How to avoid target panic for most (but not all) archer/bowhunters

[CoolHandLuke]

Is "target panic" and buck fever the same thing? serious question!

[AJ the TP Guru]

Is "target panic" and buck fever the same thing? serious question!

And as good question it is!

Actually, different archer/bowhunters have varying definitions for "buck fever."

The one I prefer is the excitement you get when the animal first comes into view, or presents a shot. I still get that excitement level - adrenaline rush, focused vision, faster beating heart rate - every time, and hope to never lose it.

As for target panic itself, well, there are so many different symptoms that it'd be hard to allocate all of them to any one individual. There is a (more or less) full list on this page.

[Rat]

Is "target panic" and buck fever the same thing? serious question!

Yes and no. What AJ described above is not what I would classify as target panic, but rather the excitement of hunting.

However, I know people who have told me that they can't even remember the shot taken on animals! This is a form of target panic.

If you have the animal in range and you don't execute the shot sequence due to the animal's presence, then this is a form of target panic.

I know people who miss anchor points, use the wrong pin, use the wrong eye, shoot before getting to full draw and a host of other things. I had one of my students call me one day almost in tears. He had draw three times on a buck and could not fire the release no matter how hard he tried and this kid is a 50+ X shooter in competition.

These are all classic symptoms of the conscious mind overriding the subconscious mind and causing a major conflict; and that is the very definition of target panic.

...And target panic is a bunch of nonsense, I can't believe someone would pay money for that

Tower43, just because you don't believe it doesn't make it nonsense. Thousands of shooters, hundreds of books and hours of training videos are evidence enough that target panic is a real condition. Your statement is neither helpful nor correct; and I hope you never suffer from target panic, but don't denigrate those of us who have and still do.

[Mudslinger]

Sounds like Tower43 got up on the wrong side of the bed or just does not know what he is talking about. I am a living and breathing example of target panic!

[AJ the TP Guru]

I've heard many variations of Rat's definition of target panic, and won't say they are wrong... just different.

One thing I find very interesting is how the same TP symptoms affecting two archer/bowhunters can manifest itself in just spots, just hunting, or both. This is a phenomenon which I do not claim to have any insight into.

[Tower43]

Sounds like Tower43 got up on the wrong side of the bed or just does not know what he is talking about. I am a living and breathing example of target panic!

Nope just don't believe in it. If it works for you cool, but that's just my opinion

[Rat]

Nope just don't believe in it. If it works for you cool, but that's just my opinion

Opinion: A view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

This thread is about how to avoid one cause of target panic.
If you don't even believe in target panic, why are you here?
You will never convince those that suffer from target panic that it doesn't exist.

Or, maybe you have target panic but you are in denial.
The first step to curing target panic, is admitting you have target panic!

[Tower43]

It looked like a thread about shoulder pain and how to avoid it, which I tried to honestly contribute to. Then the op gave his cocky response but I guess it is more about selling more DVDs.

[AJ the TP Guru]

I would hope that a few guys might take seriously my suggestions of lowering bow weight and shortening draw length. However, I do not believe shooting a crossbow (which I did try for awhile when I couldn't even draw through the break-over) or shooting left handed is going to appeal to very many of them.