# Right handed with dominant left eye



## JohnR

*Right handed/left eyed*

Shoot right handed...this is your stronger arm, etc. so use it. 

It is easier to retrain the eye than handedness. The eye can be closed, covered, or obscured to cause the 'aiming eye' eye to take over. With my students I use cheapy sun classes and pop out the lens of the eye I want them to use... the shade obscures the vision of the opposing eye but does not eliminate vision entirely. :shade:

If you are shooting "targets" at known yardages you don't need depth-of-field that much, so closing the opposing eye can work. 

Give it a try for a while! Good luck.


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## HOOKER MAN

Have a good friend that had the same problem. I had him put his nose on the other side of the string. Worked very good for him. Been shooting better since. He struggled for years. Wishes I would have been around many years earlier. At least now he is enjoying to shoot! Give it a try!!


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## bagel77

just put the string on the other side of my noses?? really? aren't you turning your head? just want to make sure i am understanding this. If so I will try it in the off season


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## stephenmgj

*More input*

Thanks for the replies so far. At this point I am just looking to try archery again and have no idea what activities it may lead to. I don't have any real shooting experience of any kind and so no "habits" to undo. I am not overly concerned with pulling the heaviest bow appropriate for me and so do not feel the strength difference between my left and right arms will be significant. I am intrigued with the mechanics of archery and the role of the left and right hands in the process. Surely there are pros and cons for having the dominant hand for either role - might my right arm not be better able to control the bow in terms of steadiness of the arrowhead and aim? Another consideration is that my young daughter (8) is left handed. I was thinking that if I got something like a Genesis compound bow she might be able to shoot it as well and if I decide I want to get more involved I can "graduate" to something designed for adults. From what I am reading on the net (yes, with a pinch of salt) there are a lot of recommendations to go with my dominant eye over my dominant hand so it is interesting to see to opposite coming from the real world - thank you so much for the tips and the practical experience.


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## Wildfork

I bought my 7 year old son his first bow this year. At the shop we realized that he was left eye dominant and they strongly recommended that I put him in a left hand bow. But he like you is right handed. I decided to stay with the right hand bow and let him learn to close his left eye, he shoots great with no issues. I think it is easier to close the left eye that try to use your weak hand. JMO


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## bagel77

MRIDEAL2006 said:


> Have a good friend that had the same problem. I had him put his nose on the other side of the string. Worked very good for him. Been shooting better since. He struggled for years. Wishes I would have been around many years earlier. At least now he is enjoying to shoot! Give it a try!!


any chance of getting a pic of this?? want to make sure i understand it


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## bagel77

ttt


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## kw1

i have a friend that is near blind in his right eye. he is right handed he leans his head over the string to use his left eye weird towatch him shoot if you have never him shoot.he had to drop a in on dl though


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## 69_gator

I am right handed and left eye dominant and struggled for a long time shooting right handed. The last bow I bought I made the switch to left handed and it felt wierd at first. I do not see any issues now though. If you plan to shoot instinctive, left handed is the way to go because you will be able to use both eyes when shooting.


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## mackwoodeye

I'm getting back into archery after 15+ years and have the same dilemma. I'm contemplating buying a cheap left-handed bow that I can experiment with before I drop big bucks on a setup that I may not like. 

I shot left-handed for the first time at a store and was surprised how easy it was to pull back 60 pounds with my left arm. However, when I put the release on, I felt like a child tying his shoes for the first time. It was a weird feeling, but since I'll be teaching my left side some new mechanics, I'm hoping that I can learn the right ones this time around.

I only shot a few shots, but learned that I want to close my right eye, probably because I've always needed to close one eye. I then tried to keep both eyes open and that was another new experience. I think that I'll need to train my brain to start relying on my dominant eye instead of fighting it.


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## Goodrich

*eye dominance*

You can always train your body the mechanics of shooting with either hand. If you are left eye dominanat and try shooting right handed you will struggle with keeping focus and it will always feel odd. I say go lefty my friend, you will be better off in the long run.


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## SandSquid

It is not insurmountable go either way, you just need to stick with one way or the other.

You can try wearing an eye patch while shooting, or getting some clear lens shooting glasses and completley block the dominant side w/ black paper, etc.


When I tore my Long Bicep Tendon and Labrum in my left shoulder and was later recovering from multiple surgeries, I started shooting using my right arm to hold the bow and a chew-tab to draw with my teeth.
It only took about a week to remap my vision. Quite surprisingly I found that I shot better this way. When I could start to use my arm again I was not strong enough to support a bow in my left hand but I could draw with it, so I started shooting left handed. Again my accuracy and scores left handed were better than I ever shot right. According to my Level-4 coach this is most attributed to the fact that when I started shooting left handed, I knew what I should be doing properly and just did it, rather than try and correct 20+ tears of ingrained flaws shooting right handed.

It is still painful and frustrating to shoot right handed but I persist, mainly because I own so many right handed bows and it would be very expensive to switch to left hand!


Anyway, if you want to really get sleepy check out this paper:
Visuomotor transformations for eye–hand coordination


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## Archer917

I also am right handed left eye dom and I have always shot left handed bows guns even pool! This summer I switched to a right hand bow tried all summer to learn to shoot it, it just wouldn't happen mind still wanting to do it left handed. I could shoot it pretty good just kept wanting to do it left handed.
So I sold the right handed bow and I am waiting on my new left handed one to get here, I shot better left handed anyway. Guess you cant teach an old dog new tricks.


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## watermedic23

My son has the same issue and shoots left handed. I think it will also benefit you in the long run to shoot left handed. You will be a better shot and more comfortable. I wouldn't want to wear a patch deer hunting. I like to shoot both eyes open. You will not be able to do that right handed especially in low light conditions.

Try it left handed, you may be surprised how easy you catch on.


Chuck


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## hoggr9

*try both*

Got my wife to start shooting about 12 yrs ago.
After buying her first bow we realized she was left eye dominant but right handed.She had to used an eye patch to keep both ayes from closing.
This past summer she tried a friends LH bow.
Her new bow is now LH.She says she is so much more comfortable now and can see so much better bow.However she is having to work up the poundage.So far she is shooting very well and much more comfortable shooting lefty.Hope this helps.


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## Silent Bear

stephenmgj said:


> I am wanting to get back into archery after many years. I remember having some difficulties with the fact that my left eye is strongly dominant over my right but I am right handed. My previous bow was right handed but I am wondering if I might be better off trying to shoot left handed. I do a few thing left handedly but I am not very dextrous with my left hand in general. Any advice or suggestions would be very welcome.


Yes I am the same way, I shoot instinctively with both eyes right handed and it doesent bother me but I could see if your were using a fancy bow with sights I could see the trouble aiming with one eye


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## sroush

I am a left eye dom. and shot right handed for 20 years. I started shooting ASA last year and struggled. A freind of mine recommended changing to left handed. It took me about 2 weeks to figure it out ( the mechanics ) but my shooting improved dramatically. I would recommend to anyone, shoot your dominate eye.


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## riverrat09

I'm personally right handed and left eye dominant. I don't have any problems shooting right handed. When i bowfish i shoot instinctive and it works just fine and when i'm hunting deer i use sights and it works fine as well.


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## cptbrain

I am also right handed/left eye dominant. I shoot everything lefty. Been doing it long enough that it feels totally natural and trying right handed is alien. Give it a try.


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## woodbnek

After 10 years of shooting right handed with a dominant left eye I made the switch 26 years ago. Very painful selling beloved right handed rifles, shotguns and bows but, very necessary. You should shoot the same hand that your dominent eye is reguardless of the shooting discipline. Shooting with both eyes open allows you to shoot relaxed and to see better. Consistency is the key to all shooting disciplines including shooting the bow. Start out with less draw weight and train your body to shoot with your your right arm extended and release the arrow with your left hand. Anchor consistantly, *keep both eyes open* and, focus on the target. Stay relaxed, smoothly squeeze the trigger (assuming a release) and follow through with both eyes open watching your arrow hit the target X. My shooting scores and success improved dramaticly after the switch. Being relaxed means higher scores, better accuracy and more game.


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## hoyt316

*Left eye dominant right handed*

I shoot with a blinder. I would try this they are cheap $10 at most. I have shot right handed all my bow shooting life,and I'm left eye dominant and right handed.I'm not the best shot out there but i can hold my own on a 3d course.


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## mightybaron

I have a friend that was blind in the right eye and shot right handed by putting the release under her chin. We all went to a Dave Cousins seminar and he seen that and wondered why she was doing that. He instantly took her bow away and picked up a left handed Genisis bow and told her she was changing. She blank baled for about 2 months or so and then started shooting for scores and shot very well. I wold change over if I was in your shoes. I shoot right handed all the time but a friend of mine is left handed and every now and then I pick up his bow and shoot it and I can shoot it very well that way. Just cant do it for very long tho till I weak out but if I kept it up would be ok. You will be a lot better off going left handed and maybe Dan will see this and he can explain more about his wife changing.


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## SandSquid

You could try and rig something like the Double Vision Blocker out of cardboard, etc. ala:


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## wheelie

I am right handed and lost sight in my right eye, I bought a 50 to 60 pound left hand used hoyt bow that I could not even pull back. Sat in front of tv all last winter pulling it back and now I can pull back 55 pounds with no trouble at all. May take some work changing but worth it to continue the sport we love. 
Being a lefty sucks!!!!!!! Every rifle in left is 100 dollars more than the same one right handed. Bows are limited in what they stock from sights and all excessories. Just all takes paitents.


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## mathews24-7

No matter what you should shoot your dominant eye. In the long run you will be much better off. It may be alien at first but be persistent and it will pay off. I sell and service bows everyday and see countless people that try to shoot right or left handed because of convenience(had the bow, was given it, got it handed down to them, ect..) even if its not the correct hand. You will be constantly fighting yourself if you try to retrain your eyes. You may think your trianing it but its only when your shooting. As you continue your day to day routines your dominate eye takes over again. Using a patch or closing an eye may work but your not gunna wear a patch hunting and you lose depth perception when you close an eye. DO NOT JUST PUT YOUR NOSE OVER THE STRING. Unless its the last resort and nothin can help you. check children for eye dominancy early so they are started the correct way. dont just assume they are right eye dominant because you are. Take your time and practice practice practice. Hope this helps
Aaron


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## lkrus

i to am right handed and was right eye dom several years ago i lost central vision in my right eye so i had to switch to left handed i picked it up pretty easy how ever i am not able to shoulder a gun left handed so i just stick to archery it keeps me plenty happy switch left you wont be disappointed buy a cheap left hand bow off ebay(dont have to be any thing fancy ) to practice before you put any big money on a new bow. the hardest part was learning to pick the bow up with my right hand instead of left


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## farm7729

Same situation here. Ive shot left handed since i started. Its funny cuz my dad is the exact opposite (laft handed/right eye) and he shoots right handed. I would choose the eye over the hand. But one thing is for sure, its alot harder to find what u need.


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## bbloom96

Since you are kind off starting out, I would highly recommend going lefty.


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## TPZK5

mathews24-7 said:


> No matter what you should shoot your dominant eye. In the long run you will be much better off. As you continue your day to day routines your dominate eye takes over again.
> 
> 
> I agree with this quote; I am right handed but realized quickly I am left eye dominent: There is nothing to really "change this" in day-to-day activities. I don't think you can train your right eye for archery and then go back to daily activties with your left. When I first started archery, my boyfriend realized quickly I wasn't seeing well shooting right handed: I made the switch to shoot left-handed, and with a bit of practice you will be much better off in the long run. I think you can train your body muscles much easier then the focus of an eye.
> 
> After I realized this dominant-eye issue, I had to make the switch with my shot-gun which was much harder since I was so used to right-handed. However; upon practice it came MUCH easier to me because I could actually SEE!!! GO left-handed and practice, worth it in the end!!


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## fishinpox

I have this same issue. I have been hearing a lot of people talk about shooting a bow with both eyes open. I was thinking about trying it until I read this thread. As a right handed shooter that is left eye dominant will trying to shoot with both eyes open even be an option? I remember when I first started shooting a shotgun I couldn't hit a thing. Finally figured out that if I found the clay with both eyes open, then quickly closed the left eye my shooting improved drastically.


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## ArchAngelixi

I am right handed and left eye dom as well, I learned this when I was learning to shoot skeet. At first all people could say was that I needed to shoot left handed and i would improve dramatically. Well, I am a left handed idiot... I cant throw a wadded up piece of paper in a trash can from 5 ft with my left hand. (probably an exaggeration, but you get the idea) So, naturally my Scottish heritage kicked in and I told people in the nicest way possible to piss off, and started doing what felt right to me. This is by far just my opinion, but I applied the same principal to archery...I just tilted my head a bit farther over the string. (I noticed earlier in the thread that someone recommended putting your nose on the other side of the string...same basic idea) It may work for you...it may not...yeah you kinda look like a goober...but your friends arent laughing anymore when you robin hood one of their arrows.:wink: :darkbeer:


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## Duck Dodgers

So let me see if I have this correct. I am blind in my right eye, I am also right handed. I am just seriously starting out in the this sport. So I should pick up a left handed bow and shoot left handed. That is the consensus here, right?


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## woodsman78

*yep*

Yes if you want to develp good form and consistant shot yes that is the way to go it is not as hard as one might think its just getting as much practice as you can later Clyde


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## turkeysroost

ABSOLUTELY SHOOT LEFTHANDED. I eat , write shoot gun throw ball ALL RIGHT HANDED, but since I'AM LEFT EYE DOMINANTE I can only shoot bow left handed .It was slightly awkward for the first few days .But now I could not switch if I wanted to. I was able to shoot well enough to place really well in national 3d competitions. It will just take a little getting used to... GOOD LUCK LET US KNOW IT TURNES OUT.


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## Fldeerslayer

I'm left eyed & right handed. I've trained myself to shot right handed & last year got a hindsight & really like it. The hindsight was a big help for me it makes shoting a bow more like iron sights on a gun.


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## SnackPack

Ive shot right handed with a bow for five years and im left eye dominant. i have no problems.... i can tack a nickle at 60 yards..... i still do other stuff left handed like shoot rifles and fish.. so u shouldnt have any problems...


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## Postless65

PeepEliminator.com They make a Right handed bow, left eye dominant or left handed bow right eye dominant rear sigh that allows you to shoot with your comfortable hand but dominant eye. It is a rifle V sight in the rear and you can use what ever front sight you prefer. I am also right handed and left eye dominant, tried shooting a left handed bow, and it did not work for me. Almost gave up on archery until I found this little secret. I was not used to shooting peep sights so the switch was very easy for me. Hope this helps!:dancing:


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## stephenmgj

*Thanks for all the advice - I went LH*

Thanks to everyone for the posts. I decided to go left handed and shot better with the LH bow for the first time shooting in about 15 years than I ever remember shooting RH! I deliberately went with a Genesis bow because I am not interested in hunting or competing, just to shoot for fun and didn't want the weight of the bow to be a barrier to getting back in and enjoying archery. I am not going to say I hit the target every time but I am confident that when I have missed it has been due to poor form on my part and the misses have all been near misses. I am convinced that having my dominant arm controlling the aim of the bow, coupled with my better eye sighting, is a big factor in this. I am not well coordinated with my LH but even so I have not found anything weird in shooting that way - it is such a simple movement and your jaw / face provides so many anchor points for consistency that it felt just fine. I have never shot with a release so I don't know about the mechanics of that aspect.

Again thanks for the thoughts and suggestion and I hope this thread helps some others fighting with this dilemma.

Regards,
Stephen


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## da swiss guy

I have the same problem. I found the best thing you can do is go to your local archery shop and try shooting both style of bows. it is much easyer to learn to shoot lefty than to close your dominant eye.


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## SARASR

Peep eliminatior makes a sight bracket specifically for this condition so you can shoot dom. hand aim dom eye. My son (9) has this condition and shot for two years intinctively with no percievable issues (I NEVER KNEW) until I put a sight on and arrows flew everywhere! He chose to go instinctive and at his age I figured as long as he had fun with it let him decide.


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## philhoney

Hi
My 8yr old grandaughter is RH but LED. When she started she was told by the coach that she would have to shoot left handed but she just couldn't do it. The club bow she was using was a cheap jelly bow that could be shot left or right. After watching her struggling for a few sessions I suggested to her that she changed hands but not to tell the coach. There were quite a few kids shooting so he did not notice. All six arrows hit the target where left handed she would be lucky to get one in. The next end the coach noticed but did not say anything until she had finished and then said to her, "Sorry, I was wrong, You shoot better right handed".
Now,a year later, she has a proper right handed compound bow complete with sight, peep, stabiliser and launcher and uses a release aid. She has won her bronze and silver junior acheivment medals and is getting close to obtaining the gold.
I would not force anyone to shoot LH because they are LED. I would let them try both ways and let them go with whatever feels best.

One thing that several archers on a UK forum with the same problem have tried with some success is an extended sight pin. They shoot right handed but use their left eye. The pins have been specially made because they are not available in the shops.
Phil


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## NoSights

*Left eye, right hand...*

That's ME! I shoot a left hand bow, keep both eyes open and not worry about it. It was easy to learn, works real well, and I don't need a lot of "gizmos" to try and correct the problem. Like my "name" on here says, I shoot a compound bow without any sights. :darkbeer:


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## paulanaussie

shoot a left its easier than messing with other items, I am in the same boat, I learnt to shoot as a lefty.

right or left it don't matter beacause you still gotta practice which eveer way you go.

good luck!


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## mike 66

*i get this a lot..*

if your right handed use it. its better for ya. when you ancor . just close left eye. thats simple. no problem:shade:


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## Snowmiser

OK i'm new to archery but not to this subject as a kid my grandpa taught me to shoot with my left eye after he witnessed me trying to lean over the barrel of my shotgun to aim and I couldn't hit didly squat well he worked with me and i've found that shooting with my dominant eye has helped me shoot better seems like I can stabilize a rifle/shotgun far better this way just my .02


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## hyun

I have the same problem, and I shoot with my left hand. Can't shoot with my right hand anymore because I lost all the muscles. Just tried it the other day and it was terrible. Can't aim, can't pull, and can't hold on to the string.


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## fish1552

*You might be surprised*

As a left hander, that plays sports right handed and shoots left handed, changing eye dominance might not be the best option for you. Sure, you can retrain your eye, but building the muscles is just as easy - even more so for a new archer still getting the feel for the stance.
Some people end up being righties, but only did so because they were inadvertantly forced into it as kids. However, the brain still excels on the side it wanted to use first. I would try learning the left handed method and see what happens. It might be your true hand.
From *my* perspective, I see it also as right-handed coaches maybe not feeling comfortable teaching them to shoot lefty - it feels awkward to them. We humans like our comfort zones. 
I used right-handed bows for years, mainly because that is what I had available. But finally using a left handed bow, I would up being much more accurate.

Just my 2 cents.


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## Hunter6673

My eyes are weird. I am right handed and used to be right eye dominate and shoot bow and shotguns with both eyes open. Then all of a sudden I started shooting to the left of everything that I shot at. I did the eye check and found I was now left eye dominate. Evidently this is not that uncommon as we get older. My left eye sees things that are close and my right eye sees things at a distance. I taught myself when I use a shotgun to find the target with both eyes open then close the left eye to shoot. I shoot a bow with my left eye close. 
Basically if you get to a point were you can't hit your butt with both hands check your eye dominance.


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## viperarcher

stephenmgj said:


> Thanks to everyone for the posts. I decided to go left handed and shot better with the LH bow for the first time shooting in about 15 years than I ever remember shooting RH! I deliberately went with a Genesis bow because I am not interested in hunting or competing, just to shoot for fun and didn't want the weight of the bow to be a barrier to getting back in and enjoying archery. I am not going to say I hit the target every time but I am confident that when I have missed it has been due to poor form on my part and the misses have all been near misses. I am convinced that having my dominant arm controlling the aim of the bow, coupled with my better eye sighting, is a big factor in this. I am not well coordinated with my LH but even so I have not found anything weird in shooting that way - it is such a simple movement and your jaw / face provides so many anchor points for consistency that it felt just fine. I have never shot with a release so I don't know about the mechanics of that aspect.
> 
> Again thanks for the thoughts and suggestion and I hope this thread helps some others fighting with this dilemma.
> 
> Regards,
> Stephen


I am very glad to hear that you went with a left handed bow! Great choice !


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## 3one3

This is a PERFECT topic for me as well. I too found out I have an extreme left eye/right hand complex. Today was my first time trying a bow and after the eye test the dealer strongly suggested that I go LH. Just holding the bow felt extremely weird with my right hand, even using a 50-60# bow turned all the way down to 50, the drawback was very odd to me. I didn't shoot very well for the six or so arrows I sent down to say the least. Now, he switched me over to a 60# RH bow and closing my (dominate) left eye and shooting just "felt" better. My arrows were grouped into the two inner circles at around 15yds (rather then different loca of the outer circle with the LH). I'm already used to doing this bc I do it while firing a handgun. I honestly wouldn't mind learning to shoot correctly, since I'm new to the sport BUT the hitch is that my left shoulder (rotator cuff) was injured while lifting weights and is constantly sore. The motion of drawing the bow back hurt to a slight degree, whereas using it (left arm/hand) as the stabilizer felt perfectly fine. My question is, should I go to a LH 40-50# and learn to shoot dom eye or continue to keep my left eye close and stay what feels more "comfy"? Thanks for the help everyone.


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## Thunderwolf

It depends on what you are shooting in my opinion. If you are shooting instinctive bare bow, I never suggest to any archer to 
worry about eye dominance over bodymind dominance. However using any "aiming" system is a different matter.
So there is not one answer to this question. By aiming system I am referring to gap shooting or any gun barrelling or equipment aids, these depend on eye dominance for sure, but not bare bow shooting. Well this is my opinion anyway for what it is worth.


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## ALASKA

This topic seems to be for years ago, now after years of experiences, what do you suggest a right handed/left eye dom?
Going on left handed bows or close the left eye while shooting?


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## dadrick

While the thread is 3 years old the opinions and information are current. I am RH/LE and will be coming back to shooting Olympic style after a shoulder replacement and have been in a quandary since finding out about cross dominance and the two schools of thought. I think I will be attempting LH when the time comes. First with an inexpensive and light DW bow while the shoulder heals.


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## ALASKA

dadrick said:


> While the thread is 3 years old the opinions and information are current. I am RH/LE and will be coming back to shooting Olympic style after a shoulder replacement and have been in a quandary since finding out about cross dominance and the two schools of thought. I think I will be attempting LH when the time comes. First with an inexpensive and light DW bow while the shoulder heals.


Thanks a lot I should try that for sure


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