shooting both eyes open

[SHTF]

Just for folks who havent tested themselves here is a good write up on how to test your eye dominance http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Your-Dominant-Eye

 

[Maxhunter]

I shoot with both eyes open. I think it gives better accuracy and better field of vision just In case an unexpected animal shows up.

 

[littlebuf]

I've tried both open many times, and it's tough. Accuracy has never been better than with one closed, but I'd change in a heart beat if it was. My problem is that I see two sets of pins and two targets with both eyes open. So either way I have to close one eye to start with anyway, and then opening it back up doesn't seem to change anything for me.........so I stick with shooting with one eye closed.

shoot at the one in focus with out closing your other eye. eventually you wont see double

 

[5MilesBack]

shoot at the one in focus with out closing your other eye. eventually you wont see double

Actually they both look the same, just side by side. Two sets of pins, and two sets of targets. I tried this for three months one year and every single time I have to close one eye to make sure I'm lining everything up right and then open the other eye to shoot. Ya, I know.......once I figure out which ones to line up just use those. However, it's a little scary launching an arrow downrange when my brain is still not 100% confident that I'm actually pointed at the target. I still need to close an eye to verify.

It might have something to do with that detached retina I had, because even when not shooting if I turn my head and look at stuff I see a double image.

 

[mallacootasmoothie]

I'd like to add to the thread as I had a game changing moment while shooting my bow yesterday. Now I have always shot my bow with one eye closed, right handed, left eye dominant. I also wore glasses as a kid and had/have a stigmatism.
Shooting both eyes open is nothing new to me I have read about it time and time again. And every time I've read that if you shoot with you're non dominant eye like I do then shooting both open won't work.
Well yesterday, I don't know why but I tried shooting both eyes open. Once I established that my left (very much dominant eye) wasn't taking over I released an arrow. It was a perfect shot at 30m, then, I shot another arrow, touching he first, I thought this can't be happening. So I shot another arrow, I now had 3 arrows stacked at 30m.
I went away from that session being the best I'd ever shot. So today I went out to make sure I wasn't dreaming, and shot better than ever out to 60m.
I can now see my arrow in flight and seem to hold steadier. I wish I had tried this earlier.......stigmatism, bung eye and all.

 

[ohhiitznik]

Ive shot both eyes open as a kid and still do to this day. Cant believe some people close one eye!

 

[squeekieslayer]

Just a little optometry pet-peeve.... people have ASTIGMATISM not "a stigmatism."

ok eye-nerd rant over.

Joe

 

[Bigmike68]

Was just shooting my bow. An figured why not open my left eye see what happens.... Groups got way tighter, then back to normal groups again, then real tight groups again. Guess I just have to practice more. But I was wondering if anyone else shoots both eyes ,because I know some do an I was told use both eyes always shooting by an old timer while back. just habit with one eye. So decided to use search feature on shooting both eyes an lead me to this thread. Awesome info an at least I'm not the only one that saw improvements. Gonna have to practice with both eyes more often now!!!

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Finally got around to trying this today and could kick myself for not trying it sooner. Instantly tightened my groups and its waaay easier to see my arrow flight. The only issues I had was
1: it was a little difficult to focus on my shot sequence but I'm sure I could overcome that in a day or two.
2: I found it a little difficult to train in on the target unless I first focused with one eye at least partially closed and then opened both. I'm not sure if this will go away or not but I could see this giving me target panic with an animal in front of me.