Teaching to shoot

[KGAINES]

Ok this could be a stupid question, but my five year old has a very hard time winking, he got a bb gun for christmas and he can't wink to align the sights. I can't ever remember not being able to wink, my six year old girl can wink with either eye and can shoot as well as can be expected, but my boy struggles to wink, will he grow into it? I don't try to make him do it and he hasn't wanted to shoot the bb gun much, but he practices his winking all the time, he cracks me up with it, I just wish I could explain how to do it, but it just seems to be something you just have to do on your own. Maybe one of you guys have been through this, I know he is young and that might be the only problem. If you have any suggestions I would appreciate them.

[COUESAZ]

Some great shooters shoot with both eyes open. he will get it. Lots of kids strugle with it.

 

Just poke it with your finger and then it will stay shut.

[standman]

My nephew had the same problem. He had the problem on his first ever junior deer hunt. The solution we came up with was an eyepatch. He would pull the eyepatch over his eye when he was ready to shoot. Funny thing was when he finally got his opportunity he forgot to pull the eyepatch down and everything worked fine like he was winking all his life. Since then he hasn't had to use the eyepatch. Funny how things work when adrenaline hits ya.

 

Brian

[hunterdude]

My son had the same problem. Buy a pair of youth shooting glasses and tape up one of the lenses so it is more natural to close the eye that is blocked. It worked for us. Good luck! Isn't it fun to grow with the kids?

[COUESAZ]

My brother had to use the patch trick after is quad reck. Half his face was paralized for over a year and he could not close his left eye even to sleep. We thought he was going to have to lear to do it left handed but after all the swelling and work was done it all went back to normal. He killed a buck that year and said the patch was a great idea.

 

I guess poking him in the eye was not the best idea.

[az4life]

So he cannot wink either eye? I thought maybe he is one eye dominant and maybe he is trying to close the dominant eye?

In any case, as AZ Guide said, some folks shoot great without closing one eye.

I am sure he will get it figured out. He has lots of time!

 

Personally, I cannot shoot without closing one eye. I had a problem a few years ago that caused me to not be able to close my left eye.It was a watery mess but I went hunting any way and decided if that happened again I would not try to hunt. It was Nearly impossible for me! I missed being able to take a shot due to that.

[COUESAZ]

I shoot my hand guns great with both eyes open, but the rifle heck no.

[coues addict]

KGAINES

 

I shoot shotguns a lot, pot shooting, buddy shoots etc. Shooting shotguns with both eyes open is a good thing. I also shoot my deer rifle with both eyes open! I have a hard time closing just one eye also. If you get a .22 rifle or a pellet rifle and put a scope on it you may be real surprised what happens. I also shoot lots of varmits and I shoot with my off eye open also. It does not bother me at all.I actually think it is a huge advantage on moving targets or target aquisition. I am not worth a toot with open sights, but a scoped gun is a totally different thing! Your son will probably develop the coordination to close one eye later as he gets older.I would try the scoped rifle for now and see if he does ok. Just my opinion!

Good luck Coues Addict