Eye dominance and shooting a bow?

[ajr5406]

Thinking about getting a bow, for hunting but also because i have a backyard where I can shoot a bow at targets, and it looks like fun!

Here is my dilemma: I am left-eye dominant, but right handed, and I shoot my rifles and shotgun right handed (some would argue that I should have started left, but I am very comfortable shooting right handed). If I get a bow, should I stick with a right hand bow, or shoot left? I imagine it would be weird to shoot a gun right handed, but a bow left handed?

Any advice is appreciated.

[Wild one]

Same deal here

My opinion and many agree go with eye dominance

I can shoot firearms and archery right handed but my accuracy is even greater lefty

[VLD43]

I would suggest your best bet is to wear shooting glasses and put a small dot or piece of translucent tape on the left lens over the left eye. This will force your right eye to take over, and still allow for you to retain your peripheral vision. Closing your left eye will work, but you lose peripheral vision. We do the dot/tape thing all the time with trap and skeet shooters.

[ajr5406]

I would suggest your best bet is to wear shooting glasses and put a small dot or piece of translucent tape on the left lens over the left eye. This will force your right eye to take over, and still allow for you to retain your peripheral vision. Closing your left eye will work, but you lose peripheral vision. We do the dot/tape thing all the time with trap and skeet shooters.

Good tip. That would mean I would still shoot right handed for both?

[VLD43]

Good tip. That would mean I would still shoot right handed for both?

Yes you still shoot right handed. The other symptom which is quiet common is cross dominance. This is when your right eye is dominant sometimes, and then your left eye takes over. Another poster mentioned peripheral vision as over rated. Could not be further from the truth. I shot one eyed for about 30 years. Keeping one eye closed will reduce peripheral vision. I switched over to two eyes with a patch or dot on my left eye. When shooting doubles, I am now much quicker at acquiring the second target than I was as a one eyed shooter. My depth perception has also improved using this method. Would strongly suggest, based on 40 plus years of trap and skeet shooting, you use the method I suggested earlier. Start by using a set of cheap safety glasses, and test drive this method. If it works for you, which it most likely will, then explore buying a set of Decot or Randolf Ranger shooting glasses. They will probably set you back $200 - $300 , but will be well worth it.

[ajr5406]

Yes you still shoot right handed. The other symptom which is quiet common is cross dominance. This is when your right eye is dominant sometimes, and then your left eye takes over. Another poster mentioned peripheral vision as over rated. Could not be further from the truth. I shot one eyed for about 30 years. Keeping one eye closed will reduce peripheral vision. I switched over to two eyes with a patch or dot on my left eye. When shooting doubles, I am now much quicker at acquiring the second target than I was as a one eyed shooter. My depth perception has also improved using this method. Would strongly suggest, based on 40 plus years of trap and skeet shooting, you use the method I suggested earlier. Start by using a set of cheap safety glasses, and test drive this method. If it works for you, which it most likely will, then explore buying a set of Decot or Randolf Ranger shooting glasses. They will probably set you back $200 - $300 , but will be well worth it.

Good advice - appreciate it!

I have shot bows right handed and it feels much more natural than trying left (even though im left eye dominant). I like the idea of training my brain to use my right eye as you stated. I dont want to go through the effort of re-learning later on, so would prefer to start the right way from day one if possible.

Cheers

[VLD43]

Good advice - appreciate it!

I have shot bows right handed and it feels much more natural than trying left (even though im left eye dominant). I like the idea of training my brain to use my right eye as you stated. I dont want to go through the effort of re-learning later on, so would prefer to start the right way from day one if possible.

Cheers

Hope it works for you. Have seen many people find success using the method. Stick with it, and it will become very natural.

[Brez]

Yes you still shoot right handed. The other symptom which is quiet common is cross dominance. This is when your right eye is dominant sometimes, and then your left eye takes over. Another poster mentioned peripheral vision as over rated. Could not be further from the truth. I shot one eyed for about 30 years. Keeping one eye closed will reduce peripheral vision. I switched over to two eyes with a patch or dot on my left eye. When shooting doubles, I am now much quicker at acquiring the second target than I was as a one eyed shooter. My depth perception has also improved using this method. Would strongly suggest, based on 40 plus years of trap and skeet shooting, you use the method I suggested earlier. Start by using a set of cheap safety glasses, and test drive this method. If it works for you, which it most likely will, then explore buying a set of Decot or Randolf Ranger shooting glasses. They will probably set you back $200 - $300 , but will be well worth it.

Where were you 35 years ago? lol.

[VLD43]

Where were you 35 years ago? lol.

Good one. I was shooting pretty good back then, so wasn't listening to well. Took a while, but now I am paying attention and shooting even better scores. Just takes some of us a little longer i guess

[Brez]

I went through the same thing many years ago (like 1980) and switched from right to left hand shooting on everything. It was a chore! Even though I believe I am pretty good atshooting a bow left handed, I feel that if I'd staying right handed I would have been better. It was more natural for me. In fact, I am now starting to shoot right handed again, though more for the flexibility in case of injury. I can still shoot a rifle adequately right handed and you never lose that. As a child I was taught to close the eye I wasn't using when shooting and that is what I do most of the time whether I shoot lefty or righty. In my opinion, peripheral vision is overrated when shooting.