Re-learning to shoot

[Wetwoodshunter]

I have known for a long time that I was right handed but left eye dominant. Are there good ways to learn to shoot both eyes open with a shotgun? I have always closed my left eye but I am having trouble with judging distance and leads on birds.

Is it worth learning to shoot my shotgun, and potentially a bow left handed?

[hunter399]

Not sure ,you can learn to do it anyway you like.
Just takes time.
Same here,left eye dominant,shoot right handed.
It's a pain,so I know.

[Jpmiller]

I tried for a while to shoot left handed with a shotgun but I was an even worse wing shot than I was shooting right handed. Gave up and switched back. I keep trying to test my kids for eye dominance while they're young but they won't give me straight answers to anything so it's hard to tell.

[Platensek-po]

I have known for a long time that I was right handed but left eye dominant. Are there good ways to learn to shoot both eyes open with a shotgun? I have always closed my left eye but I am having trouble with judging distance and leads on birds.

Is it worth learning to shoot my shotgun, and potentially a bow left handed?

I made my son wear glasses with tape over one eye. He also tried an eye patch. This helped him focus and practice until he could just close his left eye. Worked pretty well.

[hunter399]

I have known for a long time that I was right handed but left eye dominant. Are there good ways to learn to shoot both eyes open with a shotgun? I have always closed my left eye but I am having trouble with judging distance and leads on birds.

Is it worth learning to shoot my shotgun, and potentially a bow left handed?

I made my son wear glasses with tape over one eye. He also tried an eye patch. This helped him focus and practice until he could just close his left eye. Worked pretty well.

That's exactly how I learned.

[JWBINX]

When shooting a shotgun both eyes are to remain open.
It's not the same as rifle shooting.

[Wetwoodshunter]

When shooting a shotgun both eyes are to remain open.
It's not the same as rifle shooting.

I understand that you should shoot with both eyes open. Issue is I’m right handed and left eye dominant, shoulder your shotgun now close the eye that is situated above your cheek weld… that is what I see if I shoot both eyes open.

[jackelope]

When shooting a shotgun both eyes are to remain open.
It's not the same as rifle shooting.

Yes, but you still have a dominant eye.

There’s lot of stuff online about how to overcome dominant eye stuff when shooting shotguns. As simple as a piece of tape over your shooting glasses to whole exercises to work around it.

https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/shooting/instruction/issues-with-eye-dominance-15475/

Side note.
I shoot my rifles with both eyes open.

[dilleytech]

When shooting a shotgun both eyes are to remain open.
It's not the same as rifle shooting.

I never could figure that out while shooting. I’m a great waterfowl shot but have always closed by left eye when shooting.

[metlhead]

Shooting anything with one eye closed is awkward for me. Loss of depth perception. Both mine stay open to shoot beter and pick out the next shot. Is shooting with non-dominant eye really an issue for some? Seems it would be harder to switch to left hand shooting.

[boneaddict]

Mine keeps switching.   I was right eye dominant until in my 40s sometime when all of a sudden I couldnt hit the broadside of a barn.  I tested myself and sure as heck, my left eye was now dominant, and then last week I busted some caps and what the heck, right eye dominant again.   

[HereDuckyDucky]

I have always just closed my left (dominant) eye. Been doing it so long, I don’t know any difference.

RW

[chukardogs]

Hey, no pro here. I actually had a similar problem several years back. I learned to shoot a rifle, 60+ years ago with my left eye closed. Other than a little trap shooting while in the Air Force 40 years ago and some duck and goose hunting over the next several years, I've used shotguns very little compared to rifles in my life. No matter what I do, as soon as a gun starts to my shoulder, my left eye closes. Quite a few years ago I started Chukar and Grouse hunting over dogs. As my bird dogs learned their craft, their expectations in my abilities with a shotgun grew. As the birds flew off leaving the dogs looking at me and me looking at my shotgun. Finally I had no choice but to start looking for help. I read books, watched instructional videos and then a close friend, who's spent hours on hours behind the butt of a shotgun said, listen, forget everything you've been told and read. The next time a bird gets up, start following it, swinging the barrel from behind the bird to the front. When the bead passes the beak, squeeze the trigger as you keep swinging. I said, how am I going to see the beak. He said that's the point. As you're focusing on the picture above barrel and looking for the beak, you don't think about whether your eyes are open or closed. You're looking past the bead and for the beak. As silly as that all sounds, I haven't missed a Blue Grouse since I started using his theory. One of these days I'll actually find a Chukar to shoot at. Like I said, not a pro, just a for what it's worth and it has worked for me.

[JWBINX]

Hey, no pro here. I actually had a similar problem several years back. I learned to shoot a rifle, 60+ years ago with my left eye closed. Other than a little trap shooting while in the Air Force 40 years ago and some duck and goose hunting over the next several years, I've used shotguns very little compared to rifles in my life. No matter what I do, as soon as a gun starts to my shoulder, my left eye closes. Quite a few years ago I started Chukar and Grouse hunting over dogs. As my bird dogs learned their craft, their expectations in my abilities with a shotgun grew. As the birds flew off leaving the dogs looking at me and me looking at my shotgun. Finally I had no choice but to start looking for help. I read books, watched instructional videos and then a close friend, who's spent hours on hours behind the butt of a shotgun said, listen, forget everything you've been told and read. The next time a bird gets up, start following it, swinging the barrel from behind the bird to the front. When the bead passes the beak, squeeze the trigger as you keep swinging. I said, how am I going to see the beak. He said that's the point. As you're focusing on the picture above barrel and looking for the beak, you don't think about whether your eyes are open or closed. You're looking past the bead and for the beak. As silly as that all sounds, I haven't missed a Blue Grouse since I started using his theory. One of these days I'll actually find a Chukar to shoot at. Like I said, not a pro, just a for what it's worth and it has worked for me.

Great advice!
However, the eyes have to be open.

[300rum]

The correct answer is that there are many ways to overcome it, you just have to try a few things out.  Most people don't/won't spend enough time on it.  I can think of a half dozen things that you can do when your cross eye dominant (as I am).  Learning to shoot with your non-dominate hand is the worst thing to start out with and I think the worst possible solution that was pushed by the gun rags back in the day when supposedly "learning to shoot".  And yes, you absolutely can shoot a shotgun very well while closing one eye.