Shooting form and brace height

[Chez12]

My nephew wants to go bowhunting so I'm getting back into it after many years dealing with life...

I have two issues to deal with

1) he is left eye dominate and a right hand shooter, what tips can I give him to keep him on target?

2) the 3 bows I'm practicing with are
60" Groves Spitfire recurve 60#@28"
62" ballistick 58#@28" (John fazio's bow)
and a 65" sonoran 55#@28" (John fazio's bow)

What is the brace height of these bows? Can I adjust brace height with a draw weight gauge and call it good when I reach the proper poundage?

On a side note, I just found out John passed away a few years ago, what happened?

[Chez12]

I forgot to add, to hunt in NJ/NY, my nepwhews bow needs to be at least 35# so I'm looking for something in the 40#@28" range. He is 14 years old and 6' tall.

[moebow]

1.  It is GENERALLY a good idea to shoot with the dominate eye.  In this case have your nephew shoot left handed.  You CAN shoot cross dominate, it just adds another dimension to the challenge.

2.  Pretty heavy but...OK...  Lots of discussion about draw weight for learning vs. draw weight for hunting.  Again, it is GENERALLY accepted that the lighter you start, the better and quicker you will learn.

Brace height is determined by where the bow shoots best and quietly.  It has little (if any) effect on draw weight.  The draw weight of a bow is what it is and changing brace height (within reason) will not affect it.  So, I don't see that your idea will work.

Arne

[Chez12]

He has been training with a 25#er and shooting lefty is not an option. I guess I will get him to practice more, with both eyes open

Every bowyer has a general brace height for their bows, I wanted to find out where I should start with the bows I listed above.

[Chez12]

He has been training with a 25#er and shooting lefty is not an option. I guess I will get him to practice more, with both eyes open

Every bowyer has a general brace height for their bows, I wanted to find out where I should start with the bows I listed above.

[longbow fanatic 1]

I'm left eye dominant and shoot right handed. I just close my left eye when I shoot.

[Chez12]

Originally posted by longbow fanatic 1:
I'm left eye dominant and shoot right handed. I just close my left eye when I shoot.

When he does that, he shoots high and left about 2' in each direction. Maybe its something he needs to get used to and adjust for??

[longbow fanatic 1]

Make sure he is not  opening his eyes before the shot. If he learns to shoot this way, it can be very effective. When I used to shoot with both eyes open, I would shoot fine in a non stress environment. During a shot on deer, I missed a deer high and right. The next time I got a shot opportunity, I lined up the shot and then closed my left eye. Voila! When I closed my left eye, my sight picture was to the right of my intended target. What a break through for me!

[Chez12]

We're going out tomorrow if the weather holds so I'll give him those pointers

Thanks

[the rifleman]

Eye dominance is a relative factor.  If only slight diff between eyes may not be a big deal.  In my case I have a strong left eye and very weak right eye so I shoot left handed even though I am right handed.  I recently had a bow delaminates in the middle of a 3d shoot and shot the last half with a buddy's right hand bow left handed.  Once I put the arrow 21/2 feet to the right of the target I was getting hits.  Imo-- yes if your dedicated you can adapt and make something work, but my advice would be (if he's strongly l eye dominant) to make the switch to southpaw right now, put in the time and shooting left handed will be second nature.  Best of luck!

[Chez12]

Originally posted by the rifleman:
Eye dominance is a relative factor.  If only slight diff between eyes may not be a big deal.  In my case I have a strong left eye and very weak right eye so I shoot left handed even though I am right handed.  I recently had a bow delaminates in the middle of a 3d shoot and shot the last half with a buddy's right hand bow left handed.  Once I put the arrow 21/2 feet to the right of the target I was getting hits.  Imo-- yes if your dedicated you can adapt and make something work, but my advice would be (if he's strongly l eye dominant) to make the switch to southpaw right now, put in the time and shooting left handed will be second nature.  Best of luck!

Have you tried to shoot with the left eye closed?

[the rifleman]

Right eye is so weak in my case if I tried that I'd probably shoot myself.  But thanks for the idea.  I had a lazy r eye as a child and since it was not fixed at an early stage in my development my brain didn't learn to see out of that eye.  Difficult to explain...

[ForrestGator]

My wife is left eye dominant and shoots right handed. She has shot with her left eye shut for a couple years now and is really doing well. When both were opened it seemed to distort her aiming point. I think consistency wise anyway it makes sense.