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Help with what/when on next kid's bow

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    Help with what/when on next kid's bow

    Both my boys, age 7 and 5, currently shoot Fred Bear 1st Shot bows which are 8-12lb draw and are perfect for young kids...but are just one step up from a toy.

    My 5yr old is probably strong enough to pull a 16-20lb bow, but he just doesn't yet understand much of what I'm teaching them. He does great with getting his feet right first, anchoring his draw hand and holding steady after the release, but he has no concept of focusing, being consistent, etc. He's fine with that bow he's got for another year.

    My 7yr old, however, is definitely beginning to "get it". I wouldn't say that he's accurate enough necessarily to warrant an expenditure on a pricey new bow, but I also don't believe these Bear 1st Shot bows are intended to be accurate. At cub scout camp this spring, he shot a 16lb Samick recurve and shot the best out of everyone in the pack. I think he is ready for a "real" recurve, but I am not ready to shuck out $100+ on a bow for him.

    Any suggestions on how to proceed? I also have a 3yr old daughter that is begging for a bow too, and I would probably just give her my oldest son's bow when he gets his next one. I don’t know whether to keep my son on the bow he has until he really begins grouping his shots or to go ahead and move him up to a bow and arrows that are capable of good accuracy.

    Any idea on where to find a used 16lb recurve that won't break the bank? Thank goodness he's a righty. It's gonna be hell finding my lefthanded daughter a bow when she outgrows the toy ones.

    #2
    I'm not exactly sure where to tell you to go. Bob Sarrels makes a great little kids longbow called a Little Newt but it will cost $200.

    As far as the little lefty goes, make sure to check eye dominance before you start her. If she happens to be right eye dominant you would want her to shoot right handed and if she is just learning, she won't know the difference.

    Bisch

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      #3
      Take a close look at the Samick kids line... Great bows and the prices can't be beat!

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        #4
        I buy kids bows all the time for my kids, their friends, and lots of nieces and nephews. Most of the kids bows I have are fiberglas and are in the weight range from about 12-35#. I find them all over. The best place is probably ebay. I turned a fellow TBHer on to a set of Bear "Red Bear" recurves that I think he paid about $50 for both of them. I bought a set of 5 recurves from Tradgang for $55 shipped to the house. I have also bought a couple off of Archerytalk. I have seen several on craigslist. There are a ton out there, you just need to look. The old fiberglas recurves were quality recurves complared to the junk they sell at Academy and Walmart today.

        You will need to figure out what terms to search to help you find these older bows. Most of them will need a new string. Off the top of my head I think some of the brands I have are Bear, Shakespear, Wing, Ben Pearson or just Pearson. Also search for "old bow", "vintage bow", "fiberglas bow", "Red Bear" "Green Bear", "Golden Bear", "little Bear". I have several with no name or markings. These will work just fine, but they are a little harder to buy if the seller has no idea what they are selling.
        Last edited by stinkbelly; 08-15-2013, 06:41 AM.

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          #5
          They are all over ebay right now. Type in "red bear bow". You will have to sift through red girly bows and stuffed bears, but there are plenty. I even saw one that was strung backwards. Some buy it nows and some cheap auctions. I think I may bid on another.

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            #6
            1st Sarrels, 2nd 7 lakes, 3rd Mad Dog.

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              #7
              Cool! Thanks stinky, I'll check em out.

              Talked with the wife last night and she was all for just getting a properly fit Samick Polaris for him if I couldn't find something cheaper. She said "if I had known how much the boys enjoy shooting their bows I would have never bought that stupid Wii for them". Win!

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