Switching from right to left handed bow

[bigbuckric]

HAs anyone switched from shooting from their dominant side to the opposite? I tore up my should this past summer so I could not draw back my recurve. Not willing to give up hunting, I bought a crossbow. No offense to crossbow shooters but I find no satisfaction in using it. In fact, I have hardly hunted because I find no pleasure in shooting it. So, I would like to talk with someone who has switched from their dominant arm to non-dominant. What do I need to be careful of, what suggestions do you have. Thanks

[Bowwild]

I shot right-handed for 28 years and have been shooting left-handed since 1996.  My dominant eye is my left so I should have always shot left-handed.  

I was a compound shooter when I switched. I had to drop from 73 to 60 pounds in draw weight.

I taught myself to shoot all over again but that was a good thing because I had some bad habits that the left-side didn't "know".  This was the best decision I ever made in archery.

If you aren't left-eye dominant you'll need to close or "fuzz up" the right eye when at anchor to prevent windage issues. You can half wink or scrunch up the eye and make the left eye be dominant.  

The best advice I can give you is use this opportunity to teach yourself ideal form.  I'd recommend a method my organization has taught to 7.1 million students and 20,000 teachers over the past 10 years.  You can buy a DVD from Stricklandsarchery about "Shooting Traditional" to learn the method.

This not near as daunting as it may at first seem. I watched several people who were left-eye dominant but shot right-handed make the switch in 2 days.

[harvestmoon]

I switched from right to left due to a problem with my right eye.  For me the biggest issue was learning to open up my stance in order to improve my field of view with the left eye.  Repetition eventually made it feel natural once I found a solid anchor.

[damascusdave]

I shoot both ways on a regular basis and currently have a switch riser ACS bow in process. I ordered the bow with a left handed riser and I just bought a right handed one from the tg classifieds.

If you pick up a copy of Glenn St. Charles book Billets to Bows from his son Joe on **** you will learn that no less archery icons than Fred Bear and Glenn himself switched over to being lefties for several reasons.

I have a Beaver Creek longbow blank on order that I will build into a double shelf bow. It will be an i beam of phenolic for strength. My intent is to single handedly, unless I can get someone to help, revive the old double shelf bows of the fifties.

Since you are switching anyway may I suggest trying two fingers under right off the bat. Not for everyone, but I have been having great success with it. Take your old tabs, turn them over and they make a great two finger under tab. I just made a left handed Cavalier Elite into a right handed two under tab last evening. Helps to have a power hacksaw available to cut the aluminum. You may need to use a deep hook to make it work.

Right now I own or have in process, in addition to the double shelfer, a right handed compound, two left handed compounds, the switch riser long bow, 2 left handed 3 piece curves, a right handed 3 piece curve, a right handed long bow that can likely be shot off the knuckle left handed, and four right handed recurves.

So yes it is not all that hard to switch.

Would I shoot better if I shot from just one side? You know I doubt it because it a great way to keep your body in balance and your mind sharp.

DDave

[Spinealigner]

I switched from my dominant hand (right) to my dominant eye(left).  Didn't have much success shooting a recurve on my non-dominant eye side.

[J. Holden]

I switched a few years ago from right to left because of an eye dominance issue as well.  Always right handed but the left eye was stronger.  Who knew?!  Anyway, my suggestion is start out with a light weight bow.  I started at 45lbs.  Not that I couldn't have pulled more but I wasnted to make sure I got the form down correctly from the get-go.  Take your time practicing and start out close to the target.  That's what worked for me.  Good luck!

-Jeremy  

[bigbuckric]

Thanks everyone. You have given me encouragement to try the switch.

[yamapup]

I made the switch over twenty years ago. I suggest that you find a cheapy lightweight bow to practice your form and imprint your brain to that change. I actually used one of those red fiberglass kids bows at first. Pup

[Chuck Jones]

Start practicing at 10 feet. it forces your other eye to take over, because at that close range, the sight picture won't look normal with your dominant eye. Move back a little at a time. It took me about 1 year to feel comfortable.

[B/W lvr]

I shoot either way. Lost half of my left eye from a stroke and thought I would have to go to rt handed. Actually I didn't since if your an instinctive shooter it doesn't matter which hand you shoot with. What did matter was that I am not as fluid with my movements in rt handed (did I mention I am left handed?) shooting but that smooths out with time. I like switching back and forth and probably will never go back to one side only. Frank

[Gulf Coast Archer]

Okay.  So when you switch from Right hand to left hand does your draw length normally stay the same?

[Walt Francis]

You may want to ask this question and research it on the shooting forum, a lot of the information pertaining to this subject is there.

I made the switch from left to right three years ago due to shoulder surgery and resulting problems.  Currently, I shoot from both sides.  Send me a PM or check the shooting forum and I will relate my experiences.

[Bowwild]

Your draw length would remain the same if it was correct when shooting right-handed. If it wasn't correct before, now is your chance to fi it.


1. Straight bow arm without locking.
2. Anchor at the corner of the mouth.
3. Thumb knuckle might fit nicely under the rear of the jaw bone (the thumb should not be behind the neck -- to tense).
4. Extend the draw elbow rearward.
5. At correct draw if you hold a lose string in your bowhand the string should go through the anchor and past the elbow. The elbow should be slightly in front of (away from the shoulder) of this line. An elbow exactly in line or behind the line is an overdraw. Slightly would be about 1/2" inch.

Watch for short-draw (elbow more than 1/2" in front of this line with newbies or folks switching like you.  Look for overdraw in veterans.

[damascusdave]

Originally posted by Bowwild:
Your draw length would remain the same if it was correct when shooting right-handed. If it wasn't correct before, now is your chance to fi it.


1. Straight bow arm without locking.
2. Anchor at the corner of the mouth.
3. Thumb knuckle might fit nicely under the rear of the jaw bone (the thumb should not be behind the neck -- to tense).
4. Extend the draw elbow rearward.
5. At correct draw if you hold a lose string in your bowhand the string should go through the anchor and past the elbow. The elbow should be slightly in front of (away from the shoulder) of this line. An elbow exactly in line or behind the line is an overdraw. Slightly would be about 1/2" inch.

Watch for short-draw (elbow more than 1/2" in front of this line with newbies or folks switching like you.  Look for overdraw in veterans.

And that is still only one way that works for some people.

Draw length with a traditional bow is, to me, whatever works to accomplish what you are trying to do. I often refer to my friend Marty shooting a buck at 12 feet and not even making it close to full draw. That buck was just as dead as one shot with so called perfect form, and a whole lot deader than it would have been if he had been shooting his compound that day. (Today Marty does most of his bowhunting with a compound and release because of issues with his hands and fingers and that is a good thing too.)

If we are going to get all caught up in one form being the only correct one then we might as well go back to shooting compound bows.

The true excitement of shooting a traditional bow is the sense of freedom from being able to shoot a lot of different ways.

Until you have read Billets and Bows by Glenn St. Charles and proved that he does not have a clue what he is talking about, do not bother to try to tell me there is any best way to shoot a traditional bow.  

Shooting a traditional bow is not about being bound by silly rules and forms and specifications. It is about the sense of freedom of being able to be creative and flexible and versatile. In the end my 1300 dollar ACS is just another stick and string. A very nice stick and string, but one nevertheless.

DDave

[damascusdave]

Here are a few of them.

[damascusdave]

Got another nice lefty coming. It is a Martin Firecat in very nice codition.

DDave

[joe skipp]

I have been playing around for a few years shooting left handed. Arthritis in the shoulder could force a person to change over, like Jim Douherty. He was a righty who made the switch due to arthritis.

The brain works differently .....I find myself drawing more slowly, anchoring and holding more. I'm seeing now I'm getting more accurate the more I shoot but it was key to start out with a lighter weight bow to build up muscle strength.

Yesterday I was shooting a 66" 57# LH longbow built by Mike Robin (Bamboo..Kittitiney Bows). I was reaching out and shooting pretty decent out to 30 yds. Start light, slowly build up and work on your form. Everything will fall into place if you put the time and effort in.

[Bowwild]

And what goes on in your brain as you prepare for, execute, and reflect upon the shot are very important.

I highly recommend you make yourself a loop of string that when your bow hand is set in the bottom and your draw fingers on the other end you can practice your form and train your mind.

[Bowwild]

,,,is very important.

[Dave Worden]

I shot lh for about 6 months last year while my arm healed enough to be able to shoot rh again.  I was about 80% as accurate lh as I am rh, but I'm sure that would improve it I kept it up.  When shooting instinctively I don't believe dominant eye means a thing.  You shoot with both eyes open and looking at the target with either hand.  I'd much rather shoot lh than not shoot at all.  Go for it.