Still can't break the target panic

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I've been having this problem for a while now and I can't seem to break it. Some days I shoot real well, others I can barely keep on a round bale at 20 yards. It pretty much is that if I don't want to shoot something and have no intention of loosing the arrow I can draw down in it and hold until my arms get tired. But as soon as I remotely think about letting go an arrow at it, I can't even hold anchor just touch it before the string slips from my fingers. If I focus on exactly where I want to hit with the snap shooting I can hit pretty close, but if I focus of the draw and form instead o the target in seperate steps I loose the arrow Before I can even think about the target so then I'm not even close to what I want to hit. It gets very frustrating. I've been doing a lot of the closed eyes draw, anchor, hold, release. It seems to help some but I always fall back into my bad form. It's atleat got me so I can draw and hold when I don't want to shoot something. Think I should just embrace my snap shooting and fine tune that, or try to correct my errors so I can anchor then aim? Anyone have any tips?

All help appreciated,
Thanks,
Kyle

[burchett.donald]

  Kyle,
            I'm sort of a hybrid/gap shooter so I subconsciously aim with my point...I have had target panic come and go several times and basically had to shoot my way out...Being in archery condition so your not panicing to shoot before you start shaking badly is important...Try to pull back and aim with your arrow and let back down, play some mental games with yourself...Shooting close always helped me also...The fear of missing is a $#%^@! Good luck, been there
                                                                                                                                       Don

[bradsmith2010]

Ok,, I have a floating anchor most the time,, that seems to help me,, I dont really snap shoot,, I draw the bow as far as I want and then let it go, by pulling through the shot,,,, when I try to anchor on my face or something,, I dont do as well,,
I shoot bows designed for a short draw most the time anyway, so the floating anchor is natural for that,, 24 to 25 inches is my comfort zone,, so I am not really short drawing for that design bow,, I am pulling it to full draw,, I shoot well at close range hunting shots,, and am happy with that,, I dont compete any more and that has helped me more than anything,, I just shoot for fun and to keep in practice for hunting,,

[ptaylor]

Kyle,

You might want to try a clicker. I have similar issues as you, and put a clicker on my bow this year. It has really helped.

Good luck,
Preston

[half eye]

Mo,
    This is hard to explain but hopefully you can get the concept. I make my arrows so that the head touches my bow hand at full draw. When I shoot I have the bow arm extended toward the target and pull the string back away from it, untill the head touches my hand and the "loose" is automatic at that point (through repetitive practice). This form does not require an aiming point, because as you stare at the target spot your brain will automaticaly draw back in line with that target. This is like using your bow-hand index finger to "point" at your target, then pulling back the string (if you do this without loosing concentration on your spot) your string hand will automatically draw back in alignment with the spot. The reason for the head touching the hand is the same as ptaylor's clicker. As soon as that head touches your finger it's gone....it will become automatic and require no thought at all....the same is true for the draw method, it will become automatic as well.
     Here's the point.... you are making the draw and release automatic, so there is no thought to those two things just the "spot" and concentration and the shot goes right where you are looking. The one thing to avoid though is taking a "quick peek" to see if the deer is looking back....stare at the spot....stare at the spot and stare at it some more.....then draw and shoot .
     If you give yourself the chance to use this then you can shoot sitting down, laying down or standing ....it wont make any difference.  You can practice the "automatic" muscle memory parts by shooting at a carpet or such with your eyes closed....that will condition you to "feel" the shot without thinking about it, and the feel of the head on your hand will condition the release trigger as well.

I'm not good at writing out explanations so if you have some questions please feel free to give me a call (231) 587-8542 or email me your TX at  rousseau.rd@att.net
rich

[TimBo]

I have had lots of issue with this, and have improved a bunch this year.  Rich's method sounds good; I have had some luck with making a loop of velcro tape to put on the arrow shaft with enough pointing down to feel it on my bow hand - same as making the arrows the right length, but you can use longer arrows when needed.  The biggest thing has been making sure I get to full draw though, making sure my back muscles are working, and pushing towards the target with my bow hand.  Picturing my draw arm lined up behind the arrow helps too (it probably is just another way to think about back tension). 

[willie]

http://www.amazon.com/Instinctive-Archery-Insights-Revised-Edition/dp/0963971824

[jayman448]

i broke my target panic quite easily. for me it was all about rhythm. i counted... as i drew i consciously thought " anchor, two, release (on three)". i found it just got me loosing on simple command at first but soon became subconscious rhythm

[AndrewS]

@Kyle
you wrote: "If I focus on exactly where I want to hit with the snap shooting I can hit pretty close, but if I focus of the draw and form instead o the target in seperate steps I loose the arrow Before I can even think about the target..."

and you do right with your snap shooting cause the basicly part of snap or instinctive shooting is to focus the point on the target, where you want to hit. Drawing and releasing the arrow runs automaticlly ....
the question is: do you want to hit pretty close or do you want  to shoot with a good form a perfect draw and a long anchortime  ?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Hey Kyle, I trust you. I have all four Masters of the Barebow DVD series you can borrow and send back to me when you're done. Number four is probably the best for you, but the others will all have tid-bits in them to help out. I battle the same thing you do, but I've gotten much better the last 2-3 months. PM me if your interested in borrowing them.

[TimBo]

The Jay Kidwell book (Instinctive Archery Insights) is pretty helpful.  Mr. Drums gave me some good advice too at some point last year (thanks PD!); that a super nice offer to loan you his DVDs. 

Andrew, it seems that you are saying to keep snap shooting if it is close enough.  We are all different, but for me at least, shooting like that works sometimes, but often leads to erratic shooting and always leads to a short draw.  I want to have mental control of the process so that I have the confidence to shoot a game animal.  If you are in control of snap shooting and can hit close enough to make good shots at your desired distance from the target, that's great.  You don't need Olympic recurve accuracy for hunting, but having control of the shot is still important.  I don't have a long anchor time either.  I want to be able to shoot quickly, but for me, shooting quickly is waaaayy different than snap shooting. 

[AndrewS]

Kyle wrote, that he hit pretty close with snap shooting  - and in my opinion: never change a running team

[TimBo]

I completely agree if he is thinking "I really should be holding longer, even though I am hitting within an inch or two of my target and touching anchor every time".  For me, I will end up with a 22" draw, shoot holes in my garage, be a real pain in the butt to be around, and quit hunting if I don't hold long enough to settle in (ideally a second or so).  But, I had a REALLY severe case of target panic; your results may vary! 

[JoJoDapyro]

Golf is kinda the same way. You want a rhythm, for me I count 1..2..3... for my backswing, and then 1...2...3... for my swing, thus avoiding my guts telling me to try and kill the ball. Same with shooting, Get a count on your draw,  1...2...3... and loose. I am a snapper as well. But for me it works.

[PNewton]

I went to a Rod Jenkins shooting clinic a few years ago. Helped improve my shooting. His technique is explained in the later MBB dvd's.