#1 thing that helped me put deer on the wall

[mainebowhunter]

LOL... its pretty simple. You cannot kill them if you cannot hit them or you cannot hit them well. I am the self admitted (former) King of Target Panic. All the tactics here on this board are fantastic. But if you have buckfever, target panic, its a long hard road. Been there. In 2004, I wounded/missed over 700" of antler. I did not have just buckfever, I had deer fever. I just struggled to get control of my mind / emotions. I beat it on the targets before I beat it on the deer.

Some guys are great on does and small bucks. For me, the shot excitement is not any different on a doe or 150" buck.

My best friend is one of them. He killed both of these Maine bucks in 2014. No issues. Killed buck in 2012. Killed another in 2013. No issues. He has no issues on big bucks in Maine. Put a 140" deer in from of him, drops to 30%.




Its hard to get most of these guys to even work on it. I hunted with anti punch releases, went to a semi surprise release style and finally, started hunting with a release that did not have a trigger. Using this style of trigger, one day it just clicked. I tried it all. Blind bale shooting. One of the most frustrating things I have ever dealt with when it came to deer hunting. I watch a lot of guys on TV struggle with the same thing. 100% of all my hunting buddies struggle with it or have struggled with it. One of my hunting buddies, great deer hunter. But wicked fever. Chasing deer all night to recover, wounding them, missing them...

If you struggle with it, you can fix it. It was not easy for me. But missing/wounding deer on a regular basis -- for me--- was discouraging and unacceptable. None of us are going to be perfect.

Any of the rest of you struggle with it?

[Hawthorne]

One of the best woodsman I've ever known couldn't shoot under pressure. He always picked a spot a big buck would come by he just had a knack for picking the right tree but he couldn't seal the deal. He even gave up bowhunting because of it.

One thing that has helped me is shooting in leagues and tournaments. I started doing it in the late 90s. I think shooting under pressure in front of people is similiar to a big buck on your nerves

[ Post made via Android ]

[Ridgerunner7]

Sounds bit like my journey. I was a trigger puncher for 15 years. Very accurate and killed a pile of deer. 6-7 yrs ago j got target panic really bad and it cost me many big bucks. I beat it by committing to learn how to properly shoot a bow. I went to a hinge to help me learn the unanticipated release. After that was ingrained I could go back to some other releases. I settled on a thumb trigger release and I shoot using back tension. I've helped a dozen or so friends beat TP since. Best thing I ever did for my archery and hunting.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[mainebowhunter]

Sounds bit like my journey. I was a trigger puncher for 15 years. Very accurate and killed a pile of deer. 6-7 yrs ago j got target panic really bad and it cost me many big bucks. I beat it by committing to learn how to properly shoot a bow. I went to a hinge to help me learn the unanticipated release. After that was ingrained I could go back to some other releases. I settled on a thumb trigger release and I shoot using back tension. I've helped a dozen or so friends beat TP since. Best thing I ever did for my archery and hunting.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Best thing I ever did for my archery and hunting Same thing for me. 100%

Most of my buddies won't even admit they have it! I have one buddy who has taken it serious and is working through it.

[Buckshot20]

I had a bad problem when I was younger. The first encounter bow hunting I was 15. Had doe step into the oak hammock and work toward me. I was so nervous the arrow was clanking againts the rest I was shaking so bad. That deer smelled my glove I dropped and everything. Lol after that I became very impatient. I would take shots that were too far. This was before range finders and I was terrible at judging yardage.(honest) now that I'm older and I've had those bumps in the road I tend to get a deep focus now. Eye of the tiger. I feel my heart pumping but I can control my nerves. After the shot different story. I have to give the animal plenty of time because I can't get down. I think shooting at 3d targets has helped me with my shot placement. I think it trains you better for picking your spots. I have block targets as well but I usually just use it for stretching it out to 70yrds or so. I also practice far beyond hunting ranges. I feel it make hunting ranges feel like a chip shot.

Basically for practice stretch it out and shoot at deer targets. As far as target panic I think it's something you have to grow into. Mentally tough.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Hawthorne]

Breath control is good for beating target panic. If you have a routine of breathing it helps. I breath in when I draw when I get my sight picture right I slowly exhale. This causes your back muscles to stretch and your chest to expand causing you to draw the arrow a little before release.

[ Post made via Android ]

[wickedbruiser]

I've been bowhunting for about 5 years now and don't have a killer wall. But I can recall one time I was given the honor to pull back on 130-140 class, but never was given the opportunity to pull the trigger. It seemed easy. I don't know what it is, but the hype is always before the draw and after the release. My first 2 bucks same deal. I'm in the zone...

Until I experienced the worst feeling of emotion when a target pie bald buck came through. I lost it. I felt like I was choking on my pounding heart. Rushed the shot and missed.

I needed to do something to seperate full draw emotions from pre and post. I started drawing back on every deer like it was a real deal moment and practicing the emotional aspect (leaving the hype during full draw out of it). I even started to work myself up before drawing my bow back on targets and practice containing my emotions when in full draw and releasing the emotions after the shot. I wanted to be where I was when I had carefree emotions only during full draw. It became a routine. Repetition after repetition. It eventually rubs in and automatically applies without thought when the real moment comes. The following year, I took my biggest bow buck feeling level headed during full draw.

It helps me. I still practice that emotional process. I'm a believer that once you burn routine from practice in your brain, it becomes a natural application.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Lockdown]

I had a bad problem when I was younger. The first encounter bow hunting I was 15. Had doe step into the oak hammock and work toward me. I was so nervous the arrow was clanking againts the rest I was shaking so bad. That deer smelled my glove I dropped and everything. Lol after that I became very impatient. I would take shots that were too far. This was before range finders and I was terrible at judging yardage.(honest) now that I'm older and I've had those bumps in the road I tend to get a deep focus now. Eye of the tiger. I feel my heart pumping but I can control my nerves. After the shot different story. I have to give the animal plenty of time because I can't get down. [glow=red]I think shooting at 3d targets has helped me with my shot placement. I think it trains you better for picking your spots. I have block targets as well but I usually just use it for stretching it out to 70yrds or so. I also practice far beyond hunting ranges. I feel it make hunting ranges feel like a chip shot.[/glow]

Basically for practice stretch it out and shoot at deer targets. As far as target panic I think it's something you have to grow into. Mentally tough.

[ Post made via Android ]

I agree 100%. picking a spot is crucial... I wounded/missed a few back in the day because my pin was "in the kill zone" and I let er rip.

When I got a 3D target I became much more comfortable aiming at a live deer. I would highly recommend one even to a veteran bowhunter.

[cedarsavage]

I used to have tp really bad and still struggle from time to time. Pulling back and forcing myself to be in control of the shot has helped me the most. Sometimes I'll pull back and hold for 10 seconds finger on the trigger, let down, pull back hold for 3 seconds and shoot.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[magicman54494]

target panic / buck fever are both the same thing and have the same cause. Knowing the cause is the first step in solving the problem, Fear of failure. change fear of failure into confidence of success and your problem is solved. The best way I know how to fix it is to envision yourself making that perfect shot again and again in your mind. Convince yourself that placing a perfect shot is normal for you. Get your mind right and your body will follow.

[Hawthorne]

There's many different ways to solve target panic. There are whole books written on it. Visualization is a good one so is confidence. Experience also. I've struggled with it in the past. Once I started controlled breathing haven't suffered since. With a bow I really think that's what seperayes the elite shots from the good shots is breath control. The Koreans are big into it and they are considered the best archers in the world.

Im visualizing all the time so that's something I take for granted
[ Post made via Android ]

[Zona]

Oh can I relate to this one. I have shot in leagues, practiced until I was fixing arrows every week and take mental shots while I am on stand. I still have punched it at the moment of truth. IMO, it's all mental. I usually get in trouble if I am daydreaming and get caught off guard.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Stanley]

I've said this before; the shot is the last part of the success equation.

[Czabs]

I worked on my TP a lot last spring and have never shot better. I started with hinge and now shooting a carter thumb release. Wow, what a difference. Went from wounding/missing 4 turkeys, 1 buck. To smashing two good bucks right where I wanted. Thumb release has been one of my all time greatest purchases.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[briar]

A few years ago I was having a bad time of missing deer. I got myself a new bow and a new attitude. I decided that I wasn't going to put pressure on myself to kill a deer and like overnight I just got better. I would only take shots I was 100% comfortable with and if I was rushed, I didn't take it. That was 5 years ago and since then I have shot 4 bucks and 11 deer with only one whiff...that I rushed on an alert deer.

I took it a step further and this year bought myself a lightweight rig. It maxes at #51 and feels like a toy to me in the stand. I can pull it back extremely smooth, with limited movement and hold it back forever. I was so much more relaxed with it not feeling like I only had limited seconds to shoot because of shakes and had to draw according to that timetable.

I shot 3 deer with that little bow this year with 3 different heads. Got through all of them, and broadhead in the dirt on 2. That bow is like a part of me and when I pull it back I am 100% relaxed. My mind just runs on instinct and it seems to work.