How to tell eye dominance in a 6 yr old

[Big Dave2]

I just came back from gamefair fri and while my boy was doing a little archery shooting there, a nice volunteer told us that he may be left eye dominant. I feel like such a dope because I never even thought to check for that. He is left handed but has been shooting a right handed bow for months. How do I tell for sure which eye is dominant? I used to know how to do this or at least I know I read it somewhere but I have forgotten. HELP!

[lawdog]

A good thread about dominance issues here:

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=833199&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=21&fpart=1

To tell, just have him point at something and then shut his right eye, if he's still on the same spot, he's left eye dominant. Or have him shut his left eye and see if his point of aim changes, same difference...

[Big Dave2]

Thanx lawdog, that was a good thread. I am going to check his eye dominance first thing in the morning. I am almost certain he is going to be left eye dominant, which is ok since he is left handed but I am going to have to think harder about this left handed stuff. I may not be able to just hand down my guns to him. I don't know much about this lefty business. I love being right handed!

[Gordie]

my boy is in scouts and at camp they showed us a simple way to check eye dominance you have your child put his hands out in front of his/her face arms strechted out and placethumbs and index fingers together to form an up side down heart then focus on somthing thur your hands using your thumbs like a rear sight with both eyes open, close one eye than then other what ever eye the object stays in the same spot as when eyes are both open that is the dominant eye. hope this helps and is not to confusing.

[Gissert]

My Dad noticed that I was left eye dominant at about the same age. He spotted it by observing me shouldering a gun. I would put it up to my right shoulder, and then I would sight down the barrel with my left eye. I was really hanging my head over the stock to get the right sight picture. I was too young to realize I was even doing it, I guess I my brain just naturally had me sight with the master eye.

Dad happened to be left eye dominant/right handed too. He just had me switch the gun over to my left shoulder. Since I was just getting started, it was an easy switch to make.

I think this is pretty common. I have seen kids sight down the barrel with the left eye while shooting right handed on TV shows on several occasions.

Just have him shoulder a gun on his right side and see which eye he lines up on the barrel. If he sights on his left eye, he is probably gonna be left eye dominant for sure. You should still confirm it with the tests the others have listed.

Being a left handed shooter has been a plus for me. I can still shoot right handed bolt guns, though I have to take the gun off my shoulder to cycle the bolt. Semi-autos and pumps are no big deal, even though the shells ejecting in front of your face can be annoying. Bottom ejecting pumps are the ticket for this.

The big plus for me has been hunting with right handed shooters - especially in a duck blind. Just when the right handed guy is running out of swing, the lefty is getting into his sweet spot, and vice-versa. Very deadly for the birds. This is also a nice combo when hunting upland birds too.

[Code-Man]

Easy way to find out which eye is dormant.

Have the kid put his hands together in front of him having Pointer fingers touch and thumbs touch and make a small gap in between. Second step have him focus on something more then 40 yds out. Tell him to pull back on his hands and bring it to his eye without closing an eye. IF you do this correctly it will go to your domant eye. Easiest way to do it. Do it yourself and that way you can help your son out. When I took hunter safety they did this so that way we knew which eye we should be using. My old man is left eye dominant with him being right handed. Sucks for him for shooting his bow when he picks it up but what can a person do. Hope this helps.

Code-Man

[Big Dave2]

well, I tested him this morning and sure enough he is left eye dominant. Only problem is I need to re-teach him everything I have already taught him, which is probably not much!

We took a drive over to cabin fever to check on some left-handed bows. I wish I would have already done all of this before I bought his first bow. The right handed "brave" bow that he has was probably 40 or $50 and now I may need to add a lot more to that because cabin fever wanted $149-$179 depending on which model we choose. But it may be worth it in the long run because these are way better bows and plus they offer free lessons and practice sessions if you buy the bow from them.

Thanks everyone.

[fishnhooks]

Maybe you can think of it more this way. It maybe will cost you a little more now, but the fun he will have will be price less. Good luck and hope you guys have fun!

"hooks"

[Code-Man]

Atleast he is young. If he was older it would be harder. Can't teach an old dog new tricks HEHEHE. But I'm doing wonders with teaching my old man how to shoot

[NELS-BELLS]

$149 - Thats not bad for a LH youth compound bow. I haven't seen anything under $199. It bums me out that there aren't any entry level compound bows under $100 for kids that are lefty's.

My son is 8 and he is left eye dominant. He has been shooting a fiberglass recurve ($35) to develop his shooting form and eye. I figured his draw length was going to change a lot over the next few years and I refuse to spend $200 on a new compound bow every other year.

Nels

[Big Dave2]

Quote:

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$149 - Thats not bad for a LH youth compound bow. I haven't seen anything under $199. It bums me out that there aren't any entry level compound bows under $100 for kids that are lefty's.

My son is 8 and he is left eye dominant. He has been shooting a fiberglass recurve ($35) to develop his shooting form and eye. I figured his draw length was going to change a lot over the next few years and I refuse to spend $200 on a new compound bow every other year.

Nels

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The $149 one he would brobably outgrow right away.

The one they showed me for $189 had a lot of room to grow and like I said before they throw in a couple of free lessons and some free shooting sessions.

I'll probably get that one this winter when there is not as much to do outside.

[Nova]

I got the PSE youth bow for both my twin boys when they were 13 years old. The one that is left eye dominant just had the draw length extended for the second time and it is perfect. I think there are up to 4" of adjustment on these bows and now it is at the longest(27" I think) and pulling 57lbs. They are really good bows and this will be his 4th year with it. Unfortunately I think next year he will have outgrown it. $200 for 4 years of use isn't bad though.