Confused Hunting Father

[3FLa]

Please help if you can. I have a 13 year old boy, and a 7 year old girl. This weekend, my little girl picked up my boy's pellet gun, which has a scope. I helped her learn how to shoot and she was blowing up water balloons from 15 feet on a regular basis thereafter.

Here is my problem. Both of my children are right hand dominant, but my girl was crossing her head over the scope, closing her RIGHT eye and using her LEFT eye for sighting the scope on the target.

Does this mean she should be shooting left handed, or do I correct her sight line to use the right eye.

I admit my lack of knowledge, so before anyone else does, I will call myself stupid. I have never incurred such a problem and would like some opinions. I really do not want to screw her up.

Thanks to all in advance.

[PotLikinisAhabbit]

First order of business is to figure out which eye is dominant. There are a number of simple test that can be done in a matter of secs. just google and see which one works for your child. Then once eye dominance is established you can move on to addressing which way to teach her to shoot.

[Bluechip]

I am right handed but my left eye is dominant. I shoot left handed and have no problems and I think there are several people on this site that do the same thing also.

I would teach her how to shoot left handed. That is what my dad did to me because I used to look across just like your daughter is doing. Not a big deal...

Just tell her that God blessed her with a unique quality.

Just make sure that her left eye is her dominant eye.

[bambam075]

My son is right handed but he shoots a gun left handed. I didnt understand this so i asked his eye doctor if this was normal. He told me that my son is left eye dominate so he shoots left handed because it is more natural for his vision. I would get your daughters eyes checked by a doctor. If she is comfortable shooting right handed looking over and she is accurate why change. I do not know if it will be a problem with greater distance or higher caliber guns with the recoil and all coming back up and smacking her face. Hope this help. Bambam

[Bluechip]

Eye Dominance - YouTube

Eye Dominance - YouTube

[budndawn]

Have her extend her arm and hold 1 finger up and line it up on a target with both eyes open then close her left eye if her finger remains lined up with the target then she is right eye dominant. If she is right eye dominant then you need to correct her shooting.

[fun w son]

i'm rt eye dominant but left handed. i shoot left handed with my left eye. been doin that way since i was 6 and never had a problem.

[tiger2001]

I do absolutely everything right handed but am left eye dominant. I can't close my left eye and leave my right open, close the left one right one closes to. When I was a kid learning to shot open sighted my dad would say just line the sights up but the NEVER lined up come to find out was closing the wrong eye. I learned to shot left handed and still do to this day. Its more natural for me now to put a gun on my left shoulder than my right.

[swamp snorkler]

My son is the same way.
I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I still close my left eye and shoot right handed. I'm trying to make my son do the same.

[swt70611]

If shes right handed and in fact left eye dominant you can tape off the left eye of her shooting glasses. My 7yo was trying to do the same thing and I checked his eye and he's right/right. I told him to quit looking with the wrong eye or I'd black it.... LOL

[SULPHITE]

Originally Posted by fun w son

i'm rt eye dominant but left handed. i shoot left handed with my left eye. been doin that way since i was 6 and never had a problem.

Same here

[speck-chaser]

My son is the same way, wonderd why he was putting his head so far over when I was teaching him a few years back. He wanted to keep shooting right handed,but had trouble closing his left eye. I took a pair of clear glasses,and spray painted the left eye black. Seems to have worked.Hes still shooting right handed,without the glasses anymore.

[fun w son]

guy at the lease actually uses an eye patch cause he can't close the left and leave the right open... what ever works??!!

[Finfeatherfur]

That patch is a cure, but I would suggest to make this only a temporary cure. As stated, determine what eye is dominant. Take it from someone that shoots alot, if she is left eye dominant, she will enjoy shooting sports more by getting her shooting with correct form.

I am right handed and left eye dominant. I am in the process of switching to shoot left handed at the age of 44, which is not working out to well. Shooting sporting clays, I use a DOT over the left eye on my glasses. When it comes time for me to qualify with a pistol at the range for law enforment, I have to really concentrate and take my time. After 50 shots or so, my eyes get fatigued and I start having dominance issues dropping my scores.

By starting her out correctly at the early age, you make it more comfortable and easier to master. Just my 2 pennies sir!

[adamsfence]

I am the same way. I struggled as a kid but taught myself how to shoot with my right eye. I have heard patches work well for this I just would have to manually close my left eye until I trained myself to shoot. Spent a odd day as a kid on a river bank with a 22 shooting and missing before I figured out what was happening. Glad to see you caught this early and can help her while she is learning and not have to relearn

[OhSoEasy]

I'm left handed and left eye dominant. I shoot long gun left handed and pistol right handed.

[homerun]

My oldest son starting shooting a shotgun at 5 right handed and halfway thru 6 year old season he looked up at me in blind and asked if he could shoot left handed. Laughing I said sure what ever feels better. He is now 17 and shoots lights out left handed.
Ive been told you suppose to shoot with both eyes open which is when the dominant eye theory works best. Most everyone I know closes one eye which nullifies the dominant eye theory.
Left handed means you are handicapped by guns ejecting out right side.
Bottom eject guns are more convenient for these backwards folks.

[spoony]

Forgot to say my son shot a 12 gauge remington (eject out right side next to right ear for left handed folks for 3 years). Without ear protection he failed hearing test in right ear at school. Took to dr. and he is 10% deaf in right ear only that is irreversible. Use ear protection . He now shoots browning(bottom eject). Noise now not as close to ear.

[biggun]

I'm Also left handed...Left eye dominant. I throw a ball ,and write lefted handed.. When I was in baselball i batted righted handed..

GO figure.. Light bulb moment guys.. No wonder I'm so screwed up... LOL..