Shoot with both eyes or one closed?

[vcb]

What do you shoot with? I have always shot my bow with one eye closed but I shoot my 525 citori with both eyes open. It would give u a better field of view and probably relax you more at the shot....what's your preference?

 

[Juan_ID]

I have always shot one eye closed, but I think it has to do with me being right handed but left eye dominant...

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Bow both eyes open and gun left eye closed.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Closed for all my shooting... only thing I could do with both is true 1X scopes or reddots on a rifle. My eyes are so close in dominance it makes it almost impossible to shoot with both eyes open.

Mike

 

[jmez]

One eye closed with a bow. Right handed left eye dominant.

 

[garrickt]

One eye closed with a bow. Right handed left eye dominant.

I used to be like this^^^. Last winter I shot with a Double Vision Blocker on my sight for all of the indoor shoots. I don't know exactly what happened but now I can shoot with both eyes open without the DBV and it is so much better. Acquiring the target and watching the shot is so much easier, be it 3d or hunting.

 

[OR Archer]

When I started shooting years ago I would close one eye. Taught myself to shoot with both eyes open. Much better target acquisition in the field and better depth perception as well. I have a real hard time closing one eye now to shoot my bow. I will however shoot a scoped rifle with my left eye closed. Shotgun and red dot scoped weapons are both eyes open too.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

I shoot both eyes closed. I'm much more accurate that way.

 

[jmez]

I used to be like this^^^. Last winter I shot with a Double Vision Blocker on my sight for all of the indoor shoots. I don't know exactly what happened but now I can shoot with both eyes open without the DBV and it is so much better. Acquiring the target and watching the shot is so much easier, be it 3d or hunting.

You just trained your other eye to be dominant. I shoot a shotgun both eyes open right handed. Never taken the time to do it with a bow, I should but just haven't.

 

[ohhiitznik]

I shoot both eyes open for all weapons. Target acquisition, along with depth perception and target tracking are wayyyyyy better. I cannot stress this enough. If you can shoot with both eyes open I really suggest you do it. When I hunt ducks with my shotgun having both eyes open makes for much easier shooting.

 

[Lukem]

I shoot both eyes open for all weapons. Target acquisition, along with depth perception and target tracking are wayyyyyy better. I cannot stress this enough. If you can shoot with both eyes open I really suggest you do it. When I hunt ducks with my shotgun having both eyes open makes for much easier shooting.

Agree. Having both eyes open has made shooting more instinctive, rather than calculative when you are closing one eye. I used to shoot with one eye closed but taught myself about 6 years ago to shoot with both open and have become a better shot because of it.

I know this is an entirely different argument, but I'm also a righty with left eye dominance, but learned to shoot lefty at a young age. My father was the same way, but switched shooting to lefty when he was 26. I know a couple other people that have switched and every one of them would tell you it's worth the effort. You're letting your body do what it wants to do and not fighting against it. When you get to that "heat of the moment" time of the shot, everything goes on autopilot, instead of having to compensate for eye dominance. Some will argue against it, but shooting that way just takes a little effort in practice, it's nothing you can't learn to do, it'll become natural soon enough. I've even taught myself to shoot righthanded since that's all bowshops carry. Really funny after slapping some arrows together righty and then telling them you need a lefty bow.

 

[theedz]

When I started shooting years ago I would close one eye. Taught myself to shoot with both eyes open. Much better target acquisition in the field and better depth perception as well. I have a real hard time closing one eye now to shoot my bow. I will however shoot a scoped rifle with my left eye closed. Shotgun and red dot scoped weapons are both eyes open too.

Ditto! Took a lot of arrows to get learn to shoot with both eyes open, but after a summer I was shooting better and was able to judge distances at the shot better, especially after they would get startled and move 10+ yards back.

 

[Whisky]

Both my eyes are open for bow, rifle and shotgun.

 

[Robpr]

I believe there was an episode on Bowhunter TV a few weeks back where Randy Ulmer address the issue and I believe he recommended shooting one eye closed.

 

[cody covey]

Both eyes open for me as well.

 

[Rent Outdoor Gear]

I believe there was an episode on Bowhunter TV a few weeks back where Randy Ulmer address the issue and I believe he recommended shooting one eye closed.

I think he was probably promoting both eyes open... Randy is actually the one who convinced me to shoot with both eyes open. He shot with a blinder in tournaments throughout his entire career. Here's why:

For your eyes to properly meter light you need both eyes open. Closing one eye will actually cause both pupils to dilate slightly (letting too much light into your open eye). This may be why your visual acuity in each eye is measurably better with the other eye open. For target archery I used a blinder to block my view of the target with my left eye. This allowed me to keep my eye open which maximized my vision, but eliminates any issues with eye dominance. I also felt this increased my ability to focus on the spot. I have also seen some glasses wearers place a small piece of scotch tape (opaque) over the part of their glasses where their left eye would normally see the target while at full draw.

Coop

 

[squeekieslayer]

I think he was probably promoting both eyes open... Randy is actually the one who convinced me to shoot with both eyes open. He shot with a blinder in tournaments throughout his entire career. Here's why:

For your eyes to properly meter light you need both eyes open. Closing one eye will actually cause both pupils to dilate slightly (letting too much light into your open eye). This may be why your visual acuity in each eye is measurably better with the other eye open. For target archery I used a blinder to block my view of the target with my left eye. This allowed me to keep my eye open which maximized my vision, but eliminates any issues with eye dominance. I also felt this increased my ability to focus on the spot. I have also seen some glasses wearers place a small piece of scotch tape (opaque) over the part of their glasses where their left eye would normally see the target while at full draw.

Coop

I do not mean to be confrontational.... but this logic is not correct. Especially as it applies to archery. one eye or two, your brain reacts the same way. Letting more eye into your eye WILL NOT CAUSE you to see worse. There is no one that shoots a bow with a pupil smaller than a peep sight, thus the aperture that truly controls the light entering the eye is the peep. Ambient light has MUCH MUCH more influence on the pupil than opening or closing one eye or another. I did a long winded write up on archerytalk some time back as it applies to archery. It does not go over any gun related issues, and the issues are quite different. BUT, i will see if I can find it.

Joe

 

[squeekieslayer]

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1878098&page=2&p=1065583052#post1065583052

check out posts 56 and 58..... again, it only applies to archery, and in some ways, target archery.

Let me know if you have any questions.... I live for this stuff hahaha

Joe

 

[squeekieslayer]

You just trained your other eye to be dominant. I shoot a shotgun both eyes open right handed. Never taken the time to do it with a bow, I should but just haven't.

you actually trained your brain to overcome your dominance..... you still have the same dominant eye (technically)

joe

 

[Rent Outdoor Gear]

Squeeks - I agree that relaxation of the facial muscles is another major benefit to both eyes open that I failed to mention. I have always read - even in medical information that visual acuity is reduced with monocular vision - albeit mildly. I may have drawn my own conclusions about the cause & effect being due to pupil size - though I'm almost certain I've read this as well. Can you provide some references? I would certainly be interested in reading/learning more.

Thanks!

Coop