Maybe I am an oddball (won' t be the first time), but until recently I have always shot with only one eye open--whether rifle, pistol, compound (back when I shot one), or traditional bow--even a slingshot. A few years ago someone noticed and brought to my attention (I already knew but hadn' t thought about it) that your depth perception is a WHOLE lot better with both eyes open, which means better judgement of distance.

I tried it a few times, but (don' t laugh) my dad-gum eyes would cross when I tried to concentrate on a spot and I would see two of everything--so I gave up. Recently, I decided to give it another go--a serious one. It about drove me nuts for a little while, but now, when I get it together, it works great. Bad thing is, it usually takes a few shots (or more) to get it together, and sometimes I loose it.

Today I shot in a tournament. At the practice targets, my first shot completely missed the bag--I about fell out. Several more shots were scattered all over the place, then I finally started grouping. Almost didn' t shoot, but I figured I had driven over 100 miles (one way--I wanted to shoot!) so I might as well go for it. Wound up with a 258 out of a possible 300--won' t win over anyone to sponser me on an IBO tour, but a pretty good round for me.

Anyone else ever swapped over like this?

Chad

Great shooting Chad. Sounds like you are ready for KK, gonna be tough keeping up with scores like that. Just gonna have to rattle ya with our BS. lol See you next week.

Chad - Assuming you shoot right handed you' re closing your left eye, right ?

I bet you' re left eye dominant. Do this - with your left or right hand, make a circle with your index finger and thumb. Hold that at arms length and pick something out to put in that circle, like a doorknob or something. Close your right eye. Did the object in the circle " move" ? If not, you' re left eye dominant. Do the same thing again except close your left eye - it jumped out of the circle, didn' t it ?

Am I right ?

Lol--thanks John. I was happy with my score, although there was one guy shooting a recurve that shot a 277--he was on fire! I dunno if I will be able to get tuned in like that at the KK--maybe......

Zelazny, I do shoot right handed and when I closed an eye it was my left eye. However, I am right eye dominant. It' s just taking me a bit to get used to using both eyes. Thanks for trying though!

Chad

I' m left eye dominant and shoot right handed. With my compound and my guns I have to close my left eye. Funny though when I started shooting traditional I left both eyes open. The problem is is that you' re not looking down the arrow! If I close my left eye, I' m looking down the arrow. That may be why my accuracy drops off at longer distance.

Chad , When I decided to shoot barebow with a compound I shoot with just 1 eye it helped me aim at the target . After about a year of shooting that way I started to shoot with both eyes open . My scores in 3-d went up because I was putting more effort on a spot . I still shoot a rifle with 1 eye but nothing else. One last thing I seem not to have target panic when I have both eyes open.

close one eye, stand on one foot facing quartering away from the target and use the center of your chest as anchor point. We' ll soon cure that 90% problem......

LBR I shoot both eyez open. My eyez switched bout 3 yrs ago. everbody tells me to go Southpaw, tryin it now cain' t even get the arra on the string. Widow

LBR - Then why did you close one eye ? If your dominant eye is your right eye, then like 90% of your vision comes from there anyway. Closing your elft eye would have resulted in a loss of periphreal vision, but your shooting would not have changed (as far as your sight picture). You promise you aren' t cross dominant ?

I worked with a guy who had lost an eye - we talked a lot about how he drove a car and the loss of epriphreal vision and more importantly depth perception. He had extreme difficulty telling whether something was 30 yards or 40 yards.

Chad I have shot with you and I always thought you shot with both eyes closed seeing how you were shooting. [X(] After having said that and before you pinch my head off let me say I started shooting with one eye open. Got in with some really " GOOD" shooters and quized on what they were doing and found all shot with both eyes open. Have been shooting that way now for a very long time and you know how " GOOD" I shoot. Guess I will have to give you some lessons at Cloverdale. By the way I have been told in no uncertain terms that the 12th of April, date of KK, is also my/our forty third wedding anniversary and I will in no uncertain term not go to Kentucy!!!!!!! Well life is a bitch and then you die. [8D]

Ted A. hen pecked Young AKA COB