this topic really hits home with me. i have ben experincing this all year. it startd right after bow season. i decided i did not want to stop shooting my bow at all this year so i joined a indoor league. the first night of league i ended up with the second highest score(230 out of a possible 250). i did not have one hint of target panic that night. but it has ben down hill since then. i think the mental side of shooting in a compitition is what is getting to me. i experience the same as some of the others that posted, where now matter what, i can not get my pin to the target and when i do, as soon as it is even close i just SMACK!! the release
i know this is wrong but i could do nothing about it.
a guy at the local archery shop told me it was from fear of missing.
let me back up here a sec, i've ben shooting and bowhunting now for about 19 years. this "target panic" is new to me. i will say i do not experience this when hunting, if a deer is in my kill zone you better believe their will be meat on the table. this only happens when league shooting and or 3-d shoots (shooting for points)
sory to keep rambling but if any of you are as bothered by this syndrome as i was, you will be interested in this.
i have pretty much beat it.
the way i did, was to go up to the target (point bland range) and shoot whith my eyes closed, concentrating on perfect form and release (squeeze not hammering it). after you feel comfortable that you are squeezing the release, and don't kid yourself make sure of this. the sext step is to move out to about 5-10 yards and open your eyes and shoot. if the panic is not gone go back to step one. if it is gone, keep moving to greater distances ( if at any time panic shows back up, go back to step one).
this is not an over night fix and will take much effort BUT it does work. i hope this helps someone out there to beat this awefull sickness.