Shooting with a serious problem, someone please help!!!

TrailTimer · 01-24-2005, 07:00 AM

I've had this issue for years and now I figured I'd ask some of you out there for some advice. I shoot good. I've always shot well, but there I'm having a problem and it's become a serious issue. My issue is that it seems whenever I bring the sight up, be it a bow or gun, I normally come down on my target and cant pass a certain point to get on target. For example If I was shooting at a 3d target and had to put my sight in the middle,I cant pass below the back without a problem. Then it seems that as soon as I get on the target I let it fly immediately. I guess what I'm looking for is some advice on what I can do to make myself hold the pin on the target and then make a clean shot.

Can anyone please help????????

BobCo19-65 · 01-24-2005, 07:12 AM

I would suggest to get close to the target (4-6 feet) and try to work on form including your release, do not try to aim at the target at all, you may even want to close your eyes. Try working that into your practice routine.

pdq 5oh · 01-24-2005, 08:14 AM

Your doing what I call driveby shooting. You are afraid to allow the pin to settle. The pin is close, let it fly before the pin moves off the target. You'll get lefts, rights, high, low doing this. Get on target, and count to 5 before shooting. The pin may appear to be moving around, and it is. But it's floating around the spot you want to shoot. Your scores will go up, if you allow the pin to settle. I know. I used to be a driveby shooter. My scores went up 25+ points (on 30 targets) since I learned to allow the pin to settle.

Arthur P · 01-24-2005, 09:03 AM

I got a touch of that about 15 years ago. What I did was put great big spot up on the target at about 10 yards. I'm talking about 2' in diameter. I could focus in and float the pin in the middle of that huge dot, no problem. After a week or so, I went to a little smaller dot and backed off, like 18" at 20 yards. Then 12" at 30. I stayed at 30 and just kept reducing the size of the spot every week or so, 10", 8" and so on. Every time I'd relapse a little, I'd go back to the larger dot and/or shorter distance and work it out again. Kept at it until I was back on regular targets. You've got to retrain the brain and it takes time and patience to work yourself through it.

Keep in mind what Phil said about floating the pin. Saying the pin settles does NOT mean it's motionless. Nobody is steady enough to hold that thing dead still in the center of the dot and trying to will drive you bonkers. It's probably the root cause of your problem. Just relax, let it float around the spot and let the shot happen. Somehow the release manages to come when the pin is right.

TrailTimer · 01-24-2005, 09:24 AM

Well it's good to know that I'm not the only one with this problem. Thanks for everyone's help. If anyone else has anything please let me know. I'll try what you guys said.

Thanks

Mikey S. · 01-24-2005, 11:05 AM

You have become a "punch" shooter, or acquired a nice case of target panic. You have to learn to squeeze the trigger and let it be a suprise when it goes off. Probably the best thing to do is to go to a good pro shop, find a good shooter there, and learn how to shoot a back tension release. Once you learn that, and it may take a month or 2 of consistent shooting, you'll whip that trigger release easily. I shoot a back tension all year round, then sight in with my trigger hunting release before the season and all is fine. A lot of shooters go through this, they key is to recognize it, and beat it. Anybody can learn to shoot a back tension release and then hunt with a regular trigger release if they want to learn. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

AllenRead · 01-24-2005, 11:38 AM

Some very good advise above.

One additional thing you can try is to draw, aim, settle the pin and hold for a few seconds and then let down. Don't release.

Do this exclusively for at least a week then 10 to 20 times at the beginning and end of each practice session.

You will be able to figure out how often you need to do this by how you are shooting. Any time you find yourself doing the drive-by thing, go back to this and these other techniques.

Mikey is right, you can learn to shoot a back tension release. It is not hard, but it helps if you have some help at the beginning. Also, you can learn to shoot any release with back tension. Some of the top target shooters such as Michael Braeden use a wrist release. However, it is much easier to learn back tension with a release designed to be used this way.

Good luck & let us know how you make out.
Allen

TFOX · 01-24-2005, 03:42 PM

AllenRead

You posted almost word for word what I was going to post.[8D]

I will add that I believe this happens to a lot of shooters because they have never learned how to aim properly so they developed the drive by punch method which is the root of the dreaded target panick.I absolutely agree that learning how to let the pin float will cure you of this in no time.

BobCo19-65 · 01-25-2005, 06:38 AM

Quote:

One additional thing you can try is to draw, aim, settle the pin and hold for a few seconds and then let down.

Ouch, that hurts my shoulder thinking about it. I'd just let it fly maybe without focusing on aiming.

AllenRead · 01-25-2005, 07:01 AM

BobCo19-65,

Good point! If doing this drill hurts your shoulder, something is not right. Either technique or, more likely, too high DW.

If you feel any discomfort in your shoulder, this drill should be practiced with the bow's DW turned down so that it doesn't hurt.

Like the old joke: Patient - "DOCTOR, DOCTOR It hurts when I do this!!!". Doctor -"Well quit doing that!"[&:]

Seriously though, any time archery hurts, something is wrong and it should be corrected before you continue shooting. I've been through an injury that didn't let me shoot for a long time and it's no fun.

Thanks,
Allen