Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer Bow Talk punching the trigger

For some reason I have started punching my release trigger do not know why I have started but it is really affecting my shooting and driving me crazy. Anybody know how or where I can find out how to cure this?

Google "Curing Target Panic". Getting a true back tension release and learning to use it is the only sure fire way to get it under control.

I was afraid somebody was gonna say that. I have always been really shy to a back tension release. Guess I know very little about them.

Why have I started doing this all of a sudden

Yea I've saw a lot of people using those back tension releases. One guy I know swears by it.

Scott Archery has a good one" Longhorn Hex". Its not as difficult to get use to as some of the others.

Target panic is a very, very hard problem to cure. I don't know if it can be cured. I do know this, it is a very real thing. I know because I have it. I gave up traditional archery because of it.

I have tried everything. I tried a back tension release but if your TP is bad enough you can slap fire a back tension release too. I know because I can do that.

I modified a release with a peg in front of the trigger so I can't slap the trigger. It helps, but is only a band-aid for the problem.

Like you, mine just started out of the blue. I will give this advice. Don't shoot much until you try to break the habit. You can't shoot your way through it.

I have considered buying one of those "fake" releases that are used in pro shops to determine draw length. They have a notch to put the string in but no jaws.

There's no cure for it, you only learn to control it. People that tend to be OCD and over analyze things are more prone to developing it. My friend Skipper Booth that won the Buckmasters Top Bow World Championship in 2008 and 2013 suffers from it. He developed it back around 2000. The only time he shoots a trigger is while hunting and at the Buckmasters shoot. For practice and all other 3D tournaments he uses a back tension release.

I've been lucky so far and I have never developed it. But the whole time I shot tournaments I alternated between a back tension and a trigger. Since I screwed my neck and back up I can't shoot a back tension very well anymore. I can't practice like I used to anymore either. I used to shoot at least a dozen arrows a day, almost everyday. As much as I hate it, I'm officially retiring from shooting tournaments.

Well, there you go. I'm not one of those kind that washes their hands 100 times a day but I do have many OCD'ish traits. I don't over analyze things, everybody else just under analyzes things.

bigwoody, try shortening up your release so that your trigger finger wraps around the trigger and not just the tip of your finger is on the trigger. Draw the bow, point it at the target, wrap finger around the trigger, and then get on target. Once the pin is where you want it, squeeze the trigger. Focus on wrapping your finger around the trigger. If your finger is firmly on the trigger before you get on target, you're not as likely to punch at the trigger when the pin comes by the target.

I fight it constantly. I have good days and bad days. I find that if I'm having trouble with punching it helps to take considerable time off. Also, mine is worse if I am shooting in front of an "audience". If I'm alone with no distractions its not too bad. I did what sluggun suggested a couple of years ago and it helped a lot. It really helps if you are not reaching for the trigger with your index finger. Also, just for kicks, try using your birdie finger to activate the release if you are using a strap. Feels funny at first, but it is much harder to punch the trigger that way. Also, I found it helped me to draw and settle on the target...let pin float a bit and let down without executing the shot. Do this several times to convince yourself that you don't HAVE to shoot.

Good luck. It is frustrating, but don't give up. Killing deer with a bow is the most rewarding hunting experience I've ever had. Its worth the effort to work through the issues.

Shaw or other that use a BT. I watched some videos on them after reading this and it looks like a great way to improve during the off season and maybe even hunting with it. I dont have TP or anything so would if help or hurt my shooting?

I have a decent ~$40 release but want to get a Scott. Would I just be better of with a higher quality trigger release and leave the BT alone?

Learning to shoot using true back tension will help you no doubt. If it was me, I would get a used back tension release and upgrade to a better Scott release.

I developed target panic and used a Stan(can't spell the name) BT release and as Shaw said it never goes away it gets way better with the BT because of not knowing when the arrow will leave the string. It does not bother my hunting. Mostly just freaks people out that shoot next to me.

I Use to be big into Tournaments, shooting in the early 90s i mean going to TN,GA,Fl,Al the triple crown all that good stuff then bam Target panic hit me at a Tournament in Florida it was one of the first ASA tournaments. I was slinging arrows all over the place I was extremely embarrassed. Took me a couple years to figure out how to control it.

The best way I found was if I felt I was going to slap that trigger or release to early I would let down. Take a deep breath, repeat. I would then practice holding on the target for as long as I could without releasing with my finger ever so slightly on the trigger and basically scare myself when it released. The panic is still there and I'm sure if I shot like I use to I could work it out to a point of control. I basically had to retrain myself to think it thru. Pull back finger behind the trigger, Slowly move finger on trigger, Sight is on target, Gently Squeeze.

Candy Tail.

As far as punching the trigger and its cause, it's a mental thing like Shaw said. Blind bale shooting helped/helps me battle this mental disease. Also thinking of myself as an arrow launcher helps, putting no more or no less effect into the shooting process than I did the shot before. And when I make a bad shot, accept it, forget it, and move on.

Man I tried this today. It helped tremendously, think my problem all along might have been " reaching" for the trigger. I only shot short yardage today so I could work on my problem. Gonna try backing up this weekend. Thanks for your input. Maybe its not target panic after all.

It's tough to fix.There a few things that can help you beat it.Shorten the realease up,Adjust the trigger.Make it harder to go off.The easer the trigger is to make go off.Well that feeds T.P.
Pratice drawing your bow back and holding sight on the target.But dont shoot!This was the biggest thing that help me.
After a weeks of this .I moved the target up to about five yards.And started drawing back not paying attention to hitting the dot.Just shooting and getting used to the trigger going off without the slap/drive by.
It's as much mental as physical.You may have got it over night.But you dang sure wont fix it over night.

Punching the trigger is not a problem. Inconsistency is.

Been there buddy and still struggle with it. I recommend the TruBall Ultra 3 or 4 back tension. They are priced fair and help a lot. Also what I do from time to time when I notice the panic seems to come back, is to draw my bow like I'm going to shoot the target, and hold. I hold until I can't hold any longer. I just focus my pin on the spot I want to hit and focus. Helps me, maybe it could help you.