My situation was similar to Matt/PA's deer last year.... In my second season of trad only hunting, I killed the biggest deer ever with a bow... So now, the pressure is off.... I can go out and enjoy myself and there are no what if's.... The only time I get the what if's is when I'm on a trip to IL, etc... But so far I've made it through.

After 3 seasons of trad only, I feel like Im just now getting really comfortable with it all. Most guys just do not give it enough time... Shooting groups in your back yard is light years away from actually drawing down on a deer and making the shot... I know several guys that I can absolutely clean their plate on a 3-D course, but they are dead money on game and much more successful than me... The reason..... experience at the moment of truth..... I truly think it takes several years to become proficient with shooting barebow..

After 3 seasons my record stands at:

Kills:
1 Buck
1 Doe
2 Hogs

Misses:
1 Buck
4 Does

I'm not a betting man, but them ain't good odds [8D]

He's wrong and I'll tell you why. Everything I've done in every waking moment of my life has been left eye dominant, right handed. My mind/eye coordination is engrained in my body/mind, its how I do things.

if I CHANGED everything I do - it would help I'm sure. but changing ONLY the way I shoot ? wow - talk about confusing the mind/body !


thats my opinion. If G. Fred shoot same eye/hand, then he uses a sighting system IMO and doesn't shoot true instinctive, and therefore he cannot understand how any can shoot like "that"

I shoot like "that" - I understand how it works, andshooting SAME domiance for me wacks me out something terrible !

I have to agree with Big Duane. There are exceptions to the rule. While it works best for most peopleto matchshooting hand tothe dominant eye,not everyone is built or wired up the same way. The last word has to come from the shooter.

For instance, Fred Bear shot left handed but was right eye dominant. He had a good reason to, since he lost the end of the ring finger on his rt hand to a misjudged swing ofa hatchet when he was a kid. He was a pretty proficient shot despite having to shoot cross-dominant. If you look at his shooting form, it's pretty evident that he canted his bow and body enough to bring his dominant eye over the arrow when he was shooting. His eye was further away from the arrow than for someone shooting 'normally' but it worked for him.

I'm right eye dominant andcan shoot pretty well lefty, especially if I close my right eye when doing it. Actually, seems like sometimes I shoot better with both eyes closed. [&:][8D]

Not to mention those dratted trads don't buy many string suppressors, huh MeanV. [8D]

Art and Big Duane I was making a suggestion, Not trying to make it out to be the end all this is what you have to do. Sorry if it came across that way. In fact I can also see your point of view. In fact I shoot Trad with 2 guys who shoot cross dominant and they are excellent shots. In fact one of them is the current PA indoor state champion and a mighty fine shot.

If it works for you then keep doing it.

I didn't take it that way at all, PA. I just make it a point to disagree with Asbell as often as possible.

Ahhhhh I see. LOL I understand. He rubs me the wrong way sometimes too. Like I said before if it works for you and it doesn't cause problems then keep doing it. I completely forgot about Fred Bear shooting like that, and you gotta admit he was pretty darn good shooting like that. Oh and to top it off he was born in PA so that makes him all the better. LOL[8D]

I switched to a compound when I was 16 andI don't think I will be going back. That was 27 years ago andI still like the accuracy.

I didn't take it that way either - its just a HUGE misconception about the whole eye dominant thing !

Squinching an eye, or closing it does 3 things gauraneed - #1 a loss of field of view #2 all loss of depth perception and #3 you're doing something 180 degrees different than your normal hand/eye is use to

it can work, or course, through lots of practice, but its my opinion you're much better off to swim WITH the current than against.

I like my 'trad' bows.My shoulder hates 'em tho' and the shoulder is definately winning the argument. When I went to the Orthopedic Doc recently, he basically told me to quit shooting all my bows.

He brought up using a crossbow instead. [&o]

So while I've killed numerous small critters with my recurve, it's doubtful I'll ever use one to take a deer.

Oh, and I'm right-handed but I shoot a bow left-handed because I'm very left eye dominate.

I'm not telling anyone what to do. Personally, I think it is nothing but a benefit to shoot barebow on the same side as the dominent eye. We switched my son when was about eight. It only took a couple of months to regain everything. But he was also young and things are usually easier. I have heard from many men who have switched, and I have heard nothing but positive things. It is really rare that I hear that a person that tries to switch and wishes they never would have tried.

On a persons first attempt on traditional, I would think that it might worth while. It isn't like something would have to be relearned.