9 Yr. old Kaleb's 1st 3-D shoot
This is 9 Yr. old Kaleb's 1st ever 3-D shoot today at the Dixie Deer Classic in Raleigh NC today. On the 15 target indoor course, Kaleb shot an impressive 136. He's already asking when there will be another shoot!
Kaleb's Equipment:
Darton Ranger III
2.9 lbs 15-45 lbs 17"-28" DL
32" ATA 6-7/8" BH 75% L/O
QAD Hunter Rest
Cobra Boomslang sight
Doinker stabilizer
Short-N-Sweet release
G5 peep
Easton X7 Eclipse 1812 arrows
Recommendations: Bow fit and adjustablility can be crucial in maximizing the Enjoyment and avoiding a bad experience. Don't expect kids that weigh 1/4 what you weigh to shoot a bow just as heavy as yours! Keep it as light as possible. Don't put a quiver on their bow and fill it up with arrows! Full capture rests are great. Whisker biscuits are good, but take a toll on fletching. Kaleb loves his QAD's pre-cock feature and it is super accurate. Finger release is probably the best way to start the kids out, but when they're ready for a release, keep it small and adjustable. We found a hook type to be surprisingly easy for a youngster to operate. As the name implies, the Short-N-Sweet is super small, adjustable down to fit short little fingers, and extremely simple to load and shoot. While the fiberglass youth arrows are fine for starters, they are very heavy and give very poor trajectory. Keep arrows light to match the draw weight in order to get the most zip for the poundage. Don't ignore arrow spine, especially once your kid's get the hang of it. Those little 1812's Kaleb is shooting are zipping out of his bow at only 25 lbs of draw weight and boy are they accurate!
Start them out CLOSE! It is amazing to me how some dad's try to force their own egos onto their children! :angry: Take the worry of missing the target out of the equation. They have enough other things to think about! Then, Let them move back at their own pace, not in pace with dad's ego. Make it FUN! Shooting balloons or nerf balls dangling in front of the target adds to the excitement and prolongs their attention span big time! Watch your kids shoot. They love having an audience with your undivided attention, encouragement, and cheers. :set1_applaud:
