Question on eye dominance??
03-09-2008, 07:09 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Question on eye dominance??
Great, now you guys have me thinking. I found out quickly at an early age shooting firearms that I was left eye dominant, but was right handed. I shot a few left hand action guns, but became accustomed to simply shooting right hand guns left handed.
Fast forward to when I'm 14 and decide to pick up bowhunting. No one in my family did it, nor did the have experience with it. Went to a local shop and tried drawing the left hand bows and it was very awkward for me, so they had me try a right hand bow (funny comment their Rob about the coach, because obviously this shop didn't know what they were doing then...garbage). Anyways, I was talking to Rob on saturday about shooting with bow eyes open. I have always shot with one eye closed (started out like that on firearms which is technically incorrect), so I naturally closed my left eye the first time I drew back a right hand bow. I was able to get accustomed to it, and it worked fine...however I have NEVER been able to even acquire my target, peep, and sight housing in the same plane with both eyes open, and I assume this is because I'm shooting with my dominant eye closed normally and with my non-dominant eye open, correct? What kind of detrimental impacts am I having on my shooting? Would I generally be better suited to try and make the switch to a left hand setup after all of these years shooting right handed? Let me put it this way, am I limiting my abilities as a shooter by shooting the way I currently am?
Fast forward to when I'm 14 and decide to pick up bowhunting. No one in my family did it, nor did the have experience with it. Went to a local shop and tried drawing the left hand bows and it was very awkward for me, so they had me try a right hand bow (funny comment their Rob about the coach, because obviously this shop didn't know what they were doing then...garbage). Anyways, I was talking to Rob on saturday about shooting with bow eyes open. I have always shot with one eye closed (started out like that on firearms which is technically incorrect), so I naturally closed my left eye the first time I drew back a right hand bow. I was able to get accustomed to it, and it worked fine...however I have NEVER been able to even acquire my target, peep, and sight housing in the same plane with both eyes open, and I assume this is because I'm shooting with my dominant eye closed normally and with my non-dominant eye open, correct? What kind of detrimental impacts am I having on my shooting? Would I generally be better suited to try and make the switch to a left hand setup after all of these years shooting right handed? Let me put it this way, am I limiting my abilities as a shooter by shooting the way I currently am?
03-09-2008, 07:23 PM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 10
RE: Question on eye dominance??
IMHO the only time there should be a problem is if he shoots with both eyes open. One eye = one focal pont. I am left eye dom.and shoot my bowright handed (due to sholder injurys)and shoot rifles lefthanded.As long asmy left eye isclosed the right eye of course does the focusing. It does make it harder to follow the arrow topoint of impact, somtimes the peep, pin or such get in the view of the arrow. I agree with Arrowslinger, shotingbows right handed hashelped my shoot rifles right handed when needed. Your son has one big advantage though, he is young, and no is the time to learn.
03-09-2008, 08:31 PM
#14
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Free state of Livingston! (La.)
Posts: 232
RE: Question on eye dominance??
just my 2 cents worth:
I am right handed and left eye dom. I shoot my bow righthanded because I never could get used to shooting it lefty. I have no problems shooting. I do close one eye. (because of an injury one eye looks off kinda like a "Lazy eye") Now I shoot my rifle lefty and also close one eye for the same reason, but any way Im all messed up and just learned to shoot well improperly!!!!
so I guess what Im saying let him learn the proper way so he wont have to relearn later
I am right handed and left eye dom. I shoot my bow righthanded because I never could get used to shooting it lefty. I have no problems shooting. I do close one eye. (because of an injury one eye looks off kinda like a "Lazy eye") Now I shoot my rifle lefty and also close one eye for the same reason, but any way Im all messed up and just learned to shoot well improperly!!!!
so I guess what Im saying let him learn the proper way so he wont have to relearn later
03-09-2008, 08:41 PM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Norman OK USA
Posts: 3,318
RE: Question on eye dominance??
I think you should make him wear a patch 
Okay okay, just kidding. I'm voting south paw as well. A long time ago I vowed that if I ever had a son, I would duct tape his right arm and make him be a lefty. If I would have been a lefty... I think there's a decent probablity that I'd be in spring training right now and NOT construction trash
Okay okay, just kidding. I'm voting south paw as well. A long time ago I vowed that if I ever had a son, I would duct tape his right arm and make him be a lefty. If I would have been a lefty... I think there's a decent probablity that I'd be in spring training right now and NOT construction trash
03-09-2008, 08:44 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,193
RE: Question on eye dominance??
I shoot a gun left handed and a bow right handed....if he decides to flip flop he will have to sacrifice having to close the eye with a bow...Thats what I do...good luck.
You probably know this but verify him by closing a hand over an eye to see what jumps...to prove the dominant eye...
You probably know this but verify him by closing a hand over an eye to see what jumps...to prove the dominant eye...
03-09-2008, 10:05 PM
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: HENDERSON KY USA
Posts: 6,634
RE: Question on eye dominance??
ORIGINAL: bloodcreek
I found out something today with my 8 year old. I had taken him and sat through a two day hunter safety course this weekend. (and he passed by the way
) and found out he was left eye dominant even though he is right handed. I had noticed when we would shoot guns he would always want to use the wrong eye and i did not know why. I was told he should be shooting left handed firearms. However i failed to ask if this would affect his bow shooting as well 
sure he shoots one now, but we have not got serious enough for him to try shooting with peeps and a good bow that actually fits him good. My question is will this afect him bow shooting, because right now he shoots one right handed?? Help in Indiana
I found out something today with my 8 year old. I had taken him and sat through a two day hunter safety course this weekend. (and he passed by the way
) and found out he was left eye dominant even though he is right handed. I had noticed when we would shoot guns he would always want to use the wrong eye and i did not know why. I was told he should be shooting left handed firearms. However i failed to ask if this would affect his bow shooting as well sure he shoots one now, but we have not got serious enough for him to try shooting with peeps and a good bow that actually fits him good. My question is will this afect him bow shooting, because right now he shoots one right handed?? Help in Indiana
I even started having her setup on the left side of the plate when I found out and now she bats left handed full time and that helped her make the high school team.Just some food for thought,you might have a switch hitter on your hands.
I have a youth bow setup at 30#'s that you can let him shoot if you would like to see how the switch might go,just give me a hollar.
03-10-2008, 07:10 AM
#19
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Indiana (southern)
Posts: 6,146
RE: Question on eye dominance??
WOW, this sounds like its a very common probled with alot of people. I did the test on my wife and found out she is the same as my son guess he got it from her. I think im going to try his hand at lefty, he is young enough that he should be able to pick it up easily enough, he picks things up very quickly any way, i would rather keep him shooting with both eyes open, so this sounds like the way to go. Thank you everyone for your input, iread all of it and took itinto consideration TFOX, i mat take you up on that just to see if he can do it, will it go any lower than 30#??
guess he got it from her. I think im going to try his hand at lefty, he is young enough that he should be able to pick it up easily enough, he picks things up very quickly any way, i would rather keep him shooting with both eyes open, so this sounds like the way to go. Thank you everyone for your input, iread all of it and took itinto consideration TFOX, i mat take you up on that just to see if he can do it, will it go any lower than 30#??
03-10-2008, 07:25 AM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 7,571
RE: Question on eye dominance??
Since he is only eight, I would suggest switching him around. You'll be surprized how easy it is for kids to do (and a lot of adults). I had the same situation with my son. It didn't take long at all for him be become as proficient and then better.
