Originally Posted by 1minute
Probably the most severely overlooked issue when folks are brought into our shooting sports. There is no biological link between eye dominance and handedness. Among right handers, about 65% are right eye dominant and 35% left eye dominant. Left handers run about 57% left eye dominant and 43% right eye dominant. This uncoupling of handedness and eye dominance is where some attention should be given to EVERY new shooter.

My suggestion, go with the dominant eye. Being unmentored or tutored, I ignorantly and blissfully began life as a right eyed left handed bowman (about 9 yrs). Luck saw me started as a right hander with firearms, while I continue to throw lefty. At about 30 yrs, I decided to take up archery hunting, and an astute friend noticed my not too successful struggles on the range.

At his urging, I began an immediate transition to a right hand draw. Pretty comical at first as I barely had the dexterity to even string up an arrow with my right hand, much less achieve full draw. At the close of the first week, however, the dexterity and strength were there, accuracy came around, and I was ready to go.

Yes, there are eye patches, fogged glasses, and even surgeries that can affect eye dominance, but they are uncomfortable, extended, and unpleasant processes that often revert. If one is a hunter, he typically wants his full field of vision at play, and from safety, alignment, and distance judging standpoints, it's best if one is facing straight downrange and sighting through the most optically perfect portion his vision with BOTH eyes open. Similarly, we don't want to be winking/blinking/thinking when those rare target opportunities show for only a few seconds.

Yes, we do have macho types that have compensated, often because they are simply too cheap to properly equip themselves. We'll not typically see them in world class competition though.

One of my struggling hunter ed students said it best out on the range as her dad insisted she be set up on the left side of a small bore bench. Bluntly put when he as out of ear shots was "my cheap assed dad won't buy me a left handed rifle." For a few dollars, he could have a daughter that wanted to be out there with him, as opposed to a struggling and unhappy shooter.

Handedness and muscle memory are much easier to alter than eye dominance. Muscle memory is the process that lets us learn to type, ride a bike, do cursive, or whatever. Initial efforts require conscious thought, but over time they become near reflex/instinct in nature. That's why incorrectly started shooters typically resist the change to the proper side. Had they been started properly, it would be "natural." Move the "a" character from the left little finger to the right little finger position on a keyboard, and it just won't feel right. After a week of typing, however, one can adapt. Now I literally feel stupid if I even attempt a left handed archery shot. Things just do not line up.

I'd suggest one do a little surfing on combinations of handedness, eye dominance, and muscle memory. There are some good peer reviewed articles available on the web, and a little review will help one make a more informed decision. Handedness and muscle memory are much more plastic than most would think.


good post,i agree 100%