Thats a tough one. It would be great to take one with his bow, but chances are better with the rifle. And then he'd have something to be fired up over waiting for the next tag, to then get one with his bow.
Last year my son and I drew wisconsin tags and both shot a bear with our bow. But my son was 25 and has a lot of deer under his belt. Which is another thing to consider, has your son taken a whitetail with his bow yet?
You can't beat a father/son hunt. I think taking the bow and regretting it because something didn't work out would be worse than shooting a bear with the rifle and wishing you had the bow. He can always come again or go to Canada a little later with the bow.
This is a little off the subject, but My son and I then went to Ontario this year for bear. The wild blueberries were out big time and out of 4 hunters, my son was the only one to see a bear. He saw two, passed on a little one twice then arrowed a nice one. He asked me on the drive home how I felt about not getting or even seeing a bear. Sure I wish I'd gotten a bear or at least seen one, but I don't feel bad because when your a parent and your kid succeeds, so do you and hunting with him is a hunt I'll always remember.


No matter what you and your son decide, it'll be a hunt you'll both cherish for years to come. Take a lot of pictures and have fun.

Dan