how hard to switch from RH to LH

[khardrunner]

I got surgery a year ago on my right shoulder but I seem to be redeveloping symptoms. I'll be talking with the doc soon.

Currently I shoot RH and am R eye dominate. How hard would it be to switch to LH and how long would it take shooting regularly to be able to be "hunting good"? I'm fairly athletic and I do throw LH, so that shoulder is decently developed, though obviously everything would be different.

[Bud B.]

My advice would be to buy an inexpensive lightweight LH bow and practice practice practice. I shoot RH occasionally and at short ranges (12 yards or less) I would not hesitate to hunt using a RH bow. I am all lefty except swinging a bat and hitting a golfball.

[Alexander Traditional]

I always heard try to shoot with your eye dominance,but it doesn't sound like you are going to have an option. I have a hard enough time much less having to learn with the other hand.

[Bowwild]

I switched from RH to LH shooting in 1996. I had been shooting RH since the mid-1960's.

I dropped 20% in draw weight to begin the switch. I took a couple months of daily shooting to get ready for hunting season.

In the work I do I've helped about 200 archers switch from RH to LH over the past 9 years or so (out of about 4,000). All of these switched due to dominant eye issues. Some, say have become better shots in 2 days than they've been their entire archery lives. I've found women to be more willing to make the switch than men.

The good news about switching is you have an opportunity to re-learn how to shoot.  If you have any undesirable habits or form flaws on the RH side they disappear on the Left if you know what to do and then do it.

I've also personally found this is the most instantaneous fix for target panic. It is gone on the first arrow. Now, you have to know what causes TP and then re-organize your thought process to prevent it from developing on this new side.

[khardrunner]

I have had issues with TP in the past, so I can see that being a positive as well. I'm hoping I don't have to make a switch though. After I talk to the doc I will have sme information to decide.

[Matt Fowler]

As stated start out light. I switched due to eye dominance. I shoot everything left handed now, bow ,flintlock, rifles, handguns. It's not difficult but does require time and effort. Also, not sure about switching to left hand with dominate right eye.

[longbowman]

The only problem I had switching after an injury was I had to drop down to 65# but I was accurate within a couple of shooting sessions.  It's really no big deal.

[McDave]

I shoot both right and left-handed to get a better balance in my body and to help with tennis elbow.  I'm pretty strongly right-eye dominant, and you do have to adjust to a different sight picture.  Sometimes you might have to squint your right eye when you shoot left-handed to be sure you're aiming with your left eye.  It's actually a lot of fun to be able to shoot both ways, and I think you'll enjoy it.

[zootown2007]

Interesting post. I'm right handed, but strongly left eye dominant. It doesnt bug me much with archery, but really messes with me when I shoot my rifle. Ive always wondered if I should make the switch.

Question to Bowwild..I keep both eyes open during the shot (no squinting)Have you found people still shoot better when following eye dominance, even though they keep both eyes open?

[khardrunner]

How long does it take to get hunting good? I like Bowwild's idea of a couple months, but what has everyone else found? I'm hoping something similar if I have to do this!

[Zdogk9]

"I shoot both right and left-handed to get a better balance in my body and to help with tennis elbow. I'm pretty strongly right-eye dominant, and you do have to adjust to a different sight picture. Sometimes you might have to squint your right eye when you shoot left-handed to be sure you're aiming with your left eye. It's actually a lot of fun to be able to shoot both ways, and I think you'll enjoy it."

And after a lifetime of mono vision, (left eye is far worse than right) I've got bi-focals so I'm never quite sure which eye is driving the show.

[Hopewell Tom]

I made the switch a few years ago. Left eye dominant/right handed. The sight picture is very different when not shooting from your dominant eye side. Dominant eye is straight down the arrow, non dominant, the arrow is cocked at an angle. I actually quit shooting as I couldn't get consistent.
I guess you're not supposed to see the arrow, just the "spot", but it's hard to ignore. I found the little things the toughest. Right from the get-go I liked the look/feel of the arrow and the shot. But trying to nock an arrow with a non dominant hand/fingers was frustrating. Same with getting an arrow out of the quiver. After 1000 times, it's much easier and now the other way is long forgotten. The sight picture is as it should be.

[Rick Richard]

Commit and try it for one month.  You will be amazed how quick you will adapt.

[Hopewell Tom]

Sorry, I should have responded to the time question. I agree with Rick, after a month I bet you're feeling "this can work." I was shooting better in a couple of weeks, but my left eye IS the dominate one. You'll be forcing things a bit, but you'll WANT it, so...

[khardrunner]

Just an update but I'm feeling blessed in this swap. It's been 3 days and less than 200 arrows and I am feeling good about it. I hope it continues to progress like this. You can see me shooting a couple of threads down.

[Meilaq]

I bought a Mongolian Horse Bow without a shelf so I could try left handed out as I am left eye dominant but have been using right handed bows for over 30 years.  The whole left handed bit seems to be going well for me.  Have been in the process for about 6 months.  Will now stick with right handed for compound archery and left handed for traditional.  I'm convinced enough now that I have ordered a left handed custom recurve.  It should arrive in the next week or two.  Looking forward to the new bow.  No problems with strength and draw weight so far.  Also am fine with nocking the arrow left handed.  Now just need to see how successful I can be hunting left handed?

[khardrunner]

Its definitely easier than I thought. I have a lot of work to do though before I will hunt. Hopefully I will be ready to go in june.

[arrow flynn]

I am making the switch because of a bad left shoulderbut I'm rt eye domlnint. I got a 41 lb lefty bow and it. Seems to be working.

[damascusdave]

The first thing I always tell people considering this option is about two rather well known bowhunters who switched, namely Fred Bear and Glenn St. Charles. Seems like it worked okay for them.

I am a naturally left handed shooter who learned 45 years ago to shoot a rifle right handed and when I started shooting bows it was just logical to shoot both sides. I only really came into the traditional fold less than four years ago and I own bows that are right handed, left handed and dual shelf.

When I started shooting I was comfortable with draw weights up to about 45 pounds and since I am 60 years old was working on the assumption that was about all I was ever going to be able to shoot.

Well right now the bows I shoot best are all in the 60 pounds range, whether right handed or left handed. I started the whole process with a questionable right shoulder and now I have two good shoulders. I am a firm believer in the benefits of shooting both sides for both balance and strength development.

I feel that the most important factor in shooting well both right and left handed is simply to stick with it.

DDave

[ironmike]

i started the transition from right to left a few months ago, being left eye dominant and an instinctive archer it simply takes teaching yourself, you already know how to shoot, and this is an opportunity to start again properly, it's impossible to carry bad habits from one side to the other because  bad habits are developed not inherit, welcome to the other side!