I always settle low when aiming

[bozeman]

so i went home, moved the target to 10 yards after watching the video........the shoulder issue is a contributor for sure, watched the video again.....good @ 10, moved it out to 20, focus was more on the shoulder and good @ 20.....plan to move out to 30 and so on later this week.....it could also be i am focusing more on the shoulder and less on the pin which is helping as well, none the less, immediate difference......

Also- yes, low at all distances beyond 15 yards.....

 

[Red Letters]

What difference does it make how you get on target(from the top, bottom, left side, or right side), as long as you’re hitting the target?

I have the same issue the TS mentioned, I have to force the pin towards the bulleye and end up anticipating when it will be there, pulling the trigger on the release while I'm still moving. Which like you say what difference does it make? None really for me until I realized TP was a thing and I have it. I just assumed being able to stick all but one of my arrows in a fist size group was good enough. It seems more often than not though, I have one arrow out of the group that misses by 4 to 6" and from time to time I really yank one.
Billy Goat mentioned that focusing on the level might be the cause, unfortunately it's not for me. I bought a new bow last year after taking off a number of years from hunting, its the first bow I've ever owned with a level and I have yet to remember to look at the level while I'm shooting.

 

[Ajax2744]

What difference does it make how you get on target(from the top, bottom, left side, or right side), as long as you’re hitting the target?

Same reason you’ll never see a professional archery draw low and raise into the target. Starting your draw slightly above the target and setting down into the target allows you to better engage your back muscles and will help put your shoulder in correct form.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I have the same issue the TS mentioned, I have to force the pin towards the bulleye and end up anticipating when it will be there, pulling the trigger on the release while I'm still moving. Which like you say what difference does it make? None really for me until I realized TP was a thing and I have it. I just assumed being able to stick all but one of my arrows in a fist size group was good enough. It seems more often than not though, I have one arrow out of the group that misses by 4 to 6" and from time to time I really yank one.
Billy Goat mentioned that focusing on the level might be the cause, unfortunately it's not for me. I bought a new bow last year after taking off a number of years from hunting, its the first bow I've ever owned with a level and I have yet to remember to look at the level while I'm shooting.

I never look at my level, either. Lol True target panic, to me, is between the ears and doesn’t seem to be a form issue. Which side your pin comes into the target is irrelevant, you can punch the trigger either way. Clearing your head of the “gotta punch the trigger now” mindset is key. If I had ever developed target panic, I would do that before I started changing a bunch of other stuff.

Good luck with your shooting.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Same reason you’ll never see a professional archery draw low and raise into the target. Starting your draw slightly above the target and setting down into the target allows you to better engage your back muscles and will help put your shoulder in correct form.

Ok

 

[roosiebull]

I realized the level was a trigger for me. It would cause me to float low, then I'd get the version of target panic that I struggled to bring the pins back up.


I put tape over my level for several months, among other things.

that's pretty cool, i have never heard or considered that, but it completely makes sense. a couple years ago, i was only shooting my recurves, and for the first time in 25+yrs, i dug myself into a hole of target panic that carried over to every weapon. i started shooting my compounds again to keep the option open, and was stuck low, every time, then that turns into drive by shooting, raising my pin up, and then time a trigger punch..... it wasn't getting better!

i was getting pretty dang frustrated, and it was killing my confidence, and if your confidence goes down, that compounds the problems. i pretty much had to rebuild my shot, got a TF panic x, and a resistance release.... that does NOT cure target panic, but it is a tool that helps work through the problem.

it took awhile of more disciplined shooting, no more just "going shooting" i had to focus on every shot, and if my brain got tired, i would quit shooting for that session..... target panic sucks, and it makes shooting a lot less fun...... working through it isn't fun either, and it takes time, but it's very doable to get back in the game, and get your confidence back.

i have been doing good for awhile now, but still am cognitive of falling back into that slump.... now that i have worked through it, i recognize when i start getting twitchy, and i can get it under wraps quick. i'm sure target panic existed in my shot for a long time, it just wasn't bad enough to notice, and self teaching myself with trad bows let it manifest into a monster for a bit.... all of my shooting got bad.... compound, trad bow, pistol, rifle.... it all deteriorated and robbed my confidence.

i'm good now, probably better than ever..... it's crazy how hard the mind can be to override.... i know what the issue is, but cannot fix it just by knowing and trying, i had to pretty much start over and change my shot process, and task my mind different throughout the shot.

 

[HoytHntr4]

Try doing some aiming drills. Do everything you would do in your shot process, but don’t release the arrow, just aim. If you have target panic it’s amazing how well you will be able to hold the pin on the target when you have no intention of shooting the shot. It helps your brain get more comfortable seeing that pin on the target in the spot you intend to shoot

 

[Billy Goat]

so i went home, moved the target to 10 yards after watching the video........the shoulder issue is a contributor for sure, watched the video again.....good @ 10, moved it out to 20, focus was more on the shoulder and good @ 20.....plan to move out to 30 and so on later this week.....it could also be i am focusing more on the shoulder and less on the pin which is helping as well, none the less, immediate difference......

Also- yes, low at all distances beyond 15 yards.....

In my experience it takes a while to move past ten yards. This is something that takes thousands of shots to really move past. It's a retraining so you are comfortable. I think it's all mental. It's amazing what your brain makes your body do.

A dip bang is a form issue, locking in under the target is target panic and requires you to relearn, or do a drive by.

 

[Billy Goat]

On direction of coming into the target, it doesn't matter. I know guys who are reversed, they always come down on the target but would lock in high before the pins got on target. Then they would start yanking the bow down and doing a drive by.

My issue was I'd settle the pin on the target, look down at my level to ensure everything was ok, then go back to the target only to find my pin drift down but I was steady as a rock. I couldn't bring it back up. I think it was a matter of my brain telling my body to hold steady because of the time frame. Took a long time to break, one thing was covering the level for a while so I didn't look at it, that helped, it prevented the issue over a winter of indoor to practice. I didn't need a level to shoot indoor. I also practiced really close to the target as I said earlier. Tried to put the arrow back in the same hole, but wasn't seeing so much float made it easier.

 

[Florida Bow Hunter]

Ahhh, I always come up. Maybe I should try easing down instead.

It’s actually common sense. Allow gravity to do your job and bring the bow down. Less effort.

Watch your top dogs how they shoot. You will see a downward break from full draw on every shot.


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[Wolfmann]

focus on not getting lazy in your valley. Even with a trigger release you want to pull through the shot. Pull with your whole hand and not just your trigger finger. This will also help make the shot more of a surprise which is what you want.

 

[bozeman]

So I have come up with a little game to help me, I think......I have moved the target to 5 yards and have kept it here (based on Billy Goat's post) for a week now. I am using random numbers before each shot to tell me how long I have to hold (float) on target with my index finger behind my trigger. Then once I count to that number, my index finger goes on the trigger slowly and I begin counting to half that random number as I slowly squeeze, this way the release is at random times and is a 'surprise'. Sounds complicated, but actually isn't.....it also keeps my focus not on the quick release, but gets my mind off of the pin.....so far, after 5 days of playing this game, it has helped. I plan to do this for one more week and then move out to 15 yards......thanks ALL for the advice.

 

[5 shot group]

If that's working for you, keep it up. Sounds like counting is helping not worry about your pin float and thats good.

When I was dealing with tp, I watched a bunch of videos and listened to or read whatever I could find about it. In the end, I had to chant the phrase "let it float" while I was aiming and pulling through the shot.

Once you have it beat, archery will become even more enjoyable. Good luck

 

[libertysdad]

How are you guys defining hinge release? Does it have to be the ones that you tilt/rotate or can it be the ones that go off from pulling straight back?

 

[5 shot group]

A hinge is fired by relaxing for hand and allowing the release to pivot. A back tension release is fired by drawing the bow with the release safety held on, then fires by releasing the safety and pulling backwards. A back tension release works because it's "firing weight" is a few pounds higher then the holding weight on your bow.

 

[Gumbo]

I struggled with this for years. It took a fall of missing low under a handful of record book animals to finally accept that I had target panic. Bought a hinge, committed to it and saved archery for me. I came so close to quitting archery all together. Tried to go back to a thumb button and fell right back into the same habits. Hinge all the way for me.

100% the same for me. Triggers suck for me, I can shoot every shot at a target with a trigger and pull through, but once an animal is there my thumb hammers down before I even get the pin where I want it. The settling low syndrome can totally be a form of TP, I do it too on occasion. I had to get to where I could draw and the correct pin was pretty much where I wanted it automatically. I do this by not thinking about aim at all, only feeling my form get set and building back tension and proper finger pressure distribution on my hinge, focusing on this makes my aim essentially subconscious, or as close to it as can be. Once I'm set, I simply focus on maintaining/VERY slightly increasing strong back tension while VERY slightly relaxing my hand/forearm (GRIV, Morgan, Dudley). It is really liberating to not have a trigger, and you can't really cheat unless you practice rolling the release (which I've never tried). The second I try a trigger, which I am often tempted to do when my shooting goes south or I get too confident in having my brain under control, I get anxious and nervous and start thinking about aiming and consciously trying to trigger the shot. One shot is truly all it takes for me to remember how much I hate triggers.

I also think that pulling through the shot too fast/hard with a trigger can also instill TP, especially at animals because you are essentially using a different conscious triggering method that can be rushed/timed/forced. And it doesn't seem nearly as accurate or provide as consistent arrow fight for me as strong shots using the "yielding" method described above. FWIW, I feel like in a couple of Dudley's hunts I've seen him punch the thumb at moving animals (elk) and pull through too hard too fast, causing poor arrow flight. But take all this with a grain of salt, I'm far from a great shot, just an overly anxious bowhunter who likes to kill things.

 

[Ajax2744]

How are you guys defining hinge release? Does it have to be the ones that you tilt/rotate or can it be the ones that go off from pulling straight back?

Technically a “hinge release” is also known as a back tension by most companies who make them. They have a sear and a hook that rides on the sear and as it rotates the hook releases and fires. There are multiple ways to shoot them and originally were designed to be shot with back tension. The type of release that you hold a safety and draw then pull through the shot is known as a resistance release. It uses a heavy spring that you adjust to be more than your holding weight so once draw and the safety is released you pull stacking weight on the spring until it releases the hook. I’m pretty sure carter and Stan are the only ones who make resistance style releases

 

[aaen]

same issue here with my shooting. I randomly started holding low in February and its bee n a struggle. My arrows will hit in groups out to 80yds or so but always about 4-5yds low on the sight tape at all yardages.

What i have found to be happening is when I shoot a block target or something similar on the ground. I point my bow arm at the target and draw back, which has me not holding in a proper T form and bending at the waist, that and my front shoulder will collapse a bit and hunch up, because that feels like I am lifting the bow when I am not actually.

This started happening I think because I started to rush the shots and skipped my shot sequence and i focus on the target immediately instead of doing my shot sequence. Once i I start focusing on my sequence I can hit tight groups out to the to the ranges I want to shoot at.

How I noticed there was an issue was my d loop would be angled up after a shot instead of straight back, then I started to look into form and focus on that in front of a mirror or video'ing myself.

 

[Marble]

You might consider adjusting your draw length a bit.

For me, collapsing my shoulder was a form issue, along with having my DL 1/2 short.

Things I did it was:

Increase DL 1/2.

Consciously extended shoulder and position my bow hand in a way that helped put a bend my bow arm slightly.

Weight training exercise to increase strength and mobility.

Nightly practice focusing on proper form.


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[540-Virginian]

Do you have a level in the bottom of your sight that you look at?

Your sight goes where you are looking. You look down from the target at your level and your pins will follow.

I concur with this. I had a coach mention same thing a while back as i had same issue. He told me to look at the target not my sight. If i draw and my sight bubble is off i dont fight it, i either redraw or just f-it depending on yardage. Either way i stare at that bullseye until my pins nearly disappear, those tend to be my best shots.