Trad Gang

Anyone which from righty to lefty due to target panic? I shoot righty but my left eye is dominate. Shot this way for lotsa years but the old TP is killing me. Don't like a clicker

Good luck with your switch!

I switched to LH back in September due to a chronic right shoulder challenge.

Technically, I am shooting better than I have ever before.

BTW - I am right eye dominant.

Shoot straight, Shinken

Go for it.  I switched to LH from right, not because of tp but because after eye surgery I couldn't hit anything right handed.  I'm left eye dominant and it works much better LH.  Take your time, start with your lightest bow, or get a light one, and work your way up.  You won't regret it.

I changed because of tp.  My advice is to make sure you concentrate on every aspect of your form on "every" shot.  Keep complete control.  Don't let the bugger bite you on the left side.

Switching was the best move I made in the last 25 years.  Should have done it much sooner.

I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I shot RH for years and was shooting before reaching anchor , target panic who knows . But if your left eye is lined up with the target you cannot come to full draw Left handed without everything being out of line. Like stated above start with a good light bow and work on form ,form and more form . It will come to a LOT quicker than you think by being Left eye dominant , never ever belive someone who says you don't need to shoot with your dominant eye. You can do it but why fight mother nature ? Good luck and stay in touch with Casto above he can keep you on the right track as he has been through it all .

Jack

It seems that after 35 years of shooting off the right side I have trained my right eye to take over. In a dominate eye test I am still left eye dominate but I have to close my right eye when shooting lefty. Hopefuly, this will change. Jim, did you have this problem at first? Thanks.

Yes I did.  I used a patch over my right eye for the first week or so.  After that, I'd just squint a little.  Now, I can leave both eyes open--but don't always.  

I'd say in just a few days your left eye will take over.  You'll do fine.  Probably better than you anticipate.  The main thing is to concentrate on your form. If a lighter bow is in order, then get one, and use it for a while. Everything else will come along.  "Form is EVERYTHING!"  Good Luck to you.

I actually just registered and logged into tradgang to post a reply.  You are excactly where I was about 6 years ago. Shooting right handed, left eye dominant and I had severe target panic.  It got so bad a stood in tree and actuall laughed at myself when I could not physically draw the bow for fear of missing a doe at 12 yards.....There was a lot of fustration for several years leading up to the laughing.

Anyway... I switched to lefty. got on ****, purchased a light weight bow and started over.  There has been no turning back from day one.  Honestly no target panic, no snap shooting, just plenty of plain old fun and 4 years running of conecting on deer in the field.  Even smoked a squirrel this fall which was better than shooting a moose.  I still cannot shoot a traditional bow right handed....my heart starts pounding when I near full draw...go figure...

Good luck

Been shooting lefty 3 weeks now. When I really trying I can shoot 4" groups at 20 yards. I started shooting with 28 lbs and haved advanced to 35. I have a 40 lb Quinn on order. I picked up a lefthand Bob Lee riser off here and my limbs on this riser are 44 lbs. I will start shooting them in about 3 weeks or a month. No big jumps in weight. I can't believe how I can hold at anchor, get a site picture, kick in the back and release. Should have done this years ago. Still shooting with one eye closed though.

Good for you!  Don't let him come back.  Not even a hint.  Concentrate on every aspect of that form on each shot.  It really helps to let down a lot of times in your practice sessions too.  Just draw, frame the shot, expand, and let down.

Good Luck to you.

I have been shooting RH with a release since I lost all but half a pinky and thumb in meat grinder acccident. I am thinking of switching to lefty also so I don't have to use that stinking release. Sounds like it can be done with determination and practice.

Stick, I am in a position that I can shoot almost everyday. From shooting so long I know what to do, the trick is doing it. Very awkward at first but it comes pretty quickly. Start light and stay at it. Jim has great advice. It's working for me. Good luck and concentrate on every shot.

borrowed a lefty bear recurve this morning, feels pretty good getting a good anchor and hitting the insert on deer target at ten yards 9 out of ten times, both eyes open. Think I might really like this I should have tried 5 years ago

I just started the lefty experiment,myself. Right-eye dominant, but after battling TP since 1979, the fun has gone out of my archery. Though, I shot using a release this season, and that helped immensely. Kind of fun to get to full draw on an animal again. But to go to trad shoots, which I really enjoy, I need to get my fingers back on the string. Thus, the attempt at shooting lefty. I've gone the clicker route,but can't get it to work with an animal in front of me. Time for drastic measures. Good luck with your shooting!

I switched to my dominant left eye and did it for the tp on the right side. I shoot 100% better. I agree with doowop in shooting light bow's. I have maxed out at 50lbs and don't even need that much for elk or deer. Shoot what feels good, and what you can anchor for a long period of time. Good luck

In my case I shoot left handed but I"m right eye dominant.  Everything is so much easier.  The funny thing is I had to come full circle over the course of 20 years to figure this out.  When I was a kid I shot left handed but as a teen shot right handed compounds and in my 20's right handed recurves. Now back shooting left handed and it feels great.  Funny thing is no matter how much I shot right handed and built up strength I was always way stronger shooting left handed.  and it felt better.  now i"m finding I can shoot way better this way too .  its just natural.

Jim Castro..... You had given me some feedback before about switching to lefty to beat T P. I was wondering....If I do switch to a left hand bow what specific steps should I take to learn  the shot process on this side to keep that nasty bugger from coming back? I plan to get a 30 to 35 lb bow and figured I'd have to spend a lot of time at the bale , but do you recomend any specific exercises.

If any of you guys have any input, I'd appreciate it.Do you think there is a specific regimen to follow when someone learns to shoot that will keep T P from happening ?

I can shoot pretty well right handed with a clicker(upper 250's avg for NFAA indoor round) but I'd really like to get to the point that I can shoot almost that well or the same with no clicker.

Thanks

Ike

Here it is - the *secret* to LH shooting - an integration of extremely helpful Trad Gang member dialogues - especially McDave - Rod Jenkins - Rick Welch - Anthony Camera - Fred Anderson - and the list goes on and on....
------------------------------------------
Repeat after me and then visualize it....

"This is *my* 12-step shot sequence for the perfect arrow."

1.   Shoulders perpendicular to the target
2.   Nock an arrow
3.   Rest the bow
4.   Align the fingers
5.   Hook the string
6.   Inhale / exhale
7.   Draw / inhale
8.   Anchor on face
9.   Count...1001...1002 (Pick THE spot!)
10.     Expansion   FT with solid bow arm
11.     Conclusion   FT with solid bow arm
12.     Exhale           FT with solid bow arm

Shoot straight, Shinken

I'm a natural lefty who was forced to be right handed.  I found it helps to have a nasty German lady standing behind you with a ruler. I still have issues with tall blonds ;-)

Good luck on the switch and the target panic

Matt

I swiched, best thing I ever did for my shooting .John

I am left eye dominant but shot a bow R/H for way to many years. Then decided to switch to L/H. It just felt so natural when I switched, I was shooting good in less than a week. I can still get the R/H out and shoot but not as accurate as left hand. Every once in a while I  forget and set my stand up for a r/h shooter. I have also hunted 4 or 5 hours and notice when I get back to the truck my arm guard is on the wrong arm.

The fact that you are left eye dominant should make your transition  natural and your accuracy should improve.  Now about the target panic.
Here is  how I train.  Perhaps it could help you.   I am a lefty and am left eye dominate.  I can also shoot righty.  I taught myself several years back whe I had some nasty neck and shoulder issues.  Anyway at 15 yards, my shooting sessions start with a old 62" black hawk hornet recurve that draws 34# @ 28".  At my draw length of 31" I can draw that bow and hold at anchor until the cows come home and that is a great thing to do when working on form.  Concentrating on my form, I draw, anchor, and count 1-thousand....2-thousand...release.  After 12 arrows I go to an old 62" bear cub wich is 43#'s at 28" and repeat the process of concentrating on form, full draw and release. Now it's time for the 62" @ 28" 1958 bear grizzly, which comes in about 58# at my draw.  Same process, same result, full draw, solid anchor, good release, arrows in the 10 spot.
I cannot say enough about having a lighter bow or two to use for perfecting your form and improving your skill. Give it a try.  It just might be what the doctor ordered.  Good luck!

I shot right-handed for 28 years. I've shot left-handed for 15 years. I have always been Left-eye dominant and had to shoot with the left eye shut until I switched. Target panic, which became progressively worse for nearly 11 years until it almost ran me out of archery, was why I switched. The good news, is it wasn't as big a deal as I thought especially since with the panic I could hardly shoot anyway right-handed. I had to drop down in bow weight (I was shooting compound at 76 pounds, went to 60 pounds).

Now the bad news, you must prevent the thought process that caused you target panic from recurring or it will happen again -- very shortly!  I've been in archery a very long time. I train trainers, to train teachers, to teach students -- 1.2 million students this year. I've trained 4,000 teachers. The person who TRAINED ME was a very long-time recurve shooter (still holds NFAA records from the 1980's). He has also coached more Olympians to medals than any of our Olympic coaches.  His DVD, called "Beyond NASP" (www.archeryingtheschools.org) is the best thing out there.  There are so many myths that have been passed on to us that are so wrong!  When you shoot an arrow and it misses the mark, for no apparent reason, and you feel bad about it...you are on the way to target panic.  You must get your mind off the target after you've aimed. Counting at anchor is ok but not nearly as positive about thinking about the next step -- follow-through. The draw hand must paint the face under the ear and the thumb must end up near or own the drawing arm shoulder. The bow arm (if properly active) must NOT remain up and unmoving after the shot.  The bow arm cannot help but move towards the target and fall down and to the side if the bow arm muscles are properly active.

After God and Family archery is the most important thing in my life. I almost lost it due to target panic. I very carefully read posts and articles by archery experts.  Some are great archers but there are alarmingly few that stress the mental aspects of archery enough.

If you acquire Beyond NASP you will learn about a teaching/training device called the String Bow. It is the SECRET to keeping target panic out of your life.

If you shoot opposite of your dominant eye, you tend to aim with that eye.  If you are shooting left handed you will tend right.  The opposite is true.  Your up and down should not be affected.  I know when i shoot left i probably plucked the string and when i shoot right of the bull i aimed with my right eye.  That holds for me if the bow arrow combo is tuned.  Shooting left handed and right eye dominant.

I quit the bow after trying for a year or so RH when I'm left eyed (but right handed). I never felt good looking at the arrow on a cant to the target. A wheel guy instructor said no problem if your shooting instinctively. I shouldn't be looking at the arrow? Everything seemed messed with the arrow "over there". After 8 years looking at that bow, I "fake drew" an arrow on the "wrong"(left) side and...holy smokes, this feels much better. Bought a LH bow, although too heavy for starting with, I'm back into it. This is more like it. The main problem I had starting out was trying to do the little things with my non dominant hand. Taking an arrow out of the quiver, nocking the damn thing was a true lesson in frustration. Getting better though, and so happy to be back.
TOM

When I had to restart shooting after a motorcycle injury, not to pick up some bad habits, I found it very helpful to spend a part of my shooting session starting with blind bail shooting. It helped smoothing out the shot and feeling acquainted again with it s feel. As shown on Masters of the Barebow 3, in the section by Rod Jenkins.
Marco

Borrowed a left handed 25 lb target recurve this monday and have been shooting at the blank bale each day. I am just concentrating on building a shot sequence. I am amazed at how well I can talk myself though the sequence with no urge to release until it's the right time. I am able to come to full draw, establish a solid anchor, increase back tension and hold a nice solid follow-through. I have let myself take a few shots at a target at 17 or 18 yds. I was able to perform the exact same sequence, no problem.
I have also added at least 1 1/2" to my draw length. I know some of that is due to the lighter poundage , but I really think most of it is the lack of tp.
This is fun again!!!


Ike

I am a right handed person, Left eye Dominate. When I shot wheel bows shot right handed -- when I switched to traditional I switched to Lefty. Love it!!! start with a light bow and develop good form, in fact let down before you shoot a shot with bad form. If every shot is shot with good form, your confidence and ability will soar!!! good luck.

I agree with the above, having recently switched to a RH bow. I am right-eye dominant and left handed. The RH bow has made my shooting more accurate although my form is pretty poor and I need to concentrate more on it. When my form is good, I can shoot arrows RH more consistantly and confidently than LH, simply because of my right eye dominance. I shoot instinctive.

Well I've experimented enough over the last 10 days. I'm switching to left hand shooting. Now I've got to get a bow !!


Ike

O K, I bought a bow saturday from Lancaster Archery/Tradtech.
First Rob K. , the owner of Lancaster Archery and John W. the new head of Tradtech are the BEST !!!!
Now to the lefty shooting. To Quote Jim Castro Jr. " it's the best thing I've done in all my years of archery "!!
Now , I can actually practice the things that Rod Jenkins preaches. I come to anchor , establish a good sight picture, increase my back tension and focus on a good follow-through. The release just happens by it's self somewhere between increase back tension and follow-through.
It's the coolest feeling in the world !!!
The arrow just leaves. No flinch. No colapse.
BTW Rod I also bought one of your Safari Tuff Gazelle take-down bow cases from Lancaster Archery. Fits the Pinnacle II riser and medium recurve limbs like a glove. Fantastic Quality !!
Let me know if you need a rep for the mid Atlantic region.
Also the guys at Lancaster had nothing but great things to say about you.....


Ike

I am right eye dominate but my left eye is actually stronger because of the fact that I have bad eye sight.

I am hoping that over time my left eye will be able to line things up even with both eyes open. But , if not , no big deal . The shot process is so much better on my left side that it's still a good trade.


Ike

It should become to were you can have both eyes open! Glad you like the change!!