target panic caused by bow????

[ericmerg]

so ive been shooting my 72# recurve wonderfully no snap shooting nothing can shoot it all day with no wear so i know this isnt overbowing so lets get to point.

i recently got a 67# longbow and out of nowhere i started snap shooting that bow im consistant out to 35 yards but still snap shooting i can force myself to hold but once i stop focusing on the draw and focus on aiming its gone in a half second, yet i pick up my 72# recurve and the problem goes away....

any ideas as to why?

[FerretWYO]

Don't blame the bow. It's all on YOUR head.

[McDave]

By design, a recurve doesn't increase in poundage as much in the last inch of draw as a longbow of the same draw weight. This difference would be even more evident if the longbow were stacking.

Difference in grips and difference in the force draw curves will make the two bows feel different when you draw them, and that could be what you're experiencing.

[Sixby]

Target Panic is literally anticipating the release. I would bet that if you got up close to the target pointed the bow at the target., closed your eyes and shot you would have no problem.

God bless and good luck , Steve

[ericmerg]

ive noticed now that im thinking about it  it is me doing it now, well i beat it once looks like i have to smack it with the shovel again...back to blank bale

[jax]

Clicker

[LongStick64]

You have made a choice that the bows are different and your confidence is less when you shoot you r longbow. Don't put an emphasis on what you are holding in your hands, focus on your energies on the target. It could just be you need to spend more time getting the feel of the bow and feeling good about it. Positive Energy.

[Kevin Dill]

Just like your good and trusty recurve, which you shoot comfortably and without stress...I think you simply need to move up close and shoot heck out of that longbow until you gain full and comfortable control of it. Ignore any accuracy aspects.

I think McDave is right. The force-draw characteristics of this longbow may be triggering the 'time to release string' lobe in your brain, which is familiar with your recurve but not the longbow. You probably have some muscle work to get done, and that 'lobe' needs to reprogram for the longbow.

Patience.....

[ChrisM]

I went through the same thing when I switched to a Hill Bow.  The way that I beat it was drawing while aiming and holding and then letting down.  Started close and then worked my way back.  For me the further I got from the target the harder it was not too release.  Didn't loose an arrow for 5 days.  After that I was able to hit a solid anchor and then release.

[Tim]

I've helped get several folks started shooting traditional equipment.  The most important aspect is consistency in both form and equipment.  I try to start folks out with a 40lb bow, one that they have complete control over.  Once they get proficient i realize they are going want a new bow.  My goal is to keep them from going too heavy.  Too heavy leads to a breakdown in form and eventually panic issues.

I believe changing types of bows, especially going from a recurve type grip to a straight longbow grip will cause issues.  I understand TP is a mental issue but for those that have it, it is very real and frustrating.  Very few folks can jump from bow to bow successfully and remain consistent.  Most of us would be better served to stick to one bow or at least one type or style of bow.  Howard Hill and a few other solid shooters may have changed bows often but they were the same style bow just different poundages.  

I've used a clicker and know several guys that are incredible shots using them, Allen Shafer is one of them.  But they are not always the answer, clickers are hard work.   Allen will tell you it takes him several weeks to get use to and comfortable with a new bow, despite having a clicker.   Again pick one style bow, a poundage range and consistency will follow.  

McDave.....+1

[bicster]

I went through the same experience. Mcdave's explanation is what I experienced. ChrisM's solution is what helped me beat it too.

[ron w]

Originally posted by Sixby:
Target Panic is literally anticipating the release. I would bet that if you got up close to the target pointed the bow at the target., closed your eyes and shot you would have no problem.

God bless and good luck , Steve

That's one form of Target Panic.......there are others!

[joe skipp]

Archery is a mental game...think bad thoughts, will shoot bad. Anything that takes away from your positive concentration will cause you problems. See Ferrets response above...

[AkDan]

I've also watched this very thing happen to a fine shot.  He thought he needed more weight so jumped up 7 or 8 lbs from 52 to 60.   Same bow, same riser, different limbs.  

His mind wont get past 52lbs and to this day thats as far as he draws.   So he pulls back, with 1/3rd or so of an arrow hanging out and still is a great shot.  

It's a mind game..the triggers are different for everyone...but to me that very short comment would tell me your trigger is weight, not bow design.  Your minds saying GO at X pounds.....If that longbow's putting it on fast (stacking), your minds being falsely triggered to go..and go you do.

The way I kicked it is blank bale eyes shut for a while..NO, 0, NADA targets!!!  Kinda like a hardreboot of your brain.   YOu gotta wipe it as clean as you can and reprogramm.   After a couple weeks I went from terrible back to feeling comfortable with my shooting again.  The next few years spoke for themselves.

[kawika b]

Dunno if it was mentioned yet but you may wanna scale your longbow... depending on the make, some were marked lighter than the actual draw weight (Hill's).

And as Randy said... it's all in your head. Paying more attention to aiming than your from is actually counter productive... the sight picture anticipation triggers your release before you even get to full draw. Hit the bale, a lot of good bale exercises can be done to help beat TP.