Check for dominant eye. One of the most difficult things for a youngster to master is shooting with both eyes open. Learning that skill is even more difficult when a right-handed shooter is left-eye dominant.
You probably know the drill. Tell the youngster to point his or her index finger at an object that’s 40 or 50 yards away keeping both eyes open. Then have them close their left eye. If the index finger is still pointed at the object, the shooter is right-eye dominant. If the finger is pointed well to the side of the object, the shooter’s left eye is dominant.
Check several times with each eye to be certain.
A right-handed shooter with a dominant left eye can train the brain to compensate, but it will take lots of practice and perhaps require the help of a shooting coach. One popular technique is to place a patch over the left eye during early practice sessions. Another is to simply close the left eye and “rifle sight” the barrel.
Eventually the yongster will have to learn to shoot with both eyes open, which requires crossing the wires from the eyes to the brain. It can be done, but it will take time and practice.
It’s a good idea to start with cardboard targets hanging from a fence. There’s no sense trying to shoot moving targets until the youngster can train his or her brain to focus on a stationery one.