Has anyone ever tried shooting a bow with their other hand dominance? I am just curious, that's all... I am naturally left eye dominant, so I started shooting left handed bows a long time ago. But yet for the life of me, I CANNOT shoot lefty with both eyes open. If I do, I see two targets, or two sets of sight pins. Anyway, here's the real kicker... I can shoot rifles and shotguns ambidexterous (lefty or right). I can shoot my CZ75B 9mm handgun the same way. (FYI, I went through an armed security course last year, and the instructors "re-trained me" to focus and shoot properly with both eyes open). So, I just switched to right handed, both eyes open, with firearms. But with archery, I just think it is way different. Once you line up the peep sight to your dominant eye and focus on the target / sight pin, you will end up having issues if you open your other eye. I guess what I am getting at is, would it be worth it to try to shoot a right handed bow with both eyes open? What could it hurt? Maybe I'm just a freak... :p Lefty - one eye open - - - - archery. Righty - both eyes open - - - - rifles, shotguns, handguns. What do you think? Should I try out righty bow sometime at an archery store?
First, I wouldn't change at this point in the season (although I'm sure you know that). Ben/PA and I are both right handed, but left eye dominant. We switched to LH about a year and a half ago. I was always under the impression (because it was what I was told, and what I personally experienced) that the double or blurry vision that comes with opening both eyes is the result of aiming through the non-dominant eye (which again, I was experiencing). Although I now don't shoot with both eyes fully open (more of a modified slight squint), the additional light, FOV, and lessened eye strain has made it worth it to me. Was it a night and day difference? No. Plenty of people shoot lights out with their non-dominant eye by simply closing or shielding their dominant eye. I'm young, and so I wanted to try the switch. Physically, it was not a hard switch at all. I'm just as, if not more, comfortable shooting LH than I was shooting RH for the past 10 seasons.
I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot right handed with a modified squint (like Matt was talking about) in my dominant left eye to help my right eye take over. It works well for me. I've tried a number of times to shoot left handed, but I just don't like how it feels (honestly, I don't want to switch, so I probably am not giving it a fair shake). I shoot rifle/shotgun right handed, but again, with a modified squint. I suck at trap shooting because of the delay that it takes for my right eye to take over. If I did more bird hunting, I'd probably start shooting lefty, but most of the grouse I'll take this year will be out of my deer stand with the bow.
I was wondering the same thing. I know I had HORRIBLE double vision trying to aiming with my non-dominant eye and both eyes open. I've never heard of it the other way around (poor vision when sighting through the dominant). Then again, I learn something new everyday.
Yes guys, I am 100% left eye dominant. Always have been... I can easily pick up my Savage .308 and shoot it lefty if I wanted to, but the fear of the bolt being so close to my mouth, makes me shoot it righty. I am probably the most bizarre, twisted, oddball, kind of guy... :p I do this lefty, that righty, this lefty, etc... totally ambidexterous. When I shoot righty, I shoot with both eyes open and force my right eye to work equally with my left eye. When I shoot lefty, I shoot with my right eye closed because with it open, it will still try to fight for control with my left eye and cause double vision.
Hmm...cross dominant maybe? Interesting, though. I have just the opposite experience. If it works, though, go for it. Some of the best archer's (and athletes in general) have the worst form (according to standards). Whatever works best for you, and is most comfortable.
My son is right handed/left eye dominate. I bought him his first compound bow (Parker Challenger) about five years ago. At the time, we couldn't find a left handed youth model. I managed to find a sight that had an offset mounting bracket and reversed it to adjust the pins farther to the left. I installed a kisser button, no peep; with this setup he was able to shoot well right handed while sighting with his left eye. That fall he kill a neat little forkhorn on his very first archery hunt at the age of 14 and was hooked. He has since out grown that bow but he continues to use the same sight and setup.
I tried it, even bought a bow for it instead of using someone's but couldn't get comfortable shooting right handed. Len-In-Md does it and talked me into trying it. He wears a release on both hands while hunting to be able to shoot all directions without hnderence. BTW, I'm opposite eye dominate.
I'm a lefty and have taught myself to shoot a bow right handed for the purpose of trying bows before buying them. I wouldn't try to switch at this time, but in the off-season try shooting some bows righty with both eyes open and see what happens.
