Are you right-handed, or left-handed? When using a fork, writing, or throwing a ball etc., predominantly one hand (right or left) will feel comfortable performing these actions. If you always use your right hand, you are "right-handed." If you always use your left hand, you are "left-handed." The same can be said about the eyes. Just as a person can be right/left handed, everyone has a "dominant eye." Unfortunately archery equipment is labeled right and left "handed" but it should be labeled right and left "eyed" equipment. The information below will help you determine what type of bow you should choose.

Finding Your Dominant Eye

Method #1

Extend both hands forward of your body and place the hands together making a small triangle between your thumbs and the first knuckle.

With both eyes open, look through the hole you made with your hands and stare at a helpers nose. The helper should be standing at least 5 feet away. The helper will be able to see the dominant eye of the person being tested (as shown in Fig #2)

Method #2

Extend both hands forward of your body and place the hands together making a small triangle between your thumbs and the first knuckle.

With both eyes open, look through the triangle and center something such as a doorknob or the bullseye of a target in the triangle.

Close your left eye. If the object remains in view, you are right eye dominant. If your hands appear to move off the object and move to the left, then you are left eye dominant.

To validate the first test, look through the triangle and center the object again with both eyes open.

Close your right eye. If the object remains in view, you are left eye dominant. If your hands appear to move off the object and move to the right, then you are right eye dominant.

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

Q:Why does it matter?

A:When shooting properly, an archer will have both eyes open. This will allow them to see the sight picture and the target and background more easily. Hunters especially will benefit from keeping both eyes open in low light conditions. Shooting with both eyes open allow them to see the game they are hunting and the sight picture more easily. If shooting with equipment that doesn't match your dominant eye you will not be able to effectively see your sight picture and target as one image. Most often double vision occurs when trying this.

Q:If I am left-eye-dominant and right handed should I shoot right or left handed equipment?

A:You should shoot left handed equipment. An archer should always shoot equipment that matches there dominant eye. Even archers that have been shooting for years incorrectly will eventually become better if they switch equipment to match their dominant eye.

Q:Don't most right handed people have a right dominant eye and vise versa?

A:Most do but about 30% of people we have tested over the past 35 years have a different dominant eye than their dominant hand.

Q:If I am left-eye-dominant can I use right handed equipment successfully?

A:Yes. By closing your dominant eye you can successfully aim with your non-dominant eye. However this proves to be troublesome in low light shooting conditions both for target shooting and hunting.

The Difference Between Right & Left Handed Equipment

A right handed bow is shot by holding the bow with your left hand and pulling it back with your right (Fig #1), while a left handed bow is shot by holding the bow with your right hand and pulling it back with your left. (Fig #2)