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Dominant eye plays a big part

1K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  Dead Dog Fritz 
#1 ·
of youth shooting.. So many of the kids are left eye dominant and right handed..In other words: cross dominant...you can also be cross dominant with a right eye dominant and a left handed shooter...What I am saying is that I have switched, saved, numerous young shooters (as young as 7-8) to the left side of shooting when they are left eye dominant and right handed.. IF, they havent done much shooting this transition is for most of them a piece of cake..I take a bb gun and knock the sights off it and let them get used to handling the gun left handed and shooting both eyes open at a large target...before you know they are shooting stuff outof the air that I throw...I know numerous top shots that started out this way....First determine the dominant eye,,,if it is right and they are right handed they are a natural..just teach them the mechanics...Same with a left eye dominant kid shooting left handed..teach the mechanics....If kids are older and cross dominant they usually do best by shutting the other eye and or use the dreaded piece of tape or frost on the actual dominant eye limiting the depth of field..I know of trap shooters that are fairly sucessful at it but you won't find many of them in AA class...JMHO..semper fi...
 
#2 ·
Bob,

I hope everyone who introduces any new shooter to shotgunning reads your thread and follows your advice. Women as well, are often ctoss dominant.

When shooters start shooting by closing their off eye, they are likely to aim their gun at the targets. As you know, this is a bad habit to develope and sometimes a difficult one to break when they get convinced that shooting with both eyes open is the best way to shoot.
 
#3 ·
use the dreaded piece of tape
Hmmmm. I started shooting in 2005 using two eyes. Started shooting ATA in the spring of 2006. Made A class and the 27 yard line by the fall of 2007 and ran my first 100 in singles. In February 2008, I began to "use the dreaded piece of tape" due to transient cross dominance. In April I ran my second ATA 100 straight in the morning 100 and my third 100 in the afternoon for a 200 straight patch. Since then, lots of 100s, 99s, 98s in AAA and AA. I have been surprised at how many AA and AAA shooters shoot with tape or by closing an eye.

I also use the "dreaded' release trigger.

There is only one absolute that I have learned about trapshooting. Shooters should do whatever they need to do to be successful regardless of what conventional wisdom says. D, C, B and A classes are full of those that don't.
 
#4 ·
Jim Tyner said:
use the dreaded piece of tape
Hmmmm. I started shooting in 2005 using two eyes. Started shooting ATA in the spring of 2006. Made A class and the 27 yard line by the fall of 2007 and ran my first 100 in singles. In February 2008, I began to "use the dreaded piece of tape" due to transient cross dominance. In April I ran my second ATA 100 straight in the morning 100 and my third 100 in the afternoon for a 200 straight patch. Since then, lots of 100s, 99s, 98s in AAA and AA. I have been surprised at how many AA and AAA shooters shoot with tape or by closing an eye.

I also use the "dreaded' release trigger.

There is only one absolute that I have learned about trapshooting. Shooters should do whatever they need to do to be successful regardless of what conventional wisdom says. D, C, B and A classes are full of those that don't.
Well said James.....

There are many in the AA, AAA and some of our All Americans that are one eyed shooters. That based on eye dominance or choice, I have no idea, its just a fact. Also believe that cross dominate eyed shooters learn how to target while including the off eye. Leaving the only real problem of crossing on occasion or unexpectedly. Certain target presentations or fatigue. With trapshooting a one target game at the highest level, loosing one is a problem.

Maltz
 
#5 ·
I am a right handed shooter with a dominant right eye. My problem is that sometimes when I mount the gun I see the left side of the gun and therefore my right eye is not focused along the rib. I then close my left eye momentarily, then open it and then I have the correct focus. Anyone had this problem? Thanks. Ed
 
#6 ·
Yep Ed, that is why I went to the tape. On targets that go right to left my right eye would handoff the primary tracking of that target to my left eye when in got over to the left side like a hard left from 1. I could run 20 from the 27 on posts 2-5, get over to 1 and miss 4/5.

I can look down my gun and my dominance can change back and forth like looking at a hologram.
 
#7 ·
bigedberg said:
I am a right handed shooter with a dominant right eye. My problem is that sometimes when I mount the gun I see the left side of the gun and therefore my right eye is not focused along the rib. I then close my left eye momentarily, then open it and then I have the correct focus. Anyone had this problem? Thanks. Ed
Ed.....we all can see the left side of the barrels with our off eye, if we try. Some claim to hold high and look under the barrels and hold point for the target out of the house with their off eye. If successful, they would have to acquire the target with the dominate eye during the shot once it is above the barrels. A quick transition from seeing with the off eye to the pointing eye.

Are you sure it makes a difference in your shooting? Or does the off eye remain in control if you don't take the time to align the proper eye before calling? I read this as something that would be the shooters decision or that you are checking for alignment using the off eye first. An option for most of us or maybe just a bad habit. Not really bad, but rather without necessity. Conscious mental control.

Maltz
 
#8 ·
I am a tape shooter also. Been using it on my left lens for around 10 years. (RH shooter Lefteye dominant) Just joined ATA last year and like it alot.

Question for Jim. How much Tape do you use? I have been always using about a 1/2 in by 1/2 in. square but have been experimenting with less in winter league this year. When doing some gun mounts at home, I closed my right eye just to see how much unobscured vision that my left eye actually had. I was kinda surprised to find that the tape was not allowing the left eye to ever see the target.

My theory was to lessen the tape only to block out the muzzle and allow the left eye to help acquire the target. Down to about 1/4 in.x 3/8in. right now.

Mixed results so far. Was running them pretty good last night, ended on station 1 only to lose 3 hard lefts for a 20. I think I have a little unwnated head movement on the stock with the right to left target and with the smaller tape, my left eye might be getting a sight picture that the brain and trigger finger like. ( I know the problem always lies in the brain)

Like Maltzie noted, fatigue doesn't help and I always found out shooting under lights made it easier to cross fire.

Probably am over analyzing this, but just wondering if you are anyone else farted around with different tape placements. Thanks for any advice, Dan from Wis.
 
#9 ·
I notice it most when shooting sporting clays and I have missed targets because of this happening. I tried the tape and I just couldn't seem to adjust. However, I probably didn't give it a fair chance. When I am shooting trap well, I hold a high gun and I look below my barrel to enable me to see the target; however, I don't always do this and I probably should do this all the time. Like I said, sporting clays is where I really have this problem and once in awhile when shooting trap. It just seems that the non-dominant eye wants to take over.
 
#12 ·
OK gentlemen. Thank you for the info. I think I might give the smaller tape a couple more weeks and see how it goes. Probably will conclude that it is better that the left eye never sees the target. Sure don't miss having to keep that eye closed though.

If I have a breakthrough I'll be sure to post it. haha. Thanks again and good shooting, Dan
 
#13 ·
I am willing to bet that I am the only shooter in the country to break 100 from the 27 using both 2 eyes and 1.

I started cross-firing beyond control (after the onset of a very fast growing cataract). So when I figured out that was my problem I put a large piece of black tape across my lens and promptly broke the next 100.

Went to to the eye doc and she discovered the cataract and I had it removed before last shooting season. Still don't know if I am going to be a one or two eye shooter.
 
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