# Right handed, left eye dominate?



## kb8wgb (Nov 8, 2013)

I have two kids that I signed up for beginner archery lessons, to make sure that they like it before spending the money on bows for them. I'm a bow hunter and shot competition in high school, so i know a few things about archery. When the kids showed up for there first lesson and fitting for bows, they checked the kids for which eye was dominate and that is how they were fitted for bows.

When i first started it was are you left handed or right handed and that is what you shot. Is this something new? i need advice from other shooters on which way i should fit these kids for bows, i'm right handed and right eye dominate and it just seems to me being right handed and trying to shoot left handed would be strange. maybe I'm wrong. Help!!!


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## Bucman (Jun 29, 2016)

kb8wgb said:


> I have two kids that I signed up for beginner archery lessons, to make sure that they like it before spending the money on bows for them. I'm a bow hunter and shot competition in high school, so i know a few things about archery. When the kids showed up for there first lesson and fitting for bows, they checked the kids for which eye was dominate and that is how they were fitted for bows.
> 
> When i first started it was are you left handed or right handed and that is what you shot. Is this something new? i need advice from other shooters on which way i should fit these kids for bows, i'm right handed and right eye dominate and it just seems to me being right handed and trying to shoot left handed would be strange. maybe I'm wrong. Help!!!


I'm left eye dominant and shoot right. I just close my left eye.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Bucman said:


> I'm left eye dominant and shoot right. I just close my left eye.


Same. 

Reckon I've been reasonably accurate doing so... 

Set your kids up with their dominant hand in mind, not their dominant eye. 

It's far easier to close an eye than it is to overcome a lifetime of physical and mental development.


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## SWMbruiser (Jan 25, 2012)

Yes supposed to use the dominant eye that way one eye doesn't get closed affecting depth perception. I have co-dominant eyes. So one is getting closed anyway. I would go with what is comfortable for the youngsters. Don't want them to get frustrated practically starting over in my opinion


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## thegospelisgood (Dec 30, 2012)

Didn't find out I was left-eye dominant until after I bought the bow. But, if I close it the right eye re-focuses and I can re-open my left if I choose. But - it's best to just leave it closed. By time I've acquired the target and prepare for release - depth-perception is kind of irrelevant.


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## Hoytman5 (Feb 1, 2008)

I am right handed, left eye dominant. I can't close my left eye so I decided to just start shooting left handed and I'm glad I made the switch. It didn't take that long to get used to and it actually felt more natural that way. I prefer to shoot with both eyes open, not only does it help with depth-perception, it enables you to see better in low light conditions as well as having a quicker, more accurate view after the shot.

If it were my kids I'd start them out left handed. I wouldn't want them to learn any bad habits when they are just learning that might affect them as they grow with the sport, namely proper form and sight alignment.


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## matt76cmich (Jan 25, 2011)

As a very right handed person who is left eye dominate i will echo whats been said already. Shoot left handed. My dad started me shooting my BB gun left handed when he noticed me trying to aim with my left eye while holding it right handed. Flash forward 23 years later when i decided to pick up a bow. I first tried shooting right handed and it just felt weird and i was missing deer left and right (not to say a little buck fever didn't play in there lol). I found a used left handed bow and figured why not at least try it. Best thing i ever did. I am still as right handed as a person can be, but shooting long guns and bows are done left handed and i credit that to starting at a young age shooting that BB gun left handed, just feels natural.


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## kb8wgb (Nov 8, 2013)

Thanks for the reply. Looks like i'll be looking for some left handed bows


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## Hoytman5 (Feb 1, 2008)

It won't take long and you'll be happy you did. Good luck.


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## bluegill bardy (Feb 27, 2009)

My wife has the same issue with eye dominance, cannot close her left eye and was not strong enough to draw 25# left handed. Her first year shooting she used a patch to cover her left eye and this worked great on the 3D course but not so good in low light hunting situations. 

Her current setup: Instead of eliminating her strong eye, we have modified things a little to embrace it (no more eye patch!). I moved the sight bracket on the inside (left side) of the riser, removed the peep sight and added a kisser button. When she is at full draw: her right eye is closed(eliminates double vision issues she had with both eyes open), the kisser button is in the corner of her mouth and the string must touch the tip of her nose. This keeps the anchor point consistent every shot. She has started using her sight level bubble as a reference for level and her groups are even better for it. If you do this, make sure the sight bracket allows enough horizontal movement to get the pins far enough to the left. 

This has been 4 yrs of tinkering to get it just right. Her accuracy and consistency is at a point that she can no longer shoot at the same spot twice out to 25 yds or she's busting nocks. Now that we have a good system her goal for 2018 is to increase her draw weight.

This is another option if switching to a LH bow does not work out. Good luck!


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## 454casull (Jan 6, 2005)

Good choice, they will progress much better using their dominant eye. Not saying they can't use the "other side" but if they are just starting out go with eye dominance. LH stuff does present a challenge been going through that from the beginning!


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## cdacker (Jan 10, 2011)

I'd stick to what's more comfortable for the kids. Have them try both and let them decide. 
I'm right handed (mostly) but left eye dominant. Shoot a rifle left handed but a bow right handed. It's easy to train the eyes when shooting a bow ... I start by closing the left eye, settling on target, then I open my left eye and use both.


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## ShedAntler (Oct 20, 2011)

I am right handed and shoot right handed, but left eye dominant, and I cannot close just my left eye. I have been bow hunting for 40 years now, and it took me almost 20 years to find a set-up that works well for me. I always shot with both eyes open, and just dealt with the double vision of looking at the sight pin. Although I killed plenty of deer this way, it just never felt comfortable, and I also believe that it led to some poor shot placement. It wasn't until I mounted a red dot scope on my bow that everything felt comfortable. This allowed me to look through the scope with my right eye, while my left eye (dominant) was seeing everything else. This set-up really increased my confidence, and my accuracy too. It feels exactly like shooting a scoped rifle with both eyes open.


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## SJC (Sep 3, 2002)

My wife and two of our kids are right handed and left eye dominant. After lots of headache trying to shoot right handed, they all now shoot both guns and bows very well left handed.


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## hawgeye (Mar 3, 2011)

My son was left eye dominant, insisted on getting a right-hand bow. He was dead on when he target practiced. His first youth hunt he had a nice buck come in, he shot right in front of it, twice. He forgot to close his eye when his heart was pounding out of his chest!


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Hoytman5 said:


> I am right handed, left eye dominant. I can't close my left eye so I decided to just start shooting left handed and I'm glad I made the switch. It didn't take that long to get used to and it actually felt more natural that way. I prefer to shoot with both eyes open, not only does it help with depth-perception, it enables you to see better in low light conditions as well as having a quicker, more accurate view after the shot.
> 
> If it were my kids I'd start them out left handed. I wouldn't want them to learn any bad habits when they are just learning that might affect them as they grow with the sport, namely proper form and sight alignment.


I totally agree. I live with the problem of being right handed and left eye dominant but I didn't start shooting till I was in my twenties and didn't know any better. If I had kids just starting out I would have them start shooting with the hand that matches their dominant eye. Will save problems later.


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Mid 90's while in the military I smashed my right hand. Go figure, time for my rifle qual. Tried to postpone it but I was told to improvise and overcome. Best advice ever for me. I learned how to shoot south paw with right eye dominance. 

Hardest part was learning to trust my left eye and what my brain was telling me, if you will in laymen's term.

I still shoot better lefty with the handgun and comes in handy in a treestand to be able to shoot from either without moving to much


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## sparky18181 (Apr 17, 2012)

I am left eye dominate and right handed. I shoot bows and rifles/shotguns left handed. The problem comes when I shoot a handgun. I shoot that right handed and left eye, which is difficult to get behind the sights. After years I ended up sighting my handgun shooting with my right eye. If you can, I would try to get them to shoot everything either right handed or everything left handed. I wish I would of done that, it would of made things easier for me.


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## JVoutdoors (Sep 23, 2013)

Interesting feedback to your post. While not qualified to speak to bow shooting with this issue, I spent alot of time teaching people how to shoot pistols and shotguns and determining which eye dominance early on for those who did not know. very common and found that making the switch was best but imagine it would be difficult with a bow vs pistol. Good luck and thanks for taking your kids shooting and hunting.


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## bucksnort73 (Aug 29, 2006)

My daughter is ambidextrous, but writes left handed. Throws a ball right-handed. She is left eye dominant so when we got her fitted for a bow, we chose to have her shoot left handed.


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