Shooting with one eye closed?

[mgragg61]

i agree with jim/L1 i am cross dominant too, i use both eyes to get close then just close my left to get everything lined up when it looks right this is what triggers the loose. my eye is closed for only a second, no strain and good groups.

[doowop]

I believe Larry Yien shoots with one eye closed and does just fine. ( past IBO world champ. )

[KSdan]

I am left eye dom., while right handed.  It makes no difference for me.

For what it is worth- as I have posted on this before- my eye doctor friends tell me there are varied degrees of dominance. I think this may be part of the reason there is so much discussion- for the one who has an extreme it may make a difference- but for most of us it makes no difference, unless of course you are trying to use your arrow shaft as a sight.

[osage1]

KSdan, I agree with you completely, when i fist started shooting right hand, being left eye dominate, it was more extreme.

I notice very little difference now in the dominance.

I can draw with both eyes open to anchor, and barley suint my left eye and really fous on the target.

[laddy]

When I go from right to left handed shooting I blink my right eye as I draw the last few inches for the first few arrows, to train my left eye to take over.

[flitz]

what should i do?ishoot my bow LHand my rifle RH.
just bought new bows so im not switching hands.
now i shoot one eye closed

[scriv]

Originally posted by bgram:
[QB] 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 am not surprised.  It is quite easy to shoot the M9 well because the weapon is out in front of and you will naturally align the sights with your dominant eye.  The rear aparture sight on the M16 is not immune to eye dominance, but its very design tends aid in gaining proper focus under less than optimal conditions.  

Shotguns are pointed rather than aimed and I have attempted to shoot them from the "other" shoulder and found it very difficult at best.  Most I have come in contact with have switched sides to reach peak performance.  I will admit that I have had better luck shooting a bow from the off side than I have had with a shotgun.  Good luck.  d

[Lost Tracker]

I have struggled in the past with eye dominence actual seemly swithing back and forth, My eye doc discovered I have a "condition " which allows both eyes to work independtly . During eye test I can read two triangles thru the scope when there should be only one. That explained my shooting problem . Solution ? I close my left eye as I draw and do not see it as a problem at all . I do use the arrow in my sight picture and regulary naile ping pong ball and tennis balls. If I shoot with both open all the way it can be a distraction. good luck.. lost tracker

[bgram]

Don, I'm starting to suspect I'm like you with the eye issue.  When I first look at a spot or anything like that trying to determine left or right, I can see two, kinda split in half and both fuzzy.  

Dave, the M9 was used with the sights, I didn't use the usual triangle stance (which is basically legs about shoulder width apart, body parallel to the target), we were taught and used the Weaver stance which is more inline, perpendicular to the target.  You have to align your eye behind the gun.  I started thinking back the almost fourteen years now, and realize I was closing my left eye then, just never slowed down to notice it.

I can shoot any which way I want to, instictive, gap, or split vision only with the one eye squinted or closed.  I don't see the arguement of the range estimation being off, that's done either before drawing or while drawing before I close the eye.  

Alot of good info has been shared on this thread, hope it helps someone else out, or for someone to try something new, never know till you try.

[Savate]

I've had to make some choices with this.  I'm cross-dominant but feel I shoot "ok" righty.  the only part of my shooting that is "instinctual" is that I "instinctually" know that when I miss, its my FORM...not my inability to aim.
I tried a LH longbow and felt it would take to long to bring my level even up to my mediocre right hand shooting, and turkey season is too close to try and learn new tricks.  

I think with practice I might be able to shoot both left and right.

[Whump]

Whump Sez; Do that sometimes to get my eye back over the arrow---I use point on up close and 20 yds up to 30 I shoot instinctive. I am left handed and have a right dominant eye. I do shoot right handed but shoot a hand gun left handed and took several bucks  and a turkey years ago shooting a model 29 44mag--long bows are so much quieter and the neighbors like me better now. As for selling everything and changing to the opposite side, I would stick a sharp stick in my off eye before I would do that. It seems much easier to just shut one eye than to spend the rent money changing over, especially since it works.  Hunt safe.

[pookars]

That's funny because I'm left eye dominant and shoot right handed and have no problem string walking. I'm also left handed and have no problems.
     :rolleyes: