# Advice for my son who is left eye dominant but shoots right handed



## sherman51 (Oct 28, 2018)

I am right handed and shoot a rifle left handed. I also shoot pool left handed. but when I got into bow hunting I shot right handed. as im left eye dominant I tried a left hand bow. but it just didnt work for me. I would go ahead and let him try the left handed bow. but then id let him decide which one he feels most comfortable with. I did just fine shooting right hand even though I'm left eye dominant.


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## 2stix-and-a-string (Feb 11, 2020)

I'm the opposite, but same dilema.
I shoot a recurve with no sights & both eyes open.
I shoot my shotgun both eyes open (it has been very beneficial for trap and skeet because I can get on the target faster)
I shoot my rifle, with scope, both eyes open.....again, very beneficial.
when shooting open iron sights i shoot with both eyes open but do catch myself closing my left eye occasionally (I shoot right handed).
When I played baseball i could bat either hand. I was better left handed but had more power right handed.
I think I was better left handed because right handed i tended to try to swing harder than needed.
i suggest letting him do what's comfortable for now, as he gets older he will figure it out.
I never had anyone tell me to shoot with both eyes open but as an adult, when people would find out i did, they would often try (trap & skeet), and usually had a very difficult time doing so.
don't "force" anything upon him at this young age......he will lose interest because it will destroy the fun and get to be too serious.
i recall teaching myself to shoot my BB gun with both eyes open and it carried on as I got older.
don't forget to keep reminding him that safe, responsible shooting is most important and practice will make him a better shot.
Enjoy!


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## 454casull (Jan 6, 2005)

Its already been said, he will progress faster using his dominant eye. Start at low poundage and up close paying great attention to his form. Make sure his DL is spot on not "close enough". I'm left eye dominant and have always shot lefty. guns, bowling, writing I do righty because thats what my parents did and (firearms) by what we saw on TV growing up. I taught myself to shoot a bow right handed so I could tune as I was a tech for a time. He's at the age where he will step back a little then make quick forward advancements.....


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## big buck 75 (Sep 6, 2010)

Try the left handed bow if it doesn't work he can shoot right handed and close his left when he is settling his pins on the target. Not ideal but it will work. I think it will be easier for him to learn to shoot a gun left handed.


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

Firefighter said:


> Practice.
> 
> I shot IBO competition for years and did very, very well.
> 
> ...


what he said


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## bowhunter1313 (Oct 17, 2005)

Totally agree with letting him shoot right handed even if left eye dominant ......thats how I shoot. Ya u have to shoot with one eye open.....but from a motor skill standpoint....i simply cant do anything left handed nearly as well as right handed be it shooting or sports..and i did try quite hard in baseball in my early teens for a few years...if he wants to shoot right and is better let him. I played a ton of ball and coached and would see parents make the kids who were right handed learn to hit left to get scouts attention and most even after years were just not as smooth....we could pick them out without being told usually.... we would talk parents into letting them go back to natural right hand hitting. After being taught for years to hit left handed they would go back to right and be better after a month as it came naturally....there r some who can do it for sure....but most will never be as good if they switch in my opinion. ..and that y the art of switch hitting has died in baseball...even pros had one side or other they were much better with so they quit the other







....if he struggles lefty.....dont force it....he will overcome shooting 1 eye open.....attached is a 75 yard group i shot recently that my son took a pic of....for me personally...no way could i come remotely close to that left handed as i simply am not smooth at all opposite handed.....good luck to him and let him choose....dont make a big deal either way....he will figure it out and kudos to teaching your kid archery


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## Old Shortstop (Jun 6, 2006)

I am left eye dominant and started out shooting RH. I made the switch at about 24 years old and my shooting improved dramatically. It felt weird to nock and arrow and draw for the first week or so and then a whole new world of accuracy opened up to me.

D.P.


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## bowhunter_22 (Jul 18, 2013)

When my wife and I first started dating she is right handed, so without even thinking about eye dominance bought her a right handed bow. After two years of struggling to shoot consistently and with her ready to quit shooting a bow my dad suggested we check her eye dominance as my mom is right handed but left eye dominant and shoots left handed. We switched her to left handed and she started driving tacks and now begs me to shoot with her


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## timbrhuntr (Feb 4, 2009)

When I started to shoot bows I was pushed into shooting right handed basically because I was right handed and they had right handed bows. I always struggled. Well 3 years ago after struggling and looking for a new bow because of shoulder and elbow issues the guy at the shop said hey I have a lefty bow that got traded why don't you try it. From the first shot I was like man why didn't I do this 30 years ago. I now shoot way better than I ever did with a right handed bow.


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## Matt3ddsteel (Jan 10, 2002)

I am right handed but left eye dominant. My dad told me from a young age I should be shooting left handed but never wanted to. So I've been shooting right handed my whole life. I should probably at least try left handed, but oh well. I have no problem putting kill shots on deer so I guess that's all I care about.


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

Smudge the lens of his left eye and it will force his right eye to take over. 
Trap shooters put a small round sticker on the left lens. Both work 

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk


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