confused

[bowmaster12]

ok i did alittle shooting this weekend while up at a buddys cabin, of course had to  build a deeer stand before i could shoot, it was all fun and i as glad i could help.  The thing that has me confused is i have noticed that i shoot much better at a 3d target than at one with spots.  I dont have a problem with that at all becasue the deer i hunt dont have spots on them.  I was just wondering if this is odd or if anyone else has noticed this.  My shooting seems to suffer when i start to try to shoot five spot. Just throwing it out there.  Anyone have and thoughts or ideas or same experince?  

[Bill Skinner]

You may be overthinking the five spot or tensing up, basically your brain is getting in the way.  When you shoot 3-D, you are more relaxed but more focused on what you are doing.  Bill

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

ditto

[Seven]

On 3D targets you have to focus more because there isn't a 'spot'.  When you focus more you shoot better.

[lt-m-grow]

What these guys already said.

I also think we are more critical of the results on spot targets ie:  Several inches off on a deer target is likely a kill (or perfect shot we think) several inches off on spot targets and we beat ourselves up (a miss).

[bowmaster12]

yeha it makes sense what everyoen has said i only asked because i guess i assumed that it should be easier to hit a spot when you actually have a "spot" to look at like i said if i had the choice id rather be better on the 3-d targets for sure.  It-m-grow is that pic one of those few that are running around here in wi?

[Chuck Hoopes]

I have found when shooting spots I tend to try to MAKE it happen, as opposed to LETTING it happen.  Somehow the fluidity of drawing and releasing smoothy in a syncronized, rythmic fashion morphs into something more rigid, measured, analysed etc. etc. and as a consquence my instinctive or natural abilites are overridden or tainted by this rigidity.  This is just another way of saying what others have said about tensing up.  Somehow we start to distrust our instincive abilities -- really all we have to do is to BELIEVE, and it will HAPPEN, regardless of the target.

[Wudstix]

I have noticed than when I start ranging the target and thinking distance it messes me up.  Just lokking and shooting then thinking about how far works better for me.

[KentuckyTJ]

I am the same way. You are an instinctive shooter and I know when I shoot dots I start trying to aim instead of just pulling up and shooting. Here is something I do on dots that helps me. When drawing back don't look at the dot at all just look off to the side, top, or bottom of the target. Once you get to about full draw look at the spot then release. That keeps me from looking down my arrow and trying to aim.