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Main Boards => The Shooters FORM Board => Topic started by: Jerry Jeffer on December 05, 2010, 12:56:00 AM

Title: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Jerry Jeffer on December 05, 2010, 12:56:00 AM
Been shooting right handed my whole life, but do a lot of things lefty and am trying to get the feel for shooting left handed. I made up a rt/lft shooting long bow about 20# @28" to start with. If I get used to it, I'll be looking to get one of those nice double shelf Hill long bows. If you can shoot both ways, jst like to here an aye!     :archer2:
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Bjorn on December 05, 2010, 01:01:00 AM
Hockey yes, archery no.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Conner Parry on December 05, 2010, 01:12:00 AM
My old boss at the archery shop where I worked could do it. He shot both righty and lefty with equal skill, but he shot every day. I notice that E. Donnell Thomas Jr. takes photos with right and left handed bows so I assume he shoots both. If you look closely at the pictures, Dave Windaur looks like he can shoot both as well.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Raging Water on December 05, 2010, 01:25:00 AM
Leo Markert and Justin Newell can. They habitually practice lefty and righy. If you PM thme, they might give you tips.

Matt
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: slivrslingr on December 05, 2010, 02:56:00 AM
I can, sort of.  I'm right handed but play with left hand bows, though I'm not consistent enough to hunt left handed.  Being left eye dominant is what urged me to try shooting left handed.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: nd chickenman on December 05, 2010, 07:00:00 AM
I can shoot either way, Im naturally a lefty but have more right handed bows, so I shoot right handed. Got started out with right handed bows and just kept doing it that way
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Anaconda12 on December 05, 2010, 07:05:00 AM
 (http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q177/anaconda12/th_selfbowLorR.jpg) (http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q177/anaconda12/?action=view¤t=selfbowLorR.mp4)
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Bowwild on December 05, 2010, 07:11:00 AM
I shot RH for 28 years and LH since 1996.  I can shoot both ways but my mind likes to do flip-flops and turn inside out when I shoot RH -- I have to concentrate much more on the process as a righty. I had to shoot righty during a training I conducted in England on Nov. 22nd because there was no LH bow available.

I don't consider RH shooting as part of my hunting repertoire though.

Would it be handy not to have to turn in a tree stand to get the left shot, you bet.  It takes a lot of effort to have nearly identical form on both sides which would be fairly important in order for the same arrow to work equally well LH and RH. As you know, it isn't just the dynamics of the bow and arrow that affect flight, our form is part of the formula also.

Finally, I am so fond of the graceful lines of standard recurve bows I wouldn't personally have any interest in boogering up those lines with an ambidextrous grip/bow shelf.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: CG on December 05, 2010, 08:55:00 AM
I switched to LH some years ago due to tendonitis. Still shoot with both (though not at the same time lol)

I guess I shoot about as accurately with either, but not making any representation about just how accurate that is!

My draw length is a little shorter LH on purpose-I keep my bow arm bent slightly more
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: billy shipp on December 05, 2010, 09:01:00 AM
I do everything right handed beside shooting a bow. 99% of my bows are lefties, but I keep a couple righties. I shoot left handed better probably due to most of my shooting left handed.
I've found that when I'm having form issues, picking up a rightie for a few days solves the problem.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: gobblegrunter on December 05, 2010, 09:04:00 AM
It seems to me that armed with a double-shelf Hill, and the ability to use either hand, you could hunt with ULTRA versatility, capable of setting up in any spot and/or pivoting and shooting in any position necessary. VERY COOL!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: tree dancer on December 05, 2010, 10:30:00 AM
Shot left hand fifty plus years.
Been shooting right hand for two years.
My shooting is so much better now.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Craig Schoneberg on December 05, 2010, 01:48:00 PM
Am right handed but shoot left handed.  Lost my right eye 47 years ago so switched to a left hand bow at that time.  Can still shoot right handed just as well.  Have a '56 double shelf Bear Kodiak that I've used a few times - kind of nice when you can't get turned around in the stand shooting left handed . . .
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: chad graham on December 05, 2010, 02:11:00 PM
i shot right all my life until 4 years ago,switched due to left eye dominant.i still shoot right now and then,i shoot better left.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: bow loving man on December 05, 2010, 02:11:00 PM
I shoot primarily LH but my son shoots RH and I can shoot his bows pretty accurately so...AYE do!
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Walt Francis on December 05, 2010, 02:25:00 PM
I shoot from both sides, instinctively with split finger form the right and aim with a peripheral gap similar to Howard Hill using three under and from the left.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: JamesV on December 05, 2010, 04:13:00 PM
I shoot right handed but tried left. Never could keep the arrow on the shelf and draw so I turned the bow horizional and did shoot one arrow. My hat is off to you guys that can do that.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Charles K. on December 05, 2010, 04:29:00 PM
yes.....can also golf both ways.....but am mostly lefty
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: on December 05, 2010, 05:43:00 PM
I have always been able to shoot both sides, most of my bows are right but lately I have been shooting mostly left.  I can shoot tighter groups left handed, but I am faster and better at moving targets from the right.  I have two identical Robertsons, poundage wise, that I can switch every shot if I want and it takes nothing in my head to compensate for the change.  The hardest part for me is getting the back quiver through the brush when going lefty, I need to remind myself to lead with the other foot when ducking under a branch.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: McDave on December 05, 2010, 06:04:00 PM
I've started learning to shoot left-handed.  It took me a long time to be able to feel my back muscles and know when I was pulling with them rather than my arms shooting righthanded.  Hopefully the learning curve will be quicker shooting lefthanded, now that I've learned to feel them on the right side.

I like the idea of shooting both ways, both to keep my body in better balance, and to extend my shooting time.  I don't know that I would ever hunt lefthanded, unless I happen to get better shooting that way than I do righthanded.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: ibehiking on December 10, 2010, 03:49:00 PM
I shoot mostly left handed, but have started trying thumbring shooting RH. I am left handed but right eye dominant and thought I would give it a try. The drawing motion and the sight picture are differnt enough that I should not get confused about which one I am doing. Time will tell.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Encino Man on December 10, 2010, 04:36:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by McDave:
I've started learning to shoot left-handed.  It took me a long time to be able to feel my back muscles and know when I was pulling with them rather than my arms shooting righthanded.  Hopefully the learning curve will be quicker shooting lefthanded, now that I've learned to feel them on the right side.

I like the idea of shooting both ways, both to keep my body in better balance, and to extend my shooting time.  I don't know that I would ever hunt lefthanded, unless I happen to get better shooting that way than I do righthanded.
Same here. I am left eye dominant and although I'm weaker left handed my aim feels more natural. I would shoot left handed at an animal if the circumstances arose
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: SOLDIERII on December 10, 2010, 07:25:00 PM
Both if if I take my time
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: Matt Green on December 12, 2010, 10:13:00 AM
I can't - thought some who can might be interested in teh folowing though

"They were equipped with bows, using both the rigt hand and the left to sling stones and shoot arrows from the bow;..."
1Chronicles 12:2
mgreen
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: William Lyon on December 23, 2010, 12:04:00 PM
I shot LH since 1991 but have switched to RH within the last 3 yrs. I am very slightly right eye dominant. Occasionally I do get out my LH Widow and shoot.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: BlindSquirrelFindsNut on December 23, 2010, 01:59:00 PM
I'm all messed up. Natural righty. Left eye dominant. Shoot bows left handed. Darts left or right. Rifles either way but usually left. Pistols right handed but cross my arm over to use my left eye for sighting.

I tried shooting a bow right handed once.....it wasn't pretty.

HA
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: easyup on December 23, 2010, 09:50:00 PM
I alternate each day, can miss as well either hand.  I find it interesting that when I am shooting particularly well or poorly it often carries over to the other hand as well.
Title: Re: who can shoot righty and lefty?
Post by: shortynes on December 24, 2010, 04:23:00 PM
I agree with easyup, seems when it's a bad day it's just a bad day. I shot right mostly but switching to left just because. It was strange at first but almost natural now.