoot with her. No better way to enjoy a sport than with those you love!
10-19-2004, 07:34 AM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Southwest Virginia
Posts: 547
RE: setting up a bow for a child
The pro shop gave me all kinds of crap. They were even laughing about women hunters.
10-19-2004, 10:49 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
RE: setting up a bow for a child
I have two kids who shoot, couple of points/advice:
- buy a release, yes it would be nice to learn fingers, but many kids want to hit what they shoot at and release is easier to get consistent with, plus if she goes to any shoots most folks will have a release and she will want to "look" like them
- LOWER the poundage and make sure the length is right, many kids shoot to much poundage, sit her on teh ground, feet out infront of her and have her draw the bow, if she can't its to much weight. Her muscles will strengthen quickly as well.
- Get a good rest that will hold the arrow solidly, whisker basket type is nice for kids, arrow can't fall off.
- peep sight, same as release, not needed but helps consistency quicker.
- FUN FUN FUN FUN. Depending on the kid she may like more feedback on a good shot than an arrow in a dot, try balloons, tic-tac-toe games etc.
Watch for arm slap, the string hitting the bow arm, it indicates form issues, but it destroys the fun of shooting cause it HURTS. The first one won't really hurt, but the next one will.
--Bob
- buy a release, yes it would be nice to learn fingers, but many kids want to hit what they shoot at and release is easier to get consistent with, plus if she goes to any shoots most folks will have a release and she will want to "look" like them
- LOWER the poundage and make sure the length is right, many kids shoot to much poundage, sit her on teh ground, feet out infront of her and have her draw the bow, if she can't its to much weight. Her muscles will strengthen quickly as well.
- Get a good rest that will hold the arrow solidly, whisker basket type is nice for kids, arrow can't fall off.
- peep sight, same as release, not needed but helps consistency quicker.
- FUN FUN FUN FUN. Depending on the kid she may like more feedback on a good shot than an arrow in a dot, try balloons, tic-tac-toe games etc.
Watch for arm slap, the string hitting the bow arm, it indicates form issues, but it destroys the fun of shooting cause it HURTS. The first one won't really hurt, but the next one will.
--Bob