Eye dominance in traditional archery?

[Patriot-2000]

I'm in the same boat .. Right Handed and Left Eye dominent. I had to close my left eye to shoot the best. When I was on the All_Army Rifle Team one of the Trap & Skeet guys used a small circle of semi-clear tape over the lefteye and it works plus you can use the peripial vision

[Deb]

I am right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot everything right handed and shoot just fine, I keep both eyes open.

Me, too.

[bob sarrels]

I am left eye dominate and shoot right handed. I was right eye dominate until 25 years old when my left eye was injured in a freak carwash accident (another story for another day). I had to wear a bandage over my left eye for 2 or 3 weeks and when the patch came off I was left eye dominate. This tells me you can change your master eye. My master eye is prone to switch back and forth and by blinking my left eye quickly I am master on the right for just a moment. I can swap my univision contact lenses from eye to eye and become right eye dominate, but I am not crazy about wearing them. Some years back I built myself a lightweight left handed bow to try to convert but I am so right handed that I could barely put the arrow on the string. I tried to shoot that way for awhile but looked like a spider monkey humping a grilled cheese sandwich. I will stick to right but for you , who is just getting started in trad, I would highly recommend you start with a left handed bow. You will be money ahead in the long run. JMHO. Bob

[jmack]

"When shooting instinctively, it matters not which eye is dominant." Jay Kidwell and Glenn St. Charles

[RickBarbee]

I am hopelessly right handed, and am left eye dominant.

I tried shooting left handed, and hated it even when I got where I was able to do it.
Just never felt natural to me.

I tried wearing a patch to train my right eye to take over naturally. That worked a little but it didn't last. Especially if I am tired. If I am tired, my left eye is going to take over no matter what I do unless I close it.

Personally I think all the hype about needing to switch to your dominant eye side is a bunch of phooey.

I'm not saying switching will hurt you any. I'm just saying it isn't as necessary as some would have you believe it to be.

I never had a problem with it until folks started trying to fix it for me, then I went through a couple of years of unnecessary torture before I realized I didn't need to "fix" anything, but instead just learn to use what God gave me to work with.

Learn to use what ya got, and you can shoot just as good cross dominant as you can otherwise.

Rick

[M-2]

Well, Deb just got back from the IBO World Traditional Championship, was the ONLY woman shooting wood arrows out of her recurve, she is right handed/left eye dominant, and she was 4th out of (she thinks) about 40 women, and only 4 pts away from 3rd place - all the while, dealing with a severe migraine.

I'd say it is possible to shoot accurately, with right hand/left eye.

[PigskinDave]

Well to update everyone, I think I'm gonna make the switch. I have a friend who let me borrow a 25# recurve (boy scout model i think) with a shelf on both sides. So after the initial shock of doing something left handed I'm getting the hang of it and actually throwing some pretty good groups up.

I plan on getting a Samick Sage and trying to gradually increase the draw weight. So, assuming the added weight doesn't just destroy me, I think I'll end up being a noob lefty traditionalist.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

Well to update everyone, I think I'm gonna make the switch. I have a friend who let me borrow a 25# recurve (boy scout model i think) with a shelf on both sides. So after the initial shock of doing something left handed I'm getting the hang of it and actually throwing some pretty good groups up.

I plan on getting a Samick Sage and trying to gradually increase the draw weight. So, assuming the added weight doesn't just destroy me, I think I'll end up being a noob lefty traditionalist.

Good deal, if I can help give me a call..

[cfree5119]

I am the same way.... right handed but left eye dominant. I grew up shooting guns left handed (except handguns). However, I have not begun to shoot handguns lefthanded and am comfortable with it. Did the same thing with bow. Shot right handed and then made the switch to lefthanded. You become very comfortable quicker than you think and you shoot way better!

[LostHawg]

I shoot cross dominant. Hasn't been a problem. I would recommend you try both ways if possible and decide what you're comfortable with.