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DesertBull

Target Panic Cure?

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Pretend its an Isis member. You will never miss....And don't forget the Xanex...LOL..................BOB!

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Check out the Dry Fire Pro...invented by a local Pinetop area archer. Draw, anchor, release over and over again with no target...great for muscle memory and target panic. www.dryfirearchery.com

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I found that simply practicing my thousand yard stare and my mean mug in the mirror a few times each day before work completely cured my target panic. Now the target is afraid of ME! ..... and the kids and the dog immediately leave the room when I enter it, but I still feel like it was a good trade.

 

I also make a habit of having a strict shot routine and try to talk myself through every shot whether on paper or hide. Mine goes like this: draw-aim-squeeze..... I actually dont squeeze the trigger though. When I draw and settle in to my anchor I find my finger position on the trigger and apply a slight pressure. Then I aim and when I hit the squeeze portion of my routine I dont actually squeeze the trigger but rather push on the bow handle a little and also pull on the string a little more (also known as increasing back tension) and the string ends up just popping out of my release.

 

One thing I would suggest is to focus on one aspect of your shooting at a time. Completely focus on that and you will trick your mind into forgetting all about where the arrow hits. If you execute a shot properly, the arrow will go where its intended.

 

Start with follow through. 90% of the people who struggle with target panic have chit follow through. Your bow will inherently drop a little after the string is released, but it should still be basically up and aimed at the target. Try to have a rediculously long follow through, keep aimed for 5 seconds after impact. People blow it here because they cant wait to see where the arrow hit. Its just lime a good golf swing if you have a good follow through you most likely executed a clean shot.

 

My last two deer I killed here in az I was stone cold. Talked myself through the shots and made great first hits. This year in Nebraska I came apart a little and was flinging arrows. It got the job done, but it was a signal for me to get my butt back out there and start talking to myself again.

 

Good luck!

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Just shoot. Quit thinking so much. But if you have to shoot from 5 yards away to practice, ya I'd quit..

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I haven't read all of the responses. So forgive me if it's already been mentioned. I dealt with it a long time ago after a release I shot for a few years failed on me. I was never able to get that release to pull the same. I developed some bad habits after that. A pretty well renowned archery coach suggested this one thing and it worked wonders for me:

 

Pull your sight off.

 

Some people call it "blank bail". Get 10-15yds from your target and shoot instinctive. Focus on the mechanics of pulling through the shot as opposed to aiming (hence pulling your sight off).

 

Good luck! It can be beat! Now I'm just a controlled trigger puncher. ; ).

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Forgot to mention. As soon as you feel like the mechanics are natural and you've stopped "aiming", then throw the sight back on and see how you do from there

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Thanks for the tips fellas.

 

For those of you that say just relax, quit thinking, have fun etc........haha no offense but you have no idea what target panic actually is

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The "cures" discussed in this thread will work (I strongly advise you steer clear of the devil weed, pill popping, excessive alcohol, etc). The trick is to commit to solving the issue. Back tension releases, blind baling, aiming without shooting, etc. all work. Commit to a cure.

The root cause of target panic is improper aiming technique. Learn to focus on the desired target, blurring/floating the pin (trust me, your brain knows exactly where the pin is). Proper aiming will greatly reduce the chance of developing target panic. On the flip side, if you are focused on the pin and trying your heart out to steady it on the target and only triggering the release when "it's on", you already have target panic. It will only get worse till you alter your aiming technique.

 

Target panic is no fun.

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I developed a horrible case of target panic over the last couple years. It takes all the fun out of archery. I bought a carter evolution and it does help a lot. They are not practical for hunting though IMO. Once i get really comfortable, i will try either a thumb release, or possibly a ringer release. Target panic is no joke, and people have no idea how frustrrating it is until it happens to them. The best archers all go through it eventually. I would pick up a carter evolution if it was me

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Forgot to mention. As soon as you feel like the mechanics are natural and you've stopped "aiming", then throw the sight back on and see how you do from there

 

I've had good results closing my eyes and blind-bale shooting, but never heard of that trick. sounds like a good variation since you can still see the target and your mind would still try to aim. I think I'll give that one a try a little and see if it can't tighten me up a little.

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Just shoot. Quit thinking so much. But if you have to shoot from 5 yards away to practice, ya I'd quit..

:D :D :D That's too funny!

 

I too suffer from panic. Mine's draw panic. I can't seem to get drawn for any of my first choices.

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I have a litte something written

I ust printed it out and taped it to the back of my limb

It takes your mind off the rush and slows things down for me.

 

 

BREATH

DRAWAW SLOW

TOUCH YOUR NOSE (ANCJHOR)

BREATH

PIC SPOT

BREATH

FOLLOW THREW

WATCH HIM DROP

 

it worked for me on a nice 350 bull that was screaming at me all the way in.

Maybe it will help someone too.

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I had this and what I did to solve most of it. Is I had to learn to slow down and go back to basics. I had to stop trying to rush the shot. Slow down concentrate on drawing back finding ur anchor point going through a mental checklist before I put my finger near the trigger when I checked off everything off off my list mentally on my form then would I look at the target and out my finger on the release and concentrate on a slow squeeze instead of punching the trigger.

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some people have "punched" or "timed" the shots for so long they believe this is the actual way to shoot a bow. Once you learn the concept of a surprise release and a perfect shot execution, your shooting skills will never be the same. This all starts at 5 yards and under to practice doing it. If you dont believe it works, why would all the pros do it hours on end, to perfect their shots, even though they have already beat target panic? Props to you for trying to get past that stage in your shooting and on to the next level.

 

This! Let the pin float. Don't try to hold it on the spot. Surprise release. Follow through with back tension. Concentrate on the spot long after the shot. Can't emphasize letting the pin float enough.

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