Need Advice For Shooting Left Handed

[Horserod]

This is for all you guys (and/or gals)that have switched from right hand to left hand shooting. Because of my bad left arm and shoulder I am trying to shoot left handed with a low poundage bow. My master eye is my right eye. My question is....Do I close my right eye and focus with my left eye only OR do I still keep both eyes open and learn to compensate ? This left hand shooting isn't really all that bad for this long time righty. Any hints or suggestions ? Actually, any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Horserod

[ChuckC]

You need to find what works for you.  

I CAN say this.  

For me, and I believe most, if you keep the arrow just under your eye, so that it is right there, not necessarily aiming anything ( or, maybe so), but right there, it will cause that eye to be the dominant eye for the time being.  If that makes sense.

I hold split finger anchor, with the middle finger at corner of my mouth.  That works fine for me.  You can obviously get tighter using three under and a high anchor.
ChuckC

[Kingstaken]

First how bad are your eyes?
I think you'll find your pretty much in the same boat as most all those who shoot with one eye being dominant so keep both eyes opened.
Should not be any need to compensate.

[Duncsquatch]

You can do either.  Here is my situation: I am right handed and left eye dominant.  I learned to shoot initially right handed and I just closed my left eye.  Works fine until you need to judge the distance  of running animal quickly.  When I shoot right handed  I have to with both eyes judge distance, draw, close eye aim, then loose.  When I shoot lefty I can draw aim and shoot  all while judging the distance because I have all of my depth perception working already with both eyes.

[Ron LaClair]

Tom, if you close your right eye your depth perception will suffer. You may not remember when I had some bows the were double shelf. I thought at the time it might come in handy to be able to shoot either right or left if a deer came in on my off side.

Being left handed I'm left eye dominant. I found that if I squinted my left eye when I shot right handed, my right eye took over as a master eye. I was still being able to see well enough from the left eye so that I had fairly good depth perception.    

[Duncsquatch]

Now that you mentioned it Ron that is exactly what I do when I shoot left handed.  I squint my right eye.

[dsturgissr]

Hi Tom, been a while. Hope you and family are doing well. I switched to lefthanded shooting a few years ago and has worked out well. Have taken a bunch of deer and turkeys. I close my right eye and shoot 3 under. Tried the master eye squint but under pressure, shooting at game, my dominate would take over causing a couple of bad shots. The 3 under and closed eye has worked out well for me. Let me know if I can help any more. Have several old lh bear bows if you are interested.    Denny Sturgis Sr   [email protected]

[Ron LaClair]

You don't need depth perception at 10 yd's right Denny?

   

[mike g]

Horserod..
    Learn to keep both eye's open.
I taught myself to shoot both sides and keep both eye's open, At first you kind of get dizzy, But after awhile it goes away...
    The hardest part of shootin left, Was learning the motion of nocking an arrow....
    And sometimes getting your Armguard and tab all mixed up as far as which side ya was shooting.

[Duncsquatch]

yeah I always put my quiver on the wrong side and reach back with my left hand to find nothing...

[dsturgissr]

Ron, 10 yards, don't I wish. Most of my left handed game has been 15 to 30 steps. I estimate my gap before I start my draw. After coming to anchor close my right eye, aim release, follow through. At least that is my plan.  Denny Sr

[Horserod]

Thank you everyone for the guidance. Glad to hear from my old friend Ron and D.S.Sr too. I guess I'll have to do what Chuck C said....See what works for me and my aging eyes! But, if it keeps me shooting, I'm all in!!! I just need a lite poundage left handed bow. This using a right handed bow for shooting left handed sure is weird......Horserod

[Ron LaClair]

Tom, remember when? This is you about 30 years ago at the GLLI at Marshal. You're taking aim at the standing bear, the long shot across the pond. You were shooting substantial weight bows back then. That's me on the left watching and Jerry Brumm talking to Dave Blaker in the background.

Where did the years go?      

   

[Horserod]

Ron, I don't know but, we had a lot of good times back in those long lost years. Just wish we could go back and enjoy all of that again!!! I'm thankful we spent that time together.....Horserod    :D

[LoneWolf73]

If you are shooting instinctive, both eyes open.  An infielder in baseball does not shut one eye throwing to first base. Same deal. Now if you have sights or use a sighting system that is a different story. I shoot fine left or right both eyes open........the bow is just an extension of your body and mind.

[Bowwild]

I shot RH with left dominant eye for 34 years. I closed the LEFT (thanks Ron!) eye.  Depth perception was never an issue because I knew the range before the aiming process began. I don't shoot running shots so the shot doesn't change much at full draw for me.

I switched to LH in 1998 to correct a "target related issue". I've been shooting both eyes open since.

However, from time to time I have a windage issue. I suspect my open right eye tries to "help out" from time to time. (Co-dominance)  So, I'm planning to shoot LH but close the right eye this year.  At least I will compare eyes open vs. one closed.

I'm far more concerned about a dependable sight picture than I am with depth perception.

[Ron LaClair]

 I shot RH with left dominant eye for 34 years. I closed the right eye  

Roy, is that a misprint? If you shot RH you should have been closing your left eye. If you closed the right eye for 34 years I can see why you're having a line problem.

Now that you're shooting LH give your eyes some time to adjust to the change, your dominant left eye should eventually take over.