# Youth Crossbow to take down deer



## gpb1111 (Feb 19, 2005)

Anyone know if there are youth crossbows that can be used for hunting deer in Ohio? My son is 5, but very interested in hunting with me this year. I don't gun hunt so that is out of the question. Thanks!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've never heard of a youth crossbow that could be used for deer hunting. and I doubt that a 5 yr old could hold and aim a regular crossbow. to each there own but I believe 5 is just alittle young to be deer hunting. but that's just an opinion

I started hunting both my sons at 10 yrs old with a muzzleloader. my oldest son started with a 45 Cherokee my youngest son was with a small 50 cal.

you can always just take him hunting with you without a weapon. he would enjoy spending the time with you hunting. just don't hunt so hard that you burn him out before he gets big enough to hunt himself. my youngest son never has been crazy about hunting and doesn't even go in the woods part of the time but he still loves going on our hunting trips just so we can spend some time together.
sherman


----------



## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't know of any that would meet the minimum draw weight requirement. Maybe there's some out there, but the ones I've seen are very low poundage. I think you're only option may be to find the lightest one you can, and set him up with a good rest. And practice, practice, practice. My oldest will be 5 this fall, and I'm just not sure he'll be ready to consistently make a good shot. I did start taking him with me a few times last year though, and he really enjoyed that.


----------



## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

not sure about 5 years old??? but hey that's NOT my decision....there is an old barnett crossbow that was very small and fairly light, my first one.....had a brass rail 150lb pull....I believe used flat nock 18in or 16in bolts?

[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Barnett-Crossbows-Phantom-Jr-Bow-/271235624057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f26e72c79"]Barnett Crossbows Phantom Jr Bow 042609170593 | eBay[/ame]

.


----------



## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Use your imagination and he can do anything he wants. My grandson shot his first squirrel with a 20 gage when he was 5. I handloaded down sized loads and he shot it off a bipod. Has been shooting a 150 lb. horton crossbow since he was 6. Always with me or his dad and we cock it for him. Always off a rest. Killed his first deer at 6 with it. Use a buddy stand with shooting rail. Have him practice sitting, squawting or standing for different angles always with bow resting on rail. Hunted geese and ducks with me since he was 8 in a layout blind. Prop the blind up and he props the gun on his knee. Was shooting an 1187 with 3 inch mags. He was small for his age but we managed to figure out ways to overcome that. The important thing is continually teaching safety. He is safer than most adults i've hunted with. He is now 14 and kills a buck and 2 or 3 does every year. At age 9 he shot a 22 inch 10 pt. at 74 yards with scoped muzzleloader rested thru a woven wire fence. Just be patient and use your imagination.


----------



## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

JohnD said:


> Use your imagination and he can do anything he wants. My grandson shot his first squirrel with a 20 gage when he was 5. I handloaded down sized loads and he shot it off a bipod. Has been shooting a 150 lb. horton crossbow since he was 6. Always with me or his dad and we cock it for him. Always off a rest. Killed his first deer at 6 with it. Use a buddy stand with shooting rail. Have him practice sitting, squawting or standing for different angles always with bow resting on rail. Hunted geese and ducks with me since he was 8 in a layout blind. Prop the blind up and he props the gun on his knee. Was shooting an 1187 with 3 inch mags. He was small for his age but we managed to figure out ways to overcome that. The important thing is continually teaching safety. He is safer than most adults i've hunted with. He is now 14 and kills a buck and 2 or 3 does every year. At age 9 he shot a 22 inch 10 pt. at 74 yards with scoped muzzleloader rested thru a woven wire fence. Just be patient and use your imagination.


I have a feeling we'll be seeing your grandson on a hunting show someday...lol...great job!


----------



## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

My friend bought his wife a Parker Challenger last year for her to hunt with. It is marketed for the female hunter and the youth hunter. It is a great shooting crossbow and shoots pretty fast. It has an adjustable draw weight from 125 pounds to 150 pounds and the shooting speed is from 275 FPS to 300 FPS. It weighs in at 5.5 pounds and is 31 inches long and 21 inches axle to axle so pretty compact and light. I used this last year for a few trips when my bow broke and it is so light and comfortable it is ridiculous! My daughter is turning 9 years old in September and she is very interested in hunting. I plan to take her out in a blind a few times and just see if she can actually sit quietly and be patient before I even let her shoot a deer. I am hoping to be able to shoot a deer with her there just to make sure she is ok with the whole situation and tracking it and what not. I am going to borrow this bow from my buddy here soon and see how well she can handle shooting it. I will let you know how she handles shooting it and it might not be a bad bow to look into for your son.


----------



## gpb1111 (Feb 19, 2005)

I appreciate all your responses. I think I can judge when my son is ready to hunt, so there really needn't be any remarks to that affect. 

Did your son use the shooting rail on the buddy stand to aim? I guess I could see if he could use my old Horton Yukon bow with a shooting stick or rest. I just figured the stock was too long. I don't have the yard to try it out until next weekend. Ill let you know how it goes.

If it is too big I might try the other bows suggested.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Please keep them coming!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

fishdealer04 said:


> My friend bought his wife a Parker Challenger last year for her to hunt with. It is marketed for the female hunter and the youth hunter.


Thanks for that suggestion, my granddaughter is wanting to hunt this year and that looks very tempting for her....I have others, but that might be perfect for her 

I was going to have her use my ten point and just let her hunt but might be nice if we both could hunt the shooting house if more then 1 deer comes in

.


----------



## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

Check out the Mision MXB 320, it has an adjustable stock and is pretty light. Pair this with a Caldwell Field Pod and he will be able out shoot dad.LOL


----------



## cmalinowski (Aug 25, 2007)

The weight is definitely the hard part with the little ones. Last season my son was seven and my daughter was nine and they both started hunting here in NC using my crossbow, they are both great on accuracy but they can't support the bow but using the guard rail on the stand works great for them. Also you might want to try a pop up blind, I bought a small camo folding chair that the kids sit on inside the blind and the crossbow rests right on the opening of the popup window, really lets them steady their aim. Try the Barnett Jackel, it's cheap in cost and is very hard hitting and accurate, throw a true glow scope on it and your five year old will be hitting 2" groups at 35 yards.


----------

