Author Topic: switch to lefty (Read 1450 times)

swampsSonny · « **on:** January 22, 2011, 06:10:00 PM »

After 30+ yrs,half of it trad only of shooting a bow rt handed Im about to make the switch to left handed.Im left eye dom and injured my rt shoulder so I guess the ice has been broken in reguards to shooting lefty.Any tips from those that have made the switch is appreciated.
thanks in advance

doowop · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2011, 07:34:00 PM »

I switched about a year and a half ago after 35 years of righty due to TP. Shooting better than ever. If you can shoot a little each day or so it should take about 2 or 3 months. Start light! You will pick it up much faster. Jim Castro told me one very important thing. Concentrate on every shot. Good luck and stick with it.

kenn1320 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:05:00 PM »

I havent made the switch, but will as soon as I pick up a lefty. I have talked with numerous people about it, as doowop said, start light. Im going ILF route, so I can get some 30lb limbs. I know sounds way to light, but as they said, its imperative to get good form from the start, and your not going to do that with a 50lb bow. You can pick up a metal hoyt excel riser and limbs brand new for under $300. After a couple months you can upgrade new limbs in the 40lb range for under $100. After that, you can get hunting weight limbs for that riser, or sell it and go back to a wood bow or wood ilf riser and use the hunter weight limbs on it. Good luck, I will likely buy a bow at Kzoo next weekend and begin my journey.

« **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:56:00 PM »

swampsSonny,

It'll be a piece of cake, but like doowop said, it's most important to concentrate on your form (I mean every aspect of your shot sequence) on every shot.

I was comfortable after a few days and hunting confident in three months.

Good Luck to you.

sffar · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2011, 09:59:00 PM »

I don't have all your experience, but I do have an iffy right shoulder and am left eye dominant, so when I started archery I decided to go lefty. Got a 34# St. Charles longbow (which I doubt I'll ever sell) and went at it. Felt a little awkward at first, but now right handed feels awkward. The advice above seems good to me–take advantage of the change to start with good form gradually working up to shooting the weight you like. I'm glad to be putting some wear and tear on my left side for a change, and also believe the pointing comes more naturally that way.

swampsSonny · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:16:00 PM »

I started shooting a blank bail a week ago figuring I needed to work on my shot more than I needed to work on hitting.The shoulder thing nearly ended my bow season last yr but I borrowed a lefty and shot it for a week at a blank bail than went threw my BH arrow combo to see what would fly well.I hunted from the ground only since I had no stand practice with my range only around 10yrds but at least I could hunt.Didn't end up with the shot I wanted/needed and stopped shooting after bow season.

I plan to get a light 3pc bow but for now only have the 50lb borrowed bow.The break from shooting was to make sure I didnt pick up bad habits by my approach to the hunting season and now I've only been shootin from 5' for now and no target, hopefully the 50lbs won,t be a problem but thats all I have for now

Thanks for the imput I've got all summer to get this thing down and extend my range more tha 10 steps

« **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:29:00 PM »

IMO... you're going about it the right way. I think too many folks get into the "burn a hole" in the target stuff, when what "we all" need most is a burn the form in your computer attitude FIRST. Hitting the mark will come much easier if the form is good. :^)

Terry Green · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:39:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Jim Casto Jr:
IMO... you're going about it the right way. I think too many folks get into the "burn a hole" in the target stuff, when what "we all" need most is a burn the form in your computer attitude FIRST. Hitting the mark will come much easier if the form is good. :^)

Amen....

bowhunter3762 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 23, 2011, 01:08:00 PM »

I had to switch as well. Form and release are key the rest will follow.

damascusdave · « **Reply #9 on:** January 23, 2011, 01:29:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by swampsSonny:
After 30+ yrs,half of it trad only of shooting a bow rt handed Im about to make the switch to left handed.Im left eye dom and injured my rt shoulder so I guess the ice has been broken in reguards to shooting lefty.Any tips from those that have made the switch is appreciated.
thanks in advance

Fred Bear and Glenn St Charles did it, you can do it. I have shot both ways for years.

DDave

damascusdave · « **Reply #10 on:** January 23, 2011, 01:31:00 PM »

Terry, I remember a while back you were going to try shooting lefty just for kicks. How did that work out for you?

DDave

Terry Green · « **Reply #11 on:** January 23, 2011, 01:39:00 PM »

Not to bad...Charlie made me a double shelf longbow...and I aint half bad if I had to in a pinch. I'd have to cut my range a little bit that's for sure....but I sure haven't put a lot of time into shooting lefty.

It didn't feel as 'weird' as I thought it would starting out.

swampsSonny · « **Reply #12 on:** January 23, 2011, 04:19:00 PM »

I did think it was as bad or "wierd" as I had thought it would be either.I didn,t know I was cross dom for a long time and shot well so I saw no need to switch.Shootin field archery for awhile with an 80#er eventually hurt me and it flared up last Aug. 3weeks of rest and I still couldnt reach anchor and the doc got me in right away 3 weeks after a cortizone shot and still unable to reach anchor I got an MRI which showed the rotorcuff was fine but the ???? behind that had a slight tear.I've got a full range of motion just cant draw the weight or throw anything.Kinda reluctant to get cut and figure it'll come back if I keep shootin rt.

That puts me to now and shootin southpaw.I've heard bad things about shoulder surgery and either way I should shoot with my dom eye anyway.

Thanks again

dragon rider · « **Reply #13 on:** January 23, 2011, 05:33:00 PM »

Because of eyesight and then tricep issues I've switched from right to left and back to right - any time you start feeling like it's not working, go back and read what Jim Casto wrote. If you stay with Jim's advice, your biggest problem will be getting to used to knocking an arrow left handed.

Sambar · « **Reply #14 on:** January 24, 2011, 06:11:00 AM »

i made the switch not long ago. i started too heavy though and could only shoot a few arrows at a time but picked it up very quick and am now shooting better than ever with both eyes open.the hardest thing i found was changing everything else like quiver ect and just picking up arrows in the opisite hand and so on.

wheelie · « **Reply #15 on:** January 24, 2011, 02:03:00 PM »

I had to make the switch to lefty 4 years ago. Could not even pull back a 20# bow left handed. I bought a 50# bow and sat infront of TV every night pulling it back as far as I could. In the spring I worked my way to pulling back 50#. Now I pull 55# just what I want. Could pull more but no need. By the end of the first summer it became nature to shoot left and today that is the only way I can shoot. Good luck

Itis not as hard as you think it is to switch. I became blind in my right eye so had to switch. Today I have all lefthand bows. Kept one righthanded so my son can use it or friends.

loneviking · « **Reply #16 on:** January 26, 2011, 03:24:00 AM »

If you are left eye dominant, and/or are a lefty, you can shoot a righty bow. I've grew up shooting that way. Try it and you might not have to sell your righty bows!

swampsSonny · « **Reply #17 on:** January 26, 2011, 12:16:00 PM »

LOL I am left eye dom and also rt handed shooting right handed for a long long time.

Since I hurt my shoulder and couldnt draw rt handed I opted to LOL like I had a choice to shoot left.

Now that the ice has been broken I figure I should stay a lefty so as not to do anymore damage to my rt shoulder and also to shoot with my dom eye.

While I may be new to this format I have been around awhile I just thought Id see what others that have made the switch had to say perhaps offering something if only encouragement.

Thanks for the replys

fmscan · « **Reply #18 on:** January 29, 2011, 04:59:00 PM »

I switched in my late 40's. It was the best thing I have ever done. I read that if you practice a lot but never get much better, it might be a dominant eye problem. I was making subconscious adjustments in my backyard shooting the same target,so I wasn'to bad. But when in a hunting situation, heat of battle in the woods my shooting was terrible. I got 1 deer in 27 yrs of hunting hard. After the switch, which only took 3 days, I got 3 bucks in 4 yrs. I still am not a good shot but much better than I was.

Lazy Ike · « **Reply #19 on:** February 02, 2011, 12:13:00 PM »

I switched last May due to tp issues.Started with 25lb borrowed JOAD bow. Shot it everyday for about an hour. Then bought an Tradtech pinnacleII with 35lb limbs and continued daily shooting. At first, I closed right eye and sort of gap shot. I have now become pretty proficient with both eyes open , shooting ( instinctive or subconcious aiming ). I would say that since you've messed up one shoulder with heavy weight bows,You've only got one more chance to do it right. I would really consider backing way off on the poundage to learn. And make 50 lbs my goal instead of the starting point. According to Fred Eichler You can cleanly kill all north American game with a 54 lb recurve. He should know....he's done it.

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Author Topic: switch to lefty (Read 1450 times)

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