target panic

[iaarcher]

I have been asked to post a thread on target panic, it's causes and cures.
The first step is to find out what you guys think target panic is. Most people have differnt ideas on just what target panic is. So speek up, lets see what damage we can cause here.

 

[Rudd]

What I think "target panic" is when the shooter is anticipating the shot, commanding the release of the arrow and the fear of not hitting where you are wanting. This is a pretty big topic.....I am glad a person as knowledgable as Kale will give his opinion on this one.

 

[OneCam]

Target Panic can be many things - I've learned if you can let the release "suprise" you as you are concentrating on holding the pin on target, your shooting consistency will increase ten fold.

 

[DOR]

I will sometimes briefly let the bow down partially from full draw when i am steadying my pin. I think my muscles in my arm just over relax...i am not sure if this is considered target panic but if it ever happened on a bruiser buck i can see it costing me a deer.

 

[Shovelbuck]

The worst case I ever seen of it was shooting indoor leagues. The guy suffered for several years with it. He would lock up just below the spot and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't bring it up. Seen other people just get on the spot and punch out. Never settle in. Glad I never had it.

 

[muddy]

i've always said "target panic" is when you have your sight, or whatever, settled on the target and as you get ready to hit the release trigger you jerk/flinch enough to either totally flub the shot or you try to re-settle the pin and do it again...and again...and again. not sure if it's over anticipation or what but i usually get this problem if i don't shoot my bow for awhile and then pick it up again and shoot. when my arms start to get tired i try to keep shooting and i start flinching as soon as i get my pin onto the bullseye. i'm wanting to hit the trigger of my release but for some reason i don't get a clean release.

the way i cure it is by letting down, no matter how many times it takes, after each flinch and redrawing, relaxing, and trying again. trying to force my way through flinches or target panic makes it worse if you asked me.

 

[vman]

[ QUOTE ]
The worst case I ever seen of it was shooting indoor leagues. The guy suffered for several years with it. He would lock up just below the spot and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't bring it up. Seen other people just get on the spot and punch out. Never settle in. Glad I never had it.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ditto. Believe me, This can happen. A couple months or so ago this was happening to me.

 

[150 Class]

Target panic is the person who locks up and cannot move his pin to the spot he wants or the person who is aiming and suddenly looks like he was just jolted by an electric shock or the person who grabs the bow as he punches the release, often with his finger not even touching the trigger until he punches it or many other things.

I think Rudd said exactly what it is which is anticipating the shot and whether you know it or not, fearing the miss and commanding the shot. It is your brain knowing of the shot and the involuntary things that your muscles do when you do know ( or you think you know like the person jolted by the shock that isn't there). You need the surprise release to get the best shots. When you ask for the cures on this thread, I will say STANNY.

 

[Old Buck]

I've had it several times over the years. One form occurred on a mulie hunt in Colorado. I kept practicing because of the longer shots needed out there. It got to where I'd be at full draw but couldn't raise the bow to get the pin on the practice target. I finally had to stop shooting at the target.

The other form which I still suffer from periodically is I anticipate the shot and relax my bow arm just as I shoot. I've lost a few arrows on that one. Fortunately it hasn't struck while shooting at an animal.

Old Buck

 

[Dbl.throat_patch]

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.

 

[kbgibby]

Hey all,

Just came across this on Outdoor Life web site. Thought you might be interested.


http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/hunting/whitetails/article/0,13285,456028,00.html


Threebeards

 

[bowman]

I had it bad several years ago and I almost quit shooting because of it. Blind bale shooting and a punch proof trigger were the cures for for me. Mine all started about three weeks after reading my first article on Taget Panic!! I know that sounds psychological but that it exactly what Target Panic is, psychological. I'm not reading about it any more.

Bowman

 

[deadeye]

I started shooting bare bow. I would use the arrow to aim. I won many youth bow shoots in our area. I got to the point where I would draw back and hold to low on the target and to compensate I would throw my arm when I released. I got in a bad rut. I went to sights to break myself of that habbit. It worked for a long time, but I catch myself settling too low on targets again. It feels as if I can't lift my arm to put the pin where it needs to go. My 4 pound bow feels like it is 104 pounds. I let down instead of throwing my arm. I also don't shoot as many arrows before pulling them. That seems to keep you fresher and I don't have that problem. I figure you get one shot at a deer so why shoot 6 arrows in a row. I have been shooting 3 and pulling them. I know it is all mental, but habbits are.

Not sure if that is the definition of target panic, but it is a problem that I have experienced.