Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Eye dominance and aiming with off eye

Righty typically closes left eye and vice versa for south paws...any of you knobs do it in reverse? I know a dude who does it opposite and said it is because of reversed eye dominance.

Interested to hear the opinions.

I'm right handed and left eye dominant.

It caused me to start out shooting a rifle left handed. (which I still do)

I didn't understand why for a long time.

I shoot a handgun right handed.

It's never caused a problem,...but it made me have to crane my neck a bit when shooting the Creedmore position in IHMSA matches.

Interesting!

Bristoe...when shooting a pistola, do you close your left eye to aim?

No,...I always sight with my left eye.

I am cross dominant. left eyed, right handed. I shoot right handed by default and never had a prob. I 'use the force' and concentrate on the sights or cross hair. i no longer need to close or squint my left eye.

i use my left eye shooting handguns, though.

Just switch the firearm to the dominant side and shoot with both eyes open. It will take some time to overcome muscle memory, but will make hurry up stuff like snap shooting rifles and shotgunning a lot easier and effective.

I can and have gone against nature in some shooting instances, but it takes 3 or 4 times longer for me to get things properly aligned. Not all that critical when hunting, as most of us don't live/die by the gun. In a firefight or facing down dangerous game, however, I'd not want to be thinking my way though a shot.

eye dominance does not automatically trump hand dominance. degree of dominance of both hand and eye need a thunk.

I'm right handed and left eyed. I don't shut my left eye, just squint a very little bit. I went to the eye doctor last year to get contacts but they never got my scipt right. I was gonna only put the right one in when bird/duck hunting so I could try and shoot with both eyes open the way your supposed to shoot a shotgun. I got sick of going back for a different contact. I don't know if it will work or not but it sounds like it should.

Right hand, left eye dominate. I shoot rifles with my right eye and have started shooting my handgun with mt right hand and left trying to remember to keep both eyes open. Add to that I have to use the middle lens of my trifocals to see my hand let alone the front sight. I have it on good authority it can be unnerving to be the range officer when I shoot bowling pins but sometimes I can get lucky and still make the pins fly.

I may play around trying to switch to my left hand when the weather gets better but at almost 65 this old dog may not learn that new trick.

Cross eyed dominance is very common. Non-issue in most cases but you know you might have your work cut out for you when a right hander grabs a rifle and keeps sliding his face over the comb to use the left eye.

Those shooters typically need more help than others.


Travis

I had to switch for archery endeavors at about age 30. The first 2 or 3 days were a bear, but accuracy went way up. No way I could go back now.

I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I've shot like that before I knew anything about it other than I could see better out of my left eye as a kid.

It is what it is, I make due. The only time I have a real issue with it is at long range.

You will never shoot to your abilities if you use the non dominant eye. Pretty simple.

That being said most folks don't come anywhere near their ability to start with and very few NEED or WANT to anyway, so its often an non issue.

I hear it can really mess you up with a shotgun though.

I've shot a few deer lefty, and I"m right, right. My BIL even learned to shoot his bow left when he was a righty. ANd took a few deer, due to opportunities that arose.

Of course it doesn't take much ability to shoot a deer with a gun and thats about all most folks ever really desire anyway. Accuracy wise.

When I was in the military I smashed my right hand. Go figure, It was time for me to rifle qual. Now I actually shoot pistol better with my left side, although I am still right eye dominant. I try to shoot with both eyes open, but looking through a scope I tend to close my left eye. Hence, I'm a better pistol shooter than rifle as a lefty.

Ok...great replies....

Let me ask this....is it a better habit/skill/choice to shoot with both eyes open and not closed one or squint it? Pistol or rifle? Or matters not on either?

hmmm,...I don't know.

I do it both ways.

Plinking with a handgun, I usually keep both eyes open, but if I'm shooting a rifle at distance, I usually close one eye.

,..may not be the accepted method, but it's what works best for me.

I'm cross eye dominant (right handed/left eye). I have to close my left eye at least for a moment then I can open it again but only for a few moments before it takes over again.

So I shoot rifles with my left eye closed.

I'll not discuss wingshooting as it is a MF'r being cross eye dominant.

Handguns are the easiest, I shoot right handed with a handgun but with both eyes open. I turn my head enough so the left eye is in line.

I've shot more than a few deer/turkey left handed whilst hunting too.

Any time you can keep both eyes open it is preferable, but that has more to do with being better aware of your surroundings than anything else.

If you are right eye dominant and close your left eye, nothing is going to be altered as opposed to leaving both eyes open. The only disadvantage is losing some of your peripheral.


Travis

My first shooting love is the scattergun and eye dominance, IMO is thee issue when pointing a gun. Cross dominance, in my experience, is rampant in the female crowd.

Were it me, I would learn to shoot off the other shoulder. Hard as that is, I believe it to be easier than all the other "fixes". Remember, with a shotgun you would actually be pointing with your dominant hand. I have done it enough to know it is possible.