yeoman

I've hunted with a recurve for 34 years now and for the past 5 years I've strugggled with target panic. Saturday morning, I had a 140 inch 8 and 150 inch 10 pointer at 20 yards. They postured infront of me for an hour. At one point there were 5 bucks and 3 does all within 50 yards. I stood, bow in hand, arrow knocked, for 45 minutes and turned down quartering away shots at each animal at 20 yards. I couldn't take the shot knowing the liklihood of an early release and likely miss...or worse. This is a confession and a cry for help. I do not want to give up my love affair with archery and deer. But as I said to my wife, "What's the point of going out there if I'm not going to shoot?" Anyone ever used a mechanical release with a recurve to try and cure this malady? I know I'm not the first to go through this. I just wonder if the others who have are still shooting bows. Does anyone ever recover? Can it actually be cured?

superflyhunter

Its really not that bad just set it up for a release.

BobCo19-65

yeoman, I think you need to practice without aiming for a while. Get real close to the target and work on the release, and follow through with your eyes shut. Take time in between arrows. After a few weeks,try shooting regularly again.

Arthur P

I know exactly what you're going through. I've had it for a long time, ever since I read one of "that guy's" books on instinctive shooting. It really started getting terrible a few years ago. I'm finally getting some control back, but I'm doing it by retraining myself away from shooting instinctively. Byron Ferguson's book "Become the Arrow" has been my inspiration.

One thing I've finally isolated is my grip on the bowchanges from what should be a relaxed, easy grip to white knuckles. When I consciously force myself to relax my grip, it's a lot easier to get a full draw and anchor.

Another deal that is really helping meimmensely is dropping w-a-y down in draw weight for practice. I highly recommend getting a bow that's ridiculously easy to handle, like a 25 pounder, and practice with that. That one thing has helped me more than anything else.

The shooting with my eyes closed routine hasn't helped me a bit. I can draw, anchor and execute a release as smooth as a world champion with my eyes closed, but when I open my eyes, everything goes to pot. I have to keep my eyes open and just force myself to relax, slow down and AIM the friggin' arrow. Three months ago, I couldn't get within 8" of my anchor before my fingers turned the string loose. Now I can anchor every time, but often still release before I'm really ready. It's getting better though.

Ted Nugent has aroutine he does that doesn't really seem to work for me, but it might for someone else. When he gets ready to shoot, he runs a saying through his mind. Beginning the draw: "In the name of the Father". During the draw: " and the Son" At anchor: "and the Holy Ghost" Then he releases on "Amen." Hey, the way I've been shooting, I figured prayer couldn't hurt, so I tried it.

My problem with that was I was concentrating so much on going thru the saying that I'd forget to aim.[&:]Might work better if I did something like "Draw: Anchor: AIM, YOU BUTTHEAD!: and Release.[8D]

Really, I wouldn't recommend going to a mechanical release. You'll get to the point where you just slap the trigger too early. You've got to retrain the brain, because that's the whole source of the problem.

LBR

I had a comparably mild case (lasted about 6 months), and mine left just like it came--all at once. I think it was when I quit thinking so much about everything and just let it happen instead of trying to force it.

Best of luck in whipping the tp--it really it a bugger!

Chad

arrowsmit

Yep, lots of us have had it. And lots of us have beat it, or at least are well on their way (like Arthur P w/his excellent advise above). IT CAN BE BEAT! You simply have to reprogram your shot. I had a terrible case & tried/used every idea I could find; drawing (& getting 'on target') then letting down w/out releasing,blind bale shooting, visualization, counting 1-2-3 before I released, etc...

All of those drills can/did help to a degree, & certainly are needed when begining the battle, but personally I didn't make much real progress until I started honestly believing thatIT IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT HOW I EXECUTE MY SHOT THAN WHEREMY ARROW HITS! Once I started sincerely working on my form overaccuracy myarrows scatteredeven worse for awhile, & so it took an amount of fortitude to stay the course, believing that in the end it would be beneficial.Eventuallythings started to click & now I'm shooting much more relaxed & more consistently than ever before. I still make stupid shooting mistakes (prolly always will), but who cares - I'm having FUN again!

I think that most of the 'TP' deal is simply a (sometimes extreme)anxiety caused by self induced, subconscious pressure to hit our mark. Consciously seeking to reduce that pressure while working steadily towardbasic archery fundamentals will go a long way in your fight, but IMO the most important part is to believe that: YOU CAN BEAT THIS!!!

Go for it w/a positive attitude, & keep us abreast of your progress.

yeoman

Great input, thanks! I actually shot last night and had the best practice session in ages. I did several things after searching the net and reading your feedback. Here's what I've concluded.

#1) The joy of instinctive shooting comes from achieving a clean and proper release. It is not about where the arrow goes. The mind can handle that...instinctively.

#2) I focused on the shelf during my draw and had no problem getting there.

#3) I told myself "the wick is out", as in, the candle is not burning, then looked at the target. One internet site I found talked about the brain's auto reflexof pulling your hand away from a burning candle when you feel the heat. It happens without your permission, much like the arrow leaving before you are ready. It really helped me settle down when I thought about it.

#4) I held my draw to a 5 count, challenging myself to wait till the 5 was behind me. This has been very difficult in the past but not so last night.

#5) I dropped down to my 40# bow from the 52# I hunt with.

Here's hoping :-)