I've bowhunted for 21 years now, and for about 15 of those years I had SEVERE cases of target panic. Missed 13 deer in one year with the bow. A couple of years ago, I found a release, "The Answer" by Golden Key. It has saved my bowhunting. I now feel like the best shot in the world. Excellent form and control. Have any of you had this problem. What helps you????????

I don't have target panic, but what is so special about the release? Is it back tension or something. Also if it is how long does it take to go off.

I've got target panic bad, but I shoot fingers so a release is not the answer for me. I guess one of these days I'll have to break down and get one if I can't find a cure for finger shooters.

I had a bad case of THE PANIC back in the summer. From what I have learn, target panic is a loss of control of your shot. In other words your brain is firng your bow instead of you. The way I cured mine was with a back tension release and lots of practice. Some people say the best thing to do is put it down for a while but I disagree. When you pick it back up, you haven't taght your brain you are in control. A couple things you can try is shooting at blank bales with your eyes closed and about 5 feet from your target. Another is have a friend, i.e. wife,gf/bf, or hunting partner, trigger your release. This won't cure it all at once. you have to keep practicing. The object is to have the surprise release every time. If you feel like you are going to PUNCH the trigger, let it down. MAKE YOURSELF LET IT DOWN. I went 2 weeks and never let an arrow fly. I stood in front of a target, drew my bow, held it on a spot for 15-20 seconds and let it down. After I thought I had control, I had my gf trigger my release. Then I tried it and still wanted to punch it a little. That is when I bought a back tension release and had a friend help me set it. The first shot, I just about messed my pants, but the shot was in the x ring. Now if I feel like it is coming back I pick up the back tension release and let it fly. Hope this helps. Chris

Well Capt,

I'm with you in some sorts. If the target is a 3D foam critter, I have no target panic. If it's a live animal that can jump at any second, I snatch the release like crazy. Late this year I started aiming at squirrels and made myself alot more confident. It may sound stupid, but squirrels are really fidgety. If you can aim on them without setting the release off, deer shouldn't be a problem. I say this but never got another chance to aim on a deer late in the season. Good luck my friend. I feel for ya. And there are many more like you. They just aren't replying.......................................... ....

thenuge15,

No it's not back tension. That's what's special about it. It has a tiny set screw on the body of the release that sticks into the body of the release. If you punch the trigger, it hangs on the set screw and causes the release to not fire. If you pull slowly, however, a tiny spring attached to a block attached to the trigger allows it to slide around the set screw, and the release goes off. I guess you could say it works on inertia. If you punch it, the spring is not able to push the little block over in time and it hangs up. If you squeeze slowly, it will push the block just far enough that the release goes off. The good thing is that you can disengage this mechanism when you go hunting so you can punch if you have to take a quick shot. It forces you to squeeze slowly in order to get the shot off. It reconditions your brain and you get your control back.It's not a trick to get around it, it actually cures you of target panic! There is no other option. If you ever do start feeling a little "punchy", just re-engage it and in less than five shots your back on track. I can honestly say if I lost mine, I'd pay $500 for another one. I have more control now than I did before I got target panic.

If ANY of you guys have target panic, try this release. You'll love me for it. Guaranteed!!

IN response to captain backstrap. i also have been hunting for over 20 years and i think some times im getting worse instead of better. i have been using a scott release for better than 10 years. and i have had a lot of good luck using it but in the past year or two i have missed some shots that i know that i would have made a few years back. or ether i make a bad hit. it is very frustrating.I can practice for hours. on targets out of a tree or ground shooting.i shoot good practicing. but when it counts i find my self trying to punch the release and end up making a bad shot.I took two doe`s and one six point.this year but missed two very nice bucks. one which was a wide rack ten point a sure p&y and then missed a nice heavy beamed eight point. along with two doe`s this year. i never really got nervus. I have taken some nice bucks in the past. just having a hard time lately

RTA47,

I will make you a deal you can't refuse. Find somewhere to buy yourself a release , "The Answer" by Golden Key Archery. I have found them at a good price online ($94.99), which is www.keystonecountrystore.com . Buy one, and if you don't like it for any reason, I will buy it back from you, full price!!!! I really believe if everybody that shot a release tried this one, Golden Key would not be able to keep up with demand. I know exactly the kind of frustrations you're dealing with, and I can honestly say that I went from being the worst shot I know to the best shot I know. I got back all the control I had lost for so long and with it more confidence than I ever had before, and that makes all the difference at crunch time!
This release will not allow you to punch or cheat in any way. Think about this: Everytime you shoot, you have that punch reflex take over, which is an involuntary response you developed through time, and being involuntary, you really can't consciously over-ride it. However, with this release, everytime that happens(every shot at first) the release hangs up and will not fire, which your brain interprets as a "failed response". This FORCES your brain to over-ride the punch reflex allowing you to finally do what the brain sees as the only way to execute the shot: Slow deliberate, CONTROLLED squeezing. After you shoot this way for a short while you get to the point where you don't even have the impulse, anxiety, apprehension, etc. of shooting because the target panic is GONE!!! (That's something I didn't think was possible for me. To this day I have YET to meet anybody that was ate up with it to the extent that I was. If it can "cure" me, I feel like it can anybody!)Then you de-activate the mechanism on the release so that you can punch it if you WANT to.(hunting purposes). If you ever start to feel like you're getting a little bit jumpy, all you have to do is re-activate the "no-punch" mechanism and within a FEW shots you're good to go!. I could go on and on but I won't. I just know how horrible it was on me for so many years and ever since I got this release all I can think is how I wish I could find all the guys out there who have this problem and tell them about the release so they wouldn't have to "suffer" for so long like I did. As you can see, this is something I'm very passionate about because of what a difference this release has made to me in my bowhunting. If there's anyway I can help you , answer questions,etc just let me know. And I really meant what I said:Get one and if you don't like it I'll pay you back full price plus shipping to get it to me! You can't lose! I'm that serious about helping guys who are where I have been. Hope to hear from you.
- capt.

OK captain. you have sold me on this product i will defently give it a try I can tell you have a lot of confidence in this release. it sounds like the awnser i have been looking for! people who have been bowhunting as long as we have and to have these kind of problems happen like target panic. can really afect your confidence.while hunting .the last thing i want to do is wound an animale on an relatively easy shot or a complete miss on a big buck.just can`t afford that to happen! thanks again I will let you know how it worked for me in the future. rta47.

Navy--Here's the thread.
Bump!!