Cross-dominance

[hogsucker]

Unfortunately I am one of those rare individuals who has been cursed with the affliction known as cross-dominance. I am a right-handed person, but my left eye is my dominant eye. This really hasn't affected my fishing(or has it!?), but as far as wingshooting with a scattergun, it is truly difficult. Now, I've been shooting ducks and pa'tridge right handed for many years and hit my mark fairly often, but I just know that if I switched to shooting left-handed I would be an absolute crack shot. The only problem is that I grew up with a shotgun in my hand, my RIGHT hand, and pulling up and firing right-handed is completely instinctual for me. Switching to a Southpaw shot may be extremely difficult. Just switching hands and looking down the barrel, I can tell a huge difference. From the right, I actually see the left side of my barrel and from the left I see straight down the rib. Experts say that I will be off from 3 to 5 feet on crossing shots shooting right. All of the information I have gathered on this affliction tells me to either shoot left-handed or put a piece of tape over my shooting glasses over my dominant eye. This blocking of one of my eyes would greatly affect my depth perception, and just plain suck.

So, I'm stuck with the decision to either become a left-handed shot and relearn the motions and muscle memory of pulling up a shotgun and firing, or deal with my shortcomings and expect to miss a lot of shots on ducks and snipe(especially crossing shots). At least I would have a good excuse for missing a Bluebill clean at 20 yards. I mean, what's your excuse?

My question to all of you is, are any of you cross-dominant like my poor, wretched self? The test is simple---Make a circle with thumb and forefinger of both hands, and hold it at arm's length in front of you. With both eyes open, focus on a particular object twenty feet or so away. Close one eye, then the other. Which ever eye keeps the object in the circle is your dominant eye. I'm just curious if there are any others out there that share the same affliction as me. Thanks. ~hogsucker

[Walleye Guy]

I am in the same boat.

Without switching to a left-handed gun you have two options. The first is that you can close your left eye when shooting your shotgun. This works but lessens your field of vision. Its makes seeing left to right crossers more difficult.

The second thing to try is using shoooting glasses that have a dot on the left lens. Your left eye will focus on the dot and your right eye will take over as your dominant eye. This works pretty well. You just haave to get used to shooting with glasses on.

Good luck.

[Gissert]

I am glad my dad spotted my cross dominance when I was just starting to shoot. I do everything right handed, except shoot.

I don't even want to think how hard it would be to switch to right handed shooting now.

As mentioned, closing your left eye will work, as will the dot on your glasses.

Shooting right handed is not all that bad if you can get to a point where you are satisfied with your accuracy. I have come to sympathsize whith what natural lefties go through in a right handed world. Semi-auto and some pumps eject the shell in front of your face. That is the main reason I shoot Browning pump shotguns - they eject out the bottom.

Opposite eye dominance is actually pretty common. My wife was just discovered she is left eye dominant a few weeks ago.

[PerchJerker]

I'm the same, right-handed but left eye dominant.

For years I tried to wingshoot with my left eye closed but it wasn't working, so I taught myself to shoot left-handed. Within a year I was a much quicker and better shot left-handed than I ever was right-handed.

For rifles I predominantly shoot left-handed but can easily shoot right-handed if the need arises.

I was going to switch to a left-handed bow but have stayed with a right-handed bow because most of the treestands I hunt in are setup for right-handed shots. But I may eventually get myself a left-handed bow too. Having to close an eye costs me some minutes of shooting light every evening.

Good luck

[Powerstroke]

I personally am not cross dominant, by my buddies wife has the same affliction. The best way was to learn to do certain things left handed. This is not the easiest, butlook at it this way,

You can either learn something new that will be easier and more natural in the long run, or you can "trick" your brain into thinking something else. You can never change your eye dominance. Although left handed shooting isn't the easiest, it will probably be more natural with time.

[lawdog]

I'm right handed and left eye dominant too. I really don't think its all that uncommon actually. I have always just closed my left eye, it works for me and I get by. I have shot a few times left handed, and boy does it feel weird, I'm REALLY right handed, its extremely awkward for me to try to do anything left handed and I'm sure I'd lose more in ability than I'd gain in ease of sight.

[metrojoe]

I have to agree with lawdog on this one. I've tried it and it's too awkward. I shoot 20+ out of 25 at the trap range and I have to close my left eye. Look at it another way, is all the time, energy, and money worth a handfull of birds you might miss?

[fishin5]

I made the switch to left handed along time ago. It really wasn't that hard, and I am so not ambidexerous. I still load my guns right handed! It just seemed to me to be simpler than wearing a patch or putting tape on glasses, especialy in the field.

I still shoot right handed guns( I switch the safeties to left)...that is one other issue. left handed guns are a little harder to find and usually are more expensive. Bottom eject pums and o/u's work well for both

[PerchJerker]

I also didn't have a hard time making the switch. Spend some time practicing mounting the gun lefthanded, and try it so you can watch yourself in a full length mirror. Practice swinging the gun and aiming at things. It doesn't take that long to train the muscles to move like you want them too, it's just a matter of concentration and practice and then it becomes 2nd nature. Instead of missing some easy shots you should be making, you'll be making some difficult shots that will surprise you. It's amazing what can happen when the gun actually shoots to where you're looking at.

[Gissert]

I thought of a good thing about switching to lefty if you can do it. It is really fun to have a lefty and a righty in a duck boat or blind.

Have the righty sit on the left side, and the lefty sit on the right. Both hunters will start to reach the end of their swings right in the middle, and then the other guy is just getting into beginning his field of fire.

It reaaly works nice on pass shooting.

[xedge2002]

I also found out I was Left eye dominant after shooting right handed for a few years. I switched over to left handed and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. After a couple boxes of shells, shooting clays left handed, I could already shoot just as good as I could right handed. I would definetly suggest trying to switch over to your left hand because you will be more accurate and have more kills and not wound as many birds.

[BLACKJACK]

I'm also right-handed and left eye dominant but I've been shooting right handed for 35 years and have shot enough pheasants and ducks to fill several freezers, I'm not going to change now, what would be the point? I'm an adequate shot and spending the practice time to shoot lefty isn't high on my priority list. Sure I miss a few ducks and pheasants, but doesn't everyone? Most times when I miss pheasants its because I've rushed the shot.

[percherman]

I am fortunate enough to not have the left eye right hand dominance syndrome, but back in college I was working construction during the morning hours and I ended up getting a big chunk of concrete blasted into my right eye.

The Dr. patched my right eye and I couldn't take it off only to change the dressing every 2days. Of course it was right in the middle of duck and pheasant season.

I had my friend start throwing clays and before long I was knocking them out of the sky like I could with my right hand shooting.

Things sure changed fast when that first flock of Teal came into the deaks that morning. I was pretty slow on the draw and managed to shoot a few holes in the sky as the birds were waving the finger at me 100 yards off.

As the day progressed and a few boxes of shells later I was hitting pretty good, and was able to bag a limit of roosters. I won't say how many times it took me before I actually got the gun up to my shoulder and looked down the barrel at a bird, but it was to many flushes. My dog was even wondering if I was ever going to shoot or just keep letting those roosters he chased up get away.

Moral of the story! It can be done! Patience & Practice!

[hogsucker]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. I've made up my mind to become a lefty wingshooter after twenty years of on-and-off, "just adequate" shooting. I don't like missing birds, and don't need an excuse for my shooting. Wish me luck.........~hogsucker

[Northland Sportsman]

I am in the same boat as most of you. I just shoot left handed, I had to learn to do it because I couldn't hit anything right handed. It is more difficult finding a gun, but that just ads to the fun. The safety seems to be the worst part for me, I can deal with the shells ejecting across my field of view if I have to, even though it is annoying. And I also agree that it can make hunting an area more effective as stated above(having a left & right handed hunters). Good luck, I bet after a couple boxes of practice it will feel more naural.

[luckey]

It looks like I'm the only one going the other way. I'm left handed but shoot right. Doesn't matter too much anyway because I can't hit squat with a shot gun. Look at it this way, I don't spend a lot of time cleaning and taking care of ducks and geese so I get to hunt a lot more. lol

[CodyDawg]

I have the affliction. A right hander with a left eye dominance. I spent a fair amount of time at the trap range practicing to overcome it. Now, I squint that troublesome left eye and I am fine. I am happy as can be with my shooting (24 avg), so you can overcome it. In fact, you can learn to be an exceptional shot if you practice it. So if you dont like the left handed shooting, there is still hope for you.

[uphill]

Luckey you are not the only one. I hunted for several years as a lefty because I do everything else left handed. I could not figure out why I would have trouble when brids would get out a little further. Thats when I found out I was right eye dominant. But switching was easy couple boxes of shells and some clays later I have no problem.