Target Panic!!!!!!!...there may be hope.......

[Low Fence]

I have read on here countless threads about "target panic", and I too have suffered off and on with this horrible habit. And it usually leaves on its own with out ever allowing me to understand WHY is this happening? I have had it last almost a year once, making archery almost miserable (which anyone who knows me, knows it has been my #1 passion for 20+ years.

Well once again, like it seems to do. After shooting one of my best rounds in some time.......BANG! it hit me again and I knew this time was BAD!!! I have shot 3D for nearly 20 years and honestly can't remember the last time I missed a target.......and don't know that I have ever missed a target that I guessed the distance -/+ 2 yrds. But instantly i missed TWICE! Locked up a foot over the target....knew I was a foot over the target........and shot anyway. Over and over and over, I was sick.


Did a lot of reading on the subject, ideas and theorys, suggestions. Some good, some comical. But I have an understanding of MY type of "TP" now. Here are some tips I am trying.....and getting instant results!

Blind Shooting. I've done this a thousand times and I dont think it cures "TP" but is a manditory building block.

Stand in front of target you cant miss. Close your eyes, anchor, and put the pin dead center of the imaginary dot in you mind..........just hold it as long as you can. then concentrat on the release and follow through. do this until its borring.....then do it 20 more times!

This is the method that IS WORKING FOR ME:

Multiple Target Acquisition you can google it

Draw, and aim. Acquiring the target, but DO NOT SHOOT!, move off target and go back on target.and DON'T SHOOT!..........then let down and relax

Then do it again, this time acquire the target 3 or 4 times without shooting. Have finger on the trigger and pull thru just tell your self "I will not be shooting this target"

After a while aim 2-3 times and shoot WHEN YOU ARE LOCKED ONTO TARGET! then quit for the day. If you cant then keep aiming and letting down.

I had "TP" so bad this time, it took me a dozen attempts to aim and let down without shooting. I was telling myself" I'm not going to shoot".........and shooing anyway.Hope this helps someone. I'm sure it will come back, but knowing WHY maybe I can once again continue to shooting at my best.

[Skinny]

Very interesting.....


Skinny

[D C]

THis is a good tip. TP will never be cured if you ever truly have it. It can me maintained like mine. I punch even with a BT release. BUt I shoot a lot in my yard and am learning to deal with it and its getting better. Good luck in that battle.

[KactusKiller]

Why are you coping me? Holy crap that was like reading my own TP biography and that is the best cure I have found. It works well and I still have the same proble
with shooting even though I have no intention of shooting. Hmmm, guess I'm not alone.

[lilavidhunter]

I have had bouts with it as well. The only thing that helps me is mentally visualizing the fletchings going into the target. (I don't know why this helps). I bow hunted most of last October with a bad case. I would not have even drawn on a deer because of it.

[Low Fence]

I have shot a back tension release for 6-7 years (only target) trying to beat it...and basically I put a band-aid on the problem. I shot lights out with one, but would fall on my face when switching back to a caliper for hunting.plus pic up other bad habits that broad heads would later revile. Eventually I learned (not trying) to manipulate the back tension release, causing even more problem............like a snow ball headed down hill.

MY form of TP is: unable to put pin on target.......much less aim and hold it there until shot. The "MTA" tech is now allowing me the aim again.

This will take weeks/months of repetition to make this "habit", but I shot 3 arrows earlier at 20ydrs (I know close, but I'm starting over) at 1/2" dots and hit all 3!Its hard to stop shooting after that, but I know it must be done.

[Low Fence]

Just went out and aimed at 30 without shooting 10 times. Then aimed, moved off target and aimed again a few times. Only shot 3 arrows.............all EASILY inside a golf ball sized dot......with a .019 pin. Put it up and calling it a day. Thats tough to do, when you like to shoot as much as I do.

[Destry]

nice write up i'll definately be trying that next time i shoot

[kaizen]

I'm a long time sufferer as well. I had to switch to back tension. I always entertained hopes of defeating TP and moving back to my desired release. I gave up a few months ago. It's a Carter Evolution for me for now on. I tried all the fixes, eyes closed, aim but don't shoot, envision the dot, grip bow tight, shoot with fingers, etc. Somehow my brain knows when I don't intend to shoot and I can hold the pin on the target all day.

[BTLowry]

Hi my name is BTLowry and I have target panic too

It is not very bad right now but it comes and goes. Going to try the MTA and see if I can get some positive results

My problem has always been locking up just below the "spot", cannot get the pin up that last little bit to get it on the target. At one point I was compensating by sighting my pin in so it would hit where i wanted it too even though it was low on the target, then it got to where I could not get the pin to where it needed to be to get my arrow in the spot anyway

[huntinfool]

I have got it some kind of bad. Normally I never have an issue when hunting, until last year. I too have a problem not being able to put my pin on my target and keep it there. I went hunting and actually could not put the pin on the doe at 15yards and make a chip shot. I was MISERABLE. I am currently working on curing it. I am also talking to an archery coach and seeing what suggestions I can get.

[Arrow chucker]

Thank you!

[Mudslinger]

I have had this problems for many, many years and have tried every method known to man with very little positive results. The only thing that helped me "control" my TP was the Whalen's Hooker true back tension release. I have tried more BT releases than I care to mention and this is the only true BT release that helped me in learning to "control" my panic and to learn the proer way to "trigger" a release. One other thing that will definitley tell you if you are using the right "muscles" to draw and execute the shot is a device called the "RipCord". Using this device will make you draw with the proper back muscles and not your hand/forearm/arm, only your back. TP is one thing I would not wish on most of my enemies.

[Razorback01]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'll keep following the thread. What has helped me is to make sure the sight and kisser are correct, and squeeze the Tru-Ball gradually. I was also trying to ease back on the draw rather than keep my forearm straight with a slight bend to clear the string.

I've found it's much better to put a steady squeeze and hit "within the kill zone" than to wait until everything is perfect, only to punch the release.

Just my two cents, hope I'm not the thread killer.

[stryker93]

Deer targets I am ok but put a dot out there on certain days and a punching away I go. Not all the time though. When I first started shooting I was a drive by shooter. That doesn't work too well with broad heads. If I don't concentrate, I catch myself doing it from time to time.