To Close One Eye Or Not

[Patrick]

#4157

When using a peep sight on my compound, I was forced to close my left eye to prevent it from taking over in low light situations. Shooting “instinctively” with my longbow, I no longer close it. I’m wondering if most of you keep both eyes open. Not so much a question for those shooting right-handed, and are left-eye dominate (or vise-versa).

[Dan Jackowiak]

#27560

I am slightly left eye dominant but shoot rh with both eyes open even with a peep on a compound. It was a problem early on but I found that if I focused on the spot with traditional and ignore the arrow it was not a problem. I also tuck my head so its almost touching my left shoulder…. works like a charm. With a compound I just had to make sure I was looking through the peep.

[Chris Shelton]

#29418

At first when I started I closed one eye, but I thought I was looking down the shaft, that was before I even knew of Instinctive Shooting. Then when I read about it I realized that I was really shooting instinctivly. So then I tried both eyes open, really helps me concentrate on my target better! When I close one eye I pick up other stuff such as the riser and the tip of the arrow, and it takes my concentration from the target!

[MontanaFord]

#30347

I shoot my bows with both eyes open. I shoot both my recurve and my compound like this. I had the compound stripped down to a bare bow with no sights or rest, and I shoot fingers. I shoot the same arrows for both bows, and they both seem to give me identical performance.

Michael

[Hiram]

#30761

Both eyes Patrick because if I close one, I can’t see as well LOL! Depth perception and focus are much better as you already know. What aiming method are you using? Shooting three under or split? Do you use the arrow? All these things are enhanced by keeping both eyes open. I shoot three under and use the arrow as my sight. I stringwalk to 30 yds and start facewalking at 40 yds. Course I have it figured out on arrow length etc. what works for my method. Deadly way to shoot. I hold a second or two at anchor to aim and focus on the target seeing my arrow in my peripheral vision.

[Patrick]

#31519

Hiram wrote: Both eyes Patrick because if I close one, I can’t see as well LOL! Depth perception and focus are much better as you already know. What aiming method are you using? Shooting three under or split? Do you use the arrow?

I shoot both eyes open, split finger, “instinctive” (meaning I don’t sight down the arrow, etc. Just look at the target, and let loose)

[Mark Turton]

#31574

Hi Patrick

Both eyes open but squint with the left, don’t know why just feels right. Oh right hander by the way, I am aware of the shaft but don’t use it as an aid to sight by.

Mark.

[rayborbon]

#35477

Keep both eyes open when shooting.

[Jarrod Feiner]

#37371

Especially for instinctive shooting, keep both eyes open.

I would liken the difference between both eyes open/one eye closed to shooting a shotgun at winged targets with both eyes open where one needs to judge distance on the fly, versus shooting a scoped rifle with one eye closed where distance has already been determined.

In instinctive archery one needs to keep both eyes open, as was well said in an earlier post, to judge distance.

[Author]

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