That was about the age my old man cut me loose, now am worrying about him and if I should sit with him....lol

My father sat within 100 yards of me till I was about 15 and I kinda miss it. Go with your gut, seems to me that you'll make the right choice.

I think that if you can trust your son to sit in a treestand alone with a gun, then why not let him sit in a treestand with a bow. The first year I would hang out within sight to make sure he is using his harness and judging good shots, after that let him go on his own..