Anyone suffer from this?
 

When target shooting, I have a tough time holding high enough. Regardless of what cricle on the target I am aiming at I always hold low. I've tried starting high a slowly lowering until the pin is on the target, but if I float too low I cant regain. I dont struggle drawing the bow back or holding it back....just aiming.

This does not happen while hunting...thank god. Any suggestions?

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

I just focus on breathing and relaxing. That has helped me concentraite on the target. I don't float around as much when I think about the exhale.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

You may need to adjust your tiller a bit.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Yea, I have the same problem. I just try to start high and seem to level off.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

How do you adjust your tiller to fix that? With my old bow I had the same problem but I just got a new bow and have no problem.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

what bow are you shooting ? how much does it way ? i never heard of that problem, most of the time the poundage is set to high on a bow so you cant hold it back as long but it sounds to me like you loose you energy and cant even hold your bow up, maybe you should try a lighter bow, im not sure what you can do to fix that problem ,, take some vitamans or somthing lol jk hope some one can help

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Dr. Kill its not a strength issue. On my old bow there was literally an invisible barrier that would not allow me to bring my arm up.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

It's a form of target panic. It's called Freezing. Normally you freeze below the target. I suffer from it bad now. I never had it until I shot spots a few years ago. Same bow, same set up, I just started freezing below the target. So it's not a tiller problem, all mental. No matter what I do that pin will not go up! like there is a 100 lb weight holding it down. Then you get into the habbit of jerking the bow up and snapping off a shot. NOT good.

Solutions? Yes there are some, and I'm too stuborn to do them, so I guess it's my fault isn't it.

One, blind bale shoot. Stand close to a target, close your eye's and release an arrow. Just concentrate on your form and shot sequence.

Two, use a target with several dots or targets on it. Nock an arrow, draw the bow back, aim, and then let back down. DON'T fire the arrow. Do this for a few days or as long as it takes to put the pin on the target without freezing. Eventually your body will notice you are not going to release an arrow and the axniety will fade letting you hold on target. Be prepared, it is very hard to aim and not fire an arrow. It is almost instinct to this.

Three, when you do this, look right at the target, bring your bow up and draw it while still looking at the target, placing the pin on the target while you draw. This almost always places the pin right on the target from the beginning. Keep doing the above drill holding the pin on the target until you don't float down and freeze. I know it seems time consuming. That is why I haven't done it yet, but take my word for it, it works.

Four, use a back tension release if all else fails. I dont' use one, but have tried one and am considering getting one. For target shooting it is the best way to go since you never know for sure when the arrow will be release. I don't really care for that method, I like to be able control when my arrow leaves the bow. However it is the most accurate way to launch an arrow.

Good luck, and I feel your pain brother. I wish you the best of luck.

Paul

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

YUP.... it's target panic. Seek a solution and start NOW... It only gets worse and soon you won't beable to hit anything. You have to start working on form, back tension etc. There was a thread on here a few days ago about target panic. I believe Silentassassin started it. Lots of good info. Been there done that. It will not cure itself. Starting high, low, left, right or none of that will give you a permanent cure.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Definetly a form of TARGET PANIC! Very simple in one way.........try drawing your bow with no arrow(keep your finger behind your trigger)......can you aim and hold on the target? I'll bet you can!

The bad news is I really can't tell you how to fix it. I've struggled for years with this. I think its often caused by getting into the habit of "punching your trigger". You may also have too long of a draw length or too much poundage.

Good Luck!

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Lower your pin sights so your arrow hits the spot you want to hit...

basically, the point above your pin..


I kinda have that problem too

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Guess it wasn't the bow then. I guess i do remember fixing the problem with the old bow. I don't know how I fixed it I just all the sudden didn't have the problem. I never snapped my bow up like Paul said. I guess I never really let it get to me and just sighted in my bow accordingly and it went away. I hope it never comes back.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Blood Trail, I started having the same problem this spring. Very frustrating. Good luck with fixing it. I haven't yet. Thanks to everyone else for the advice, as I now have some ideas to help me fix it as well.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Here's the link to the thread from a few days ago.

http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.asp?m=690437

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Thanks for the info. I think it is target panic. I'll keep trying something. The back tension release scares me a little. I shoot the FX from mathews at 70lbs the bow is really lite probably 3.5lbs (naked).

PS: Im 6'3 230lbs and play ice hockey twice a week. You hurt my manhood with the strength issue comments:D

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

I've got the same thing going on....it's been years now. I do shoot exceptionally out of a treestand though. I've found that a round pin gaurd with the pin mounted directly in the center of it helps me out. I just figured this out last week, but my groups have gotten smaller and I'm having a floating pin on the spot again instead of a floating pin below it. Good luck.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

If it's target panic try this. Get a 3-d deer or something similar, and shoot at it. Not having defined rings to aim at may help. You know where you need to put the shot on a 3-d but you won't have the rings to contend with mentally. You'll be shooting at the all brown vital area.

I've never seen a deer in the woods with a bullseye. Once at a petting zoo but that's a diffrent story;)

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

I've had this same problem off and on for about 2 years now, and it's caused me to miss THREE nice bucks in that time period. :(

This year I have really, really, really been concentrating on not letting that arrow fly until my pin is steady on the target. If it means taking an extra second or two to calm myself down before shooting, or even let the arrow down if I can't do it - so be it. The more I really focus on what it is I'm doing when I shoot rather than just getting overanxious and letting the arrow go, the better I'm shooting. I'm still not where I need to be yet, but it's getting better. It's all mind over matter really.

Also, from that thread the other day that davidmil linked to the one thing I tried that has helped already is to make a routine in my head for every time I shoot. For example I tell myself "One - draw. Two - Anchor. Three - Aim. Four - Hold. Five - Release." The more I shoot doing that sequence the more my shots are going where I want them to. Like I said, I haven't been cured overnight but the more I work on it the better it gets and the more fluid my entire shooting motion becomes.

I'm shooting tonight and Saturday with my hunting partner, then Sunday we're going to our first 3D shoot of the year. We'll see what happens. :D

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Thanks Jzarr. I will try the 1-2-3-4-5 thing. And practice-practice practice-practice-practice.

I did not realize this was a disease.[X(]

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

I have to stop reading things about target panic. I always think i'm going to start thinking about it when shooting and develope a case.[:@]

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Target panic--absolutely. No question about it.

Had it, been there, got the t-shirt. Probably will get it again.

One of the things that worked best for me was making a long "bowstring" that you simply tie to the ends of the bow. The hardest part is getting it to the right length so that it is relatively taught when you come to "full draw." You ARE NOT actually bending the limbs of the bow to reach full draw--just taking up the slack in the string. No arrow is needed or desired. At full draw, you don't actually have any tension on the bow limbs, but the string is taut and you're holding correctly.

Now, you can aim and any target--even in the house under no real tension and take your time putting the sight on the aiming point and eventually release without dry firing your bow. I tried it and it worked great for solving my problem.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

You have the shanks... just like in Golf. A mind boggling frustrating disease.

This may sound strange, but here's what I've done in the past with people with the shanks (same thing different sport). Learn by performing the mistake. What I mean is intentionally make yourself shoot low. Instead of forcing yourself to bring the arrow up, force youself to NOT try to bring it up. Make yourself feel like you're locking up and can't bring it back up. Conquer the problem by intentionally doing it and repeating it. That way you get to know what causes it and consciencously feel yourself doing it.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

A friend of mine had the same problem and I was able to cure him in a few weeks. First there is a product called the cheater sling, it was designed for carrying your bow and to help you steady your shot. If you use it while you practice it will help. Eventually you won't have to use it anymore. Also, when you practice always start at your furthest distance and work your way in. This way you will be stronger for the shots that are harder to steady, and when you finish the days shooting at 10 yards you will walk away more confident and the next days shooting will be that much better.

Let me know how you make out.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Target panic...You might have it. You might not. It could be your tiller, like Double Tree said. Your bottom limb might be a good bit stronger than your top limb and, if you don't have the weights in each limb balanced, the bow could well be fighting you. If it IS the tiller and you don't fix it, you could easily wind up with TP.

Here's what you do. Hold the pin on the dot and hold it on the dot while you slowly draw the bow. Watch the pin carefully. If it pulls down and off the dot as you draw, either take some weight out of the bottom limb OR add weight to the top limb, or both. And vice versa... If it pulls UP, then take weight off the top limb or add to the bottom limb.

The idea is to get the bow to sit dead even in your hand - where that pin will not pull off the dot, either up or down - all the way through the draw cycle, aim and shot. Some bows will do it with both limb bolts bottomed out. Most need some adjustment. Some need a lot of adjustment.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

Thanks for the tip Arthur! I'm going to try that this weekend!

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

WOW. You guys came up with several great options to try. Thanks for the help.

Im hunting KS this year and dont want to miss the big one.

RE: Anyone suffer from this?
 

I had the same problem but I was starting high. Keep your arrow pointed straight at the target and pull straight back. As soon as you look through your peep, get on target and slower down.