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?

[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.

[ajr5406]

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.

Right handed by left-eye dominant as well?

[moosecaller]

I shoot rifle right handed , it just feels right. And I started at 8 years old shooting a stick bow left handed, it just felt right (comfortable) I also shoot pool and hockey left I can do both but it feels strange going right on my natural feel left stuff. I have been doing it this way for over 50 years and have got lots of game and hit many bull eyes during my life, it feels good and natural to do it this way and I have not experienced any problems so my 2 cents is if you do well with it the way it feels good stick with it. I still blame the nuns for whacking my hand when I tried to write left.

[scottym]

I'm in the same boat right hand ,left eye dominant. I often thought about switching but other
archery styles don't have sights on the bow ? Don't give up.
Form and practice are important

[JKerr]

Same issue here, from the replies it doesn't sound too uncommon actually. I shoot right handed, and I squint my left eye when I'm shooting, if its dark I find if I just quickly wink my left eye it will switch over to the right, doesn't work as well if its light out. Some people wear glasses where the left eye is tinted or something so it forces you to use your right eye. Don't get used to just shooting with your off eye closed, especially if you want to learn for hunting, its pretty important to have it open, and its just something you'll have to relearn later. If you can get your hands on a couple bows try both, and go with whatever one you feel more comfortable with, when I first started shooting I was in a JOP club, as we had both, as I said above I went with the right, and I think most go that route.

[Brez]

Right handed by left-eye dominant as well?

yep. As I said I am now (in my 60's) trying to get proficient right handed again...at least with bow and shotgun. The rifle shooting never seemed to go away. I have shot more than a few animals right handed when caught flat-footed. When shooting a bow, it was much more natural for me to shoot right handed. Very steep learning curve to switch.
A great point stated above is to try both left and right handed bows and go with what feels best. You will be quicker and more accurate when most comfortable.