Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Looking for a recommendation on a bow for my 8 year old son.

My son and I are taking a class together. He is having much fun but I know him, having his own bow and getting good with it would increase his fun and enthusiasm. Buying at the local shop and they are recommending this: http://hoyt.com/compounds/ignite. Anyone here have a recommendation?
Thanks
Pete

Mathews has a really nice starter compound bow for Kids. Its the Mission Model. It's not the cheapest, but probably hands down the best one for beginners? It is a really versitable as it can start out with a really low pull weight all the way up to 40 lbs. and lots of adjustment on the draw length, too.
All of my nephews started out with one of those models at about 8 or 9 years of age and just absolutely loved them.

If a crossbow is ok for use there then consider one.

They can be 'cocked' drawn back with a mechanical device to get far more range than a smaller person could draw.

Mine is far more fun to me than a bow. I handle and shoot it in the basement. It can't be heard upstairs.

crossbows in walmart

Thanks. The archery shop offered measure him and then set up and let my son try a few bows. Will but that one on the list.
Pete

Last I looked arizona treats crossbows like rifles. Not allowed in the archery season.
Pete

[img]https://ll-us-i5.wal.co/asr/bfd9b5b...ht=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF[/img]

I recently bought my 9 yo daughter a Bear Apprentice III. She wants to start 4H Archery this year. I don't think the Apprentice is made anymore and is replaced by the Cruzer, but lots are new ones on ebay. 200-250.00 for package and arrows. Very adjustable in poundage and draw weight. I think it weighs 2.6 or 2.8 lbs. and is 28" axle to axle.It is a little lighter than the Mathews Mission. I have not been into archery for 10-12 years and lots of advancements have been made, but the little bow impresses me. Alot better quality than the bow I had a kid/teenager.

My daughter is small framed. On her draw length, the lowest draw weight is about 12-13lbs. One thing you have to be careful about the wide range adjustable bows is the draw weight is advertised as say 12-45 lbs, but in reality it is 12lbs with a 17 inch draw length. Same limb adjustment, but in a 24" draw length may be 25lbs. Does that make sense? I did not realize this when I brought the bow, but it worked out for my daughter.

I hope you find something he likes.

The new Diamond Edge SB-1 is a slick little bow. Just be ready to swap the accessories.

Also, the Diamond Atomic bows are very nice. They come mostly naked, so you can accessorize them easily.

I bought a nerf Chewbacca crossbow. It's so easy to cock and its really quiet, I can even shoot it in my bedroom and it won't stick in the wall. You can get them at Walmart. It's much more exciting and safer than Han Solo's real blaster!

Damn, I hope you give your ass a warning courtesy before you stuff your head up there!

Pete,

There are a many starter bows on the market, whatever you do get one that is adjustable to grow with your kid, . Have you thought about starting him out with a low poundage recurve or long bow? If he loves a challenge, it will offer it in spades compared to a compound, and the lessons learned can easily be transferred back to compound shooting.

Congrats on your boy's interests!

Diamond Atomic. Then when he gets a little bigger a bow along the lines of the ignite or infinite edge will be fine. Get him a bow that weighs too much and is hard to handle/hold and his interest will fade just as quickly as it peaked

Parker Buckshot is what I got for my son when he started. It's a growing bow. It has adjustable draw length, adjustable poundage, and when the kid grows out of it, you can get stronger limbs. I started him off at 13 years old with 30 to 40 lbs. limbs. when he grew out of that, I got 40 to 50 lbs. limbs. After that, I got him a used Mathews with 60 lbs. limbs and also came with a set of 70 lbs. limbs, which is what he is still using to this day. He actually killed 2 deer with that Parker.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/6...lb-17-26-draw-length-realtree-max-4-camo

We're finishing up an eight week 101 Archery course. He we became friends with another boy in the class who had the Hoyt Ignite. After shooting his new friends bow a few times, he new what he wanted. So, he had to shoot for it, did well and he'll be surprised at his last class with a new bow. He is already talking about hunter into! Win!

We're going to take the follow up course. I'm happy he is having so much fun.

Thanks for all the input.
Pete

The new Genesis model that goes to 40# is called the Gen X. It also adjusts to 30" of draw length (so can fit adults, or kids that grow to adults).

However, due to the design, draw length changes affect peak poundage as well as slightly change % let off.

There are other Mission models like the Menace, Craze and Hype that change draw lengths over a wide range, but they cost more.

I bought a Gen X for my kids to mess with. One liked it, the others ignored it. Hangs at my local shop on consignment. It shot OK around 25# and 25" of draw for my one kid.

Thought I could keep it and crank it up for bowfishing.

Don't bowfish much so decided to just ditch it.

It is lighter in mass weight, than the Hype and was comfortable for my spindly kid (not really a kid, but a petite adult).

She rocked it barebow and shot it VERY well. But it's a once a month thing for her at best...........just doesn't have the drive to shoot, s I don't force it.

The middle kid, that's 5' 8".............and a great shot.........totally ignores bows and guns now.

Youngest...........space cadet.