Author Topic: dominant eye? (Read 14506 times)

Strongbow88 · « **on:** June 05, 2008, 12:16:55 am »

First off, I am left handed and I shoot a rifle left handed. but when I pick up a bow I shoot it right handed thats what feels right. tonight I did a basic eye dominance test and my dominant eye is the left one. over the past couple of months I have bacome a decent shot with my bow, but something just isn't there when i shoot my bow. I went out and shot a couple arrows a few minutes ago right handed, and I was clumsey but my eye did line up better. I think I am going to have to start over right handed. what do you all think about it have you seen anybody go through this.

El Destructo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 05, 2008, 12:54:40 am »

If your Dominant Eye is your Left....you need to try to shoot Left...I have two Boys that shoot Bows....both are Left Handed....Justin picked up a Bow and was a Natural...just like His Old man...

.....Now Travis was a different story!! This Boy could not hit consistant for Crap....I am talking about 10-12 inches off at 20 foot....I tried every thing I could think of and nothing worked....then I remembered the Dominant Eye...Dominant Foot thing....and I told Him to try and shoot the Bow Right Handed....well he didn't do any better hitting the Bullseye....but His Arrows were grouped nice and close....in about a 6 inch group at 20 foot....wee played around and sure enough....thats all it was....He was Right Eye Dominant ....now He shoots Bow and Rifles Right handed....but I cant get Him to shoot Pistol Right Handed....but that don't matter anyways....because you keep both Eyes open to shoot a Pistol

Pat B · « **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2008, 12:56:22 am »

A friend of mine was the same way. He shot his bow left handed but everything else was right handed. He changed and his shooting has improved. There is a lot to be said for ambidextrous shooting. Pat

DanaM · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2008, 07:55:18 am »

Due to a birth defect that doesn't allow me to close my left eye I always shot guns and compounds(sights) left handed
but I'm right eye dominant so I made the switch to righty, my advice is shoot a lighter weight bow at first it will only take a week to get used
to the feel. With that said not sure if it helped my shooting much I feel I can miss equally well with either hand

Strongbow88 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2008, 09:18:17 am »

Yeah after trying to shoot my 57 pound bow right handed last night I came to the same conclusion about possibly shooting a lighter bow for a while. But I will have to make one first.

Pappy · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2008, 09:29:25 am »

I have alway shot right handed and am left eye dominate ,should change but just can't make my self do it.Maybe that is why I shoot so bad.

I shoot with both open anyway so figured it didn't matter.

Pappy

radius · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2008, 10:25:31 am »

dana, you can't close your eye!? Doesn't it dry out?

DanaM · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2008, 10:48:45 am »

Ya thats a problem radius but the doc reamed the tear duct out so I leaks a whole bunch

leapingbare · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2008, 11:00:36 am »

i'm like pappy i recon, i am left eye dominant but i shoot right handed,, but i am blind anyway, i recon i just get lucky sometimes.

Postman · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2008, 11:16:56 am »

I also struggle with "cross dominance..." Just closing my left eye fairly early in my shooting process, shooting right-handed has allowed me to evolve into a decent shot, but it's been a long road. For a long time, I would get maybe 1 out of 6 that would hit left of the target by about 3 feet at 25 yards. But after making the switch from wheelies to PA,I changed the following:

- under-the chin anchor, I am pretty consistent now left/right Most of my misses are vertical errors. I think the under the chin anchor helps me a great deal, as it puts the string right under my right eye, instead of beside it. Think it helps me automatically close that pesky left eye.
(also shortens my draw length, and therefore, bow length eventually)

-unlocked the elbow - Hate armgaurds, now only a glove protects the end of my wrist - since I always hunt deer with camo gloves, might as well shoot with them. also gets that draw length down

- Good bit of canting, especially while sitting. can shoot my 64" bow whie sitting on a foot-tall rock, log , ect.

STILL can't hit squat with a shotgun. $:-\$ but, my bow's easier to clean.

mullet · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2008, 08:15:02 pm »

I'm the same as Pappy, left eye dominate, but I'm right handed. I shoot everything with my eyes open also.

FlintWalker · « **Reply #11 on:** June 06, 2008, 12:33:10 am »

I guess I ain't the only cross eyed one in this bunch

I'm left eye dominant, but shoot right handed. I can do it either way, but I shoot well enough not to switch. I shoot everything else lefty.
Wasn't Howard Hill cross dominant?

david w. · « **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2008, 01:29:57 am »

my dad is cross eye dominant and he puts a stick on dot over his glasses when he shoots trap and skeet. But that nots bows so i dont know if it would work

Hickoryswitch · « **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2008, 04:52:53 am »

I've got the same problem I'm right eye dominate and I shoot a bow left handed. Shooting a bow right handed just feels weird. I did shoot wheel bows right handed though but I think it wasn't so odd because it's such a mechanical type form. As far as rifles and pistols I can shoot equally well either hand.

Pappy · « **Reply #14 on:** June 06, 2008, 07:31:31 am »

I have to keep both eyes open the way I shoot,If I close one I loose my depth perseption.
And since I don't use a sight or point of aim I need that.I never really think about how far.
Try driving with one eye closed,you will run all over something

.I guess if you were blind in one eye your brain would figure it out in time.

Pappy

Primitive Archer