Determining Eye Dominance

While most right-handed people will shoot right-handed due to a consistently dominant right side, that doesn’t necessarily mean every individual will follow those unwritten rules.

For instance, some left-handed people will be right-eye dominant and vice versa.

Therefore, determining eye dominance for a young or new shooter is important to ensure they start learning how to shoot while using their dominant eye and consequently correct side of their body.

While individuals certainly can learn to shoot using their non-dominant eye, as time progresses and eyes weaken, shooting with your dominant eye will prove the best answer for all forms of shooting.

In order to determine eye dominance for any individual, follow these three simple steps.

1. Start by extending your arms in front of your body at eye level, with palms outward. Bring your hands together, forming a small, open triangle between them by overlapping your fingers and thumbs.

2. Next center a small object, such as a door knob or light switch inside that triangle.

3. When the object is centered, start by closing your left eye. If the object stays centered, you are right-eye dominant. If the object moves out of view, try closing your right eye and check to see if the object stays centered. If it does, you are left-eye dominant.

From personal experience, if the test reveals a right-handed person is left-eye dominant, don’t fight against it.

As a young hunter I was forced into shooting right-handed because I did everything else with my right hand.

Consequently I struggled with learning to shoot properly as I always rolled my check up over the stock to scope with my left eye.

When I changed over to left-handed shooting, my level of competency with both a shotgun and rifle increased dramatically.

In my case, it should have been easy to detect as I cannot independently close my left eyelid, but for most people a simple eye dominance check will greatly improve their shooting ability right out of the gate.