I asked this in a different way on the Hunters Campfire forum earlier but got derailed. What do guys think the odds are of a 9 yoa killing a state record buck with a recurve bow?
Very slim especially if not hunting out of a box blind to conceal movement. Obviously it’s possible, but for a nine year old to have the presence of mind and ability to keep cool at what would have to be very close range and raging buck fever would seem highly unlikely.
As a dad, I'd be thinking about putting a mental scar on the kid if the concept was overworked and he failed. Hunting is supposed to be fun, not a competition. Young minds are very impressionable. If later in life he thought that the only successful hunt was one that resulted in a record book buck, then IMO he'll never be satisfied and perhaps bypasss hunting in favor of something else more attainable. just my .02.
In Connecticut a bow to be legal must pull 40lbs minimum. Not to many kids age 9 can shoot a stick bow that heavy, hell most adults probably couldn’t either.
As a dad, I'd be thinking about putting a mental scar on the kid if the concept was overworked and he failed. Hunting is supposed to be fun, not a competition. Young minds are very impressionable. If later in life he thought that the only successful hunt was one that resulted in a record book buck, then IMO he'll never be satisfied and perhaps bypasss hunting in favor of something else more attainable. just my .02.
^^^ THIS ^^^
Even if the kid could draw a vow to 40# at his drawlength,
How short of a draw would that be?
How would that affect that particular bows efficiency?
Wonder how many possum cops would understand tjat what is rated on the bow may not be what is being had in the field.....over or under marked #
There was a lady back in the 50’s or 60’s that killed a big buck with a recurve that pulled like #32. So I suppose it could happen if the stars aligned. But I could also find a Powerball ticket in the parking lot and win $400million, not very likely either.
Killing as in causing the eventual death of by arrow is doable. It's the finding that is the trick.
Actually, I'd be most impressed the kid could sit still long enough.
Does this 9 y/o think this is just a deer, or is there some other expectation?
Be a lot of instagram likes and maybe some new followers. Heck you'd be darn near famous if you pulled it off lol. Any chance of getting the youngest grand slam of sheep as well? Shoot for the stars and followers!
Why worry about getting a nine year old a trophy buck when you should be making it fun?
The reason I asked is famed hunter Mitch Rompola says he killed his first buck at 9 yoa with a bow, which was the Missouri state record.
In all the talk about Mitch’s potential world record buck in 1998 his trustworthiness is discussed often. But seldom is the claim that at 9 yoa killing a record buck much less any deer is brought up.
I just wanted to ask the OP question without having “the rest of the story” taint the question and derail the answers.
I have a 7yo that maybe 70ish percentile height and 50ish weight. He is average to maybe a bit more in strength.
He shots a 25# @ 28" recurve. He doesn't draw near 28". A guess would be closer to 20"
At 9yo I doubt he'll be near 28". I'd guess it'd be rare for a 9yo to draw a 25# @28" bow to spec.
Kill a deer? Possible. I'd not let him try.
I would say pretty low odds just due to state record bucks being rare. But i wouldnt say its impossible as there are probably a few 9 year olds who could pull a 30# draw weight and possibly get lucky
A crossbow is about the only way a 7 year old is going to get an archery deer. They just don't have enough strength to pull a heavy enough bow. In Tennessee I think a 40# pull is minimum to deer hunt. A friend of mine set his son up with a crossbow and put the kid in a stand by himself. The boy killed several deer with it before becoming strong enough to cock it himself. Dad was close by and they kept in radio contact. If the kid took a shot, dad came to get the deer or recock the crossbow.