Shoot with both eyes open or just one eye?

[moose_bay_traders]

O.K.

This question has drove me nuts for years and I need to take a poll. When aiming and shooting your bow do you-

: shoot with both eyes open

or

: close one eye and use your dominant for aiming.

All of the pictures I have seen of the pros shooting it appears that both of their eyes are open. I have tried it both ways and I am still stuck on one eye shut.

What do you do?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Both eyes open... if you shut one eye, you loose depth perception. I shot for about 3 years right handed, but I am left eye dominant.. I now shoot left handed(but am right handed) and am 10times a better shooter now than I was as a right handed shooter.

Both eyes open!!!!! Or bust!

[moose_bay_traders]

Dont you have trouble getting a good site picture through your peep with both eyes open?

[traveler]

One eye for me...by the time I'm at draw, depth perception (distance to target) has already been determined and all I need to do is point and shoot. I have tried both eyes, just doesn't seem to work for me.

[VMS]

Both eyes open.

When I started to make the switch, what I did was start out with one eye shut, drew the bow, got my open eye lined up, then opened the other one. It took a little time, but after about 3 sessions of shooting, I was able to keep both eyes open. The beauty of the dominant eye is that when you line it up, your dominant eye will naturally focus through your peep.

Both eyes open gives you perspective a bit more, which can be argued as being needed or not once you have your target aquired. As a league shooter, both eyes open helps to make sure you are aquiring the correct target. I've seen it happen many times where a tournament shooter who uses one eye closed aimed at the wrong target and blew a good score.

Either way works fine, but if you switch to both eyes open, I'll bet you never go back.

Steve

[lawdog]

I'm sure its best to shoot with both eyes open be it with gun or bow, but I am right handed and left eye dominant. I can't shoot a gun or my bow with both eyes open. I also can't switch to shooting lefty which is probably the other option...

[Mark Christianson]

Same as lawdog for me.

No problems shooting with one eye open whether it be rifle, scattergun, bow, whatever.

Spent my whole life using one eye and have made it work.

[shae1986]

Used to shoot one eye open until i was about 12 or 13 then trained myself to shoot with two eyes open, its just more comfortale and i think helps me shoot better, especially for moving game such as ducks and geese, with my bow, i guess i really dont know. I think i might have to do some research here one day on that.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Quote:

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Dont you have trouble getting a good site picture through your peep with both eyes open?

---

I guess through practice, no.. I dont notice and problem with my sight window at all.. For me, I feel I am a much better shooter with both eyes open.

For those of you that are older and right handed and left eye dominant I know its hard to teach an old dog new tricks.. for any that are younger with this, try and teach yourself to shoot left handed.. Yes its a little harder to buy gear... But think of it this way.. your dominant arm is now your aiming arm. I cant tell you how much more steady I can hold left handed over right... The only thing was having to build the muscles in the left arm to pull the bow back. Now my left hand only has to pull the trigger, my stronger more dominant right arm is doing all the work... I shot league for a few years before I switched... I broke my high score after about 2 weeks of shooting left handed and then later that year shot my first ever perfect 300...

[Cooter]

I shoot with both eyes closed,...I mean open I think it helps you focus on the target vs the pin and with practice the pin will be where it should.

[moose_bay_traders]

I think I am going to give VMS tech. a try. I always thought it would be better to shoot with both eyes open when bowhunting. I am a right handed shooter and right dom.but sometimes get peep fuzz while shooting.

[96trigger]

My biggest problem with shooting with one eye was losing my field of view when it got dark. At dusk, it got darn hard to see the animal through the peep. As soon as I started shooting with both eyes open, I started getting deer because the sight naturally lined up where I was aiming and I was able to see the whole deer, not just what was in my peep. It made a huge difference in my confidence and my accuracy while practicing.

[Eric Wettschreck]

For the record, I'm not Robin Hood, but I ain't bad either.

I do not use sights as they really screw me up. Old dog new trick thing. I've been shooting bow since child hood, no sights. I've tried and it's just really weird so I don't use em.

Bow and gun I keep both eyes open. I get much better depth percepiton with 2 eyes. My 2 eyes combined are about as good as some other guys 1/2 eye. In other words I have bad eyes and need all the eyesight I can muster.

[Royce Aardahl]

I do it both ways. When I am target shooting indoor I prefer closing my left eye. While hunting or 3D shooting I keep both eyes open. I used to always close the left eye but as I age it seems to work better outdoors with both open. With a shotgun I close my left eye. boilerguy if you ever want to try sights again go to a pro shop and get some good advice. I shot barebow many years ago and the sights really can help. Disreguard the last 2 sentences if your freezer is full of venison.

[setterguy]

I just realized I am in the same boat, Deitz have any tips on things to do or not to do when making the transition from right to left? I have never been a great shot, and have really struggled with distances over 30 yards and have decided that going to the dominant eye might be just what I need.

[Deitz Dittrich]

setter-theolder you are the harder it will be, I made the switch over when I was about 20...But it was just a matter of doing it, and building the muscles in your non dominant arm. Try and get a few shots in each day at a porshop and have them watch your form. Your going to want to do it right so that you can learn good musle memory. maybe try and find an inexpensive bow at first incase it doesnt work out for you. Most importnat is the bow must fit you perfectly.

[setterguy]

Thanks, I'll see what I can do. Do you recommend any pro shops in the area??? Is Gander the only place you can shoot around here?

Sorry, didn't mean to hi-jack the thread.....

[Eric Wettschreck]

Eyeguy thanks for the tip. I've actually gone to a couple of proshops and tried. I've missed a shot or 2 in my life and I know I can always get better. I've tried and tried and tried different sights on my bow. I think I just have to stick with what got me there.

I surely wish my freezer was full, but we eat a lot of vension and I have 2 teenage boys and it's like only half full now.

[Deitz Dittrich]

setter, there is a nice shop in St.Croix falls with some very good shooters there. Otherwise I do most of my indoor at the Gander in forest lake... Talk to Chris Wosika, he is a lic archery instructor... and a good friend of mine, he can help you out.. Otherwise, give me a hollar, and I'll meet you there someday.. Ive done a bit of teaching myeself

[harvey lee]

I have always hunted with one eye open and it has worked well for me. Maybe I might be a better shot with both open but its hard to teach a old dog new tricks. As long as the deer continue to fall, I will shoot with one eye.

[Mark Christianson]

Ding Ding

Harvey gets the prize.

Exactly my stance.

If it works, don't fix it.

[96trigger]

Agree, I am a much better target shooter with one eye closed, but I really hated to lose the deer at dusk. In my case it was broke, I had to fix it . Its whatever you feel comfortable with. Maybe with a new bow and new peep, I'll start shooting with one eye again, but probably not.

[moose_bay_traders]

I guess I'm still a little confused. All of the ads that I've seen in the archery magazines show the pro-shooting with both eyes open. I am just curious if that is the accepted way of shooting in tournaments. It would probably be beneficial for me to shoot with both eyes open as I start to get a little older (43). If I shoot with one eye closed and then try with one eye open the arrow will hit on different spots on the target. I guess I will have to experiment a little more before i can finally be decided what way is the correct way for me. I have been doing this for about 10 years now you think I would get it right by now!

[metrojoe]

I'm right handed, left eye dominite. I have to close my left eye to shoot.

I can't kill them deer any deader. Not changing now, but if I were just starting out, I'd shoot left handed so I could keep both eyes open.

[Royce Aardahl]

Quote:

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I guess I'm still a little confused. All of the ads that I've seen in the archery magazines show the pro-shooting with both eyes open. I am just curious if that is the accepted way of shooting in tournaments. It would probably be beneficial for me to shoot with both eyes open as I start to get a little older (43). If I shoot with one eye closed and then try with one eye open the arrow will hit on different spots on the target. I guess I will have to experiment a little more before i can finally be decided what way is the correct way for me. I have been doing this for about 10 years now you think I would get it right by now!

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Most pros do shoot with both eyes open. I think you worded it wrong. Shooting with one eye closed or one eye open would be the same . You'll see people with one closed and no closed in tourneys around the state. I like one eye closed at spot shoots so I don't see all the movement from the shooter to my left. I just switched from a pin to true spot scope last year and I love it. Now I just have to get my shoulder to heal so I can shoot again. Dang ice!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Quote:

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I like one eye closed at spot shoots so I don't see all the movement from the shooter to my left.

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LOL, one of my fave things I like about shooting left handed.. tournaments.. I am used to looking at the next guy in the face.. but it really messes some righties up to have a guy looking him in the face... used to love it at league night... I could pick a guy and make him shoot 5 points lower than his ave for sure.. LOL

[Royce Aardahl]

QUOTE

[ I could pick a guy and make him shoot 5 points lower than his ave for sure.. LOL

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I bet if it was a doe you were lookin at in the face with a 10 point rack your average would drop 5

[Deitz Dittrich]

Yup.. You know thats right.. the second I loose that feeling hunting.. is the day I give it up...I love the shakes you get when you decide you are going to try and take an animal...Doesnt even have to be a big ole buck for me.

That last arrow during an archery tournament when you have a perfect score going isn't all that easy either.

[LoneRanger]

One eye for guns, both for archery. I have shot 4 deer with a shotgun (5 if you count last year's that got away), but I think I am more accurate with a bow. Heh, go figure.