My best hunting freind came over tonight .
I thought he wanted to talk about Sat , opening day plans .
No he was here to offer me all his bow hunting gear for next to nothing.

I ask why .
He stated he could not shoot at any target anymore.
I knew he had Buck Fever one time last year and missed a doe by 4 feet.
He said that he could pull the bow back and hold it for several min. without any problems .

We went to the barn where I have my targets .
He could easly draw the bow .
He then let it down and knocked an arrow , he fought to draw .
I ask him to try with his eyes closed , no problem drawing then .
He opened his eyes and he started to shake ,a little
He then tryed to aim at the target 15' away and he started to shake ,BAD

He tryed to hit the release , but he could not , he sort of flinched and jerked but could not do it.

I am at a loose what to sujest him to do.
He is proud and stubbern

I did sujest he see a doctor ( head ) but his pride is getting in the way .

I am going to talk to his wife tomorrow in person , but from the phone call we had she had no idea he had a problem , other than he quit shoot bow league

I am holding all his gear .

Any ideas on a cause or cure , other than hauling him kicking and screaming to the doctor .

My guess his season is shot , but he loved to shoot and he is a great freind ,I just want him to enjoy the feel of his bow again .

Johnch

I would have thought the closing the eyes thing would have worked....did for me back in the day...hope it works out for him.

He's got a major case of target panic. Its not fun. It will take work to get over.

first is to get a large target without any dots or markings on it.
Stand about 5 yards away, and have him draw, hold, and aim with his eyes closed. Then release. Keeping the eyes closed.

Do this for a week or so.

Then open eyes and begin shooting at the blank bale.

Do this for another week.

Then gradually move farther back.

You basicaly have to retrain yourself to shoot a bow. A backtension release will help keep the target panic away in the offseason.

Yes, definitely target panic. I think you went the right route with the "close your eyes" and shoot suggestion. I would offer that he should continue to do this at a short distance to the target. Have him repeatedly fire off several shots at close range with his eyes closed. Then have him open his eyes and try a shot or two. Then close his eyes again...and so on and so forth. As Josh stated, it will take time.

Thanks for the ideas and PM's
I have 4000+ straw bales in the barn .
A 100 ' wide 30' high , don't think he can miss that .
He is coming over in a few min to start his rehab.

Another freind emailed me ( he is a lurker here) some more ideas that he pulled off some other web site , but on the same line .

I talked him into using my crossbow for the season .
He has not had any problems shooting guns .

His wife and I talked earlyer .
She is trying to get him into a sports head shrinker ( can't spell the right word)
He has other ideas .

Thanks again.

Johnch

take the sight off the bow, put him 5 feet in front of the target with eyes close make him darw don't let him put his finger on the trigger, a somepoint you trip the release for him. then have him shoot with eyes closed.

don't let him move back until he can release without flinching. then you can start up close to release while aiming with the sight and work your way back.

at least that's what I did to get over the it..

I do a lot of shooting up close to pratice releasing while aiming now. Good luck..

How in the heck do you get " Target Panic " ? I never will understand getting all nervous in front of a target. I hope he finds his cure so he can get out there and whack some deer.