Target panic no more

[Gumbo]

Here is a pic of the raghorn I shot in sw MT yesterday. Big winds made still hunting a breeze, which was great because the elk were pretty quiet. Was struggling with target panic for a couple years and worked hard since February shooting with a thumb release and back tension. He is definitely not the biggest bull in the woods but was a major confidence builder. The Rage blew a hole clean through him and he piled up less than 50 yards away.

 

[Finch]

Congrats! I occasionally struggle with TP so I know the feeling.

 

[JG358]

Congrats!

 

[realunlucky]

Congratulations target panic is a bitch. I also went with a thumb release to help

 

[ndbwhunter]

Shot with a regular rage 2-blade? I've been trying to decide between the rage and slick trick. What grain arrow are you shooting? Was there any damage to the broadhead?

 

[RamDreamer]

I have had a little issue with TP in the past and well and went with a thumb release and once again am confident in myself. Congrats on over coming that obstacle and harvesting a great bull!

 

[Gumbo]

Shot with a regular rage 2-blade? I've been trying to decide between the rage and slick trick. What grain arrow are you shooting? Was there any damage to the broadhead?

I used the old 100 gr. Rage 2-blade SC (the one with rubber bands, not the new shock collar). The blade at the tip was VERY slightly bent, but other than that was in perfect condition. I suppose I could use it again with new blades but have never been big on reusing broadheads, I just don't shoot enough animals to warrant it. This was the first animal I have shot with an expandable, and it worked great; big wound, clean pass through. I have been bowhunting for 25 years and was pretty skeptical about expandables but am now a believer. My arrows were right at 300 grains w/o broadheads, so 400 grains total. I shoot a hoyt nitrum 34 maxed out at about 71 pounds w/ 27.5 inch draw. I have a few more SCs so I will keep using them for now, and they really do fly identically to field tips, at least out of my bow.

FYI the wound you see in the pic is the exit.

 

[Art Vandeley]

What is target panic? Nice bull, should eat well!

 

[Gumbo]

What is target panic? Nice bull, should eat well!

It is a little different for everyone, but for me it manifested as an anxious rushing of the shot. Because I couldn't hold my pin dead steady I would try to time my shot with the pin crossing the target. Eventually I found I could not even get my pin on the target (it would often hang just below it), which caused me to try to force the bow (and pin) into position while simultaneously jerking the trigger on the release. This was at targets, mind you. Get an animal in front of me and I would shoot way before I settled my pin, sometimes even before my pin was on the animal. This isn't buck fever, because I was still dead calm and steady, just a subconscious anxious reflex. So I read about it online and worked since February with a thumb release and shooting with back tension to get a surprise release, i.e. I don't trigger the release with my thumb, I keep pulling into the back wall of the bow until the bow simply fires. I am now much more accurate and can hold the pin on my target, although it still floats a little.

 

[dangerousD]

Congrats on the nice bull and overcoming TP!