Shooting with one eye closed?

[bgram]

Anyone shoot with one eye closed.  I just took the eye dominant test and found out I'm left eye dominant.  This is so strange, I've shot guns for years, made marksman and achieved expert with M16 and 9MM in the military, and now I figure out I'm left eye dominant?  I've been messing around trying to shoot gap recently, but the only way I was consistent was to close my left eye.  I thought it just made me focus in better.  Bad thing is, after numerous shots, start to feel the pain of focusing my right eye on targets that it starts to blurry or come unfocused.  Should I keep trying this or go back to both eyes open trying to learn gap or back to instictive?  I was wanting to broaden my shooting abilities, but I don't want to find out I messed up later on and have to redo everything.  I've managed to take a couple of deer shooting both eyes open before I played around with gap this year, but I did get a turkey, although the shot was only 10 yards.  Thanks  Bobby

[Danny Rowan]

You will have to stick with instinctive and shoot with both eyes open. Gap is not going to work with cross dominance. Only other thing you could do if you want to gap is switch hands.

Danny

[Whip]

I'm fortunate not to have that problem, but from what I've read and heard from people that have, you should really think about switching to shoot left handed even if you go back to instictive.  Those who have done it say that is the best way to reach your full potential regardless of the method used.  And of the ones I know that made the switch I don't know of any that regreted it and went back to the non-dominant eye.  After a learning period it will seem much more natural to you.

[wtpops]

As to your question i shoot with one eye. Not by choise, im blind in my left eye, so i guess you would say im right eye dominant.

[Deadbolt]

I have just started shooting trad and I have the same problem.  I have adopted gap shooting and I seem to be doing fine thus far.  I have done the same thing with my wheelie bow for 9 years now and yes my eye does get a little blurry sometimes but I dont seem to have a problem on game.  Only when target shooting or spot shooting.

Due to a shoulder injury I can't shoot left handed right now so I have just had to deal with it for the past few years.  So its not impossible and you can learn to shoot that way.  I just close my left eye and aim with my right eye over the shaft.

[bgram]

Thanks for your input.  Do any of you think it'd be possible to just continue shooting with  my left eye closed?  I know everything recommends switching to a lefthanded bow, but if I keep trying and practicing, do you think it could be done?  I think eventually it'd condition my brain to shoot like that.

[Fritz Brown]

Yes, you can train your eye dominance.  Through my interest in stereophotography I have actually trained my eyes to be equally nondominant (not the best thing to do for archery!).  I expect that you can do the same with practice.  What I would do is to wear a pair of glasses with a piece of tape covering the left eye when ever you shoot.  Eventually your brain should adjust to automatically using your right eye to sight with.  It's worth a try at least.