Originally Posted by walt4dun
I'm not really sure what "target panic" is. I feel like yall aren't talking about Buck Fever... Are yall talking about just the fear of missing the shot?

I know this tho. Like said above, get CLOSE to the target. Hunt in places you can't see but 20-25 yards with your most probably shot at 15 yards - thats ideal. But practice at 35 yards and in and if they are further you left them walk and fix your setup. And shoot an axe head on rebar that will shoot smooth thru a scapula - you know this will work and there is no fear but on the hardest of shot angles (facing).

And go shoot a LOT of critters with the bow. Build confidence in yourself and your equipment. Yes of course I get amped when I see a critter I want to kill coming in and live for that "this is about to happen" feeling. That is really the coolest part of the hunt beyond putting your hands on the animal to me.
I am nervous as they come in and peak nervous drawing back (oh pleaseeee don't screw up this opportunity)... then - calmness....
The sketchy part is over, I GOT YOU NOW. WHENEVER I AM READY. GAME OVER< I WIN.

Go into subconscious killing sequence - trace leg up, float pin for opposite leg behind the shoulder exit, follow thru follow thru follow thru follow thru and I subconsciously pull the trigger somewhere in the middle of that continuous follow thru sequence. Bow or gun.

I appreciate your advice, I think a lot of it is very good but target panic is not buck fever. These are not the same although they might have a similar presentation. Just like a rifle/ pistol shooter constantly hitting low left will not benefit from mag dumping a chert pit shooting a lot with target panic without diagnosing the problem and consistently correcting it will not help the shooter.

Missing the target in general comes from one of two failures, assuming the shooter understands sight picture sight alignment. 1- afraid of recoil or 2- “anticipation” which is basically being subconsciously excited about a perfect shot. Someone with bad target panic can’t take most of your advice because simply drawing and trying to aim at a critter with a bow leads to a total collapse of form, since your neurons will associate your perfect aim with the loss of tension from completing the shot. I’ve been a shooter my whole life, killed piles of critters with bow and gun and shoot in very competitive conditions with rifles and pistols, am a certified and practicing instructor, and target panic is one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen and ever felt. It’s also not at all buck fever.

Edited to say- when I was afflicted with archery target panic the one time I didn’t get it was when I was shooting live game

Last edited by JSOG47; 06/25/26 06:42 PM.