Hello y'all,
It has come to my attention in a rather sudden way that my daughter would like a new bow for her Birthday in two weeks. While this announcement is of course, great news, it does have it's idiosyncrasies.
My daughter has had an entire host of vision problems all her life. In essence, Her Pediatric Optometrist stated a year or so ago that she is left eye dominant. A couple weeks ago, the Vision Specialist at her Charter School told us she is right eye dominant. We're not entirely positive who to believe, though we lean towards the man who has already performed eye surgery on her once.
So...in summary, and to the gist of the query...I was wondering if anyone could suggest an off the hand bow, or perhaps one of the rare types with a shelf on each side, until we get things sorted out for sure, or...if perhaps that's just a bad idea altogether. We are contacting her Dr. as soon as we can to get his opinion once again, but in the mean time, and while I'm shopping and trying to keep from getting two-blocked on the project, I'd sure appreciate your thoughts!
Thank you.
If your daughter shoots instinctively it doesn't matter which eye dominance she has.
I shoot instinctive and have a VERY poor right eye, when I switched to lefty my shooting improved. What Pat B above said does make sense, but just my experience.
Have you tried the usual test we give everyone in introductory archery classes where they make a triangle hole by putting their hands together and extending their arms out full length and looking at some object 50' or so away, then bring their hands back to their face? Whatever eye they bring their hands back to is the dominant eye. At least for that test. I understand that some people may have a cross dominance and their dominant eye might change.
I'm left handed, became RED in middle age and now shoot both LH and RH . You can overcome strong eye dominance with practice. But since it's your daughter and her birthday, be extravagamt and post that you are looking for a low draw weight 1959-60 Bear Alaskan. OMG!
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=14;t=004656
That is generally a good test, and not to be discounted, but there are other items involved that are way too complex to get into without writing a novel on the topic. Basically, in that given test, she absolutely does not cross center line of her body, so....since she's right handed, she has typically gone to right eye for that test and similar ones, even just before the Dr. originally pronounced her left eye dominant. In the realm of things though, it's never bad to go back to basics. Thank you for the suggestion.
Given that she has some complicated issues, you might consider teaching her to shoot both right and left handed. One of two things will happen: either she will gravitate one way or the other, or she will continue to enjoy shooting ambidextrously. Either alternative is a win.
What is she most comfortable with. My brother shoots right handed and uses his left eye because its comfortable and he shoots great.
What poundage and type of bow are you thinking of getting for her?
I don't know if I dare state what I've been primarily considering in this medium. It's the one that most youth archery clubs tend to use?
Now...I'm fairly open to suggestions on a decent youth bow. I'm willing to consider most any decent bow that could be suggested in this forum.
Thank you all for the ideas you have communicated thus far.
That bow you are considering is a fine bow to start young ones out on. ;)
I agree with David
With all respect to David, and he may well be correct, I have only my own experience to go on. I have taught youth archery for my club for many years. The club provides the kind of bow you're probably talking about, and I provide a collection of trad bows I have accumulated over the years. My experience is that the kids with potential invariably gravitate to the trad bows, because even though they are not the best, they shoot better than the ones named after the first book in the Bible. Now if the kids had an opportunity to use a real compound bow that was appropriate for their strength and draw length, that probably wouldn't be the case, but the semi-compound bows we provide are doggy, at best.
To amplify my statement a few posts above, you might want to consider getting her a Samick bow of either 20 or 25 pounds, depending on her strength, with both a right and left hand riser. Switch it back and forth every other time unless and until she expresses a preference for one side or the other. I doubt you could sell a used Samick riser for very much, but I understand they make fine desk lamp stands.
Have you ever considered that this may be good excersize for whichever is the weaker eye? kids have an amazing ability to heal themselves and a lot quicker than their more mature counterparts. Caught a program a while ago on the tele where they patched a girls stronger eye to build strength in the weaker eye. Not sure if this applies but well worth discussing with the optometrist and doing a bit of research? Good luck and God bless!
Again, I appreciate the thoughts y'all have shared thus far. I rather like the idea of the Samick with the different risers. It's definitely worth taking into consideration.
I think I kinda understand the issues kids could have with that which shall not be named. Kind of a loose, sloppier feel to the string rather than a tight and crisp and lively feel.
I have much to consider. Again, I thank y'all.
How old is your daughter and what draw weight bow are you looking for?
James
It is entirely possible that she does not have a strong dominant eye, like me. Since I do not have an absolute dominance, if I think about it, I can make either eye dominant in a test. When I shoot lefty I am left eye dominant, when doing the simple peak test and when I shoot righty, within a couple of shots, I become right eye dominant.
James, that bow is now in the hands of its second little girl and doing great. It went from Autumn to Shy, her little sister.
If you're looking for a low cost alternative, this might be an option: http://www.3riversarchery.com/PSE+Silver+Snake+60+Youth+Recurve+Bow_i10027_baseitem.html
3Rivers has several other options, but I've heard multiple good things about the pse snake as a starter bow. I've actually been looking at this one to play around with as I am transitioning from right to left handed, but it might be a little stout for her at 35-40 @ 28": http://www.3riversarchery.com/Noggle+Stones+Bow+of+the+Nagonene_i8556X_baseitem.html
While agreeing that the typical test for eye dominance is the one described of drawing the hands into the face to see which eye is favored, another simple but more definitive test is to ask the individual to extend an arm and place a fingertip on a distant object, such as a clock on the wall or a bullseye, all while keeping both eyes wide open. Then while still holding the fingertip on the distant object, cover one of their eyes. If the fingertip no longer points to the same place on the object, then the covered eye is the dominant one. Also you should be aware that children's eye dominance can change from day to day and week to week, until about age 12 or thereabouts. So don't place too much reliance on eye dominance during the early years.
I don't have a strong dominance after my first stroke, as it put a permanent blind spot and double vision in my dominant right eye. I just aim open eyed now (my arrow is on the opposite side of the riser to you guys anyway.)
How about a bow with no shelf at all? I shoot Asian bows, none of which have shelves. Shooting off the hand is an important skill to me. The same bow would serve both eyes and sides.
While our traditional league is shooting at the not so local "all types" archery shop, a young woman came in and started shooting her compound. The funny thing was she wore a pink eye patch. I asked her about it and she is cross eyed dominant so she wears the patch over her dominant left eye and shoots right handed. She told me where she got the pink eye patch but of course I forgot.
I would suggest finding an eye patch and see if it helps. It would be detrimental to judging distances, but it would solve the eye dominance issue.
I have shot with a patch extensively. It's a good tactic for forcing dominance or strengthening a weak eye when done young. When you're older, it helps in teaching a nondominant eye to take over in aiming.
I am neither! It switches!! My eye doctor and a bowhunt partner has checked me several times over the years and actually said it is common. Eye dominance is not an all/nothing type of thing. It can be a matter of degrees. If I need to I can close a eye. AND again (according to my Eye Dr.) contrary to popular bow-world opinion; closing an eye has nothing to do with depth perception and such beyond a few feet in front of you.
Like some have said. I would not worry about it. Get her what is comfortable to shoot- likely her dominant hand.
Dan in KS
Yup you can handle depth perception with just one eye fine. Even with the patch I could handle it, I just had visual disturbances that complicated aiming after the stroke.
Pavan has hit on something. Many people's dominant eye is not fixed. I learned this when fitting for a shotgun with professionals. If you daughter wears glasses here is the fix....
If she is right handed without a strong dominant eye then get a pack of those sticky dots from office depot. Put one on the left lens in the exact place where it blocks the left eye when you are about to shoot. This leaves you with perifal vision and blocks one of the two crossed arrow points she can see when drawing.
When I went to left hand shooting primarily, the first few days I had a tendency to glance at my arrow. When I did that, my right eye would take over and I would split the difference with my secondary aim between my eyes and shoot to the right. To coach my eye control, I took the left lens out of a pair of cheap sunglasses. I then found it easy to tell which eye was looking at what and since the vision was unrestricted on my left eye it took over.
Wow. Lots of good thoughts put forth since I last checked in. I'm not entirely sure what poundage I'm going to be looking for. She is turning seven in a week or two, and she yanks back her eight pound recurve like she's gonna snap it in half, but then struggles a good bit with a #25 lb recurve we have laying around.
I was really hoping my wife would be able to take her to the archery shop and try a few, but time is quickly running out. I will have likely three days or so to get it all figured by the time I get home from my remote job.
I'll play a few games with her, to check her eye dominance when I get home, and see where we stand.
As ever, I appreciate your thoughts.
A lot of the old bear polar bows have a dual shelf. Good luck!
I would suggest Mike Ballenger of 7 Lakes make you a dual shelf Hill style Night Lite. You WILL NOT be disappointed in Mike's bow build. If you are, let me know. I'll take it off your hands.
duel shelf is a good idea