Any tips appreciated

Crossbow Hunting

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xcaliber
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Any tips appreciated

Post by xcaliber »

Took my ten year old nephew shooting the crossbows today. He is lefty and did okay but we fought about his dominant eye all morning. He can’t shoot with both eyes open and insists on leaning over the stock to use his right eye. I did not have an eye patch handy or anything I could have used. I’m going to give him a loose scope to practice with, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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ComfyBear
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by ComfyBear »

Having a dominant eye that is opposite to the way one aims creates a problem. Although your nephew could adapt to keeping both eyes open, he'd be compromising and wouldn't achieve his potential. Since your nephew is only 10 years old I'd recommend that he switch to match his right eye dominance. With time he'll feel very comfortable holding any firearm right-handed. I say that from experience, I had a friend who was right-handed, but left eye dominant, although he wasn't too bad at "trap-shooting", within a very short time that he switched to holding the gun left-handed, his scores improved immensely.
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xcaliber
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by xcaliber »

Tried that at the range and it was not natural looking at all. I think he has to train his eye. I’m going to try everything, so this too will be considered off the range.
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DuckHunt
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by DuckHunt »

My older brother and son are both left handed and right eye dominant. They both shoot right handed. My son shoots his vertical bows right handed as well. I believe their thinking was that it was easier to shoot off handed than it was to try to train the other eye. If the weight of the weapon is a bit much for a youngster, then shooting off hand may be more of a problem. I've shot some skeet left handed and was a bit surprised I could hit enough to keep from starving left handed. But I have to admit that using my left eye felt a lot more awkward than shouldering a gun left handed.

:eusa-think: An offset scope mount?

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Boo
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by Boo »

A person does better to have some information from the other eye. In bullseye shooting both eyes are open but other eye has something to block full vision. It would be either a disc that drops down or if glasses are worn a piece of Invisible Tape. Buy him a pair of sunglasses and put some tape over his line of sight on the non shooting side.
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artifact
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by artifact »

I have no clue if either is viable, but they do make offset scope mounts, and possibly using a red dot sight. He's young and may just to have to learn to shoot as Boo mentioned or learn to shoot right handed.
xcaliber
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by xcaliber »

Thanks guys. I’m going to try having him just keep trying the loose scope and see from there. A red dot sounds good too but we’re not taking him hunting this fall.
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Deaf jeff
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by Deaf jeff »

xcaliber wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:39 pm
Took my ten year old nephew shooting the crossbows today. He is lefty and did okay but we fought about his dominant eye all morning. He can’t shoot with both eyes open and insists on leaning over the stock to use his right eye. I did not have an eye patch handy or anything I could have used. I’m going to give him a loose scope to practice with, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Dan,
i shoot right hand and use left eye, it took many years(about 20) but i came across this https://www.opticsplanet.com/gg-g-45-degree-offset-red-dot-rail-mount.html
i use the 90 degree version but dont see it on OP website. been using them on my bows and rifles for years, might help the young man out. it puts the scope about 1/2" along side the barrel/scope mount(depends on which height rings that are used it aint the purdiest but IT WORKS
IN GOD WE TRUST
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by Cardinalsfanforever »

my youngest grandson is a righty but left eye dominant. now he shoots lefty because he can't close left eye to aim with right. shooting the crossbows off the bench he shoots lefty and getting comfortable with it. My wife late uncle lost his right eye in WWII, but was an avid hunter and a great shot. he shoots righty but aimed with left eye. he took me pheasant hunting and I was impressed with his wing shooting. I never went dove shooting with him but heard he was decent. I couldn't hit a barn door, still can't
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xcaliber
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Re: Any tips appreciated

Post by xcaliber »

Thanks for the advice everyone. I’m going to work on this with him and see what happens next spring. He’s not as excited as he was yesterday morning but I think a little growing and practice might be the best way. I have him practicing with the left eye, he says shooting righty feels weird. 🤪
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