crossbow for kids?
Minnesota
Contributors to this thread:
If a child isn't able to pull the required weight limit on a bow, are they able to get a crossbow permit in MN?
If they can't pull a 30# bow do they have a disability?? Most kids around 11-12 can do so with some practice and working out a little bit. I should know I was that little kid once who struggled with 35# in WI and 40# in MN. Crossbows are legal for anyone during firearms season, for bear and turkey so why push them into the regular archery seasons???.
If they can't pull a 30# bow do they have a disability?? Most kids around 11-12 can do so with some practice and working out a little bit. I should know I was that little kid once who struggled with 35# in WI and 40# in MN. Crossbows are legal for anyone during firearms season, for bear and turkey so why push them into the regular archery seasons???.
From my understanding of the law you cannot get one for not being strong enough. That doesn’t qualify as a disability and would not get a dr to sign off as one.
Start a kid on a xgun the high probability they will never go to to the bow, why would they since no practice or dedication. Similar to to the gun hunt, how many practice daily or weekly with their rifle/shotgun, it sits in the case about 2 wks before the season and sighted in. Start a kid on a recurve and teach them how to shoot and hunt, they will learn a ton about themselves and the game they hunt rather than putting a scope on the prey and squeeze the trigger. It is not about a video game it is about real life.
Let them grow and get stronger until the can shoot a low poundage bow, isn't that difficult with todays hi let off compounds!! Easy matter of fact, but it does require some EFFORT on the kids part.
I would submit if the little tyke can't draw #30 pound vertical bow back that kid will have just as hard of a time pulling a crossbow to the lock position as well. I don't know what the poundage settings are for the cross bows but i was playing around with my father in laws two weeks ago and i will tell you it wasn't too easy
We sure wouldn't want the kids to have to put forth any effort, would we? If they can't pull 30# then maybe they should stick to plinking cans with the Daisy another year or two..
If powder is anything like me he wants to get his kids out hunting as soon as he Legally can. If it takes him or her a couple more years to Work up to a 30 lb draw weight there’s 2 more years they might lose interest. I would try to capitalize on the opportunity while there young and interested. No reason they can’t keep shooting a recurve or a compound to work their way up while hunting with a crossbow where it’s legal. Friends change sometimes often as kids are growing and sometimes their interests change too.
Kids have to be 10 years old to hunt big game in MN. Unless if one is disabled or at least 60 years old, one must be able to pull back 30 lbs in order to hunt archery in MN. If your child is at least 10 years old, but cannot pull back 30 lbs, then look into taking him or her firearms hunting. Get them a 20 ga and teach them how to shoot slugs. They can also use a cross-bow during regular firearms season, but need a regular firearms license. Also, take them small game hunting or ducks/pheasant hunting. They get more action that way and will be more likely to stay interested.
I understand that kids do change interest. My youngest daughter could not hunt enough when she was nine until twelve years old. Then she lost interest and now, at age 14, doesn't want to hunt. Someday she might want to again, but not now. She can really shoot her bow though and could easily pass the sharpshooter proficiency test. She also loves eating venison. Its just my job to kill the deer now. My 18 year old daughter is different. She has always been a hunter and always will be. She shot a big 8 ptr a couple of years ago and has the mount on her bedroom wall. I send her trail cam pictures at college. Funny.
Good luck.
Just like peas and carrots...tastes change. I don't believe for a minute that just because a kid can't/doesn't want to hunt at age 10 that they won't later in life. That's a complete fallacy. I think those of us parents that grew up with an outdoor heritage can actually do more harm than good pressing our kids into the blood-sports at such an early age. As great as our intentions may be the simple fact is many kids aren't physically or mentally ready at that age. They will be one day, so all is not lost by waiting or sticking to small-game and target shooting. I know a lot of guys that started hunting big game later in life.
I agree southfarm that many pick up hunting later in life. I did buy a youth 870 for my kids and my daughter had turkey hunted for the last couple of years. She is eleven and has no problem shooting a 20 gauge or pulling 30 lbs . My son is 9 and is a squirt, he has shot 20 gauge and wants nothing to do with it. He wants to hunt but not with a gun and it has nothing to do with my influence. I am not a bow only guy, to be honest I have bowhunted religiously for 20 years but I do it because I love deer hunting not archery . 9 days just wasn’t doing it for me .
I havnt mentioned anything about a crossbow to my son. He has a year to try to work up to 30 lbs to bowhunt next year that’s the goal. If he puts forth the effort and does not succeed I will buy him a crossbow if he still wants to deer hunt next year, and he could hunt Wisconsin or the firearms season in mn. That’s where I’m coming from on the kids /crossbow issue. Good luck guys! P.s. I’m still hesitant on the 30 lbs penetrating. I would hate for him to do everything right on his first deer and end up losing a deer with an arrow stuck a couple inches in it.
I agree southfarm that many pick up hunting later in life. I did buy a youth 870 for my kids and my daughter had turkey hunted for the last couple of years. She is eleven and has no problem shooting a 20 gauge or pulling 30 lbs . My son is 9 and is a squirt, he has shot 20 gauge and wants nothing to do with it. He wants to hunt but not with a gun and it has nothing to do with my influence. I am not a bow only guy, to be honest I have bowhunted religiously for 20 years but I do it because I love deer hunting not archery . 9 days just wasn’t doing it for me .
I havnt mentioned anything about a crossbow to my son. He has a year to try to work up to 30 lbs to bowhunt next year that’s the goal. If he puts forth the effort and does not succeed I will buy him a crossbow if he still wants to deer hunt next year, and he could hunt Wisconsin or the firearms season in mn. That’s where I’m coming from on the kids /crossbow issue. Good luck guys! P.s. I’m still hesitant on the 30 lbs penetrating. I would hate for him to do everything right on his first deer and end up losing a deer with an arrow stuck a couple inches in it.
MNhunter, two blade broadhead. Avoid the shoulder. No problem with penetration at 30 pounds.
Thanks 12yards, appreciate the advise! Every bit helps I’m sure. Like I said the goal is 30 lbs by sept. I keep cranking down the limbs a quarter turn when I think he’s ready. He doesn’t really notice
I thought 40# was the legal minimum required for deer hunting, no?
Mnhunte1980, not to be disrespectful but your son is 9 yrs old, I think he needs to learn how to walk before he runs. The dynamics of hunting is just not about killing, he has a lot to learn than pulling a trigger, I know how the generational shift has gone to have kids hunting younger and younger, 12 use to be the age and always thought that was a good age for a kid to reason and to be aware w/ adult supervision. Sat in the first youth hunting proposals and listen to the pros/cons and at that time 12 was the age band went to younger age, usually from parents that had young kids and private land owners, always thought that dad can shoot another big buck under his kid's tag. Back in 1964 when I was 13 if we could handle a 12 gage then we were aloud to hunt w/ a gun 410 or 20 and at 15 we could hunt by ourself, of course this was for birds, rabbits, squirrels, deer was scarce and was under a lottery,which kids usually now do not even bother with. We did have our recurves 25-30# shooting carp and bunnies as kids which was fun. In this ramble just use your common sense with your kid and have him enjoy the total hunt.
Thanks jjs I appreciate your comments and advice
I agree with you guys on the youth getting into hunting and bowhunting. What makes me post is that someone asked if 30 lbs. is enough to punch a hole through a deer. As a measurer, I had the pleasure of measuring a 9pt. taken by a 12 yr. old girl. First time out, first day of the season. The dad said he was shaking so hard he thought that he was going to scare the deer away. His daughter had ice in her veins. She made a perfect shot at 15 yards. The deer had only gone 100 yards. Crawled under some brush on the other side of the creek. They found it 3 days later. They never stopped looking for the deer. The only problem was the dad had her using the rage low energy blades. She was shooting 35 lbs. That is when I told him that he should have her shooting COC blades. Because of the low poundage. He said he never thought about that.