PelaPapas Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Im in need of some desperate help! Ive tried to overcome this problem but havent had any luck. Target panic has hit me like a freight train and cant seem to break it. It first started with me drive-by shooting from left to right. I would draw and be aimed at left of target and move to right, tying time my shot as I moved my pin/sight to the right. Which would leave me hitting left of the target most of the time. At the same time I would jump the trigger rushing the shot and not letting the pin float over my intended target. Its gotten worse now. Now I cant even get the whole sight rested inside my peep sight without me punching the trigger. My eye isnt even in the peep when I punch the trigger. Ive broken an arrow like this. I dont know how this happened. Ive always been a decent shot out to 75yds. Now shooting at 20yds and under I panic and cant even get a shot off without me panicing. My draw is smooth but other than that nothing is normal. I need to beat this! I love archery and dont want this problem to affect the love I have for it! Does anybody have any pointers or suggestions they can give me? Anybody here ever had target panic this bad? Any info/suggestions are greatly appreciated... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AzDiamondHeat Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Find a very large target. Stand about 5 feet away. Go through your entire shooting process, slow methodically, breathing, pausing, holding, releasing. Do this about 20 times WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
creed Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Back tension. Throw away any caliper release and use a back tension. Use it like AzDiamondHeat describes until you are absolutely sick of it. It may take months. Then use it on a target. It is hard to get used to shooting one and requires commitment but it will make your bow shooting life much better. When you first start it is easy to break your nose or knock a tooth out. I know this from experience but you have to keep after it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOWUNTR Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Whiskey... trust me. Ed F 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Back tension. Throw away any caliper release and use a back tension. Use it like AzDiamondHeat describes until you are absolutely sick of it. It may take months. Then use it on a target. It is hard to get used to shooting one and requires commitment but it will make your bow shooting life much better. When you first start it is easy to break your nose or knock a tooth out. I know this from experience but you have to keep after it. I've heard of this as a cure. I think Randy Ulmer has a segment on this. Google it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted May 18, 2018 I have a friend that had panic so bad...he went back to a recurve for quite a while to get over it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZBIG10 Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Draw aim then let down. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AzDiamondHeat Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Or just accept that you are defective, get a Dr note and buy a crossbow......lol 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MULEPACKHUNTER Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Going back to a small rifle might help, also letting down can help but that's not totally safe. Also you might try a release with no trigger for the let down method. Just draw , aim, settle and fake squeeze. Then let down. I treat my bow just like a rifle and let it surprise me. Same shot sequence as rifle every shot I mentally go through checks. Squeeze 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PseAZ Report post Posted May 18, 2018 I cant shoot a trigger finger release myself, but ive grown up with hinge and thumb releases. If you can try shooting a thumb release? Best bet is to blind bail like stated above. Do the process for a few nights shoot 20-30 arrows. 2-3 yards away from the target without looking. Draw back make sure your centered on your target then close your eyes and practice shot execution. Practice it for a few days could take longer tho you never know everyone is different. Another thing you can do once you start aiming again is come into the target a different way. One of the tricks we usto teach with people that had mild target panic and held below the spot was to try to come into the spot from the top rather than the bottom. Hope this helps if you have any questions or anything feel free to message and or PM me. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Swivelhead Report post Posted May 18, 2018 STOP SHOOTING IMMEDIATELY! No need to entrench a bad habit. Blind bale and do "letdowns" for a few weeks. Safety your release when doing letdowns. Letting down sounds easy but takes serious discipline, we all want to loose arrows but don't do it during this training phase. About the time you're ready to swear off archery alltogether, stand close to a big target and execute a shot. If all goes well, continue. The INSTANT you sense a drivebye, trigger punch, etc. STOP and revert to blind baling & letdowns. The goal is a relaxed shot and an amazing follow through. Do not to shoot when fatigued. These techniques are from the archives of Archery Talk and will work. The trick is to never let panic back into your shooting, i.e. if you are shooting a tournament or at a range with friends and panic sets in, STOP! Either stop shooting or do letdowns the rest of the course. Your scores will suck if panic is ruling the day anyway. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TOBY Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Back tension helps a lot. Mine has a safety button so I can draw with piece of mind. I also have had someone else pull the trigger on my release while focusing my pin on the target. Scares the heck out of you but you can feel what a true release feels like. All of the above helps if you stick with it. I can not. I can still flinch 3 feet off my target when in panic mode. Back your poundage down as well if you cant hold full draw very long and know your pin will never sit centered in a bullseye. It will float around. Small targets up close and larger as you progress out to longer distances will help you hold your pin on target easier as well. Good luck! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZBIG10 Report post Posted May 18, 2018 Its could also be your equipment. If you have a bow that has a speed cam and it feels jumpy this might induce the rushed shot. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Sparky Report post Posted May 19, 2018 Take the sight off your bow and shoot into a target up close, just practice on release. I shoot a caliper release like a back tension. Then once you have done this for a while put your sight back on and you are going to have to sight in again so you work on grouping instead of hitting the target, then you move your group to the target. Just keep working on your grouping and not if you are hitting the target or not. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted May 19, 2018 Other answers are far more technical then mine but maybe an IQ bow sight might help. I'm terrible at rushing shots myself... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
