Youth Bow Program:  A bow must be fitted to the user to be safely used with optimal results.  This presents a problem for parents with small children, as during their growing years they will usually grow quickly enough that they need to be refitted regularly – an expensive proposition under normal circumstances.  To address this issue, we have set up our Youth Bow Program. Here is how it works:    Our youth bows are identical to our adult hickory bows, but they top out at a maximum draw length of 28” and a maximum draw weight of 39 lbs.   We will fit your child with a suitable youth bow today, and it will come with a string and 3 arrows.  Each year when you return to the Faire, bring your child and the bow.   We will remeasure your child and if they are ready to step up to a higher draw weight we will exchange the bow for a heavier one at no charge.   Of course, they will need to take care of their bow – we can’t exchange a damaged bow.  Should the bow be damaged, we will replace it for a fee of $20.  This process can be repeated each year as the child grows, up to the point at which they exceed the limits of the program bows.  Once they require either a longer draw length than 28” or wish to go to a draw weight of 40+ lbs., we will give them a trade in credit of $35 for their youth bow against the price of an adult bow.   This program has worked out extremely well since we started it.   We have had children participate in the program as long as 5 years before graduating out of it, and many of them have become serious archers.  A few words of caution – our youth bows are real weapons, not toys.  The stronger ones are capable of shooting arrows with lethal force, and your child should be supervised when using them.  Also, bear in mind that we will be fitting the bow to your child’s draw length.   If a larger friend or sibling attempts to take the bow to full draw they could damage or break the bow, with the possibility of injury.   Overdrawing is the most common reason for bow failure.   Avoid it at all costs – your child could be injured if this is ignored.
 

Your child will require a couple of items of safety equipment to start shooting.  DO NOT ignore these needs or injury is likely.  First, the bowstring will have a strong tendency to slap the inside of the forearm and wrist when shooting.   An armguard is a must.  You can get them either from us or a local sporting goods store for $10-$15.   Second, the arrow will be resting on the fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and index finger.   When the arrow is released, it will zip across that area at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.   The feathers on the arrow can give a serious friction burn or paper cut.  In order to prevent this, we recommend wearing a light glove on the hand that holds the bow.   Just about any kind of glove will do, as long as it covers that portion of the hand that comes into contact with the arrow.   We do offer an upgrade option to the basic youth bow kit.   The standard youth bow will come with a string and 3 arrows.    The upgrade kit will add an additional 3 arrows (for a total of 6)  and a leather armguard to protect their forearm from the slap of the bowstring.   The price of the upgrade kit is $25.