Is this a bug? or am I crazy?

[Greenlaw]

I just re did the target bones and targeted the leg bones to the target instead of the foot bones.
This worked!

Awesome!

I don't understand why yet, but this is progress.

It's because the character's ankle is what you want planted to the ground. If you use the toe, the ankle remains free to move around.

When I Ctrl click, nothing happens. The Target bone doesn't get red or re-parented.
I tried it also with Command clicking on the target just for laughs. Still nothing.

If I have time tonight, I'll record a GIF showing how to use the Parent Tool for targeting bones.

[NealF]

Understood.

But I was attaching the target bone to the heal and then it would move across to the toe automatically when using the manipulate bone tool.
Worked fine when I put the target bones at the bottom of the leg bones instead of the heal part of the foot.

[Greenlaw]

But I was attaching the target bone to the heal and then it would move across to the toe automatically when using the manipulate bone tool.

To me this sounds like you're still using the foot bone and not the lower leg bone. A bone always targets with the end point, so when you use the foot bone, the toe is targeting. When you use the lower leg bone, the heel (or ankle really) is targeting.

Worked fine when I put the target bones at the bottom of the leg bones instead of the heal part of the foot.

Ah! Yes, sounds like you got it!

[NealF]

Yep!

Learned a lot from this discussion.
Thanks to you and the other guys who commented.