Hunting & Fishing One eye open or two?

[Clayh]

I was taught as a youngster to close my left eye when sighting through my rifle scope and have shot this way for many, many years. Recently I've been watching video's of long range shooting and see that many guys keep both eyes open.

I've tried it and it seems awkward and doesn't improve my shooting.

What do you all think - one eye open or two and why?

BTW - I shoot my pistols with both eyes open and that seem more natural.

 

[roggom]

I keep both eyes open although I close my left for a fraction of a second when I am acquiring a site picture.

For me
Pros. Less muscle fatigue from squinting.

I am cross dominant. So when hunting I see the game with my left then bring the rifle to my right. Makes target acquisition quick and able to follow moving game at close range


Cons.
When it's very bright my eyes start to water. I don't like looking through a scope with shades.

 

[Rustybroadhead]

Two eyes for me. Started as a kid that way and have learned to shoot everything that way. Now, if I close one eye I almost immediately develop a flinch (especially with a bow and a peep sight!).

 

[banditbump]

Two eyes open is best for hunting if it don't detract from your accuracy cause you get a much better view of your quarry if it runs after the shot. That fleeting glance on a non vital hit animal can save you hours of searching for a wounded animal and can also facilitate faster follow up shots resulting in more humane kills. If u can retrain your self to shoot both eyes open it is well worth the effort imo, also helps in target shooting not just hunting for spotting your own misses.

 

[/dev/mosin]

When you close one eye, it is in relative darkness to the other, and the other tends to dilate causing it to be slightly less clear. Probably not enough to notice unless you're shooting thousands of rounds. For folks who's dominant eye isn't so dominate, you place a piece of material in front of the non-shooting eye. On my rifle, it's the hinged scope cap - I just rotate it such that it blocks most of the distracting view.

 

[Jig Stick]

my brown eye is always closed