Target Panic Reality Check

[Missouri CK]

Joel,

I too was one of the 88. I've been working on this since September. Without a doubt this has been the best thread I have read as well about the subject.  I'm not sure if it would have made the impact if I hadn't already tried some of the other "fixes" and seen how much the mental mechanics means.  I certainly can notice if I'm not 100% concentrating on what I'm doing.  I start with some form work with the mantra but without any target.  Then I start my actual shooting session.  That seems to work best. My shots are so much more controled and I don't have those wild flyers where I was jerking over to the target from off target like I used to experience.  
My only issue that I haven't figured out completely involves the keep pulling phase. I'm on target but then I find that as I pull/push towards my psychotigger that my shots often end up a bit high.  Its as if my bow arm actually raises when my elbow straighten.  Not sure if my brain just has to re-adjust by sight picture.
Still they are still in the kill zone and I feel so much better.  I'm using the back of my broadheads (simmons treeshark) as my psychotrigger. I haven't gotten the feather on my nose perfected for field points but I'm going to do that next.

Joel thanks again for all the help.  Now can you do as much for my elk hunting skills as you have my shooting?  I'm going on an elk hunt this fall and I need to figure out how to get a bull to stand broadside instead of head on at 20 yards like I've had 2 of them do in the past.    

Thanks,
Chris

[CLICKERMAN]

Chris,

I can do equally as much for your elk tactics as I can for your shooting.  I have killed 8 bulls in the last eight years and I am a 2x World Elk Calling Champion in the Pro Division.  We will have to take this discussion to another thread or PM me for details.  Good work on your shooting!!!!!

[rendalen]

This is my version of the clicker.
Just bend the baseplate of an ordinary limb clicker to fit the contour of the handle. The base is aluminum and bends easely.  And use thick double sided tape to fit on riser. I have a rubber sleeve fittet over the blade so not to cut my finger on the sharp clicker blade.
And you just set it of with your finger when ready to shoot. Works great with Joels system to beat target panic. Thank you Joel for this most excelent system to beat target panic. It has worked wonders for my shooting.

Øyvind

[CLICKERMAN]

Rendalen,

Great work!!!!  Just make sure you put your concentration in the movement that makes your trigger activate.  I imagine with your system, it is pressing the clicker blade,,,,awesome!!!  Continue to analyze what is going through your head during the pressing, so that you can practice and strengthen your concentration in that movement.  It is great to see people coming up with their own triggers once they understand the mental mechanics behind psychological triggers.  Press on my friend!!!!

JT

[CLICKERMAN]

I just had caller number 95 call me from the other end of the country!!!!  Keep the calls coming folks, we will beat target panic together.  

For those of you in the Michigan area, I will be running a Target Panic and Shot Control Clinic in Marne MI on Sunday May 5th at the A&H Archery Shop.  It is limited to 10 people and it is only a one day course.  I will also be filming a Target Panic and Shot Control DVD the same weekend.  The DVD will be available through A&H Archery probably sometime in June or July.  I will keep everyone posted!!!!

With so many people calling me, I have formulated a list of questions that have been consistent will most if not all of the callers.  I am hoping to answer all of these questions in the DVD.  The clinic and the dvd will cover:

*  Target Panic causes and myths
*  Thought Analysis during the shot
*  Subconscious Aiming (What it really means to  pick a spot)
*  Shot Separation (The 2 jobs in a shot)
*  Concentration shifting
*  The use of Neurolinguistic Programming
*  The use of Psychological Triggers
*  Concentration Practice
*  Complete knowledge of the Mental Mechanics
*  How to achieve shot control under stress
*  The skills of diagnosis and treatment of any mental shooting problems that may arise
*  Bow tuning (Shelf or elevated rest)
*  Broadhead tuning and the Single Bevel Advantage

Keep the calls coming so I can answer as many questions as possible in the clinic and dvd.  I have learned so much about teaching this subject since Masters of the Barebow 4 that I wanted to do another dvd to really drive the message home regarding how to beat target panic.  Larry at A&H Archery has been fantastic in making this happen, so to him and to all of you, I am eternally grateful.

Talk to you soon,

JT

[pamike]

i have tried to start this process! I shoot a glove and i am struggling to determine what to use as a psychotrigger.  Do you or does anyone sell a tab sear or glove sear or ???  Need to find something that will work.  I have to think someone has done this.  I will try to call you to work thru this but if you have ideas until we talk i would appreciate it.

Thanks
Mike

[bbell]

I shoot a glove and ended up putting a strap on my bow grip. I took a leather strap and added a metal snap to it. It is wrapped tight on the grip. When shooting i rest my pinky finger nail on the edge of the snap and use the mantra keep pulling. When my pinky slips off i shoot. Hope that makes sense. I will try to post some pics tomorrow.
Brandon Bell

[pamike]

I installed the clicker talked with Joel a couple times and all I can say is WOW!!  I am back!!

Brandon I would love to see those pics.

U can text them to me if easier

717-490-4555

Thanks

[bbell]

Here is the strap with snap on it.
 [/IMG]

Here is one with my pinky nail on it.
 

The snap is nice and smooth and my nail seems to pop right off. Just have to find the right spot. Hope the pics work.
Brandon

[bbell]

[Scott Barr]

Joel,

Can't thank you enough for your post and DVD.  I have watched your DVD over and over probably ten times and more watches to come.  This last year has been hard.  I got worse rather than better even though I practiced regularly.  Seems like target panic just suddenly took hold and I could not work through it as hard as I tried.  Your DVD had helped me understand what was going on and a way to train my mind differently.  After watching your DVD my shooting became more consistent immediately and now I am seeing continual improvement by applying your concept.  Again, thanks.  It is a very generous offer you have made.

[pamike]

If u have not tried this -DO IT!  It works.  Still have lapses but Wheni do it right it is awesome. Many more good shots then bad ones. There is hope....

[cch]

I was down shooting with Joel today. He is a great help with shooting and overcoming target panic and tuning. He was setting up a bow for a guy who use to own an archery shop.  He is really excited about all of the people that are calling him, so keep it up.
Chris.

[Green]

Caller #104 here.  Thanks for putting a derailed train back on the tracks today Joel!  Good luck with your first clinic this weekend and I look forward to your video.
Rob

[SAVIOUR68]

Caller #105 checking in, the main purpose of my call to Joel was to strengthen my shot process and let me tell ya he has info that can help you build a mentally strong/stabile shot that is repeatable shot after shot. Makes you think were your mind is during the shot and helps puts concentration were it is needed most. We all know archery is 90-95% mental and the following is physical. Thanks for your info Joel.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
Someone asked me if I'd looked at this thread, and I said no.  I don't get into target panic chat cause I've never had it and don't want to.

But I will say this,...I shoot the exact opposite.  I am totally immersed consciously into aiming, and my subconscious totally runs the shot. I'm aiming before I ever start drawing my bow.

Some of the best shots I've ever made at game I was so immersed in the hunt and the shot window opening, I don't even remember drawing the bow.

Interesting how some folks do things one way, and others do it in a completely opposite manner.  I guess that's why we have folk figuring the trajectory to the moon, and other folks flying the rocket....glad they don't swap just before ignition.

No, I didn't read all the thread....after just a few posts....I panicked!!!        :D            :D            :D  

I have to say that I agree with Terry here. As a hunter, I could care less about scores on targets. I want to hit an animal in a certain spot, and that IS the only thing that matters to me. I don't see how aiming subconsciously will ever feel okay to me if I am shooting at an animal. In my mind, I owe it to whatever creature I hunt to make a perfect shot and I would be ashamed of myself if my thought process were one that did not focus on what I wanted to hit.

That said, unlike Terry, I have struggled with target panic, which always manifests itself as "short drawing" and when it goes away, I am shooting without any conscious input on form from my brain. Everything is focused on where I want to hit.

I guess I am reluctant to relegate aiming to subconscious thought. When I played baseball I was always best when I "got in the zone". My thought went entirely AWAY from my mechanics, and all focus was on making the pitch, or squaring up the ball and driving it into a gap. My mechanics were never a focal point. Is it really that different here? When results are all that matter I was trained to focus on those results. Practice was for mechanics, and game time was for performance.

I guess my questions are these: How can you be sure of where you will hit if that is not what you focus on? How do you make snap shots when your conscious mind is involved at all? If I could learn to perform at a high level in baseball by taking my mechanics OUT of the thought process, why can I not do that with a bow?

I don't mean to be aggressive, and I apologize if I come across that way. I spent many years learning how to perform at a very high level as an athlete, and now I am confused because this whole theory is completely opposite of my experience.

Thoughts? Comments? Am I just crazy?

[Burnsie]

up

[sloaf]

Joel

I really want to give your method a try.   It makes perfect sense .   This is exactly how I think when shooting a rifle.   My focus is 100 percent on a slow smooth trigger pull that doesn't anticipate release.  Aiming takes care of itself.  That's hard with a couple pound trigger.   I mean mental torture some days to not get close and yank. I know you're on to something here.   Thanks for the help.   When is the dvd coming out?

[cch]

Malachi, Your brain aims really well on its own. It makes your eye center things on its own. If you have ever shot with a peep sight you will see that it will automatically center it. After you have learned to shoot with what ever sight picture you like your brain will set it up and center it on its own. If you give Joel a call he has some drills that will prove that to you. I will say that using a trigger of some sort has been dificult shooting fast like moving targets. I used the clicker the first time shooting carp and had good results. I had a much higher hit ratio. But there were many that I could not get to the click before the fish spooked or went into brush. I still practice snap shooting for fast moving targets just to keep that in my bag. But I am getting much more consistant shooting with the clicker, and the anxiety I would get in pressure times is mostly gone and I can drown it out with the mantra.

Chris.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Chris,
a couple things you said stand out as the main problems I have with this idea.

"your eye centers things on its own"
But a broadside deer would be gut shot if I hit it in the center.
"there were many that I could not get to the click before the fish spooked or went into the brush" As I said, I am only concerned with hunting. Any audible click would alert my prey anyways, and sometimes you only get a split second to shoot.

I want to  be able to shoot at any time the situation requires after hitting anchor, not when I hear a click. Is that possible with this method?