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looking through the scope - what am I doing wrong?

callktulucallktulu Member Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
edited November 2008 in General Discussion
I watched three does walking/grazing in a field this morning. They were about 200 yards away....maybe a bit more. I watched them through my scope as they moved until they went into woods and out of sight. When I continued my naked eye scanning of my hunting area, everything in my left eye (the one I keep shut while looking through the scope) is blurry. It was like that for quite some time.

I figured my RIGHT eye would be fatigued, since it was the one I used for so long while looking through the scope. But the one closed tight ends up being blurry.

Besides using my scope for observation, what am I doing wrong? Is this normal or am I hurting my eyes somehow?[?]

Comments

  • bamafanbamafan Member Posts: 4,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't know what you are doing wrong, but my eye does the same thing.
  • callktulucallktulu Member Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, that makes me feel a bit better than. Either it's normal, or we're both doing something wrong![:D][:p]
  • mrseatlemrseatle Member Posts: 15,467 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Once you learn to use the scope with both eyes open... it's like Magic!
  • bamafanbamafan Member Posts: 4,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've tried to use the scope with both eyes open, but my eyes won't focus. Any trick to master this?
  • idahoduckeridahoducker Member Posts: 740 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Same thing here. I to would like to know what causes it and if anything can be done about it. Better optics maybe?
    Only happens after extended periods of staring through my 12 power VXII at long range little critters.
  • MVPMVP Member Posts: 23,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well the obvious mistake is you failed to pull the trigger.
    If you pulled the trigger you would have had a dead deer on your hands and the blurry eye would have been forgoten./
  • swearengineswearengine Member Posts: 1,308 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    By closing your eye, you are contracting the muscles; straining them; and that is what his leading to your blurry vision upon opening that eye. If you can learn to shoot with both eyes open, this will reduce the strain. Close one eye and look through your scope with the other, then slowly open your eye after you have focused on an object in the scope.

    A better plan for observing is to purchase a quality binocular and use that rather than your riflescope. I have seen a number of "hunters" use their riflescope in place of their binocular and eventually they wind up looking at another hunter through the scope. It is more than a touch unsettling. When I have been a victim of someone "scoping" me, I have confronted the offending party and made it clear in no uncertain terms that they should buy a binocular and learn how to use it or stay home.
  • callktulucallktulu Member Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MVP
    Well the obvious mistake is you failed to pull the trigger.
    If you pulled the trigger you would have had a dead deer on your hands and the blurry eye would have been forgoten./


    The deer were on someone else's property. I was waiting for them to come onto the property I have permission to hunt upon.
  • mrseatlemrseatle Member Posts: 15,467 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bamafan
    I've tried to use the scope with both eyes open, but my eyes won't focus. Any trick to master this?


    An old Army guy I used to work with before he retired had this 24" long stick with a white dot at the end of it... he would hold it out in one hand as far out to the side of his view as he could while keeping his head straight ahead, then would try to see the white dot in his peripheral vision. he would make slow circles and switch hands after about 5 minutes. excercising his peripheral vision at all angles... he said it helps to keep the eyeballs "round" or at least in the right shape.

    One of the few 70 year-olds I know that doesn't need glasses.
  • mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    You really need both eyes open, and it takes a bit of practice to keep em that way.
    I shoot mostly long eye relief pistol scopes and it really helps to keep both of those peepers open at all times.... You don't really use the off eye for anything, but it needs to be open....
  • bartobarto Member Posts: 4,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Perhaps you are "other eye dominant"?
    [?]barto[?]
  • MBKMBK Member Posts: 2,918 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    By closing that eye, you cause the pupil to dialate, opening too much. You also may cause a lot of tears.
  • asphalt cowboyasphalt cowboy Member Posts: 8,904 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Since I wear prescription glasses and left eye dominant I found it works to buy a cheap pair of clip-ons, pop out the right lens and scuff the left with a pad of 0000 steel wool.
    With enough practice at the range, which we all should be getting in anyway, it simplifies learning the both eyes open technique.
  • callktulucallktulu Member Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think an even easier solution would be to buy a holographic sight!![:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
  • FEENIXFEENIX Member Posts: 10,559 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A friends friend had the same problem. He sees the game very well with binocs but not with scope. He later found out that he's dominant eye has cataract, which explains his blurry vision when looking throught the scope ... you might want to check into it. Good luck!
  • Chief ShawayChief Shaway Member, Moderator Posts: 6,289 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by barto
    Perhaps you are "other eye dominant"?
    [?]barto[?]


    +1 Check your eye dominance.
    If that don't help, call neighbor or just shoot the dang thing over there.[:D]
  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,690 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have been shooting scopes quite a bit for 30 years.
    I like to close the left eye, it is natural for me, I am not even going to try to keep that eye open, no matter what "the book" may say.
  • callktulucallktulu Member Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Chief Shaway
    quote:Originally posted by barto
    Perhaps you are "other eye dominant"?
    [?]barto[?]


    +1 Check your eye dominance.
    If that don't help, call neighbor or just shoot the dang thing over there.[:D]


    Still wasn't a good idea to shoot that way anyway....houses and a major road (GA Hwy 49). Just all-around not an ideal shot.
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