# Fricken Target Panic!!!!!!!!!!



## AdamFisk

I have recently developed the god awful target panic. I have no idea what casued this. Hell, I had never even heard of this until recently. I told a buddy what was happening and he said I have target panic, lucky me. For years I've always started out with my pin low and shot as I was raising on to my target, and shot quite well doing that. Now all of a sudden I'm fricken missing the target at 20 fricken yards. Not only that, it has gotten worse. Today now I started a new thing. As soon as my fricken trigger finger leaves its safe place behind the release trigger, I'm squeezing that sucker off. It don't matter if I'm on target or not, hence my misses at 20 fricken yards today. It get's worse each time I shoot. Hell, I can't afford to shoot anymore, break or lose too many arrows. :bop:

I'm thinking I always had a little target panic going on, as I know a lot of people who start out high or low on their target and lower or raise the bow and shoot while they are doing that; small case of target panic. Well, I'm thinking since I started shooting in my house at 15 yds, that somehow caused it to grow, A LOT. I don't know if its fear of missing the target and putting holes in my wall or what.

This is frustrating as hell. I'm sure ya'll are laughing your ***** off right now and wondering what the F is target panic. Google it. My buddy gave me some good pointers on how to cure this thing, but I'm curious if any of you have gone through this BS as well, and what you did to get over it.

Also, if anybody has any books on this crap that they want to sell or borrow for a bit, I'd be interested.

Thanks!!!!


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## keenansnyder

had that problem last spring.... since it was not near any season for me, i stopped shooting for 2 weeks....it was hard not to shoot anymore but it helped my "muscle memory" get back to before i started "punching" the trigger.


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## gst

Adam, Bernie Pellerite's book "Idiot Proof Archery". You may want to try a back tension release. You can also try just pulling your bow back, settle on target, and then letting down your draw without shooting. Do that a few times before you ever "punch the trigger". Once your equipment is tuned, archery is mostly mental.


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## AdamFisk

I will check into that book. Thanks.

You are the second person to metion a back tension release. I'll be in Fargo this weekend for the Sportsmans show, may have to check them out. I've been reading contradicting things about them though. Some articles say they help, others say they are BS, as you can "punch" them as well, or develop something worse called "tearing off the shots", whatever that is. I'll check them out this weekend though, hopefully I can try one out to see if it will help.

Of all the reading I've done, it appears the best way to beat it is reomove or cover up your sight and shoot at a short distance concentrating on form, and also, with the sight on, drawing onto a target with no arrow knocked, settling your pin on POI, and letting down.

Turkey season opens April 10, I have to get this corrected by then.


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## barebackjack

AdamFisk said:


> I will check into that book. Thanks.
> 
> You are the second person to metion a back tension release. I'll be in Fargo this weekend for the Sportsmans show, may have to check them out. I've been reading contradicting things about them though. Some articles say they help, others say they are BS, as you can "punch" them as well, or develop something worse called "tearing off the shots", whatever that is. I'll check them out this weekend though, hopefully I can try one out to see if it will help.
> 
> Of all the reading I've done, it appears the best way to beat it is reomove or cover up your sight and shoot at a short distance concentrating on form, and also, with the sight on, *drawing onto a target with no arrow knocked,* settling your pin on POI, and letting down.
> 
> Turkey season opens April 10, I have to get this corrected by then.


Thats a no no. Do it WITH an arrow knocked in case you do fire. Dont want to dry fire that new blowyt.

Do EVERYTHING you would normally do to shoot. Just dont shoot. Nock your arrow, draw, aim, hold, let down, un-nock, repeat.


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## bretts

AdamFisk said:


> I will check into that book. Thanks.
> 
> You are the second person to metion a back tension release. I'll be in Fargo this weekend for the Sportsmans show, may have to check them out. I've been reading contradicting things about them though. Some articles say they help, others say they are BS, as you can "punch" them as well, or develop something worse called "tearing off the shots", whatever that is. I'll check them out this weekend though, hopefully I can try one out to see if it will help.
> 
> Of all the reading I've done, it appears the best way to beat it is reomove or cover up your sight and shoot at a short distance concentrating on form, and also, with the sight on, drawing onto a target with no arrow knocked, settling your pin on POI, and letting down.
> 
> Turkey season opens April 10, I have to get this corrected by then.


--About the last thing you want to do is draw a bow w/out an arrow, your just setting yourself up. Rule 1, don't ever draw a bow without an arrow, I can just see the next thread, I dry fired my bow...what do I do now? oke:


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## AdamFisk

You guys are right........Stupid stupid idea. I can't believe I entertained the thought. 

The idea behind the article was, the fact that you KNOW you are not going to release the arrow (there is no arrow to release) is supposed to relax a guy and allow for better control I guess.......But releases have been known to fail.

Stupid idea!!!!


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## Focker

Just wondering why you aren't shooting league in J-town, we shoot Tuesday and Thursdays and you won't be putting holes in your walls of your house?? It would give you a chance to throw a lot of arrows. I will be down there Thurs eve.


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## AdamFisk

Focker said:


> Just wondering why you aren't shooting league in J-town, we shoot Tuesday and Thursdays and you won't be putting holes in your walls of your house?? It would give you a chance to throw a lot of arrows. I will be down there Thurs eve.


Yeah, I know I need to join. Should have joined it last year when I could actually shoot....Too late now though isn't it? How far into the season are you guys? Is there "open shooting"?

Plus, I need to fix my problem. Don't know if shooting league would help that or not.


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## bretts

Fisky, Its not like this isn't able to be fixed. First off, If you don't have a real good release invest in one. I've got a Carter, its ultra sensitive so you don't have time to think once you put a tiny bit of pressure on that trigger. I'd recommend going to a range when there isn't a lot of guys around, step back five yards from the target draw your bow, shut your eyes and focus on form. Shoot a bunch of arrows completely focusing on form and squeezing off the trigger, not punching the trigger. Don't worry about where your hitting. Do this every time when you visit the range if possible, just focus on form and the rest will follow.


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## AdamFisk

I know it can be fixed, and it will get fixed. This target panic is probably the best thing to happen to me in my archery career. I've been doing a lot of reading on this, and have a couple books coming, and I just now realized how many flaws I had in my form. I will be starting over, and build up the proper form.

I do have a Carter release. They are nice. I'm thinking I may buy one of their resistance activated/BT releases as well. Should help with TP.


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## NDTerminator

Target Panic is real and there's no telling when & who it will hit.

If I remember correctly there is at least one release made to deal with this, that won't go off if punched but has to be squeezed.
There are a number of books & I imagine DVDS now on how to deal with it. You could try by shooting from about 10 feet where missing is about impossible, concentrating on sight picture & release.


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## Nick Roehl

Is that like Restless Legs Syndrome??? :rollin: I am just kidding. I have never heard of this until now. I can imagine how it would feel. Hope you get it fixed and back on target.


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## Turner

Take the target out of the picture all together. Stand 5 feet from the back stop, close your eyes, draw your bow, and hit anchor. Stop and feel how every thing feels. Squeeze the trigger when every thing feels right. Now do this as many times as it takes to ingrain this into muscle memory. 
Step back and start shooting at 15 yards at a very small spot (head of a golf tee). Shoot one arrow put your bow down and walk down and pull that arrow. Some times shooting multiple arrows at a target when things are not going well just frustrates you more. 
Once that 15 yards becomes easy step back again and do it all over again (with one arrow).

Some times it's just good to start all over with the basics and re-teach yourself. You already know what is supposed to be done, slow down and bring it all back.


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## Turner

Sorry Bretts I went and read what every one had to say after I posted. You already gave good advice :beer:

We have that Shoot at the Dome this weekend you should come out and check it out.


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## AdamFisk

Funny you bring that up. I got a new bow not that long ago and have it sighted in for 20 and have been shooting it in my house at 15yds quite a bit. A buddy has been hounding me to shoot in that tourney. So on Monday I brought my target and bow to work and was going to get it sighted in up to 40 and shoot in that thing. That's when disaster struck. I'll probably pop in there for a bit, but won't be shooting in it.


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## Focker

Yes, there is open shooting as well. Depending on the night there are 2-10 people there. They do have a 10 yd target the kids shoot at if you want to start with that  . Cost is little to nothing but don't expect much, it is in the basement of a store. I will be down there tom night around 6:30 if you want to start working on your panic attacks.


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## AdamFisk

Focker said:


> Yes, there is open shooting as well. Depending on the night there are 2-10 people there. They do have a 10 yd target the kids shoot at if you want to start with that  . Cost is little to nothing but don't expect much, it is in the basement of a store. I will be down there tom night around 6:30 if you want to start working on your panic attacks.


 :rollin: You going to bring your kid with so I have somebody to shoot with?

I've been there before. Arnie had me down there a couple nights last year when I was about to join. Don't know why I didn't....I may pop in.


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## Mandanhouse

There's an article Ted Nugent wrote about it, and it chronicles his experience. Gives some good tips, closing your eyes, etc...


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## gst

A back tension release in and of itself is not going to solve the problem as there are a number of different things that can cause target panic. One of the most common causes is from focasing to much on trying to get the pin to "settle" on the point of aim. Instead of the release simply happening based on developed muscle memory, one begins punching" the release when they feel the pin is "locked on" the target. When this happens many aspects of form go from bad to worse. Closing your eyes and shooting from a close distance does allow you to focas soley on form, but at some point, you have to address what happens when you are trying to "aim" your bow. The author of the book I mentioned has a "can't punch" release as well as others. Never tried them so can't say how effective they are.


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## duckmander

do some blind bale shooting.

Get 3 feet from the target

draw your bow and anchor

aim in the general center. It doesnt matter where you hit just hit the target.

lock your trigger finger on the trigger but dont pull.just touch.

Now close your eyes.

now start to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Dont move your trigger finger

keep squeezing until it goes off.

It takes some practice to do this right.

all shoulders no fingers release the arrow.

once you have figured out how to do this.

now you only have to repeat 3000 times for your muscles to be programed.

now your target panic is gone.

for a while. you will repeat this many times during your archery life.

good luck.


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## duckmander

The point of this is to get yourself to consintrate on the aiming. even though your eyes are closed consentrate on the target and aiming. dont think about the SHOOT NOW factor. try to put all of your attention on the aiming and the form. and dont forget the follow through. you want the shot to be a suprise not an on command. you also want to try to make your shoulder blades touch together. to do this properly. they wont touch of course. but that is the idea.also you probably are already doing it but after you draw your bow and come to anchor. relax your whole body. only leaving enough tention in the upper body to hold the bow at anchor.the muscles that are not required for holding should be relaxed.


NDTerminator said:


> Target Panic is real and there's no telling when & who it will hit.
> 
> If I remember correctly there is at least one release made to deal with this, that won't go off if punched but has to be squeezed.
> There are a number of books & I imagine DVDS now on how to deal with it. You could try by shooting from about 10 feet where missing is about impossible, concentrating on sight picture & release.


The ANSWER. is the name of this release. But I will tell you if your form is not perfect it will not fire.and the only way to have perfect form is to perfect the back tention releasing. good luck with it. and let us know when you think you are on the way to solving your problem.


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## duckp

Lots of great advice here.For a few people I know(oldtimers usually),the next step after the 'closing your eyes' and learning the 'feel'of your release is too put a candle in front of your bale,otherwise total darkness,and concentrate your first eyes open,aimed shots at trying to put the candle out at about 5 yds.Crazy but its a terrible affliction so whatever works.(force your concentration on the target,not the release)
I've had it very bad a few times over the last 50 years of archery hunting.It can bring you to tears and drives more people out of archery than anything else I think.But,it is curable with effort.Someone mentioned not shooting around others after you get it corrected.Good advice I think.I might be in Illinois or Colorado or...wherever,but I never shoot around even my partners anymore.I don't let anything make me 'anxious' or lose the correct frame of mind.Many are different of course but do whats necessary for you.
Good luck!


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## duckmander

duckp said:


> Lots of great advice here.For a few people I know(oldtimers usually),the next step after the 'closing your eyes' and learning the 'feel'of your release is too put a candle in front of your bale,otherwise total darkness,and concentrate your first eyes open,aimed shots at trying to put the candle out at about 5 yds.Crazy but its a terrible affliction so whatever works.(force your concentration on the target,not the release)
> I've had it very bad a few times over the last 50 years of archery hunting.It can bring you to tears and drives more people out of archery than anything else I think.But,it is curable with effort.Someone mentioned not shooting around others after you get it corrected.Good advice I think.I might be in Illinois or Colorado or...wherever,but I never shoot around even my partners anymore.I don't let anything make me 'anxious' or lose the correct frame of mind.Many are different of course but do whats necessary for you.
> Good luck!


this is so true. It is almost as hard to cure as the target panic. but it is doable. when you are going to shoot. when you walk up to the stake or toe the line whenever you are going to draw and shoot It dont matter if there is a monster truck race going on behind you. in your mind there can only be you and the target there. put everything else out of your mind. consintrate on the spot where you are going to put the arrow. then consentrate on the aim and continue this until the bow goes off. only then can you get back to thinking there may be a crowd there.


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## AdamFisk

Blind and blank bailing, as well as the new BT release were NOT doing any good. I had to take the shot out of the picture entirely. Come Thursday it will be a week of me drawing my bow back, holding for 15 seconds, and concentrating on nothing but holding my pin steady on a small target and form. NO SHOOTING!!!! I can now draw on target and rest my trigger finger on the trigger and not be tempted to shoot (BIG improvement). Been trying to do this about 12 times a day, 1-2 reps a crack at most.

Thursday I start phase 2, whatever that may be. My "instructor" will only give me directions 1 week at a time. Think he knows how good my patience are. :lol:


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## duckp

Good going!You'll do it.
AND,there is a bowhunting future ahead for you!


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## crosshunt

I've had this happen to me plenty of times, just because i love to shoot my bow. It always happens when i shoot my bow to much and i have to take about a week or 2 off from shooting, then i start shooting good again after that.


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## kkaldor

There's a lot of good advise here, but I just have a few extra pieces. First of all, just because you have a back tension "style" release doesn't mean that you are using back tension to fire the arrow. You didn't mention what release you have, but any finger or thumb activated release is not a true back tension style release. And you have to remember that back tension is a style of shooting not a style of release. You must use the proper form of activating and squeezing the rhomboids to make the release happen. With that being said you can use any style of release using back tension form. Standard finger or thumb trigger activated releases are hard to adapt and learn to shoot proper back tension form if you already shoot them without using back tension.

If you want to learn back tension style shooting I would recommend getting a release that requires you to increase your back tension (squeezing the rhomboids) to fire the arrow. I would recommend the Carter Evolution, Revolution or Attraction if you want a handle style release. Or they have the Squeeze Me or Back Strap that are wrist style releases. There are other Mfg'ers out there that make these releases as well, but I like Carter. The hinge style release is also a true back tension style release, but it requires a much steeper learning curve than the others IMO.

Another good book to read if you want to learn back tension style shooting is Larry Wise's "Core Archery"

Good luck curing the dreaded TP. Unfortunately it happens to most archers at some point or another.


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## AdamFisk

So, I figured I'd provide an update, in case one of you are going through what I did. I spent quite a bit of time this summer working on this TP crap. This wasn't a slight case of TP either. All the reading and talking I did with other people, I came to realize I had a BAD case of it. I was getting nowhere. I did my exercises and drills, and would shoot decent enough for a short time after that, but fall right back into the hell of TP shortly after. I was frustrated everytime I shot. I tried the Carter Squeeze Me release also, that didn't last very long. Quite honestly, that made it worse, A LOT worse. I never did try a "true" backtension release. My attitude was crap, I wasn't looking forward to archery season as I had NO confidence in my shooting abilities.

One day I read a piece of advice along the lines of "Go out, relax, put a dip in and shoot". I've told my self that 100 times, but for some reason, this time was different. I had a little (another) pep talk with my self and went out and started flinging arrows. I started at about 10 yds and worked back to 20, concentrating at full draw everytime what needed to be done. It didn't take long to realize I was shooting a lot better than the last time I shot. Not too long after that I was shooting well enough again to go sight my bow in up to 40yds. It seems I have a long ways to go yet. I basically started over, with form and whatnot, so my groups are not near what they were say, 3 years ago. I used to shoot out to 60 quite often. But I'm getting there.

What a fricken sigh of relief!!!!! I don't know how all of a sudden my problem can disappear like that, but I'm not complaining. Hunting season is right around the corner, and I say, bring it on.


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## duckp

Good going,congrats.


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## bubbabubba99

nice work. :beer:


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## Bobm

was that some "California medicinal" dip?


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## AdamFisk

Bobm said:


> was that some "California medicinal" dip?


Beleive me, if it was legal, I probably would have sought a prescription. Short of breaknig the law, getting hypnotized and seeing a head shrink, I tried just about everything else. 

Where's that Del Snavely guy when you need him? :lol:


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