Trying to cure my target panic

[marshall brown]

If all else fails you might want to try a cricket draw check. It worked wonders for me.

[cyred4d]

I agree with everyone else that it is target panic. The only thing that ever worked for me was to grab a light bow. 35# or less and just work on form on a blind bale.

[sorefingers]

Thanks everyone, I think I have a touch of both at times. If I get close to the target I can make myself stop and aim. Before I knew what was going on I coudn't keep from releasing. It is a ugly beast that does come back but with your help at least we can get it under control. Thanks again!!

[Papa]

I picked up the DVD Push/Release method.  After following the guidelines, I have been snap shooting free.

[Ed Q]

Originally posted by Flingblade:
I have had TP for many years.  I had tried everything.  At times it was so bad I could not even get 3/4 draw.  Funny how I would draw and when my fingers got about two inches from my face I would freeze and could not finish the draw even with a very light bow.  I thought I had read everything on the subject and then I bought Dr. Jay Kidwell's book "Instinctive Archery Insights".  It has a section on TP and drills to use to control it.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.  It has put all the fun back in archery for me.  I can now come to full draw and hold at any distance.  My shooting has greatly improved.  I continue to do the drills he describes every time I shoot.  Good Luck!!

One of the local archers loaned me that same book at last weekends 3-d shoot.  I sure hope it works!  I haven't gotten to the part about TP, but so far it's been a good, interesting read.

All the rest of the suggestions on here also sound really good and can't wait to try some of them.

[Ed Q]

Originally posted by Papa:
I picked up the DVD Push/Release method.  After following the guidelines, I have been snap shooting free.

When I did a google search on target panic I came across that DVD.  I tried googling for more information on it, like feedback and reviews, but didn't really find much.  Good to hear it's helped you.  I may try it if nothing else works.

[head_hunter]

I had TP about 7 years ago. I was so bad that my draw length went from 26" down to about 15" and I could not pull the bow back any further. It was like that was as far as the bow would flex. I struggled the whole summer and finally cured myself by getting about three feet from a big target, drawing with my eyes closed while forcing myself to my anchor and then releasing not caring where the arrow went. It worked but it was a tough struggle. Good Luck

[Ed Q]

Sounds like you had it pretty bad, Head_Hunter.  Did yours develop gradually to that point or did it take over all of a sudden?  Mine's nowhere near that bad, and I certainly don't want for it to get any worse.  One recurring theme I see in this thread and others like it is that most who've had, especially bad cases, seem to eventually defeat it or at least keep it under control for the most part, even though the mental struggle may still be there.  So stories like yours give the rest of us hope at least.

[Ranger58]

I have endured "it" for way too many years now.  "It" is exactly why I gave up archery probably ten to twelve years ago, albeit, I was confused and using the training wheels at the time.  I was introduced to Trad by a friend and at the time, Trad seemed to be the answer to all of my problems.  Then gradually "it" started creeping into my tradtional shooting and now I'm back to where I was before.  Okay it's not that I can't get on target, now it's snap shooting at it's utmost.  I get my anchor back to my cheek and jaw and the shot is gone.  
I've tried everything from drawing away from my intended target and moving onto it, blind bale with my eyes closed, and probably the worst effort of, I'm going to beat this no matter what!  
None of it is a surefire fix.  No matter what I try, "it" keeps coming back.  I read a book that really shed some light on my problem.  The books theory is that if we learn to shoot under a boat load of stress then we get to where we are shooting lights out, the brain begins to look for the stress that we learned to shoot under.
I should say that when it hit me, I was practicing for an Elk hunt in Wyoming in '93, and I was at that time able to put five arrows inside a five inch paper plate at 65yds.  I went to shoot with one of the guys I would be traveling with and "it" hit me.  My brain was looking for the "stress" from what I've learned.  And since I didn't have the external stress, I've learned to create my own internal stress.  
In the nine years that I've completed so far with traditional equipment, I've had more than my fair share of opportunities to let an arrow loose on animals. Not knowing just how or if "it's" going to affect me, I've opted to let the shot pass.  I'm tired of that philosophy!  Yesterday, I started working on my version of "it" in my own way.  Shooting in the basement, blind bale to start my session, then shooting three arrows for groups, and then back to the blind bale to finish.  My groups were decent; but, that could be explained by my not shooting for a month and a half.  The blind bale to start and finish really has re-enforced the "form and release" of my shooting.  I have decided that until my snap shooting has been controlled, that this is what my practice sessions will entail.  
I'm so looking to my next session later tonight after the Pens game.  Wish me luck!  Sorry for the long winded post; but, this is probably one of the most ugly afflictions an archer can endure.

[reddogge]

I have never had it but occaisionally yak and arrow completly off target in just a premature wild shot so maybe it's similar.  Don't know if this will help but I tell myself "hold, hold" all the time pulling back and then release.  It seems to get things back on track after one of those wild shots.

[AllenR]

RTH,

You are fortunate to live where you do.

Set up some classes with Len Cardinale and learn to do this the right way.

He teaches at Bordy's in Florham Park, NJ.  Not next door, but well within driving distence.

You wont' regret it.

Allen

[JGRAHAM]

I'm going thru a chronic case of TP myself.  I'm in the process of trying to resolve it.  I'm shooting my sons 30 lb bow at a blank block target at about 5 yards.  I'm trying to reinvent my anchor point by copying Rich Welch's style.  And trying to get into some kind of cadence. I think for me it's going to be a long process.  But I'm determine to conquer it, because I haven't been enjoying shooting our league or 3D shoots.

[Slinging 24/7]

I like some of the tips on this thread! Glad I found it so I can use some of the techniques and hopefully cure my own case of target panic.

[USN_Sam1385]

I am glad that I found this thread. I thought that I was going insane. In my bedroom, I keep my quiver and bow leaning against my gun safe which is in the corner of the room. (Wife lovvvvvves that).

Anyhow, every night I will draw my bow with an arrow into, all the way back, anchor at the corner of my mouth no problem, and hold for 3-5 seconds. I do this probably 6-12 times before bed.

Then, for whatever reason I get in my backyard at the target. I get a deep hook and go to draw back, and my hand does not want to get to the corner of my mouth. It is like there is an invisible force-field keeping my finger 2 inches in front of the corner of my mouth and completely preventing me from getting it there, then I release. It is really frustrating.

I think it is target panic for sure. When I close my eyes outside I have no probably anchoring at the mouth.

"I think it is target panic for sure. When I close my eyes outside I have no probably anchoring at the mouth."

Sorry to say, yes, it's the panic, and it sounds very similar to my case.  IMO drawing at the wall or with your eyes closed will not help at all.  You need to do the drill up close with a light bow and eyes focused on the bale.  Draw, anchor, and let down.  When you can do that at 3 feet, and be in complete control you can start to shoot a few arrows, and bridge your way back.  It's most important to NOT fool yourself.  You simply can't move back until the anticipation is gone.  Good Luck.  I'm 10 months in and doing very well.

[JDunlap]

I had never heard of a lot of the finer points of traditional archery until I got on Tradgang in the last few months. However, I had been going out at night and shooting at my bale of hay, when all I could see was the bale but no detail -- barely even the end of my arrow. I seemed to be pulling and holding to anchor better than in the day time. I thought it was my imagination. Then I started reading about blind bale shooting.... It really does work. I've also noticed, as someone mentioned, that a deep hook also helps to anchor and hold. Yet, its a work in progress.

You can try to draw at a target with your right eye closed, for a right hander, do not release. Do that until you know exactly what it feels like to be pulling with all the right muscles and what your anchor feels like. then do the same closing your left eye.  then do the same with both eyes open.  Then shoot that blank bail up close or go to a large field and shoot the sky or just take crazy long shot to the other end of the field.  I find that from that point shooting at stuff that is about point on and against a back drop that does not concern you with loss of your arrows helps. Shooting the same target all the time or shooting in a nervous social situation can make our brains begin to preignite. The problem is in between your ears, it is how and what you are thinking about the shot.  those thousand thoughts per second are not good for your single minded coordination for your shot.  It is not  about what you don't want to do.   it is all about what you simply, with no pressure, are going to do.

[USN_Sam1385]

I have all but cured my target panic by following some of the advice on this thread.

1. I bring only one arrow out to the backyard with me.

2. I draw back and aim at the corner of my shed, which I have no intent of shooting, then hold anchor and move my eyes ONTO the target, and release.

I have been doing really well with this method. Further, I think it is good practice for real time hunting, as it helps me move onto target and focus.

[McDave]

I have had a recent conversation with Dr. Jay Kidwell, author of the book "Instinctive Archery Insights," which was previously mentioned.  He made me realize that if you have situational target panic, i.e. it only occurs when you shoot in tournaments, or in other specific situations, the best way to solve it is to deal with it in those situations, and not by doing drills in other situations where it doesn't occur.

In my case, he recommended using a sliding anchor drill when I was shooting in competition.  Quite often, when shooting in a competition, I would wish I could just step to the side and shoot a few arrows casually like I do in my backyard, and maybe then the problem would go away.  His sliding anchor drill allows me to do something in the middle of competition that gives me the same relief.

Clearly, anything you do in competition or hunting that varies from good form is less than desirable.  But then trying to shoot with good form and blowing the shot through target panic is even less desirable than that, and this does give you a way to work on that in the actual situation where it is happening.

[Flingblade]

McDave,
Is the sliding anchor drill described in his book?  I have read the book and follow the drills but don't remember the sliding anchor drill.  I am a firm believer in Dr. Kidwell's drills as I am now shooting with control at 40 yards in my backyard where I could rarely get to full draw at 20 before.  However, I still have trouble with shots on game.  
Thanks,
Gary