I chickened out...................let me explain.

[skychief]

I so wanted to use my recurve for whitetail hunting this year but took my compound in the end.  I shot my recurve all Spring and Summer the last 3 years with plans to hunt the Fall with it.  My problem is that I shoot righty and my LEFT eye is VERY dominant.  This has always caused me to shoot about 2 feet to the left at twenty yards with my first shot of the day and these left-misses crop up at other times as well.  I have tried and tried to correct the situation with the help of some very good traditional men at our traditional league to no avail!   Therefore, I just can't bring myself to hunt with my recurve and risk wounding any animal.  I have bowhunted for over 25 years and have been successful with the compound, but........it just isn't a recurve nor longbow, now is it?   I am sure the readers here know what I mean.   Lately, I have thought about trying a pin or pins and see if this will improve my very first shots (correcting those BLASTED left-misses)!   Can you tell me what to expect with pins?   Anybody here have really bad eye-dominance issues like me?   Thanks for all feedback and your valuable time, guys.  Skychief!

[wtpops]

Get a cheep lefthanded bow and give it a try

[skychief]

Thanks...this is an idea I have recieved from others and gave it a try.  I couldn't make it work though.  Old dogs/New tricks.  Thanks.

[Tree man]

There is nothing evil about putting sights on a trad bow.. Swicthing sides has actually helped a lot of people with their form and accuracy but it isn't for everyone. If you wear spectacles(Shoot, even if you don't need corrective lenses you probably should wear eye protection) You can stick a teeny bit of tape right in the middle of your dominant eye's vision when in shooting position. You will still have your peripheral visin but that blockage in the center of your vision will (for many of us) throw your dominance to the other eye.
 I have variable dominance-usually I'm right eye dominant but my left eye has better vision and sometimes takes over -especially if I am fatigued. I can throw the dominance back to my right eye by simply squinting my left slightly.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I had the same problem a lot myself, and just started closing my left eye like i always have shooting a peep site. i even close one eye using a shot gun too...always have.....But then i met brother Jonesy and he helped me get both eyes back open and shooting straight again.....Thanks for that and more Jonsey! I know yer out there bro.....

Its all in the concentration of the spot you are looking if you shoot instinctive....now if you are gap shooting, string walking, or using pins...that's a different story.....my .04 cents added (with inflation ya know).........Kirk

[Ian johnson]

I'm left handed and right eye dominant, just takes lots of practice

[Dirty Bill]

Actually,I think the problem is coming from some thing else. You are moving you bow arm,or pulling you hand away on release,or both.You might be plucking the string also.Here is what Glenn St.Charles has to say in his book,"Billets to Bow".

"To the instinctive archer,let me stress once again,the master eye issue is a MYTH. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.Switching from one side to the other is what CURES the PROBLEMS." (My emphasis added here.)

There is a lot more in the book,and I highly suggest anyone who loves traditional archery to read it.    

[BradLantz]

skychief

I'm cross dominant. Its "pure" instinctive IMO, whereas same eye dominance IMO lends one to use their arrows and points as a measures of sighting, either consciously or subconsciously.

Just my opinion mind you, so knowing this IF you want to sight your bow go for it.

However ..... I tried it. To use sights you will have to go to a peep = thats what I found, because that peep is your "rear" sight, its what makes you focus and for me ? I couldn't use sights, the dominance factor was too much, the focusing all wrong and in the end ? I do what I do 100% everyday, and that is do everything right handed, left eye dominant.


If you want to switch the way you've been doing things ALL YOUR LIFE then switch everything is my motto. Eat with your left hand, use a left handed mouse, buy all right handed rifles and equipment .... right ??  

[wingnut]

A sight will help, but the biggest help is going to be when you put the other bow away and only shoot the trad bow.  Your not going to be able to switch back and forth if you are cross eye dominant.

Mike

[Charlie Lamb]

My thoughts as well, Mike. Don't they call it committment.... and it is what it takes to shoot trad well all the time.

[George Tsoukalas]

"My problem is that I shoot righty and my LEFT eye is VERY dominant."
I am confused. Putting a sight on a bow will not eliminate that problem nor will shooting a compound. You must be experiencing form problems. Jawge

[longbowman]

I have to agree with a bunch of others here.  If you're shooting right handed and know you're left eye dominate then you have to be closing your left eye to use you compound and sights.  If that's the case then I'd suggest that you pull up on your target, close your left eye, line up and before releasing open the eye without moving.  After a very short period of time you will be able to do this without ever closing that left eye.  How do I know?  I had a brain stem stroke in 2000 that left me with multiple vision in my right dominate eye for months.  I would do exactly what I described above and after a while my eye began to take over again and now I'm back to normal.  (What ever that is).

[Deadsmple]

I tend to agree with George on this one. It seems to me like it's a form problem. Usually when I hear a righty complain about missing left I would suggest to concentrate on more back tension. That is usually the culprit.

[thp]

Hey Skychief,

Have your read Jay Kidwell's book?  He makes the point that your brain will compensate eventually.

I'm cross dominant just like you and switched after reading Fred Asbell's article on eye dominance in TBM.  I was pleased with the difference it made.  But then again I'm pretty new to archery.  

keep at it.  you'll get it whatever you do.

[skychief]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions guys.   Can anybody else comment on the idea of using sights without a peep with my recurve?   This is how I set up my compound (no peep, just pins) and it shoots great for me.   Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!   Sky'.

[BRITTMAN]

One thing thats worked for me and might help you is to try shooting 3 under and bring the arrow closer to your right eye . I had a right eye injury when I was 10 and Im right handed so my dominate eye is still my right eye but it is weaker than my left so what I see when I point my finger or point a arrow is 2 arrows /fingers . Bringing the arrow closer to my right eye helps my brain and my eye get on the same page when I aim . Try it  and see if it works for you .

Mike

[Chisler]

Sorry skychief - I don't have any advice regarding pins, (andI'm not questioning your commitment...) but I'll still offer my 2 cents:  When you tried shooting a LH trad bow did the arrow go where you thought it should?  Forget about the awkward feeling, did the arrow go where you thought it should?  I'm L eye dominant and I shot a RH compound with sights for years, but switched to LH last year when I started shooting trad.  When I first started shooting instinctively w/ a RH bow ALL my arrows went about 2 feet to the left.  It felt so weird going LH, I most other things LH already, including long guns, but it still felt really awkward.  I could barely put the arrow on the string, and I still have to think before I put my shooting glove on.  I kknow you already got this advice but you should try the LH bow again.

[Van/TX]

Agree with Jawge.  Shooting a compound vs a recurve is no different as far as aiming.  Must be some other problem.  Good luck....Van

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by longbowman:
I have to agree with a bunch of others here.  If you're shooting right handed and know you're left eye dominate then you have to be closing your left eye to use you compound and sights.  If that's the case then I'd suggest that you pull up on your target, close your left eye, line up and before releasing open the eye without moving.  After a very short period of time you will be able to do this without ever closing that left eye.  How do I know?  I had a brain stem stroke in 2000 that left me with multiple vision in my right dominate eye for months.  I would do exactly what I described above and after a while my eye began to take over again and now I'm back to normal.  (What ever that is).

This is exactly how i trained myself....i'd close my eye as i was drawing my bow....and Jonesy would say  "Open BOTH your eyes Kirk!"
after about 40 times he drilled it into me...It works though....Just line up your arrow before you draw.....and forget about that arrow tip after that bow is at full draw...... concentrate on the spot.....the tiniest little spot you can....The arrow blurrs out of your conscious vision and let her fly......Once instinctive shooting starts coming together for you it is an incredible experience.....But it takes a serious commitment and an ability to completely focus.....

Its those days you are splitting shafts and blowing knocks you must always remember....because the next day it just might not be like that....Even the champs have their off days....

Tell me something all you seasoned vets....how many years does it take to blow knocks every time you pick up your bow? I'm thinking i gotta long ways to go here.....LOL!

[skychief]

I already shoot 3-under.  As far as shooting left handed...I shot pretty poorly  i.e.:hula hoop sized groups to begin with narrowed down to maybe half that on better days!   It just would not work for me to make that switch.   As far as closing my left eye on the draw while focusing on the arrow being drawn, this has helped my first shot.   It seems "mechanical enough" of a process though to consider going ahead with a sight pin of some sort.  I know I must seem crazy to several of you and possibly uncommitted.  I am neither, though.  I just want traditional to work for me and have tried for YEARS to rid myself of those all-too-occassional left-misses.   While they wont keep me from trad-league and 3d shoots, they will continue to sideline me during deer season.  I owe it to the animal, I feel.   Thanks for all the helpful hints guys.   Skychief.