my focus on shooting is gone

[bankwalker]

Well I sure can tell I've only been back to shooting a bow a little over a week. And I've been grouping amazingly well out to 50 yards in such a short time. And even respectable out to 80 yards with a little over a week back behind the string I was very happy to be shooting so well.
It was a few years sense I shot a bow so I expected a little problem here and there.
But 4 days ago I jerked the trigger on my release and completely missed everything at 20 yards, the target and backstop.

Now the last 4 days I'm completely screwed up. No focus at all and can't hit squat!

Anyone else go through this. Got any tips to help me gain my focus back.

[JPhelps]

Target Panic!

Get five yards from your target and shoot with your eyes closed focusing on form.  The release should be a surprise.  Some people have to go to a back tension relief to rid themselves of the problem.  Good news is you have a couple months to figure it out 

[carpsniperg2]

  Most archers will go threw it at some point. Not settle on shots/punch the release etc. I had a batch of it when I first started shooting 3d. Never had any problem before I started shooting 3d. I started getting lazy and not focusing in. When I saw the pin on foam the arrow was away I went to shooting a back tension release and that cured that! I still shoot a release that is of the back tension style, and can be shot that way. I could never get use to the trigger style releases after that. I can shoot them but bad habits come back quick

[bankwalker]

Yup that's why I bought a bow in June instead of waiting till August like I had originally planned.

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to try that first thing in the morning.

All I know is I went from 3 inch groups at 20 to 30 yards.......to 1 arrow in 10 hitting the target. 

[D-Rock425]

Take the sight off your bow walk up to a blank bail close your eyes and shoot.  Just focus on having good form and good release.   It way take hundred of arrows but ut works.

[bankwalker]

Thanks for the advice guys. 50 eyes closed shots today and I feel good. And my groups are back to where they were before my meltdown. 

[sirmissalot]

I get target panic from time to time. It gets worse when i start getting fatigued, so I try not to shoot too many arrows or I'll start getting bad habits. Same thing, that pin gets close to the bulls eye and the arrow is off, it gets frustrating. Lowering my draw weight helped a lot too.

[JLS]

increase you trigger weight and use your back to pull through the trigger instead.  get you rfinger deep on the trigger.

[h2ofowlr]

I had this happen when I purchased my new bow.  The culprit ended up being that we had set up the draw lenth way to long.  I was missing target to the left and right.  We shortened the draw length 1.5" and it was dead on again after some sight adjustment.

[bankwalker]

I dropped down from 70lbs to 60lbs with this new bow purchase. Only because I wanted to shoot more this summer sense I only have a short time to get dialed in. But now I'm shooting to much, 200 arrows throughout the day. My groups were good and I never got to fatigued. But it created bad habits quick...I never noticed them.
But after the closed eye advice I noticed really fast.

I was holding the bow to close to my body, with the nock point way to far back into my cheek. It caused my arm holding the bow to strain alot to keep the bow in position and that shoulder started hurting. And any slight creep in the string and that bow wanted to go! Anyone who has shot the darton ds3800 will notice quick has short that valley is.

I also noticed I was punching at the target alot. And lifting my pin into the target, not holding the pin steady at all.

After I noticed those few problems I fixed them quick. Holding the bow properly and having a proper draw position made a huge difference and I didn't even realize I was shooting with bad form. Now my groups are tighter then before I got the target panic......and I shot my first true robin hood today and at 70yds too.

Sometimes it takes a bad situation to help out in a huge way. And some good advice from a great forum to help get back on track quick

[D-Rock425]

Glad it worked for you.