CHECK YOUR NEW SHOOTER'S DOMINANT EYE!
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I've used that method before and according to such I'm left eye dominant, I shoot and aim right handed and eye just fine however. I can group under 1" at 50 and 75 yards with a 12GA rifled slug gun open sights, under 1" with a .357 pistol at 20-25 yards, under 1" with a 10/22 at 50 yards using factory sights, all right handed and right eye.
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just now came across this post but have been preaching it for years. When i started hunting i was just given a gun and told how to shoot. I shot right handed because I did everything with my right but could never close my left eye so i just leaned across. never was real accurate and it took me getting busted in the head by a scope as I missed my first buck to realize something was right. switched to left handed and voila, a miracle!! now shoot bows and guns left handed, must admit its a bit tough because i am still trying to use my left hand bu much more accurate.....wish i'd seen this post back then!
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500 Posts
Here
Here guy's this is what this is for mounts to rifle scopes and bow sights and scopes and spotting scopes..
at the bottom of the page..
http://www.missouriwhitetails.com/forums/viewthread.php?tid=154793
Here guy's this is what this is for mounts to rifle scopes and bow sights and scopes and spotting scopes..
at the bottom of the page..
http://www.missouriwhitetails.com/forums/viewthread.php?tid=154793
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7,128 Posts
I myself do everything in life right-handed except shoot. Due to my left-eye being dominant, I'm forced to this stuff backwards. But that's not why I'm posting. I was just reading an article the other day in my golf magazine about left/right eye dominant. They said that some people are neither right or left eye dominant, but both eyes are the same (forget the term they used). Just thought I'd post this in case someone is struggling trying to figure out why one of their little ones isn't coming up with a dominant eye.
A few facts I found:
Approximately two thirds of the population is right-eye dominant and one third left-eye dominant; however in a small portion of the population neither eye is dominant.
Also, this was interesting.
t is possible to change eye dominance by actively suppressing the visual field of the dominant eye. This is achieved with an eye patch bandage that covers the dominant eye, with adhesive tape around the patch perimeter.
The eye patch does not need to be black to blot out all light, and the dominant eye does not need to stay closed. The eye patch simply presents the dominant eye with a static unchanging visual field containing nothing of visual importance, and the brain is forced to rely on the suppressed eye for visual information.
The experience does cause irritation and frustration for the eye patch wearer since their visual capabilities for comprehension will be reduced until the brain starts to adapt to not being able to use the dominant eye.
A few facts I found:
Approximately two thirds of the population is right-eye dominant and one third left-eye dominant; however in a small portion of the population neither eye is dominant.
Also, this was interesting.
t is possible to change eye dominance by actively suppressing the visual field of the dominant eye. This is achieved with an eye patch bandage that covers the dominant eye, with adhesive tape around the patch perimeter.
The eye patch does not need to be black to blot out all light, and the dominant eye does not need to stay closed. The eye patch simply presents the dominant eye with a static unchanging visual field containing nothing of visual importance, and the brain is forced to rely on the suppressed eye for visual information.
The experience does cause irritation and frustration for the eye patch wearer since their visual capabilities for comprehension will be reduced until the brain starts to adapt to not being able to use the dominant eye.
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I am right handed but also left eye dominate. I throw and write right handed. I shoot a bow, gun, and pool left handed for the most part. I can shoot a pistol eaqually as good right or left handed. When I bird hunt or shoot clay I shoot right handed mostly but I can shoot left handed just as good too. When I have to use sights or a scope, except a pistol, I have to shoot left handed. I have to shoot a left handed compound bow because it is impossible to line up my peep and pin when using it right handed. If I'm shooting a recurve, long bow, or compound instintively I can shoot it either way. For instance when I am bowfishing I shoot a right handed recurve. My parents said when I was learning the throw and write I kept wanting to use my left hand but they forced me to use my right. My family is a big rodeo/team roping family and they knew I couldn't rope as good if I was left handed. When I played baseball I could throw just as hard and accurate with my left hand as I could with my right, and I could bat just as good either way.
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I had heard that you put 1 finger up, all the way out in front of you and placed it on an object 30 yards out, with both eyes open. Close one, then the other, the one that stayes on target is the dom. one. I'm right eye dom. Playing around the other day I was sitting in the garage and had a fence post out about 10 yards with my truck mirror lining up about 20 more yards out. Left eye lined up on it. I do shoot with a scope as well right handed or left.
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:wave: Used my method listed in my original post in this thread tonight. Was able to tell my wife's cousin that his 3 year old boy was left eye dominant.
He was shooting a nerf gun right handed, and leaning over it to look down the 'barrel'.
:wave: Check 'em early, and get 'em used to the way that's right for their body!
Parker
He was shooting a nerf gun right handed, and leaning over it to look down the 'barrel'.
:wave: Check 'em early, and get 'em used to the way that's right for their body!
Parker
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7,128 Posts
When I bought my bow, my wife was asking why I bought a left handed one. I explained the eye dominance. I tested her, and then naturally they kids wanted to know their dominate eye. Curiously enough, we are all right handed, but my wife, my 6 year old and myself are all left eye dominant. My eight year old is right eye dominant. With the results my 3 year old was reporting, she could be either, both or perhaps even blind. 
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Didn't read all the posts in this so it may have been covered. At my 8 year old's last eye doc appointment, I asked them about checking eye dominance in kids. What they do is give the kid a camera and tell them to take a picture using the peephole. They always bring the camera to their dominant eye. :cheers:
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Can this be changed? What I am saying is my son is right handed yet left eye dominant. With the use of an eye patch, can this be corrected?
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[rquote=2792875&tid=100960&author=JeffCoSteve]Can this be changed? What I am saying is my son is right handed yet left eye dominant. With the use of an eye patch, can this be corrected?[/rquote]
No. You want to change his handed in shooting. He should shoot left handed.
His eyes will take over in a heated moment. Buck fever, etc.
If you know this is the case, you should help him do it the eye dominance way the first time.
If you want to know how frustrating it is to do it the other way, which you would be forcing with an eye patch, go run a 40 yard dash, and then pick up your rifle and try to shoot it off-handed.
Parker
No. You want to change his handed in shooting. He should shoot left handed.
His eyes will take over in a heated moment. Buck fever, etc.
If you know this is the case, you should help him do it the eye dominance way the first time.
If you want to know how frustrating it is to do it the other way, which you would be forcing with an eye patch, go run a 40 yard dash, and then pick up your rifle and try to shoot it off-handed.
Parker
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7,128 Posts
[rquote=2792875&tid=100960&author=JeffCoSteve]Can this be changed? What I am saying is my son is right handed yet left eye dominant. With the use of an eye patch, can this be corrected?[/rquote]
It can be changed. It doesn't take as long to change in children as their eye dominance isn't fully set until about 10 years of age.
Eye dominance can change for anyone for a multitude of reasons. The change can be temporary or permanent. Sometimes it can change simply due to age.
My oldest daughter has had two eye surgeries, my 2nd daughter one surgery. Both were required to wear eye patches for months in attempts to avoid surgery. Since I'm right handed, but left eye dominant, I've always been interested in eye dominance. I have talked to their doctor (Steve Goodrich) quite a bit about ocular dominance during our time spent with him. According to him eye dominance is just a simple means for our brain to perceive depth. It really doesn't matter which eye is dominant, only that one is. Some people don't have a dominant eye, or have one that is so weakly dominant that it can switch regularly and instantly. These people often have trouble focusing on a single target, as the eyes will fight for dominance.
So, the short of it is, you can change the eye dominance. I don't know why you would do this, since it's not an over night fix and asking a kid to wear an eye patch isn't a fun thing. My kids hated wearing the patches. They would cry, and they were painful to take off sometimes. Also, if you kid is older, there is a chance that he will get ridiculed at school. I don't think it's really worth it. I've shot plenty of right handed guns. I buy right handed shotguns, whether pump or semi-auto. Only my bolt action guns are left handed but I have used Right handed ones. My bow is left handed, and I don't think I could manage aiming a right handed one.
It can be changed. It doesn't take as long to change in children as their eye dominance isn't fully set until about 10 years of age.
Eye dominance can change for anyone for a multitude of reasons. The change can be temporary or permanent. Sometimes it can change simply due to age.
My oldest daughter has had two eye surgeries, my 2nd daughter one surgery. Both were required to wear eye patches for months in attempts to avoid surgery. Since I'm right handed, but left eye dominant, I've always been interested in eye dominance. I have talked to their doctor (Steve Goodrich) quite a bit about ocular dominance during our time spent with him. According to him eye dominance is just a simple means for our brain to perceive depth. It really doesn't matter which eye is dominant, only that one is. Some people don't have a dominant eye, or have one that is so weakly dominant that it can switch regularly and instantly. These people often have trouble focusing on a single target, as the eyes will fight for dominance.
So, the short of it is, you can change the eye dominance. I don't know why you would do this, since it's not an over night fix and asking a kid to wear an eye patch isn't a fun thing. My kids hated wearing the patches. They would cry, and they were painful to take off sometimes. Also, if you kid is older, there is a chance that he will get ridiculed at school. I don't think it's really worth it. I've shot plenty of right handed guns. I buy right handed shotguns, whether pump or semi-auto. Only my bolt action guns are left handed but I have used Right handed ones. My bow is left handed, and I don't think I could manage aiming a right handed one.
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Just remember that, for DEFENSIVE handgun shooting, you ALWAYS want to rely on you dominant eye AND your dominant hand rather than trying to "teach" your body to do something that is totally non-instinctive such as using your non-dominant eye or non-dominant hand for primary operations. I've had a number of students over the years who have had to un-learn years of "training scars" that were put in place by otherwise well-intentioned parents and/or coaches who were just trying to "help".
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If you take a 3 year old kid and teach them that they need to shoot a Nerf gun on their shoulder that's on the same side as their dominant eye, their body will naturally be ready to shoot a pellet gun.....22.....20 gauge....etc on that side.
I agree with golfnut on the eye patch thing. If you want to make something not fun for a kid....add an eye patch. I have seen very few kids (SHEDHEAD's kids) appreciate wearing an eye patch while shooting.
My oldest boy's (17y.o.) eye dominance has changed this past year to left due to an eye injury. He is right handed, was right eyed, and now he is left eyed. He is very frustrated with the idea of changing to a left handed bow this summer, but he knows it is time to make the switch now, rather than fighting it. He experienced this 'problem' this past fall with his right handed bow when buck fever hit him. Neither one of us knew what the problem was though. Now we know.
Parker
I agree with golfnut on the eye patch thing. If you want to make something not fun for a kid....add an eye patch. I have seen very few kids (SHEDHEAD's kids) appreciate wearing an eye patch while shooting.
My oldest boy's (17y.o.) eye dominance has changed this past year to left due to an eye injury. He is right handed, was right eyed, and now he is left eyed. He is very frustrated with the idea of changing to a left handed bow this summer, but he knows it is time to make the switch now, rather than fighting it. He experienced this 'problem' this past fall with his right handed bow when buck fever hit him. Neither one of us knew what the problem was though. Now we know.
Parker
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[rquote=2793040&tid=100960&author=cshoff]Just remember that, for DEFENSIVE handgun shooting, you ALWAYS want to rely on you dominant eye AND your dominant hand rather than trying to "teach" your body to do something that is totally non-instinctive such as using your non-dominant eye or non-dominant hand for primary operations. [/rquote]
For immediate defense, I agree, but for shooting from a barricade, you horribly expose your body if you are leaning out from your non-dominant side. :shrug:
I see this as a reason to learn to shoot with each eye, and with each hand. Do you agree?
Parker
For immediate defense, I agree, but for shooting from a barricade, you horribly expose your body if you are leaning out from your non-dominant side. :shrug:
I see this as a reason to learn to shoot with each eye, and with each hand. Do you agree?
Parker
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[rquote=2793064&tid=100960&author=Parker][rquote=2793040&tid=100960&author=cshoff]Just remember that, for DEFENSIVE handgun shooting, you ALWAYS want to rely on you dominant eye AND your dominant hand rather than trying to "teach" your body to do something that is totally non-instinctive such as using your non-dominant eye or non-dominant hand for primary operations. [/rquote]
For immediate defense, I agree, but for shooting from a barricade, you horribly expose your body if you are leaning out from your non-dominant side. :shrug:
I see this as a reason to learn to shoot with each eye, and with each hand. Do you agree?
Parker[/rquote]
Being able to shoot with either hand can be important, but to your point regarding leaning from cover/concealment on your support-hand side, I don't agree. If you are using your cover/concealment properly, and "slicing your pie" as you should be, any additional exposure you might show from your "weak" side is minimal at best. It is always a much less efficient process to rely on your "weak" attributes to perform a task that requires as much strength and dexterity as you can muster. Not to mention the gross misuse of training resources you would have to expend to actually develop a weak-side response that would ever be close to the equivalent of the response you can already deploy using your dominant attributes during the stress of an actual lethal force encounter.
As to "learning to shoot with either eye", the truth is, once we understand the concepts of sight alignment and sight picture, not to mention the concepts of combat accuracy and kinesthetic alignment, we don't have to spend much time or energy "training" our "weak" eye to be able to properly sight a firearm. In the event that your dominant eye becomes injured, it is very natural and very instinctive for the human mind to shift dominant duties to what was before, the non-dominant eye.
Sorry to derail the thread. We can start a new one and have the mods delete the off-topic stuff here if you'd like. Won't hurt my feelings.
For immediate defense, I agree, but for shooting from a barricade, you horribly expose your body if you are leaning out from your non-dominant side. :shrug:
I see this as a reason to learn to shoot with each eye, and with each hand. Do you agree?
Parker[/rquote]
Being able to shoot with either hand can be important, but to your point regarding leaning from cover/concealment on your support-hand side, I don't agree. If you are using your cover/concealment properly, and "slicing your pie" as you should be, any additional exposure you might show from your "weak" side is minimal at best. It is always a much less efficient process to rely on your "weak" attributes to perform a task that requires as much strength and dexterity as you can muster. Not to mention the gross misuse of training resources you would have to expend to actually develop a weak-side response that would ever be close to the equivalent of the response you can already deploy using your dominant attributes during the stress of an actual lethal force encounter.
As to "learning to shoot with either eye", the truth is, once we understand the concepts of sight alignment and sight picture, not to mention the concepts of combat accuracy and kinesthetic alignment, we don't have to spend much time or energy "training" our "weak" eye to be able to properly sight a firearm. In the event that your dominant eye becomes injured, it is very natural and very instinctive for the human mind to shift dominant duties to what was before, the non-dominant eye.
Sorry to derail the thread. We can start a new one and have the mods delete the off-topic stuff here if you'd like. Won't hurt my feelings.
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