9 year old son, left eye dominant. Left eye dominant.

[AngelDeVille]

I need your advice.

Last fall I got my son his first bow, and he has been shooting right handed. In the last month we have figured out he is left eye dominant.

The question is, do I have him shoot left handed?

He writes and plays guitar right handed.

[Guru]

Yes!  I did the same with my son, switched him over when he was about the same age after he'd been shooting right handed for 3 yrs. He was almost instantly more comfortable as a lefty.

That was about 5yrs ago...

He's like me, a naturally right handed person, but left eye dominant.

We both shoot left handed....

[AngelDeVille]

OK I just wanted to make sure I was teaching him right.

I think I used to be left eye dominant, but have trained myself to switch, it really shows when I'm trying to shoot trap and skeet, but I can't get myself to shoot shotgun lefty.

[cbCrow]

When my son was younger he also shot rt. handed but was left eye dominate. I decided not to force the issue and just let him have fun with it,and even though he writes left handed and does everything lefty he stills shoots rt. and is an excellent shoot with his recurve at the age of 31. I say let your boy decide.  

[AngelDeVille]

He seems to be enjoying shooting left, after only a day or two he was more accurate.

His draw length is 20" right now, we are going to the local shop on Friday to try out a #35 @ 28 goshawk lefty bow. If that's too much well look at a #30 @ 28 Samick sage.

I'm do proud of him, we looked a a compound bow last week for him and he said he would prefer a recurve or a longbow;-)

[parshal]

My girlfriend bought a right hand compound for her 12 year old son who is slightly left eye dominant and he shoots it pretty darned well.  I'd like to get him a recurve since he likes mine and figure I need to get him a lefty.  I took him to my shotgun coach (he wants to shoot birds over my dogs) and he told him he should learn to shoot left handed.  My guess is he is still enough of a newbie to not have any bad habits and he'd be able pick up shooting either left or right.  My only concern is that he has the right handed compound and getting him confused with a left handed trad bow.  He does shoot the compound with a peep sight and with his left eye closed so it's much more like shooting a rifle than both eyes open with a shotgun or trad bow.

What would be your guys' advice?

[AngelDeVille]

From what I'm learning with my son, teach him lefty! rifle, shotgun, and bow.

It took my son less than a day to figure out shooting the bow left handed, and he's taken to it very well. Put the compound bow away, or sell and put the money toward a recurve.

I'm getting an Omega Longbow for me in a couple weeks, and my son will get one as soon as I can afford another.

[parshal]

I'd love to have him put away the compound but his mother just bought it for him.  I can't be changing her son that quick!

[AngelDeVille]

How long ago was it purchased, and how is your local shops customer service? IF they wanted to keep your business long term, I bet they'd figure out a way to at least get him a lefty compound of similar model and vintage.

[parshal]

It wasn't purchased from a local store.  She owns her own sports (mostly team sports) store and she had a friend of hers that just closed his shop order it for her.  Returning isn't much of an option.  I'll just end up buying one for him once the novelty of the compound wears off.  LOL

[woodchucker]

My yougest son Tyler is 14. He has been shooting Rt handed since he was 3 years old.

A couple years ago, when starting him shooting guns, I noticed he was crossing his cheek acrossed the stock to line up the sights. It became very clear, that he was left eye dominate!

I've have my Dad's old solid glass, dual shelf, Pearson longbow and we tried him shooting left handed. It was certainly a chore for him, and he was not as consistant as rt handed.

We decided to leave things alone... He's clearly a better shot than I am!!!!!

[Bladepeek]

Just my $.02 worth. You can't expect a right hander to switch to left side and be consistent immediately. I recently switched - took about a week of steady shooting, but I'm much more comfortable shooting lefty now. I can keep both eyes open for better range estimation and my shot comes faster and cleaner than if I have to close the left eye to shoot right handed.

I'm 72 and much too lazy and uncoordinated to shoot shotgun lefty. I coach a youth shotgun team, however, and have good luck switching cross-eye dominant new shooters to their "off" side. Takes a week or two and then it feels more natural to them.

[Northwest_Bowhunter]

He is lucky you caught this at age 9, I didn't catch it until age 49 and I would have to quit shooting before I switched to left handed.  I have goen to English Longbows recently so I can practice both sides (recipe for disaster).

[Bear Heart]

I switch my 6 year old son to lefty this year.  Big difference.  Both of us are right handed and left eye dominant.