I have not shot much since the winter (lame shoulder amongst other things) and started to shoot about 2 weeks ago. Shoulder is 100%. The problem is I can't aim. Once I get to full draw my aim is roughly a foot right of the target and for the life of me I can not move my pin to the bullseye. I'm in total fear that I am going to release the arrow if I move...I was shooting in the basement (13 yards) and missed the target twice! This has never happened to me...I am at a total loss. I shoot a 68lb Elite and as I get older I'm definitely not as smooth as I was a few years back. This ever happen to anyone? Would a lower poundage help? Any suggestions would help...please.
Take your sight off. And shoot in the basement. From about 10’ away. Over and over and over and over and over and…. Until its habit. Then put your sight on and pretend it’s not there. Realign everything and you’ll be much better than now.
Shoot but do not release for a week, 2 weeks, ? You need to train your brain first that it is ok to put the pin there. Draw, focus on target not pin, let the pin come into spot, hold, think release and let down. You have to keep doing this for a given time over and over. Make sure you have an arrow nocked, I had TP so bad when I shot compounds I would dryfire. Now with a recurve, instinctive it is not an issue.
TP. Crazy stuff man, but it can be managed and treated, I found excellent success following John Dudley from nock on archery, also changing from a trigger finger release is beneficial. It’s a journey, but with time and work you can get the upper hand ! Good luck 2 u!
Target panic has different forms, I had it bad shooting a recurve, I cured it by shooting the lightest bow I owned, and closed my eyes through the draw cycle till I was anchored solid. Opened the eyes, then lined up the shot and let down. After a couple of weeks, at very close range to the bale, I allowed myself to shoot. Now I don't have to close my eyes when I draw. It's all about staying in control. Owning the process. Good luck. It's a tough nut to crack.
I tried everything, including nearly everything discussed above, and the only thing that ultimately worked was developing a surprise release. Bernie Pellerite’s book “Idiot Proof Archery” was the key for me to learn the surprise release is what I needed and his book also taught how to develop this. Unfortunately the book is out of print but there are used ones available.
I’ve tried most all of em and Joel Turner’s was the only program that cured me; changed my bow hunting life as a matter of fact. It had gotten that bad. So grateful for him figuring it out
“I tried everything, including nearly everything discussed above, and the only thing that ultimately worked was developing a surprise release. Bernie Pellerite’s book “Idiot Proof Archery” was the key for me to learn the surprise release is what I needed and his book also taught how to develop this. Unfortunately the book is out of print but there are used ones available.”
I have a copy. But I wouldn’t wish it on an enemy. I developed TP because of this book. ( IMHO) I have implemented many of Joel Turners principles and I cannot remember the last time I dumped an arrow. Bernie might work for others. (No disrespect to Tilz) Not for me.
I heeded the advice of many and purchased Joel Turner's Shot IQ. I am happy to report that I am shooting better than I have in quite some time. I had to watch it a few times but it did help me overcome my mental block. I am sure this is something that I will have to continue to work on but as of now I am happy as can be AND shooting is fun again. Thanks all for the help all. Bowsite is the best.
I only ever had a tiny bit, but it was enough to see that it was a very bad thing. I just stopped shooting for a week or two, and I was over it. Good luck !
Yet another opinion, get a tension release. I have developed a pretty good case of target panic. I wound up getting a Carter solution 20 in a trade. 30 minutes with that thing showed an improvement with my index release.
It’s not a hinge, not a thumb trigger. You set the holding weight and it only fires when you’ve pulled hard enough to exceed the holding weight.
I will be putting in some serious time with this thing.
I had to deal with a spell of Drive By shooting. I’d come from the top down and punch the trigger when the pin hit the spot. I’ve tried a few different back tension releases and literally hate them. I actually got release panic instead.
I like to command the release and for most of my hunting, it works best. This spring I got a Scott Verge. I’ve shot a Scott Silverhorn hook release for many years. This release is also a hook, but it has a two finger trigger. I liked it right off the hop! You can also use it as a back tension. It has a “click” mode that tells you it’s near ready to fire and you just keep pulling and it goes off. I don’t use that, but it’s there if you want to.
Since I’m only ever going to hunt with a trigger, I only practice with a trigger.
Timex you are right on. Target panic is a pain, just like back pain it comes up during hunting season at prime time and can disappear for years.
Trying various releases, low poundage bows even going to recurve with no sights, shooting blindfolded has helped, but the assassin still shows up from time to time.
A close comparison to bad cast fly fishing or jerking to hard with a fishing pole and landing crappie lips...
I wish you well with that Scott Verge I had target panic bad and started out with the Scott Hex very similar it was a hybrid hinge ended up I loved it but cost me more then one opportunity cuz I learned how to cheat it ended up with TP worse then I had ever had, went to a handheld hinge and have never looked back
Until you learn how to let the pin float and get a surprise release, you will always suffer with TP and never be the best archer you can be IMO. I'm not anywhere near as good as I want to be but I truly love shooting again and like to shoot nearly every day. I can also put the pin on the animal not have the overwhelming urge to immediately dump the string. I can just let it sit there as I keep pulling, keep pulling, keep pulling until the shot breaks. It's a great feeling.
Guys, this is purely my experience. Someone that suffered with BAD target panic for 35 years. (And believe me, I tried everything.) I was the king of drive-by shootings. Very successful hunting with it, but I hated doing it that way. I completely stopped shooting tournaments, or with groups of people...or almost anybody for that matter. When I got to a new hunt, I'd come up with every excuse possible as to why I needed to go off by myself to shoot a few arrows, so my guide wouldn't be watching. After punching two animals on one hunt, and finding neither, I said "enough." Was ready to quit. Broke down and bought one of the first Back Strap tension releases. My first group with it...no kidding...was a 3 foot group at 20 yards. I thought "this is ridiculous." But I stuck with it. And soon, was shooting better than I ever had, putting the pin on the target, slowly pulling through. It was like heaven. Started to love shooting in tournaments, shoot with groups, indoor range....didn't matter. Even was hunting with it, with some great success on some very long shots. (Only caveat is that when hunting....consider turning UP the tension, because that first draw, you have fresh muscles and adrenalin. So the release might fire as soon as you touch off safety.) I also recently had one-on-one work with Joel Turner (2 years after I started shooting tension), and he is great. When he saw my Back Strap, he laughed and said "training wheels." He helped me get back to other releases with confidence. He was a fan of the Scott Verge (with the click), and also a trigger release out of France. For target shooting, my TP is in the rear view mirror. On live animals, there is still a desire to punch once the pin settles. But at least I can now get the pin to settle. Honestly, I switch back and forth between the tension release and trigger release. Have one bow set up for one, and one the other. I find that using the tension release actually helps when switching over to the trigger, because it makes you shoot the trigger more like the tension release.....with some surprise involved, rather than a punch. (The Back Strap may be like training wheels....but it's still a great product that helped me immensely.) Like I said at the beginning....I'm not suggesting to anyone else how to do it. This is just what worked for me.
I’m going to train myself to use the “click” on the Scott Verge over the winter. But even just having two fingers on the trigger seems to give a better feel.