In need of Longbow suggestions!

[GraniteStater]

Have you tried the higher cheek bone anchor with split?  I shoot split and switched to the higher anchor point not for eye or aiming issues but after watching a Tom Clum form video and realized my draw length was too short to really get into the back muscles properly.  The cheekbone anchor allowed me to add about an inch to draw length getting the alignment right and into the back muscles better and is repeatable.  Everyone's facial structure is different but it worked for me and the arrow is closer to the eye similar to shooting three under.  I am right eye dominant and shoot right handed so I haven't had the issues you're dealing with but my wife is now learning to shoot both shotgun and bow and she is left eye dominant but shoots right handed so I am interested in learning what I can to help her.  Her first coach told her to close her dominant left eye when she shoots.  I personally don't like the idea of closing or squinting an eye during shooting but again it's not an issue I have to deal with.  It seems when I draw and focus on the target anything in the way disappears. When I shoot at longer ranges where the arrow is held above the target the arrow becomes invisible right where the target is.  I do question if closing or squinting is a strategy that is repeatable under stress though.  Like when that 170" buck suddenly appears in your shooting lane.   Best of luck with whatever you find to work and if that is a new bow then all the better!

I'll definately try what you suggested.  I've done 3 under with a high anchor, but I've never done split with a higher anchor.  I'll see if it is something I can make work.  And thanks for the encouragement, its always fun to get a new bow.  But I'm going to test things out more thoroughly before I commit.  All the feedback and advice is helping my wheels turn and figure this out.  Thanks a bunch 

[Ron LaClair]

It sounds like youmight be over squinting with your non dominate eye. It doesn't take much of a squht to weaken the non dominate eye and keep it from wanting to take over.

I'm left handedn and left eye dominate. Some years ago I had Tim Meigs maken me a double shelf bow. I started alternating shots, left and then right. I wore a centerback quiver, a shooting glove on each hand, arm guard on each arm.I would shoot left, step forward, drawn and shoot right hand. I had to squnt my dominate left eye "SIGHTLY" to keek if from trying to take over when shooting right hand. My goal was to become proficent enough to shoot a deer no mater which side it came in from.

[GraniteStater]

It sounds like youmight be over squinting with your non dominate eye. It doesn't take much of a squht to weaken the non dominate eye and keep it from wanting to take over.

I'm left handedn and left eye dominate. Some years ago I had Tim Meigs maken me a double shelf bow. I started alternating shots, left and then right. I wore a centerback quiver, a shooting glove on each hand, arm guard on each arm.I would shoot left, step forward, drawn and shoot right hand. I had to squnt my dominate left eye "SIGHTLY" to keek if from trying to take over when shooting right hand. My goal was to become proficent enough to shoot a deer no mater which side it came in from.

Thank you for sharing that Ron.  It's nice to have guys here that have such a wealth of knowledge.  The issue that I'm running into at the moment isn't so much with my none dominant eye taking over randomly.  (Now a left hand shooter and left eye dominant too).  My issue has been my dominant eye being blurred by the widest part of the limb while shooting vertically.  So if I obscurred my none dominant eye slightly and my dominant eye is blurred by the widest part of the limb, I would'nt be able to see much anything.  But I am happy to say, with everyone giving me input and feed back I've got it figured out. 

[GraniteStater]

The mystery has been solved.  It turns out to be the arrow orientation off the side of the bow (instead of being center shot or close to) combined with the thinner limbs. (In this case 7/8 inch at it's widest).  I focused today on looking around at full draw.  I allowed my brain to take in what is going on, (meaning not focusing on aiming or shot sequence, just soaking in the visual at full draw) and my brain is naturally placing the arrow in line with my eye.  This puts a bow that has no shelf to the left side of what I see as a left handed shooter.  The limb is no longer in my field of vision even when drawing the bow vertically.

So now I'm left with still potentially looking for a more modern style bow that is not cut to center.  But is 1/8 off center or more and has a very slim limb profile.  Or a as suggested by Mcdave a bow with a longer sight window.  I enjoy to some degree shooting the english longbow, but it is certainly has its challenges that are better left for another post.  I'm also going to heed the advice to practice a higher anchor with split finger to continue shooting the bows that I own.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this post.  It has really helped me consider a variety of options and gave great advice to improve my shooting.  Airing out what I had been struggling with for years helped a lot too.  Thanks again guys 

[Ron LaClair]

Most instinctive shooters that hunt don't shoot with their bow vertically. It works better if the bow is canted at least 45 degrees. That opens up your view (sight picture) to the target so the bow isn't blocking.

[GraniteStater]

Most instinctive shooters that hunt don't shoot with their bow vertically. It works better if the bow is canted at least 45 degrees. That opens up your view (sight picture) to the target so the bow isn't blocking.

I typically cant when I shoot.  I also enjoy shooting vertically at times too.  I have fun practicing and using the bow in different positions and held at different angles.  This post was just focusing on an issue I solely have when holding the bow vertically and shooting.  I apologize if I didn't clarify that in an earlier post.  This blurred vision thing has nagged me for years when I held the bow vertically and it took an english longbow and the feedback here to sort out why it was happening.(It may have been much more obvious to others, I guess that is the advantage of receiving advice from a group of knowledgeable people) Thank you again Ron for your feedback and help, I do appreciate it.

[the rifleman]

As McDave said earlier---Toelke Whip.  You won't find a smoother, quieter, and well made bow.  Toelkes are the best bows on the planet.

[GraniteStater]

As McDave said earlier---Toelke Whip.  You won't find a smoother, quieter, and well made bow.  Toelkes are the best bows on the planet.

Thanks again for  that limb profile is slim.  I'll have to give them a call and see if they can make it in the poundage I'm looking for and if they can leave more wood on the sight window to bring the arrow more out of center.  I'll also have to thin the herd a bit too, to make room for a bow like that.  I was in touch with Maddog too, which is a more affordable price range.  So many nice bows out there.  But Toelke definitely ranks up there, it is one of the bows I've never owned or handled and I have heard nothing but high praise for them.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Glad you sorted it out before buying a bunch of bows. Not the getting new bows is bad, but if they didn't work for you, it could have been very frustrating

[GraniteStater]

Glad you sorted it out before buying a bunch of bows. Not the getting new bows is bad, but if they didn't work for you, it could have been very frustrating

Thanks for your kind words.  I agree with you, I'm going to take my time if I decide to make another investment.  Or at least try to take my time...it isn't my strong suit at times.   

[Lori]

Not saying you are shooting with your  off side eye, but this remands me of a friend that bought a right hand bow that was left eye dominant.  He was getting into all kinds of trouble trying to aim.  He hit our garage twice in four shots, completely missing the target. It is a big target. After some going round like guys do, he was checked to see about his dominant eye. We had an old scratched up pair of plastic bubble sunglasses, we popped out the right eye lens and had him shoot with those on.  That helped him and stopped hitting the garage.  Don't be afraid of the low price of the Maddog Prairie Predator, it is a very good bow.

[GraniteStater]

Not saying you are shooting with your  off side eye, but this remands me of a friend that bought a right hand bow that was left eye dominant.  He was getting into all kinds of trouble trying to aim.  He hit our garage twice in four shots, completely missing the target. It is a big target. After some going round like guys do, he was checked to see about his dominant eye. We had an old scratched up pair of plastic bubble sunglasses, we popped out the right eye lens and had him shoot with those on.  That helped him and stopped hitting the garage.  Don't be afraid of the low price of the Maddog Prairie Predator, it is a very good bow.

What your describing reminds me of when I first started shooting.  I shot right handed but was left eye dominant, and man did my eyes fight for dominance at times.  Made it difficult to shoot with accuracy at times for sure.