[Harpman]

Who on here shoots with one eye closed??....If so, what aiming method do You use, and how high/low is Your anchor position??...Thanks in advance.......Jim

 

[rsarns]

Jim,
I shoot with my left eye closed. I think its because of a bad stigmatism (double vision), I gap shoot and my anchor is index on cheek bone, thumb knuckle on jaw bone and tip of feather on tip of nose. Closing one eye has caused me fits at long distances, as I can no longer "see" around my riser. So I have adapted some other ways of "aiming" at 80-100 yards.

 

[kenn1320]

I used to shoot 1 eye closed, but found it hard to look past the tip of the arrow. Seemed the arrow stayed in focus, not the target. I now shoot both eyes open which fixed that issue, but Ive yet to determine if its as accurate "for me".

 

[13033]

I draw with both eyes open, to better judge distance then close one eye for final aim and shoot.

If I may digress for a moment, I have a German schuetzen with a wafer on the stock to block the left eye from seeing the sights.

It is designed for shooting with both eyes open.

 

[J. Wesbrock]

I shoot indoor spots with my left eye closed. My eyes aren't good enough to pick up the tip of my arrow against a spot target with indoor lighting. It took me a long time before I felt comfortable coming through a shot with one eye closed.

 

[deadear dan]

I'm left-eye dominate but shoot right handed which forces me to close one eye just partially before releasing the arrow. My right shoulder I've torn rotator cuff and AC ligaments in my past and is uncomforable to hold the bow out at arms length, otherwise I would shoot left handed. If you are left-eye dominate maybe get a cheap LH bow with an easy draw weight for you to train yourself. I've trained myself to shoot off the L shoulder with rifles and it's second nature now. Good luck.

 

[j-san]

Both eyes open for me. I get improved depth perception and can estimate unknown distances better. I learned to shoot with both eyes open way back when I first started shooting firearms (handguns, in particular), and only ever use one eye when using a scope.

 

[DDD]

Jim, coming from compounds. I generally close left automatically. This has caused me all kinds of problems.

1. See past the tip of arrow or seeing the point of aim.

2. Focus on the tip not the target.

3. Snap shoot as soon as I see the spot.

Now what to do if this is the way to shoot? I also shoot this way in certain lighted conditions. As Westbrook pointed out or double or dominant. At low anchors it only affects me at point on and beyond. So what I did at low anchor was draw to target, as close to spot as possible, tilting my head left out so slightly to see the spot then slowly tilt in on spot. It appears as if you had just open your left eye.


However, if your high anchor, say middle finger at corner of mouth or high. More of looking straight along arrow shaft. Which is what I have been doing lately. I have been just drawing to the right of the spot and slowly come into the spot. This way it doesn't seem to matter if one or both eyes open. I hope this helps. Of course this means you have to hold at anchor for a few seconds for this all to develop.
Dan

 

[Rick Barbee]

I am left eye dominant, and have a severe astigmatism causing me to be very far sighted, and double visioned, especially when I am tired or stressed.

I shoot & am hopelessly right handed.

I judge the target with both eyes open, draw to anchor & set for the shot, then I close the left eye which forces me to make a slight windage adjustment, and drop the string.
The adjustment happens so quickly & smoothly no one would ever notice I am doing it.

Depth perception doing it this way has never been a problem for me.

To be honest - the only time I ever had a problem shooting right handed, and being left eye dominant was when some folks convinced me I needed to fix it. Went through a whole year of complete hell with my shooting before I went back to my way & never looked back.

Shooting 3 under - index finger in corner of mouth, thumb locked behind jaw bone, and nose on fletch.
Shooting split finger - middle finger in corner of mouth, thumb locked behind jaw bone, and nose on fletch.
My method of shooting - GapStinctive.

 

[lamb]

one closed stringwalking. I would think a single projectile should be shot one eye closed. shotgun 2 eyes open

 

[aerosenfield]

Both eyes closed - keeps me from having any target panic! Ok, seriously, I shoot both eyes open but if I am having trouble focusing, I will close my left eye and then open it several times until I get the perspective on the arrow tip.

Alan

 

[rusty craine]

In archery matches you are standing on a brick that tells you the distance. Both eyes open, one eye hiding.

On distance guessing matches, they are close. I just close both eyes and shoot. :sbrug:

 

[Cyrille]

Left-eye dominant shoot a long arm with stock braced against my left shoulder using my left eye shoot a handgun right handed closing my left eye. I shoot my bow the same way right handed close left eye and I gap either high or low depending on the distance...
anchoring with thumb below the right jaw bone canting the upper bow tip to about 10:0 clock with my L.Bs and use a vertical hold with my recurve.

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

I shoot with one eye open. In fact, my coach keeps badgering me about the fact that I close both right before release. He thinks it is my biggest problem. I tried two eyes open for about 6 week earlier this year and just could not learn how to pick up the arrow. I finally stopped, temporarily, because focusing on my eyes was causing my recent form gains to erode. Since I am an aimer, I think one eye is fine. I shoot either pick-a-point, or stringwalk. In each case all you have to do is put your arrow point on a spot, and that does not take two eyes. If I start gapping....that is another story. You can do it either way but it may be better with two eyes open.

 

[Harpman]

Thanks to all that posted...Good info...I'm not left eye dominate, and I shoot right handed, but it seems since this past winter, I've had trouble picking the arrow up in my peripheral vision, and have been experimenting with closing my left eye...I have shot pistols this way for a long time, and it seems pretty easy to do for me...Groups aren't much better, yet, but I feel like after a bit, things will improve...And it is nice to put the tip somewhere with a more defined aiming point, and at least see a group appear in that place more consistently...Shooting just one arrow, or maybe a couple, is about the same...But when shooting 5 or 6 arrows, one eye closed seems better....it seems that alot of this started last spring, when I got my Bi-Focals...Thanks again to everyone...Take care.........Jim

 

[starrider]

I started shooting with my left eye closed in November of 2013. I have never shot better. I can shoot up to 35 yards before the target disappears behind my riser. I could probably change my nock point to gain a little more yardage. I use arrow tip and gap depending on the distance. I anchor with my index finger in the corner of my mouth.

I could also increase my distance by switching to split finger, but my gaps at 15 and 20 yards would be way to much.

 

[Mitch]

I have tried and tried and tried to shoot with both eyes open for many years, but I do not have a dominant eye, and I simply cannot maintain focus without both eyes taking turns driving the boat……….so I close my off eye as soon as I start my draw.

 

[rusty craine]

I have been shooting without turning my head far enough around. It is interesting, with both eyes open you set your aim. The when you close your left eye you see that your arrow is lined up right of the bulls eye.

 

[buejeger]

Left eye dominant, but am very right handed so I close my left eye, Judging distance is not a problem as that is already done before I am at full draw... I gap shoot and stringwalk (depending on class I am shooting) or sometimes I just use the Force

I am a photographer and there is no way I could use my right eye to take pics, I HAVE to use my left... Funny how the body works really....

 

[foodtraveler]

I like to shoot with both eyes open but some days I seem to need to close one. Maybe it's my astigmatism? Hadn't considered that until reading some posts here. Gap shooter and occasional string walker. Anchor with the index finger to the corner of my mouth and base of thumb snug under my jaw.