TARGET PANIC.... it's just pure HE!!. That's what it is. It can take several forms but all have the same result. Total frustration, lack of consistancy of any kind. It manifest itself in several different ways too. Some people say they CAN'T get on target. They'll either lock up coming up to the target or they'll punch the trigger before they get there. Some people can say they're not going to shoot until they get the pin on target.... and no matter how hard they try they can't get the pin to settle on the target. Others find themselves moving up or down to get on target and just kind of panicing and shooting on the move. It can become a small case or a full blown meltdown. The one thing that seems to be consistant in all cases is loosing all concept and feel of shooting with back tension. It's MAKING the shot happen instead of letting it happen. It's concentrating TOO much on THE PINS and not enough on the SPOT on the target that you want to hit. It's MENTAL, Physical, and just plain unrelenting. THERE IS NO QUICK FIX. I've been there... I know. It has happened to world class olympic shooters and plain old Joe Schmo trying to tune up for deer. It has NO age barrier and is pure HELL.

Mine hit after 30 years of shooting. If I had been paying attention the signs of trouble were festering for over a year but I ignored them... after all. I was a great hunter with dozens of kills and could shoot half dollars all day. The year it developed I noticed the locking up below the bullseye. I compensated and became proficient at shooting with the pins on the move. It can be done ....... for a WHILE.

I used to shoot NFAA tournaments for years in Georgia. I thought I was used to pressure shooting. Nothing could have prepared me for the Meltdown in PA. I had quit shooting tournaments about 20 years ago. About 15 of us from MD, PA and Delaware from another message board decided to meet in PA for an early friendly 3D spring shoot. I'm hear to tell you, I had never shot 3D. I shot two partial practice rounds before I went to PA for the get together. Target Panic EXPLODED on me that day and stayed with me in full force when I returned home. It took me two months of shooting blind bales with my eyes closed and never looking at a spot, target, ANYTHING other than the inside of my eye lids. I finally cured the problem. It's a tedious cure that requires TOTAL discipline... no shortcuts. Just image never shooting at anything with your eyes open or further than 8 feet away EVERYDAY for 2 months. Even still I sometimes feel a glitz and will shoot some blind bales to reinforce form.