Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
Target panic can wreck confidence fast, but the right archery targets can calm your pin, rebuild your shot, and make practice fun again. These three targets helped me stay out of the target-panic ditch, and they can help you do the same.
Table of contents
- Target Panic Starts With the Target, So Fix That First
- What Is the First Word in Target Panic?
- Best Targets for Target Panic: Specs That Matter
- #1 Delta McKenzie Big Daddy QuivAR Buck: Big Target, Big Confidence
- #2 Morrell Yellow Jacket MOD Pro: The Blank Bale Money Maker
- #3 Rinehart 1/3 Scale Signature Elk: Small Enough to Challenge, Big Enough to Trust
- Bonus Target Panic Tip: Buy the Target That Matches Your Tag
- Pros and Cons: The Real Deal on Target Panic Targets
- Final Thoughts: Pick the Right Target and Beat Target Panic
- Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest
Target Panic Starts With the Target, So Fix That First
I’m certain every tip in the world, some excellent and some awful, has been recommended regarding target panic. I’ve written many myself and will sprinkle some of those tips into this article. There have been equally as many articles highlighting different releases and sights, single-pin vs. multi-pin, that help remedy target panic. Again, guilty as charged; I’ve written many target panic gear articles. Where target-panic advisors have fallen short is in highlighting archery targets that help archers and bowhunters conquer target panic.
What Is the First Word in Target Panic?
What’s the first word in target panic? Target!
Do you see where I’m going here?
I’ve been target-panic-free for nearly three years. Still, there are days when it tries to creep in, even for a single shot. This spring, I dang near relapsed.
I was shooting 1/2-inch squares on Morrell’s Yellow Jacket Mod Pro from 40 yards. After the fourth arrow of the day, I was having trouble aiming at the spot. I jabbed my index finger release on the fifth arrow like a prize fighter. Instantly, I grabbed my back tension release. This time, I couldn’t get my pin on the square, and when I did, I rotated my wrist so hard that my bow hand drove the riser upward, and I sent the Easton shaft into the field behind me.
I stopped shooting dots immediately. My next arrow was from 20 yards on Delta McKenzie’s Bighorn Sheep 3D target. The target was large, so I could aim at the center lung and continue aiming until my hinge release fired the bow.
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Make no mistake: target choice is critical to curing target panic. Here are my four favorite beat target panic targets.
Best Targets for Target Panic: Specs That Matter
| Target | Key Specs | Why It Helps Target Panic |
|---|---|---|
| Delta McKenzie Big Daddy QuivAR Buck | 41 inches at the shoulder, 48 inches long, designed to replicate a 250-plus-pound whitetail, 100 percent self-healing solid foam | Large 3D body, no tiny dots, single circle option, and QuivAR anatomy feedback |
| Morrell Yellow Jacket MOD Pro | 56 pounds, 29 inches wide, 13 inches deep, 31 inches tall, rated for speeds up to 435 fps | Big blank side for blank bailing plus interchangeable target faces |
| Rinehart 1/3 Scale Signature Elk | 44 inches long, 28 inches shoulder height, replaceable insert section | Realistic 3D hunting practice that builds purpose, confidence, and visualization |
#1 Delta McKenzie Big Daddy QuivAR Buck: Big Target, Big Confidence
One of the most exciting targets to hit the archery world in years, QuivAR partnered with 3D target kingpin Delta McKenzie to create an ultra-realistic shooting experience.
Why the Big Daddy QuivAR Buck Calms the Pin and Builds Confidence
Anytime you’re working to beat target panic, target size matters. The last thing you want to do when your TP is at an all-time high is try shooting a diminutive 3D target like a bobcat or bunny. You want a 3D target that’s sizeable and preferably built to the accurate dimensions of the species it’s representing.
Designed to replicate a 250-plus-pound whitetail, this target measures 41 inches at the shoulder and is 48 inches long. One side of the target features 3D scoring vitals, and the other side features a single circle around the heart. If you struggle with TP, shoot the side with a single circle.
The magic behind this target is the integration of QuivAR Technology. There are no batteries and nothing to damage. QuivAR added an NFC chip into the rear of the target, and that chip instantly pairs with the free QuivAR App. Tap the NFC Chip with your smartphone like you would for Apple Pay or a credit card purchase, and voila, you can instantly view the exact internal anatomy of a white-tailed deer.
With the app downloaded and the target scanned, you can move your phone 360 degrees around the target, view the deer’s internal anatomy, and, more importantly, know exactly where your arrow hit. You can add and remove organs and bones to better isolate arrow placement. It’s remarkable technology.
How This 3D Target Helps Beat Target Panic
First, the mind relaxes with no spots or dots to shoot at. When shooting at this target, you’re shooting at a four-foot-long piece of 100 percent self-healing solid foam.
Second, with no spots or dots to focus on, you’re working to let the pin float on the chest area. Trust the pin float as you aim, aim, and keep aiming until the release fires the bow.
Third, it’s a lot of fun! Good things happen when you’re having fun. The goal is to shoot a single arrow, walk up to the target, pull up your app, and scan the chip. Then, you can evaluate exactly where your arrow is in the deer’s vitals. Doing this, an arrow at a time, causes you to slow down. A big problem with target panic is that we tend to think that it will get better if we keep shooting and shooting. It doesn’t. It gets much worse. Shooting an arrow at a time and experiencing success, knowing you put a killing shot on a white-tailed deer, helps TP dissipate.
#2 Morrell Yellow Jacket MOD Pro: The Blank Bale Money Maker
Yes, this was the target I was shooting when a bit of TP tried to sneak in on me. However, I was shooting the Tuning and Precision side of this removable wrap target. That’s one of the many things that make this target special.
The Yellow Jacket MOD Pro has two long Velcro strips on the side and comes with the Tuning and Precision Wrap. The backside of the target is completely blank, more to come on this. The front side has circular aiming points that vary in size. Morrell does offer additional wraps in Games, ASA/IBO + Scoring, Redding NFAA 40 + 60 CM, Long Distance 80 CM, and Buck + Turkey. I highly recommend purchasing a few wraps and taking full advantage of this bag target’s many features.
Why the Yellow Jacket MOD Pro Helps With Target Panic
For archers fighting target panic, the blank side is the money maker.
First, the target offers excellent dimensions. Weighing 56 pounds, it measures 29 inches wide, 13 inches deep, and 31 inches tall. That’s a BIG bag target that doesn’t break the bank. You won’t find a better bag target for under $180. Again, we want to go big on size. Small targets induce target panic.
Second, much has been written about blank bailing. Blank bailing, in layperson terms, is shooting a target face with no scoring rings or vitals. You want a blank surface. The problem: This can be difficult to create, and targets with blank faces are typically range-style targets that push into the $500 and up range.
With no spots or dots to aim at, archers can stand 5 or 10 yards from this target and focus on letting their pin float on a blank target face. The target can take a beating, and it’s rated for speeds up to 435 fps.
Third, as you work through target panic and continue to move back in distance from the target, having a large blank face to send arrows into is critical. One area where TP sufferers fall short is not blank bailing at long ranges. You need to continue to shoot at a blank face at longer ranges, often for months, before shooting at a 3D target or any other target face. The best thing I ever did for my target panic was to blank bale for 72 days straight from distances as close as five yards to 120 yards.
#3 Rinehart 1/3 Scale Signature Elk: Small Enough to Challenge, Big Enough to Trust
I know I’m blowing your mind again. I just wrote about the importance of big targets, and now I’m suggesting a target 1/3 the size of the actual animal. Bear with me.
As you begin to get a handle on your target panic, one of the best things you can do is resist shooting spots and dots and stick to 3D targets. The Rinehart 1/3 Scale Signature Elk measures 44 inches long and has a shoulder height of 28 inches, so it’s not tiny. It’s still an elk target. It has a replaceable insert section, so you don’t have to buy a new target if you wear it out.
Why This Elk Target Helps Bowhunters Visualize Success
First, it helps you visualize. Think about when you’re going through a hard time in life, whether that be sickness, financial trouble, etc. Humans tend to dream about things that excite us when difficulty strikes. Those dreams give us hope, and hope truly is the best of things.
As a Western bowhunter, I live for elk season, as do most Western stick and stringers. If you’re not from the West, that’s even more of a reason to dream. Several surveys show that white-tailed deer are the most popular big game animal, but their larger cousin dominates the category of bucket list. Hunters romanticize about elk hunting.
Why 3D Targets Give Your Brain Something Better Than Panic
I pen all this to say that when you stick a 3D target out there that represents an animal you hunt, gear and engineer your shooting and physical training schedule around it, it gives you purpose. When you put out a 3D target that represents a dream hunt, it gives each shooting session purpose while causing you to put together a plan that will allow you to turn that dream into a reality. When you’re focused on anything other than TP, you’ll move past the negative much quicker.
Second, as you get a handle on your TP, it’s essential to work the aim small, miss small angle. Though this 3D target is smaller, it’s not a rabbit, beaver, or turkey. Those getting a handle on their TP still have a decently sized target that allows them to settle their pin on, trust the float, and push and pull until the release fires the bow.
Third, this target is a blast to shoot, and it lasts forever. Few do foam as good as Rinehart. I’ve shot this target for two years with field points and broadheads and have yet to wear out my first vital section. Like the Big Daddy QuivAR Enabled Buck, this target is fun to shoot. When you start driving carbon into the vitals, target panic drifts away.
Bonus Target Panic Tip: Buy the Target That Matches Your Tag
I want to leave you with this: Don’t be afraid to drop some benjamins and purchase a target that matches the animal you’ll go after this fall. I started doing this a few years ago and don’t regret it. My target arsenal grows by one or more targets every few years, and there’s something about sending carbon into a replica of what you hold a tag for that boosts shooting performance.
Case in point: In 2021, I drew a once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tag. My first purchase was Delta McKenzie’s Bighorn Sheep 3D Archery Target. I put over 1,000 arrows into that target in the months leading up to the August 1 opener. On August 3, I came to full draw on a 170-plus-inch ram 61.5 yards away. I saw the target in my mind, let my pin float, and pulled through my T.R.U. Ball HBC release. The arrow was a 12-ring perfect, and the ram’s death sprint was short.
Pros and Cons: The Real Deal on Target Panic Targets
- Pros: Large 3D targets reduce anxiety, blank faces rebuild shot execution, realistic animal targets improve visualization, and fun practice helps target panic fade instead of flare.
- Cons: Quality 3D targets cost more money, take up space, and can tempt archers to rush back into scoring rings before their shot process is rebuilt.
Final Thoughts: Pick the Right Target and Beat Target Panic
Of course, your release, sight, and your shooting program are all essential target panic cures. However, you must consider what you’re shooting at. If what you’re shooting at peaks your shooting anxiety, it won’t matter what bow, release, sight, etc., you have. Pick the right targets and conquer target panic forever.
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