eye dominance and instinctive shooting

[jeffp51]

I saw a thing on youtube that said if you are left-eye dominant but shooting right-handed, it becomes difficult to line things up properly with both eyes open. I am ambidextrous, which for me means equally uncoordinated with both hands--but definitely left eye dominant and a right handed shooter.

Was the youtube video hogwash that I should ignore, or is there some means of compensation (closing the left eye, maybe) or am I doomed never to have a tight shot group?

[Pat B]

If you shoot instinctively its not much of a matter. It might make a slight difference but I doubt its noticeable to most folks. Consistency is more important, IMO.

[JoJoDapyro]

How far off are your groups? My brother in law is right handed, shoots guns right handed, but shoots his bow left handed. My uncle taught me when I was but a lad to shoot with both eyes open, because you don't always down your target with one shot. Two eyes open with a scope takes some getting used to, but it is easy to re-aim and shoot again if you do. When I sold guns at a sporting goods store years ago I noticed that a lot of military and law enforcement also sighted with both eyes open. I don't know if that is taught, or what. Practice makes perfect. My nephew is left handed and can shoot right or left handed, and can also aim with his right or left eye no matter what way he holds his gun 

[jeffp51]

At 15-20 yards I hit a 2 foot square target about 80% of the time.  If it was a deer, I would not have much confidence of making a clean kill.  There are a lot of factors that are probably contributing--lack of practice, questionable spine on my arrows, etc.

[Pat B]

It sounds like you should concentrate of other shooting issues and not worry about your eye dominance.
 Another option would be to start from scratch by learning to shoot left handed and learn the fundamentals all over again. You have a year to make the switch, practice and improve your shooting before next years hunting season.

[half eye]

I'm right handed and left eye dominate, and shoot bows instinctively with out any issues. Instinctive shooting involves both eyes open so eye dominace should not be of any effect. It's an issue when you close one eye to aim. Even when the right eye went blind it is still not an issue. I am a hunter, not a target shooter though. Also I dont shoot past 20 yards tops, and also dont shoot on "bad" angles.

I consider myself an ethical hunter, and would not bow hunt at all if there was any doubt about accuracy.
rich

[jeffp51]

I agree with you Pat.  I have to work on a consistent release and on getting the arrows tuned right.  Right now there are so many factors that it is hard to tell which is creating the biggest portion of the errors.  the eye dominance thing just sounded so strange I wondered if anyone else had heard the same thing.  I have no problem shooting a rifle, but I can't hit jack with a shotgun.  With archery I tend to shoot both eyes open, but wondered if I should start closing the left to force my right eye, which is lined up with the arrow better, to do the work.

[jeffp51]

I'm right handed and left eye dominate, and shoot bows instinctively with out any issues. Instinctive shooting involves both eyes open so eye dominace should not be of any effect. It's an issue when you close one eye to aim. Even when the right eye went blind it is still not an issue. I am a hunter, not a target shooter though. Also I dont shoot past 20 yards tops, and also dont shoot on "bad" angles.

I consider myself an ethical hunter, and would not bow hunt at all if there was any doubt about accuracy.
rich

That helps.  Right now, all I am thinking about hunting are targets.  Maybe someday, but I need to be a lot more confident about my shot than I am so far.

[half eye]

generally your groups are large because you are "aiming" at too large a spot. I concentrate so hard on a "spot" (like an asprin tablet) that I dont even see the deers head or butt like tunnel vision on that spot.....so much so that at the release all you see is the arrow "appear" on the spot (and then dissapear if a pass through). You really have to resist that temptation to "peek" to see if he's looking back at you because if you do it will generally be a clean miss (if your lucky) or a wounded deer.

AINT BEING A KNOW IT ALL, just saying what has been my experience since my starting back in the 1960's.
rich

[Pat B]

Aim small, miss small!  Start with a 12" circle then reduce it to a 6" circle, than a 3" circle then a dot. If you can keep it inside the circle move down to the next and so on. Train your eye to focus on a small spot and like Rich said eliminate everything else in your vision. The arrow will go where you are looking if you do your part.
 It might be a help to read a book like G.Fred Asbel's "Instinctive Shooting". There are other authors also but G. Fred is where I learned to shoot instinctively. You might even find a copy at your public library.

[punch]

I wouldn't worry about eye dominance for instinctive shooting.  TBB Vol 4 had a really good section on shooting, it helped me a lot.  I find I shoot best when I aim at a dot and completely clear my mind.  And most importantly is comes down to lots of pratice.

[Pappy]

I shoot right handed and am left eye dominate and also shoot with both eyes open, I do alright but if I had known when I was younger or had just started I would have switched to left handed shooting. Don't want to start an argument but with both eyes open your target will be drawn to the dominate eye , you can learn to overcome that as many of us have done but it does make you wonder how much better you could have been if you had done it the right way to start with, on the other if you close an eye then it don't matter, you have no dominate eye to draw to ,you do loose your depth perception with an eye closed but for 20 yards or less shooting that really isn't a factor, I am not saying for sure which is best but like I said if I had it to do over I would shoot with the hand that matched my dominate eye.  JMO just like everyone else.
   Pappy

[jeffp51]

I am in the same boat Pappy.  Started shooting when I was around 8.  Too late now for me to switch hands. Thanks for the advice.

[DesertDisciple]

I'd like to chime in if you all don't mind. 
I'm right handed and very strongly left-eye dominant, and have very poor vision in my right eye. I have no doubt that with years of practice, eye dominance can be ignored, as is the case with many folks I hear from. However, in my case, and this is also my suggestion, switching to shooting southpaw made all the difference in my accuracy and confidence behind a bow (and rifle!). Shooting with your non-dominant hand may feel clumsy at first, but I can say that it felt immediately more instinctive to draw the arrow to my dominant eye. It just 'felt right', and that goes for rifle too. I'm an Army Infantryman and shoot expert lefty, and can say I never would have qualified if I'd tried to keep shooting right handed. Just my .02

[Pat B]

That's a good point, Andrew. Plus, being able to shoot right and left handed can come in handy is some hunting situations...and at some 3D targets.