Switching to the non-dominant side. TARGET PANIC!!!!

Hi Folks,

I’d appreciate a little advice. I’ve been shooting recurves and longbows since the age of 8 (45-years). For about the past 20 years I’ve fought a battle with target panic. I’ve tried everything and nothing seems to help. I’ve even had to resort to taking a backup compound device with me on hunting trips, just in case the darn stuff rears its ugly head.

Today I went to my son’s house and took his old left handed green-striped Bear T/D off his wall, went in the back yard and flung a few arrows. Boy do I mean flung! I couldn’t hit anything and it sure did feel awkward. After a couple rounds, I started closing my dominant right eye and things got better.

I went home and put together a makeshift eye patch from leather and elastic cord and went back to the butt. Immediately I started shooting pretty good groups. After about 8 rounds I was shooting baseball-sized groups at 20 yards. No fliers, no hint of TP, and my form really felt good. I could feel consistent back tension on each shot. I really impressed myself. Heck, I even bought a left-handed riser off the classifieds a few minutes ago just to give it a whirl.

If any of you have switched to your non-dominant side, I’d like to hear from you. Should I take the plunge and make a “determined” switch? Will the TP return? If it does, there’s no need to make the move. Will shooting left-handed improve my right side control? Can I wean myself from the eye patch, etc., etc. etc.? I’d really like to hear your experiences or anecdotal reports you’ve heard.


Thanks,

Jim

[vermonster13]

Only time will tell if it works for you Jim. Many folks if they make a major change lose their TP for a while because they are so focused on the shot process they don't think to get panic. Target panic is in the head and if you don't leave room for it in there it doesn't happen. I wish you the best of luck with that Gen 1 riser.

[joebuck]

Hello Jim, I know exactly what your going through.Around the mid 90's in twelve months i went from winning the Howard Hill World Championships recurve to couldn't hit my truck at 20 yards.  BUttttttt....i whipped it's butt the same way i got it..Mental games...I have had it twice in 20 years..Those that snap shoot are 10 to 1 more likely to get TP than a pausor. If you need some help...email me....I can get you through it. I have helped dozens..I would not go left handed..

[John Krause]

I am a lefty and had it bad so I switched to righty. It was much better (righty) after a short time and just kept getting better and better. Once in a while I would shoot lefty and notice how much the TP had diminished. After shooting righty for about three years with very little TP I am starting to shoot lefty more and more with hardly any TP (some short drawing). Keep shooting lefty 90% of the time and then shoot right for a little bit. Shoot close and far righty, avoid the middle ranges. I bet you see the difference. I was the poster boy for TP and thought I had it the worst on the planet. If you have tried alot of things but not this, it's time.

[John Krause]

I wouldn't use the eye patch. You brain will make the adjustment. I just came in from the backyard after shooting righty and lefty. I was shooting better lefty.

Joebuck, I would be interested in your methods.

[email protected]

Thanks

I’m shooting very well left handed.  I’m on the verge of making the big step and switch altogether.  I’d sure appreciate some more input.

Thanks,

Jim

[vermontrad]

I just got myself a right/left longbow and tried the lefty thing and found that I shoot almost as well as I do righty. I like the ambidexterity of it and I think it's good to mix it up. If it's not screwing you up then keep doing it...

[Danny Rowan]

Jim,

Do not patch the dom eye or close it. Keep both eyes open, your internal computer will make the adjustment. Shoot purley instinctive. Glenn St Charles did the same thing due to tp and it works.He trained a lot of people to do this. Shooting instinctive, it matters not which eye is dominant. Also, you might want to get hold of Dr. Jay Kidwell, he had a thread on here about curing tp. Pm him he can help you.

Danny

I've been shooting LH since June. I thought I'd give an update of my progress.  

I'm now shooting left-handed exclusively with both eyes open.  I can shoot 3D's and stumps better than ever but have to cant the bow a good bit.  I don't know why.

I cannot shoot spots at all. I can't explain that either, except to say that I shoot all over the place.  If I close my dominant eye I can shoot the spots very well.  Since I'm a hunter first, I just live with it for a while.  I'm leaving for a mule deer and Merriam's turkey hunt in a few days, (I think I'm ready) so we'll see how it goes.  I have yet to shoot at a critter left-handed.

I'd still like to hear some of your experiences.

Jim

[Quill Flinger]

I shoot both left & right, & found it was actually easier to shoot instinctively from the non-dominant side. I suspect sometimes from fatigue, my dominant eye would cheat by looking down the shaft when I shoot from the strong side during events like 3D's.

This in turn, brought confidence to my overall shooting. But I should also mention I'm fairly ambidextrous.

Do what feels right to you. Good luck!