My Son... Is left eye dominate..."gasp"

[hormoan]

MikeC

    Wingshooting with a shotgun & shotshell is not done with one eye closed and aiming down the barrel. FYI

But lets stay on topic!

[Leftieshot]

You're not doomed!  Nothing wrong with shooting LH.  Yes, bows are a little harder to find but that will come also.  Check out (google) Sipsey River Traditional, he may have some lefty youth bows.

[MikeC]

Originally posted by hormoan:
MikeC

    Wingshooting with a shotgun & shotshell is not done with one eye closed and aiming down the barrel. FYI

But lets stay on topic!

Sure is for me and everyone I know but everone is different and I guess it's just how you were originally taught or started, and I agree lets stay on topic although your the one who brought it up originally.  

[MW]

I can't speak for everyone but....

I am right eye Dom but have always shot left.  A month ago I started shooting right sometimes and I can see that I could be more accurate if I devoted myself entirely to righty shooting.

Does it make a difference in accuracy I say yes but there are some other things to consider.  Being a lefty I can handle a bow and arrows in the field much better while shooting lefty.  It is much more natural.

[longbowben]

I dont understand whats wrong with being left eye dom.my son and myself left eye dom.No problem finding bows.

[Marblesonac]

My oldest son and my daughter also have this condition.  My daughter shoots left handed.

Here is an interesting thread for you...

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=029404;p=1

[hormoan]

MikeC

      Forgive me for the reference\\ mentioning it, (this is a archery forum) but it is the closest discipline we as hunters\\target shooters use.  That shoot instinctively, I had evidently miss read your post.
But now at least you know a instinctive clays\\ wingshooter also.

[laddy]

J-KId in his book explains that it doesn't matter.  I think it is a matter of conditioning the reflex coordination.  I love a good fight, but there cases to prove both points I guess.

[Arwin]

My son is a lefty, but shoots a right handed bow. He is 7 and when I try to get him to switch to left handed shooting, he gets frustrated and doesn't want to shoot anymore. He does shoot better right handed, but may shoot better left if I could get him to keep at it. Should I just let him do what feels natural to him?

[MikeC]

Quote from a post by Danny Rowan..."Yep lot of threads on this. Yes, HH was left eye dom and shot very,very well righty. Acouple of other noted bowhunters were just the oposite. Fred Bear and Glenn St. Charles was and is right handed and right dominant. Both switched to shooting left handed to cure bad cases of Target Panic and took a ton of animals that way. Glenn says in his book "Billets to Bows" that the dominant eye does not make a hill of beans when shooting instinctivly. He is correct. Dr. Jay Kidwell says the same thing. I am right handed and left eye dominant and shoot righty and have for over 35 years. Do what you want and what is comfortable for you, but have fun and Practice,Practice,Practice."

[Eastern fisher]

I am left eye dominet and have shot compound for years (Righthanded) and was considered a very good shot.  I use a right handed long bow and am starting to make good shots with this as well.  I tried to change over.  Just could not do it.  Not comfortable.

[J-dog]

Sometimes, something you think matters only matters in a debate, not in practice.

Is there ANY hard evidence, actual studies, qualitative, quntitative or whatever (mixed methods would be the last) that proves you cannot shoot accuratly being cross dominant? Or one is more accurate than the other?
 
Just wondering it would be interesting to read.

Later

Jason

[J-dog]

Just wnet on the web looking for something and though you find alot of forum stuff just like what is here no actual report or study. Course I looked for all of 5 minutes!! LOL

This has got me interested-now I want to see some numbers.

Later

J

[bayoulongbowman]

Rome , was built in a day...when I switched it took me months of practice, new muscels being used new anchor point , it all takes some practice and time...I promise you will thank me later..remember dont quit!dont give up after few days...good luck future Lefties or righties,,LOL Mark#78

[Larry247]

My son is left eye dominent and shoots right handed, and i did try to switch him. I'm glad i didn't. Look on the Back from ATAR thread page six. He won first place in the cub class and brought home a very nice feather for first place.He is a good little shooter.

[MO.IRONMAN]

I am also left eye dominant but shoot right or left handed Ithank that you should shoot what ever is more natural for each individual. if you are not comfortable you will never shoot well

[String Cutter]

MikeC..... Stated   ""Fred Bear and Glenn St. Charles was and is right handed and right dominant. Both switched to shooting left handed to cure bad cases of Target Panic and took a ton of animals that way."""
 Mike Fred Bear shot left handed cause he was missin the tip of his right ring finger...

[Dave Schneider]

My son is also cross dominant.  Right hand, left eye.  He would shot a toy gun with his right hand under his left eye.  I switched him to left hand at age of 4.  Never been a problem.

Only makes sense to shot dominate eye.  Seems that you would have cover the taget with the bow to shoot cross dominante or compensate in some other way.

Bigger problem for him with guns because bolt actions are on the wrong side and auto loaders shoot across his face.

[fatman]

the importance of shooting from the dominant eye is magnified if you are shooting "instinctively" as defined by Mr Asbell.  The reason being that binocular vison (shooting with both eyes open) increases our ability to judge distances (depth perception).  Also, the arrow being in a straight line with the anchor and pointing (bow) hand forms a natural extension ("like pointing your finger").  If a shooter (either consciously or unconsciously) "aims", then they have a tendency to "overide" the dominant eye.
Bottom line, if you've found a method of shooting that works, it would be hard for me to suggest that you try something different, even more difficult to convince you of my point of view....and probably presumptuous on my part...

[BobCo 1965]

Originally posted by 2fletch:
One of my sons was right handed and left eye dominant. Changing over to left hand was a challenge, and very awkward at first. Within a couple of weeks though he was shooting better then he ever did right handed.

Good luck!

Same experience here. Kids can sure learn the change better then adults. When Josh was young, I keep trying to test for eye dominance and all I got was giggles.         We finally got it right a few years ago.