# Im lost...left handed right eyed????



## troutcc (Dec 5, 2009)

My 10 yr old has taken up archery again after a 4 year hiatus. He has been very interested in archery since a very early age. At 6 we were attending a 4H archery class and he loved it. Well rules changed and he was not allowed to continue because of age had to be 8... anyway he wants to continue and we're gonna encourage him... Where I'm lost? Well he's left handed been using a right handed recurve and now a compound bow. Well we were told he is right eye dominant. We've ordered him a new bow, prior to his eye dominant knowledge, its a left handed compound bow. His teachers have said that that he'll do much better with the left handed bow. Anyway, I really trust these gentleman, but just checking to hear others opinions on this left/right handed bow and his newly discovered right eye dominance thing. Opinions? Comments? Thank you all for your expertise...

Sincerely,
Luis


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## jspeights (Feb 5, 2010)

My wife is the same problem except she is right handed and left eye dominant. Should see her look through a scope. Funny as he**. Glad you posted this question. Hope you (and I) find some answers. Good luck.


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## chapman53559 (Jun 19, 2009)

I'm a lefty with right eye dominance. I shoot right handed with a bow and gun. I hold a pool cue in the right hand. I golf either way, but right feels better. He should go with what feels better. He can't train his eye though it is what it is.


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## Outearly (Nov 17, 2009)

My son had the same issue, discovered about the same age, but reversed - left eye dominant, but right handed. My advice is to go with what expert teachers say. My son continued to shoot a right-handed bow.

When it came to wing shooting, he was very uncomfortable due to technique -taught by dad, of course. We took him to Vicki Ash at American Shooting Centers and she got him fixed fast. He shoots right handed and is a beautiful wing shot.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

I am 34 years old and found out a few years ago that I am rght eye dominent but I shoot a bow and a gun left handed. I really struggled bird hunting shooting like that. I have zero issues shooting a bow left handed. I have a left handed recurve and a left handed compound. I shoot both great and have a much easier time pulling them back. Its great to be left handed in a right handed world cause you learn to do things either hand. I also have a 1957 66" ben pearson recurve with no shelf so I can shoot off my hand lh or rh. If he is like a lot of other lefties he should very ambidextrous. I kick left footed, play pool left handed,golf right handed. throw right handed, write left handed. I know I'm all screwed up.


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## Chunky (Oct 15, 2006)

I know several people with this issue. "The experts" say, that if you can comfortably change and shoot with the side that the dominant eye is on, you are better off and will shoot better.

If this feels to ackward to you and you just can't do it, you can compensate for it. I know one archer who wears a patch over the dominat eye to force the other eye to compensate. If you are using a peep and sight pins it is a lot easier that shooting with both eyes open instinctive...like with a recurve or shotgun.

Best of luck.


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## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

Since he has already been shooting right handed this entire time then it will make since to buy a right handed bow and shoot right handed..Walker


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## atcfisherman (Oct 5, 2006)

I am a true ambidextrous, but only shoot my bows left-handed and I am slightly right eye dominant. Somethings I do more with the left and some more with the right, but I can do all with both. But, I think I have always been slightly right eye dominant. It isn't very much, but it is barely more dominant. I say go with what they suggested.


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## Aggie Chris (Jun 5, 2005)

I am right handed but left eye dominant. I do everything in life right handed except shoot a bow or shotgun. With a rifle I am ambidextrous but more confortable shooting lefty. I don't think there is a right or wrong here, just goes with what feels best for him and develop it.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

The eye dominance issue is more of a problem for a shotgun due to the need for both eyes open to pick up the target. For weapons with sights like bows and rifles the eye dominance is not nearly as much of an issue as only one eye, dominant or not, does the sighting. The fix for shotgunners is to patch the dominant eye and the other becomes dominant.


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## troutcc (Dec 5, 2009)

*Thank you all...*

It was good to know that my kid wasn't an exception... We will take the experts advice and see how it goes and now have information to make more informed decisions for the future...

Luis


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

I'm a big proponant of shooting from the side of your dom eye, my son just got a new Hoyt and although he's left eyed he got a R handed bow, I voiced my objection before he got it BUT he still got it and IMO he's handicapped hisself. One thing most don't know IF you shoot with both eyes open you WILL add 15-20 minutes of shooting time which IMO is huge not to mention you'll know exactly where your arrow went. It could take a little time learning to shoot from the other side BUT there is no dought it will be worth it all in the end. One thing I will do is check my grandsons eye dom and get him a bow accordingly and I don't care what daddy says, but by then I'm thinking he'll be on the same page. BTW when I found out my son was L eyed I did buy him a L handed Darton 20 yrs back, he gets the 'hardheaded' stuff from his mom...WW


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

IMO any expert or teacher that says you can shoot as well R handed EVEN if your L eyed is NO expert nor should be teaching PERIOD, I'm not speaking of punching paper or anything other than a hunting situation, I'm neither a teacher or expert but do consider myself well versed in shooting....WW


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## troutcc (Dec 5, 2009)

thank you guys and girls. Luis's son


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## stevg (Aug 31, 2008)

I am shooting sports instructor and you need to change him right away or he will never reach his potential.He is a young shooter and will be able to make the change.We have binocular vision and our eyesight focuses at a point with dominant eye overpowering the weaker eye.Some people don't have a severe dominant eye and can perform with right or left hand mount.When you don't focus properly you could see double targets when shooting.Take him to good instructor who knows about eye dominance.


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## scubaarchery (Oct 7, 2010)

*Shoot with the same hand as the dominant eye*

I agree with Stevg. You are much better off switching him to the bow that matches the dominant eye. He may be able to overcome this while shooting on a range, however in a hunting situation when instinct takes over, he may end up missing deer because of sighting with the wrong eye. Unfortunately, I am speaking from experience... I am right handed left eye dominant and shot for years before I realized that I was left eye dominant in the military and switched to a left handed bow. Much more accurate that way.


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## Cowboy1uhB (Nov 19, 2008)

I have nothing to add other than I think my daughter has the same issue and...

Did you hear about the Aggie who said he would give up his right arm to be ambidextrous?


Ok..infract me.


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## osobrujo (Jan 13, 2005)

I agree with everyone saying that he should shoot his dominant side, forcing him to shoot right handed will just cause him problems later on, when he shoots a shotgun or a pistol.


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

My friend is this way right handed blind in his right eye, he shoots both gun and bow right handed. Pretty good shooter to, he just leans over a little more.


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## elpistolero45 (May 9, 2010)

Cowboy1uhB said:


> I have nothing to add other than I think my daughter has the same issue and...
> 
> Did you hear about the Aggie who said he would give up his right arm to be ambidextrous?
> 
> Ok..infract me.


How do ya get a one armed Aggie outta tree?
Say "Man... that's a big booger in your nose!"


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