Need advice on shot control with trad

[LeanMachine]

I have shot trad for about 15 years. The issue I am having is one that plagues many. I am all but blacking out on hunting shots. I quit hunting with the recurve several years ago after my confidence with it dropped due to this. I have shot if off and on but not hunted with it again until this year. I have been shooting very well so I took it opening weekend and made a great shot on a doe. Great shot or not, I all but blacked out after hitting anchor. I am looking for ways to stay more present in the shot. I shoot "instinctively" but I assume I am basically subconsciously looking for the correct sight picture. I can hold on a spot, with no intention of shooting, and know that I would hit that spot if i turned the arrow loose. I can draw on a non target deer, pick a spot, line everything up and know that is exactly where the arrow would go. But if I flip that mental switch in my brain to this shot is for real, all mental control is lost. I look at the general area behind the leg, hit anchor, and off she goes. Not as soon as I hit anchor, but without the pause and confirmation time I would like and sometimes need. It's like my brain is on fire and I can't just be calm and go through the process.

Anyone done Joel Turners online course and had success? I do not have the time to go to a clinic. I barely have any time to hunt!

I sometimes play around with getting drawn and comfortable and then counting to 3 before shooting, but I before long i'm shooting on 2. Or forgetting to count at all.

I'd appreciate any advice yall can give.

[Dru]

Watch The Push video. He does the the Joel Turner Iron Mind challenge and chronicles it on video.

[Trumpkin]

Joel Turner's work saved me from an absolutely horrible case of target panic. I still have to fight through it sometimes, but I have the tools at my disposal to keep control.

[LeanMachine]

Watch The Push video. He does the the Joel Turner Iron Mind challenge and chronicles it on video.

I remember watching that. Guess i should watch it again.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Draco]

I shot instinctive for close to 30 years and killed a butt load of animals and then, boom, I couldn't shoot instinctive any more. I would draw and hold and hold and hold some more, never seeing the shot. I started shooting 3 under using the arrow point and fixed that problem for ever. I always aim at the animal's elbow, perfect for concentration. My tip is 12" below the elbow when up close. It has worked very well for me and I can't even remember the last animal I've missed. You may want to read the sticky I made up top about shooting like this. Good luck on this.

[Mitchell8]

Good luck, trad is hard. Personally I think any mental block is able to be overcome by repetition. In your scenario I would try to hunt hogs with trad, rabbits, anything alive and just bust through the mental barrier. Your mind is extremely powerful you have to control it. It’s extremely hard to do.

[LeanMachine]

I shot instinctive for close to 30 years and killed a butt load of animals and then, boom, I couldn't shoot instinctive any more. I would draw and hold and hold and hold some more, never seeing the shot. I started shooting 3 under using the arrow point and fixed that problem for ever. I always aim at the animal's elbow, perfect for concentration. My tip is 12" below the elbow when up close. It has worked very well for me and I can't even remember the last animal I've missed. You may want to read the sticky I made up top about shooting like this. Good luck on this.

I tried point of aim for quite a while several years ago. I even tried a clicker. It all worked super well for me at first and i was very excited about it. But it all quickly turned into target panic for me. I did like having a solid point of reference. Maybe i could revisit it if i could sort out the target panic.

But like i said, im shooting very well currently. Maybe the best i ever have. It is just my brain that turns to jello when the shot actually matters.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[LeanMachine]

Good luck, trad is hard. Personally I think any mental block is able to be overcome by repetition. In your scenario I would try to hunt hogs with trad, rabbits, anything alive and just bust through the mental barrier. Your mind is extremely powerful you have to control it. It’s extremely hard to do.

I do believe that practiced shots under pressure would help a lot. I did not have this problem when i shot 3d every week. That was 4 kids ago and those days are long gone!

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Briar Friar]

I tried point of aim for quite a while several years ago. I even tried a clicker. It all worked super well for me at first and i was very excited about it. But it all quickly turned into target panic for me. I did like having a solid point of reference. Maybe i could revisit it if i could sort out the target panic.

But like i said, im shooting very well currently. Maybe the best i ever have. It is just my brain that turns to jello when the shot actually matters.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Do you blind bale?
Consider a short mental form checklist and meditating on form means than focusing on the arrow impact ends…with your eyes closed.

I hate unfatally wounding deer.
I get excited and jittery everytime (…even if its someone else shooting.) My BP goes up…I get the shakes…my breathing gets shallow…my arrow comes off the shelf like a divining rod….I unengage, relax, reset, go through the form checklist and shoot before I think too much.

Good skilling MrMachine. I look forward to the LDPs.

[Mitchell8]

I do believe that practiced shots under pressure would help a lot. I did not have this problem when i shot 3d every week. That was 4 kids ago and those days are long gone!

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Hear that I got 4 now I’m lucky if I get to shoot targets much less good shoot 10 hogs with trad getting ready to hunt white tail

[LeanMachine]

I try to shoot while pushing the 3 yo in the swing and trying to keep thay 1 yo from swan diving off the playset.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[LeanMachine]

Do you blind bale?

Consider a short mental form checklist and meditating on form means than focusing on the arrow impact ends…with your eyes closed.



I hate unfatally wounding deer.

I get excited and jittery everytime (…even if its someone else shooting.) My BP goes up…I get the shakes…my breathing gets shallow…my arrow comes off the shelf like a divining rod….I unengage, relax, reset, go through the form checklist and shoot before I think too much.



Good skilling MrMachine. I look forward to the LDPs.

I have done some blind bale. Im not convinced it helps me too terribly much because my brain knows its not for real so im cool as a cucumber.

If joels course would help, it would be $200 well spent.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[jerp]

As long as I've been doing this I still sometimes fight brain fog at go-time. As much as I repeat the "pick a spot" mantra it still happens , especially if it's been a long time since I shot anything. I've found a few things that help - one is to pick a spot and draw on deer I'm not going to shoot, then let down. My mind is clear when I know I'm not going to release. It also helps if I imagine the deer is just a 3d target - I've killed thousands of those. I remember this topic coming up years ago and something the great Buff said stuck with me "quit thinking about it so much and just kill the dang thing." Overthinking is a big part of the problem

[DRT]

I wish I could help you but I don't have the slightest clue. I'm fine all the way through a shot. Honestly on quick situations the release does seem to be more automatic but it's never a black out situation. The shot process JT teaches is effective. But you still have to be able to work through the "panic".

Sent from my Nokia XR20 using Tapatalk