TARGET PANIC!

[chuck172]

I have two sets of limbs. 60 and 45#. You're right, heavier limbs will allow me to hold with the 45# pd. limbs. Temporarily. Then back to the short draw.
It is will power. Have you guys tried a clicker. I have. That works too. While the clicker is on. If I disconnect the clicker its short draw all over again.
It's really something.

[chuck172]

Maybe we should start a support group or something!!

[Target Panic]

I need one believe me!!

[Ray Johnson]

Chuck,I've been fighting TP for 6years now.I've tried alot of techniques to rid myself of it.I could always work out of it for a short time but it always returned.I've been using Jay Kidwell's techniques for over year now and they work.I'm not totally free of TP but I've made great strides.The key for me is to continue the exercises every time I shoot,and I mean everytime.In the past,I would always return to my regular shooting routine and the TP would return in a short time.Now,I work on it every time I shoot.I'll do alot of drawing and letting down.I'll draw and roam around the target and release or let down.I'll draw,hold for 5-10 seconds,and then release.I'm telling my subconscious that I can let down if I want to.I don't have to release.I can now say that for the most part,I'm in full control of my shot.The TP will return at times but if it does,I know what to do to subdue it.I wish you luck.Just remember that it takes time to work out of TP.
                                        RayJ

[chuck172]

Just think there are plenty of people reading this thread who never experienced any form of target panic that probably think were nuts.

[cvarcher]

Remember when Howard Hill said ,"boys, make up your mind whether you want to target shoot or hunt because the two just dont mix." The target shooter draws the bow to anchor before he sights in on the target.Then he settles the bow on the target,holds and shoots.That control yeilds lots of tight groups. The Hill style of shooting is to draw on the target or spot you want to hit and when the draw hits anchor you should be on the spot and release -no hesitation.To try and stare at the spot and come to the end of your draw and hold like a target archer just doesnt work well as many of us find out(except when we first try to learn how to shoot ).So all the conditioning and trying to fool yourself to hold while on target just doesnt work otherwise this thread would become a thing of the past. You can work on a part of the form like getting to anchor and once you are aware it is happening solidly you can then go on to another part to improve on.But when we start trying to shoot group after group in the Hill style the brain takes over speeding everything up.I believe some of us (gifted ones) like Jerry Hill, or Ron La Clair can stare at the spot while drawing and come to a solid anchor no matter what the weight on the bow and hold for several seconds with no urge at all.And thats what I cant understand.Try drawing a few feet away from the intended target and you will come to full draw and anchor easily. Then slowly bring it on target.When you do this you will shoot better usually and consistantly but its the target style that Hill talked about. MHO .

[chuck172]

Are you saying that its more natural to have target panic, if your not strictly a target archer,  than to not?

[cvarcher]

No. you can certainly have anxiety as a target archer as well. For me I notice that if I draw a little off whether up down or at the side of the target it seems to have no affect panicking me and I get to full and very locked in solid draw.The panic may start if I creep closer to the target and then the urge to release before I feel im lined up instinctively can occur. I dont have that for the most part and can easily draw and lock up and then bring everything to the target pretty good at least if the weight is below 50lbs.Some people cant even do this.But if you develeope that Hill style of only staring at the target to be hit while you draw into it , hitting anchor (hopefully) then you should already be on and ready to release. There is no point in holding longer or most of the time youll come out of your form.So most of the shots should be quite accurate .My problem is I cant seem to zero in on a facial corner and know Im there at a precise spot. It happens so fast from  doing this for 30 years .A lower weight bow will help though and just paying strict attention to that part of the form will iron out the kinks.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I fought TP for a number of years, trying everything I could to rid myself of it. But every "solution" seemed to bring about new problems. It wasn't until I finally broke down and put a clicker on my bow (and then learned how to use it) that I got a handle on my TP. Honestly, I should have bought a clicker years earlier and saved myself a lot of grief.

[zinndl]

There is an article on target panic in the new issue (june/july) of Traditional Bowhunter.

[chuck172]

Jason, if you remove the clicker, does TP come back?
Clicker works for me too, only while its on the bow. It doesn't cure anything, just treats it.
cvarcher-
"For me I notice that if I draw a little off whether up down or at the side of the target it seems to have no affect panicking me and I get to full and very locked in solid draw."
Me too. But that screws up the shot. I guess I do use that "Hill Style" of burning a spot and slowly drawing on it.
So, for me, This is what works:
Clicker.
Come to full draw a little off the spot.
Draw with my eyes closed.
close distance.- I have no problem up to about 12 yds.
Lighter Bow, for the first few shots anyway, then its business as usual.
Fooling myself into thinking that  I won't let go while I draw.
Draw, telling myself I won't release, letting down, repeat, then draw-come to full anchor and release.
All the above work. But if like you say I burn a spot, concentrate, slowly try to draw to full anchor- I seem to hit an obstacle about an inch from my anchor point.

[cvarcher]

What weight bow and length are you shooting? if you come down you will get to a weight that will allow that last inch to slide in easily. start there.

[chuck172]

I have a long draw. 30.5"
I wonder if shooters with a long draw are more prone to anchor target panic.
Also limb stacking : I started anchor target panic when I was shooting my old Bear Kodiak Magnum. A bow known for limb stacking. I'm now shooting a Martin Hatfield. S m o o t h, but maybe thats where I first picked up the habit and now I'm having a hard time shaking it. (Muscle Memory?)
I shoot 60# limbs. I have 45# limbs which I go to now and them for form work.
I'll come to full draw with the lighter limbs in the beginning but soon the problem sets in. I don't think its the draw weight in my case.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by chuck172:
Jason, if you remove the clicker, does TP come back?
 

Eventually, yes. What I've found is that if I shoot with a clicker, I can detach it for hunting and be just fine. As a matter of fact, I shot out local DART league this year without the clicker and had no problems at all.

[chuck172]

Jason, How long does a clicker last you? Mine don't seem to last very long.

[laddy]

Just as with the clicker working for some as long as it is on the bow, some of the other "cures" also only work for some as long as it is part of the shot, but as soon as one goes back to normal shooting the panic returns.  I've been there, I thought I was getting a bit stuck in my tempo so I tried the Kidwell techniques.  Much like the Asbel don't shoot ideas, they work for me as long as I incorporate them into the shot.  I went back to the trick that worked for me in the past, it works for me.  It is not about "don't shoot" it is about having every intention of shooting.  I cannot seem to play mental tricks on myself.  What I do is pull back the bow and hold, waiting for the hibby chibbies to come, when they do i either loose the arrow or retighten the anchor and release.  After a few attempts the hibby chibbies don't show up while I wait at full draw, then I think about my anchor and follow through and release.  I always need to remind myself that the shot is finished at the end of the follow through, not at the anchor.  It is better to cut the follow through short than the draw.  One thing to check when just holding a bow at full draw is the positions of everything, if all is right tell yourself it is and file it in your muscle memory.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by chuck172:
Jason, How long does a clicker last you? Mine don't seem to last very long.

I think I've broken one in the last couple years.

[Cecil]

What did you do to learn to shoot with a clicker?  or what is some good ways to learn to shoot a clicker?

[-Achilles-]

I never got target panic with a compound and a release and didnt even know what it was....I think I might start using a release

[Mark Fedrizzi]

.....clicker for me--helped tremendously------also helps one find what their "true" draw is...