Help on eye dominance

[KyStickbow]

Hi guys, I am very new to traditional archery and havent even bought my own bow yet. I shot my friends the other day and loved it. Before I buy a bow I had a few concerns. I am right handed, but I am left eye dominant. I shoot my compound with my left eye closed so it is not a problem. When shooting traditional I see everyone shoot with both eyes open. Is shooting a right handed stickbow, with a dominant left eye going to cause me accuracy problems. Or should I start with a left handed bow, which would feel very weird?

[jackthepointer]

I switched to lefty due to an eye disease,I can shoot either way I just can,t see out my right eye at the best time for hunting.The switch was easy,but I don't think the eye dominace should be a problem.I'm only speculating,since afterall I made the switch.I did shoot right hande all my life,and did notice that my left eye was dominant as time went on.I did well despite it,I was dianosed with AMD in my right eye which explained why the left eye was dominant.No advice just passing om what I did.

[Earthdog]

The switch is nothing,,in fact if it's that hard then this sport ain't for you anyway.
You can shoot cross dominant,but if you get put under a real pressure situation your dominant eye can take over and cause some real problems.

If your just getting into this thing and havn't out laid for the wrong gear,,,,nows your chance to continue that tradition.

[tkytrac]

You can learn to do it opposite your dominate eye but you'll likely struggle in places that you wouldn't if you were using your left eye and shooting lefthanded.
My GF has the same problem, R handed and L eye dominate.  Taught her to shoot both gun and bow LH and she took to it w/out a problem. She now is an accomplished hunter w/ both longbow and firearm.
Good Luck in whichever you choose.

[Joshua Lee]

I'm left eye dominant and shoot right handed and so was Howard Hill. So what I'm saying is,, you could be bad or really good  

[J-dog]

You'll get some responses out of this - but I am the same as you - I shoot right handed but left eye dominant. you can read studies here and there stating one way or the other but I say do what is comfortable to you. You CAN be a great shot being other eye dominant - like anything you have to practice - and lotsa practice makes you very lucky I find.

I started out left handed and all but a Christian grade scholl wouldn't allow one to be left handed - they made me not use my left hand for anything. When I learned to shoot - anything I wanted to use my left eye to aim - my Marine Corps Father madfe me wear an eye patch for ages to correctthe eye problem - maybe why I can shoot as I do??

J

[Hopewell Tom]

You can probably do it either way, others have, as above. I'm the same R-handed, L-eyed. The tough part, I found is the little things - Arrow out of the quiver, nocking, etc. all done with a non-dominate hand. BUT practice will fix/help that. 1000 arrows later and these things are easier. I like being able to look down the shaft, not have it cock-eyed to the target. Both eyes open seems best to me.

[juswannagohuntin]

I made the switch several yrs ago for the same reason. Was shooting a longbow at the time but felt I could accomplish the switch to left handed a little quicker if I used a recurve. Happy to say it worked for me. Give yourself time and shoot everyday you can even if it's only a few minutes. In fact there's much you can do without letting an arrow fly.