# HELP please



## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

Okay I’ve developed a case of target panic. It’s driving me nuts. So far just this season I have missed 4 deer (the one today was 17yds and I blew it. Pins wiggling from rib cage to butt then the yip happened and I wasn’t even close.) I mean I know the issue is between my ears. I get the worse anxiety when at full draw. How do I effectively get rid of this demon? Blind bale for months or hinge my butt off? I have been shooting since 1991 and I’ve experienced target panic before but not to this extent.


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## Scottspot50 (Nov 21, 2017)

My suggestion is to cover your non dominate eye with an eye patch. Shoot at a 10 yard target. Watch your arrow into the target through your sight. Works for me.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

There are a few options:
1 - blank bale like Bernie lays out in his book, "Idiot Proof Archery". It's a good program that he learned from Len Cardinale (who is in both Bowhunting & Archery Halls of Fame)
2 - get an audio from AJ the TP Guru. He whispers in your ear every night at bedtime and somehow your TP goes away. Unbiased reports seem to indicate that this technique does not yield good, long term results.
3 - GRIV has a nice article http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=453859
4 - Give up archery.
5 - See my signature. 

I recommend #1, #3 or #5. #2 & #4 would not be acceptable to me.

One Olympic coach defined Target Panic as a missing or out-of-order step in your shot sequence. If you get your shot sequence squared away and practice it until it runs smoothly, your TP will be under control. Unfortunately, this is not quite as simple as one would hope. Bernie's blank bale & bridge and GRIV's 10 yard game will help you get you shooting smoothly, but it does take a lot of time & work. The same with a good coach who would likely recommend blank bale and other close work.

Let us know what direction you want to go and we will be able to help you more.

Allen


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## slamnationalley (Jul 5, 2007)

These responses are gonna get interesting...... 

My small advice is you're going to have to make yourself focus on the smallest spot on the animal that you can see. By doing that, you may stop your mental state from thinking "I'm gonna miss" (which is what target panics stems from) and change it to "I'm gonna hit". I had TP for 20-years because I didn't have anyone to teach me the correct way to be an archer. When I finally became involved in ASA and local clubs, I met others who helped me through it and put me into a practice routine that worked for me. You must get into a routine of steps that lead from beginning to the end with out skipping steps. Even if your form is bad, at least have the exact same form each time. We're all backyard champions until we go onto the range with others or up in the tree, a routine is the only thing that saves you.

I can honestly say that I'm TP free for 8 years now. I do get a little nervous when hunting, but I am able to zone out "Antler's" at the draw and focus on a certain spot and then I calm down. My release is still a surprise 85% of the time during hunting conditions. On the other hand, my best friend completely falls apart when ANY deer shows up (buck or doe) and 9 times out of 10 he's going to miss or make a bad hit, even on short shots. After 20-years of hunting with him, I think I finally convinced him to give up compound and go with a crossbow.

I was able to overcome TP by becoming obsessed with hitting the smallest spot possible. This was only achievable to me by focusing on my target and not chasing the pin.... Hope this helps some. Good luck. Just know, that most of us have all been there!


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## Ray Ray (Aug 1, 2005)

Target panic is alot of different things. My opinion is that It is your conscious mind trying to do 2 things at once. Aiming & triggering the release. One of these has to become subconscious. This is why back tension works for most. It allows you to aim with your conscious mind & fire the release with your subconscious.
When I had TP , blank bailing did not help much. rotational aiming & Bernie's bridge system worked best. Rotational aiming is several dots on a target, coming to full draw, aim at a dot for 5 seconds then move to another. Do this til you can't hold steady then let down. This trains your mind that it is ok to put your pin on the dot.
Bridge system: start close with a large dot, where your pin never leaves the dot& shoot. When you are comfortable with this. slowly make the dot smaller & move further from the target. This helps you to allow the shot to happen instead of forcing the shot.


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

Thanks for the help. One thing I have worked on is shooting the shot without thinking about (xyz) it seems to help. Now I filmed myself and my release hand shakes a lot. I’m pulling 55# and I don’t understand why. Looking at my draw length as I’m 5’ 10” is 28.5” my elbow is in line with my arrow at full draw. I seem to be all over the target. I’m due some glasses. Could that be an issue? I get a surprise release but high low right left impacts. It’s driving me nuts.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Diamond14 said:


> Thanks for the help. One thing I have worked on is shooting the shot without thinking about (xyz) it seems to help. Now I filmed myself and my release hand shakes a lot. I’m pulling 55# and I don’t understand why. Looking at my draw length as I’m 5’ 10” is 28.5” my elbow is in line with my arrow at full draw. I seem to be all over the target. I’m due some glasses. Could that be an issue? I get a surprise release but high low right left impacts. It’s driving me nuts.


Post a picture of yourself, at full draw, level arrow. Head to toe photo, where we can see the ground, your shoes, all of your head to toe, all of the bow, all of the front stabilizer.


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

These are pictures my wife just took of me. Is my draw length too short or what the heck is going on?


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

DL is not too short. From the way you are leaning back, it might be a little long. 
Your form at full draw doesn't appear to be a problem. For you (& most others), TP rears it's ugly head during execution of the shot. 

Can you execute a good shot on a blank bale?

Allen


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

I can make a subconscious shot when blind baling. I see lots of pin movement at full draw and causes me to freeze and etc.... Would shortening my draw a 1/2” help maybe. Ugh I’m falling to pieces.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Diamond14 said:


> Thanks for the help. One thing I have worked on is shooting the shot without thinking about (xyz) it seems to help. Now I filmed myself and my release hand shakes a lot. I’m pulling 55# and I don’t understand why. Looking at my draw length as I’m 5’ 10” is 28.5” my elbow is in line with my arrow at full draw. I seem to be all over the target. I’m due some glasses. Could that be an issue? I get a surprise release but high low right left impacts. It’s driving me nuts.


At 5'10", your draw length is NOT 28.5-inches. Keep the exact same anchor, put in a half inch shorter DL module, and you will need to lean backwards less than now.

RED triangle is the bow draw length set at 28.5-inches, with you leaning backwards. GREEN triangle is the bow draw length at 28-inches and YOU standing up straight, so you get to keep the EXACT same anchor, and you get to bend the bow arm elbow exactly like you always do. WHO cares how much you lean backwards? As long as you lean backwards like your favorite pro, then, everything is good right? So, you lean backwards, and your "release hand shakes a lot". You lean backwards, and you "seem to be all over the target". Your words. So, leaning backwards does not work so good for you. Want your release hand to shake less? Want to be LESS all over the target? Then, gotta change something. DUH.










But you have ALWAYS leaned backwards. So, lean backwards like you always do, and while at full draw, stand so the end of your front stab is 2-inches away from a shoulder height target. Now, plant your feet, push your belt buckle away from the target and move both armpits closer to the target (this is called leaning in, instead of leaning backwards. Yup, the nock is going to slide BACK on your head. Yup, the string is going to end up BEHIND your nose, cuz you are not a 28.5-inch DL. 28-inches of draw length will fit you better (string on nose), when you stop leaning backwards. So, big deal, stand up straight and use half an inch shorter DL. Now what? Unbend the bow arm elbow. Get that bow side elbow bend as small as you can, and the release hand will shake less. Watch the John Dudley video about form.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG0nb01SGMA






Stand more like Dudley.


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

Thanks for the advice and I’m not a hard head I am going to do some changes. I’m almost to the point of quitting archery if I don’t improve. So I got a set of 28’s and putting them on tonight. Will relay performance. I’ve never had detailed coaching or input till now. Kicking myself for not doing it sooner.


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## Ray Ray (Aug 1, 2005)

I am glad to see you made the decision to change some things. Several years ago I had TP & was going to quit. Bought Bernie's book(Idiot proof Archery) & Follow that. I shoot better than I ever did befor. Proper form & proper shot execution made this possible.


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

Hey fellas! Commendations to you!!! I put the 28” mod on and oh boy did it make a TREMENDOUS difference!!! My pin stays on the target and guess what I can now hit a 1” dot at 20 yds again. I can’t believe I didn’t figure this out earlier. I can feel myself leaning towards the target. I mean my goodness it’s literally night and day. Now if I can hold it together when Bambi walks in front of me. So far targets are more in trouble again in years and.... well I’m just ecstatic. No I ain’t Levi Morgan or Reo Wilde but I’m on top in my backyard. Lol
I’m serious I was about to hang it all up. Freaking almost 30 years of shooting too long a draw and still may need to shorten some more but I cannot express my gratitude to you guys enough.


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

Okay I’ve made drastic improvements but... Doing the wing span measuring and the height ( mine) measurements. I may actually be a 27- 27.5” draw. Lol my question is do I measure height with shoes on or not? If so I’m facing the ugly truth I’m 5’7.5” without shoes and borderline 5’ 9” with shoe. I still struggle holding still but could still drastically improve. Shouldn’t have to struggle to hit a pie plate every time at 20 yds(4” round plates). Yes when I said I had target panic I wasn’t exaggerating one bit. Plus shaking like a coyote passing a persimmon seed hasn’t helped at all.


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## wabbit (Jan 12, 2016)

forgive this johnny-come-lately concept...but have you actually measured your DL? (move it forward, moved it backward ~ oh lookie i got better, let's see what happens if i move it further backward to 27/27.5 or or or)

this perceived problem is like ED...you have a failure once, fret on it, oh dear it happens again, FRET, oh dear and now again, oh my i really must have a problem, now you are sunk cuz you are fretting to the point of not even trying again cuz of the embarrassment. you are at the point w/your ED, fret, you are seeking professional assistance, you want a magic blue pill to cure your 30 years of improper form to fix it immediately.

question ~ what have you changed in the last six months? equipment ~ arrows, bow, string, ad nauseam; your adult body is to olde to pull 55# but your ego won't acknowledge it; got an ache from improper form or due to age ~ that you didn't let properly heal which modified your entire shot; really olde bow which has been exposed to heat, moisture, you get the point; this is not a new phenomenon it is something that occurred which you have dismissed as trivial which has caused your fret and the magic blue pill won't fix it!

suggestion: forget everything & bloody well start over cuz you are now screwing with the whole shot sequence w/o a firm indication which part of the shot is actually screwed up.
1. measure, divide by 2.5
2. replace strings, etc., and tune your bow ~ 
3. research 'proper form'
4. find a coach
5. repeat as necessary 

stepping off my soapbox with the hope you will put your ego in your pocket and consider these point(s) to facilitate your miracle cure over your fret.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Diamond14 said:


> Okay I’ve made drastic improvements but... Doing the wing span measuring and the height ( mine) measurements. I may actually be a 27- 27.5” draw. Lol my question is do I measure height with shoes on or not? If so I’m facing the ugly truth I’m 5’7.5” without shoes and borderline 5’ 9” with shoe. I still struggle holding still but could still drastically improve. Shouldn’t have to struggle to hit a pie plate every time at 20 yds(4” round plates). Yes when I said I had target panic I wasn’t exaggerating one bit. Plus shaking like a coyote passing a persimmon seed hasn’t helped at all.


5 ft 7.5-inches in your stocking feet. NOT a chance you are a 28.5-inch draw length. Not in your wildest dreams. RESULTS of your shooting tell you everything you need to know. So, try the 28-inch module for 30 days of shooting. TAke photos of your groups. Then, try the 27.5-inch module for 60 days. Yup, that's right, 60 days. Your body will adjust to the even shorter module and take photos of your groups. Whether you wear cowboy boots with 3-inch heels, whether you wear skateboard shoes, with flat soles...your shoulders and arms are the SAME exact length, so face it, you are 5 ft 7.5-inches tall.


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

lol yep reality sucks. I’ve got 27.5 mods coming. Looking back I should of gotten professional help a long long time ago


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## Diamond14 (Mar 1, 2014)

I’m a big boy so thanks for putting it in perspective btw. I needed that. Wingspan I’m 28” height I’m about 27.5 or so. But taking the advice making records. Will update later.


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