Dipsnort

I seem to be ambidextrious with a bow, but mine happens to beright handed. The problem is that my left eye is dominant and I find myself having to close the left eye in orderto aim. Do I need a left handed bow? Is it safe toassume one should have both eyes open while shooting a bow?

waltwittman

if you keep both eyes open while shooting then yes, you should switch to a left handed bow... if not, then shoot whatever is most comfortable... personally i do not know anyone who shoots w/ both eyes open especially while using a peep-site.

tschammel

Good luckwith that.....Im sure waltwittman can help you with any
medical questionslike that. He's in the medical field and veryinteligent

waltwittman

yes, you have just giving one example to find eye dominance; had you read the former you would have know that he already knew that he is left eye dominant. yet if one closes one eye, eye dominance will not be an issue; if both eyes are left open then he must shoot left handed.
if you have anymore biological or medical questions feel free to pm me.

MOTOWNHONKEY

I shoot with both eyes open using a peep. I use the3/16 inch model.

Dipsnort

I switched from right to left hand shooting with my rifle a few years ago due to the dominant eye thing and now leave both eyes open, which is the proper way to shoot. So, I figured shooting a bow based on the dominant eye and leaving both eyes open would be advisable as well--particularly when using a peep sight to give you a better peripheral view on the target. Does that sound reasonable?

Saxman1819

I have the dominant eye problem too. I'm left eye dominant but right handed. I just shut my left eye when shooting. I know I could probably shoot a little better if I took the 1-2 years to get used to shooting left handed. Not to mention get all new equipment. Just not worth it to me. I have not gotten a shot at a deer yet but I can make arrows touch at 20 and 30 yards so I'm happy with that. Besides when I see deer they are either right on top of me or 50+ yards away.

Len in Maryland

Quote:

yet if one closes one eye, eye dominance will not be an issue; if both eyes are left open then he must shoot left handed.

Actually, this is not always true. Due to right eye damage, I was forced to eventually move from right-handed to left-handed shooting. Until I switched, I was able to close the dominant eye temporarily until the brain
'set' the sight picture and then slowly open the dominant eye enabling me to shoot with both eyes open. Depending on the fatigue of the eyes, it took differing time intervals.

Then I switched to left-handed shooting but, due to the years of shooting right-handed with left eye dominance, there were times when the brain would get confused. Even though left eye dominance was now accepted, the brain would occasionally 'try to focus' with the non-dominant eye. Again, it depended on eye fatigue.

I recently got a contact for the right eye and it created more problems. Since both eyes are now somewhat equal, it requires me to concentrate more, depending on whether I'm shooting left-handed or right-handed. You see, I shoot either way just as accurately.

I go into the treestand with a release on both hands. If the deer comes up on the right side, I shoot left-handed. If the deer comes up on the left side, I shoot right-handed. The trouble now is that I have to make sure the 'brain' knows which eye to use. Now I have to close the opposite eye either way to allow proper 'focusing'.

BTW, I use the same bow to shoot right or left.

waltwittman

len,
i think your brain gets confused because you are bringing to much confusion to the table... maybe you should make things easy for your brain; pick an eye and arm to shoot w/ and stick with it. i know this may sound confusing, but in the long run the confusion will go away....

johnl

my son has the same problem . We seem to have fixed it by moving the sight pins WAY LEFT so far it seems to be working golf ball size groups at 20 yards