wow, what a can of worms, right?
i started shooting my grandfathers bear super mag, 38 inches axle to axle, when I was 12, it was equipped for quebec moose at the time, and when he passed away i used it to take my first deer at 16.
i bought a bear instinct 3 years ago and love it. i shot hoyts, mathews, reflex's, etc but felt partial to the brand i guess, but more importantly being fascinated by all of the options i had
best advice i can give? buy something used, adjust it accordingly to make it "his" and get comfortable shooting it...make it hard for him to want a new bow when the time comes...i know when my range of 20 yards and in was no longer acceptable to me, shooting other bows during the archery league i was a part of, and making the upgrade was difficult, but opened up so much more hunting for me, as well as shooting opportunities during 3D tournaments, archery is fun again, still challenging, and i love it everyday