LH or RH bow

CheeseBurgerPicnic · #1 06-16-2010, 04:09 PM

Hi there, wondering if anyone can help this soon to be archer choose which hand he is without actually shooting an arrow off.

Here`s my deal, im gonna be purchasing my first compound bow here pretty soon(used) but i have not shot a bow since i was very young lad and im ambidextrous so im not sure which hand . Now i`ve read that you should go with your dominant eye which by the triangle test always comes up as my left eye however i do see better out of my right eye and feel more then corfortable aiming with it as well. I have an old fibergass bow right now with a string and no arrows and im pulling the string back to my mouth trying to see what feels more comfortable but i just cant get an idea.

Thinking of going LH but want to be sure so i can be as accurate as possible when i get good. I would go to a store to test fire only i have no intention on purchasing a new bow cause im cheap as dirt . also dont want to go to a range to find out because im on an acerage and would much rather look like a goof on my own (missing the whole targets)

Knownonscents · #2 06-16-2010, 05:18 PM

LH....if your around calgary go see jimbo at least and he can let you know your draw length and all that good stuff. Also he has used bows there as well.

If you at least take a little time and money and do it right you will enjoy it a hell of a lot more.

FallAirFever · #3 06-16-2010, 06:17 PM

I went through a similar dilema a few months ago when buying my first bow. Right handed but left eye dominant. Had done everything right handed and at 36 could not bring myself to shoot left handed tried it a couple times and it felt too akward! I just keep my left eye closed when I shoot and do just fine.

I could not bring myself to buy a left hand bow to try and get used to it and then try and sell it. I bought a right hand bow and figured it would be much easier to sell the right hand bow if it gave me issues luckily. I dont have to sell my bow!!

I also would echo what knownonscents has to say about getting to an archery shop, getting measured up and getting a feel for what you like. Most shops have decent starter bow packages and used bows on consignment. even if you dont plan on buying from a shop they will get you started on the right foot.

A website I find very usefull for archery info is hunters friend lots of great explainations for the terms used. Lots of products to look at and compare and get a good idea for value. There are some decent bows on sale here from time to time for not a lot of cash that would be a good start for self proclaimed cheapo.

Welcome to the addiction, start saving your allowance now because once you start it seems you always want to try something new or need a new gadget, or at least that is the way it is with me.

Good luck!

CheeseBurgerPicnic · #4 06-16-2010, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallAirFever

I went through a similar dilema a few months ago when buying my first bow. Right handed but left eye dominant. Had done everything right handed and at 36 could not bring myself to shoot left handed tried it a couple times and it felt too akward! I just keep my left eye closed when I shoot and do just fine.

I could not bring myself to buy a left hand bow to try and get used to it and then try and sell it. I bought a right hand bow and figured it would be much easier to sell the right hand bow if it gave me issues luckily. I dont have to sell my bow!!

I also would echo what knownonscents has to say about getting to an archery shop, getting measured up and getting a feel for what you like. Most shops have decent starter bow packages and used bows on consignment. even if you dont plan on buying from a shop they will get you started on the right foot.

A website I find very usefull for archery info is hunters friend lots of great explainations for the terms used. Lots of products to look at and compare and get a good idea for value. There are some decent bows on sale here from time to time for not a lot of cash that would be a good start for self proclaimed cheapo.

Welcome to the addiction, start saving your allowance now because once you start it seems you always want to try something new or need a new gadget, or at least that is the way it is with me.

Good luck!

thanks for the insight, and good point about resale though i plan on buying this bow to never sell. I'm in a little different camp because unlike you i actually do some things lefty but its good to know i can use my right eye fine if i choose so. Pulling back to my jawline with the left or right seems fine for me but i guess i wont know how the aiming goes until i shoot. tough call . Also wont be buying a beginers bow hopefully, would much rather learn on a decent bow even if i dont have the skill to shoot it yet.

I'll tell ya without even have owned a compound bow i can see how somebody would be tempted to always upgrade. There is alot to choose from and some pretty crazy looking bows. Hopefully i can find a decent used bow for around 250 that will last long and fire arrows at 300 feet per. Personally i want to get good with a compound then want to do it all over with a recurve or longbow which i would rather use to hunt. Also plan on learning from start without a quick release and nothing but bow and arrows, like an indian that found a high teck bow in with pully's in the woods and carbon fibre arrows. . I'll check that site out , sure i'll see some bargains on here its just a matter of my getting off my ass

CheeseBurgerPicnic · #5 06-16-2010, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knownonscents

LH....if your around calgary go see jimbo at least and he can let you know your draw length and all that good stuff. Also he has used bows there as well.

If you at least take a little time and money and do it right you will enjoy it a hell of a lot more.

thanks, heard alot about them. Might have to check them out one of these days

russ · #6 06-16-2010, 10:37 PM

Honestly, I think resale value should be the LAST thing you're worried about. Good luck with remembering to "close" your dominate eye when you're tired or excited. But it does make for a good story when a person misses something by oh 4' or so @ 20 yds.

Twisted Canuck · #7 06-16-2010, 10:59 PM

My thought is that it is going to be easier to train yourself to shoot well with the dominant eye, than with the dominant hand. Your eyesight is your most important aspect of shooting that bow, much like optics on your rifle. Putting cheap optics on a good rifle is defeating. Put great optics on an OK rifle and you will shoot better. Same with the bow. Shoot with the dominant eye, in pressure situations it will be much easier to deal with it after training with the left hand (muscle memory) than with the weak eye. You can't train eye dominance.

It will feel akward at first, but my son had this same problem and now he is a natural lefty (with his hockey stick too!).

CheeseBurgerPicnic · #8 06-16-2010, 11:10 PM

i make a triangle with my finders and look at something across the room then close each one at a time. almost tend to go crosseyed but the object defintely moves out of the triangle more when i close the left which i assume means left eye dominance. I do see a little clearer/farther out the right but quite confident my left is more dominant. the other thing that confuses me is that im pretty sure i aim a pellet gun with my right eye

russ · #9 06-17-2010, 06:29 AM

if the object is staying put when you're viewing with your right eye and closing your left, you are right eye dominant.

FallAirFever · #10 06-17-2010, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russ

if the object is staying put when you're viewing with your right eye and closing your left, you are right eye dominant.

X2 on this.

You can also try this: point to an object across the room, like a light switch, or even something outside. Close one eye at a time. If your finger stays on the object with your right eye open that is your dominant eye.

Sounds like you could fairly easily learn to shoot right or left handed, if that is the case go with your dominant eye.

If you are close to Calgary and check out Jim bows you should also head to the Calgary Archery Center, the staff is great and very willing to answer questions. If you are thinking of hunting this season with your compound I would suggest you get on it quick, hunting season will be here pretty darn quick!

CheeseBurgerPicnic · #11 06-17-2010, 09:57 AM

the object moves out of the triangle when i close my left(right open). With my left open the object moves just a little but stays within the triangle.

got to be my left

ishootbambi · #12 06-17-2010, 02:01 PM

im not sure if i get your triangle method...or at least how you are explaining it. just point at an obeject across the room and close each eye to see which eye is correct. thats your dominant. if it is indeed the left, then you likely would be doing better to shoot left, but if it is as close as you say, then go shoot bow RH and LH bows to see what feels better. everything in archery works better if you go by feel.

CheeseBurgerPicnic · #13 06-17-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishootbambi

im not sure if i get your triangle method...or at least how you are explaining it. just point at an obeject across the room and close each eye to see which eye is correct. thats your dominant. if it is indeed the left, then you likely would be doing better to shoot left, but if it is as close as you say, then go shoot bow RH and LH bows to see what feels better. everything in archery works better if you go by feel.

i am making a small triangle with my index fingers and thumbs then holding the triangle(my fingers) out in front of me and looking at an object across the room through the triangle. Then i can close my left or right and the object will move out of the triangle when your dominant eye is closed or stay in the triangle when my domiant eye is open.

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