I’ve been dealing with target panic for about 5 years now and can’t seem to break out of it, no matter what I try. It’s cost me several good deer over the past couple of seasons, and I’m finally at the point where I’m willing to change whatever I need to in order to fix it.

Right now I’m shooting a Mathews V3X 29 with a standard wrist strap release and a 3-pin sight. I’ve noticed the multiple pins almost make the panic worse. As soon as my pin gets close to the target, I lock up, freeze low, or punch the trigger. I’ve thought about switching to a single-pin and changing releases, but I’m not sure if that alone will fix it or just mask the issue.

If anybody here has dealt with target panic long-term and actually got past it, I’d really appreciate any real tips or steps that helped you. I’m ready to put in the work — I just need a direction to start in so I can get back to shooting the way I used to.