Cross-Dominance Is Not a Problem — It’s a Process
There was recently a post in another group about eye dominance. While the information wasn’t necessarily wrong, it was a bit misleading — and not how I would personally approach educating women on this topic.
The post stated that women who are cross-dominant should get a bent shotgun stock.
I want to be very clear: this is absolutely NOT where I would start.
There are many avenues to explore before ever considering bending a stock.
For context — I’m a professional shotgun instructor (NSCA and NRA Level II), I teach NSCA instructor courses, and I was a Team USA shotgun team member from 2019–2022. I’ve taught 1,000+ women and youth how to shoot, and many of them were cross-dominant.
First, let’s normalize this:
Cross-dominance affects far more women than people realize. If you are cross-dominant, you are NOT in the minority.
When I give lessons, the first thing I check is eye dominance. From there:
• If she has shot before, I have her mount the gun on the side she’s comfortable with and watch for head canting.
• If she’s brand new, I don’t give her a choice — I start her on her dominant-eye side.
• If she’s been shooting and consistently breaking targets, I make zero adjustments initially — especially after watching her on incoming and outgoing targets to see where she is on the bird.
There are several factors that influence eye dominance:
True cross-dominance
A center shift (dominant eye sitting very close to center)
Dehydration (our eyes are nearly 80% water)
Eye fatigue — especially common later in the day or during long hunts
Yes — your eyes can shift. Fatigue, dehydration, and even eye training can influence dominance.
Areas I personally stay away from:
Cross-dominant stocks
They are expensive, permanent modifications. If your eyes shift back, you’re left with a stock that may no longer work for you. Is it an option? Yes — but never my first recommendation. It’s a last resort after everything else has been tried.
Sight trainers / focusing on the bead
Unless you’re turkey hunting, the “sight” on a shotgun is largely irrelevant. I actually remove or black out the bead on my shotguns. We look beyond the barrel. You point a shotgun — you do not aim it.
Where I recommend starting:
Dotting or occluding the eye
Chapstick, tape, foils, etc. can work — but I caution hunters because you lose some field of vision. If you go this route, have it done by a professional who understands pupil awareness in relation to barrel position. Placement matters.
Eye training
There are drills and apps that can help strengthen your non-dominant eye. I’ve written about the science behind this in Lady Outdoor Lifestyles.
Winking
This can be a fantastic option for hunters because you keep most of your field of view. But it has to be trained until it’s automatic.
Occlusion foils (my personal favorite for severe cross-dominance)
This allows shooters to keep both eyes open while slightly weakening the dominant eye (20–70% depending on need). It doesn’t change gun side and doesn’t permanently alter your stock. Again — professional placement is important.
Bottom line:
Before spending thousands modifying your gun, spend time with a qualified, reputable shotgun instructor who understands eye dominance in women.
It’s far better than just slinging lead downrange and hoping something sticks.
If you’re cross-dominant, you’re not broken — you just need the right approach. 💛
