Get rid of the string plucking devil

[autumn spirit]

Thank you Mr. Hill...wisdom is power.

[rpembert]

As John Shultz described it in Hitting em like Howard Hill and how I shoot, both hands should do nothing. The string hand only takes a slight movement backward. It should not fly backward or away from the face. That is the Hill method as taught by John.  
Now, I shot a compound with a back tension release for three years in tournaments. Your string hand DID move backwards quiet a bit. Really messed me up when I went back to a longbow. Had to relearn all over again.

I don't have a problem with string plucking but tried what Jerry said and it works great. I simply point my fingers at the target.

Joshua

If you release with the index first it could change the effect of the tiller by putting more stress on the lower limb during release, more like a three under release.  by thinking ring finger the standard 1/8" above level nocking point works out more often as well.

[cacciatore]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences of your great huncle.

[Whump]

Whump Sez: Hello Jerry--I rode a HD super glide down to your shop in 1979 and had you build my first Longbow--we named it after the Choctaw Indian chief  "Iuka" that P&Y buck in the picture fell before it several years back--your shooting lesson the day I picked up the bow stuck, as my bottom finger is the only one with a calious on it. I am glad you are doing well and welcome to the Trad Gang. Hunt safe.

[xtrema312]

Great tip Jerry!  

I don't pluck if my back tension and alignment is correct, but I had a big struggle with shelf contact as part of what I was doing with my fingers after some form changes.  I got that fixed only to find I now shoot with a real relaxed ring finger and most of the weight on my middle finger.  The ring finger has been dragging in the way and dropping down to get a little scrub by the serving along the bottom of the finger tip.  I think because it holds little weight so doesn't blow open when the hand releases and the string goes.  All was well until it started cracking last week after a lot of heavy shooting.  I started to try and employ it a little more and keep it up tighter to the middle finer with more hook, but it was still sore after shooting, although better than it was.  

Yesterday after reading your post I shot a few arrows before and after work.  At first I was pulling the trigger and that was throwing me off, but it did get the finger out of the way.  Then I went to squeezing the trigger, and it got a lot better.  

I shot more today with the idea of relaxing just that finger.  Wow what a difference.  I get a great release, and because I key the relaxing of the hand with that finger, it gets clear of the string.  I shot 100 arrows today without the band aid I was using and no harm done.  Such a simple little change and it really help me out a lot.  I still relax the whole hand, but for some reason relaxing the fingers with most of the string weight was not getting the ring finger to relax as well as the other.  Now it feels like a micro chain reaction of all the finger going limp as soon as the ring finger relaxes.

[Keefer]

Thanks Jerry,
   You only been here a few days and already helping us with some shooting tips from our favorite hero's of the past...It is so nice that we all can share this site with so many people that we only get to meet in books or magazines...On TradGang You get to Ask Questions and get a response from the Hero's of today...Thanks Jerry, Ron, Barry,Gene and Mike just to name a few!

[turkeyslayer]

Im with Terry & Rob on the proper alignment & back tension thing.

[rpembert]

Howard hill used proper back tension and alignment, just a different release than pull through. Now you will argue that in some of his videos that his hand flys back away from his face. That comes from shooting an 80 pound bow. Also he was that good. He could what ever he wanted. Even then its not hand touches shoulder stuff.

I know, I used a back tension release when I shot competition with a compound bow. Your hand will go to the shoulder, its correct follow through. The man kept it simple. All I know is I watch him and do my best to mimic the Greatest. If it worked for him why not me, and it has so far.      

By the way its what I use with my Hill style longbow. I have tried this form with recurves, R/D longbows and it works great. To each his on I guess!

Joshua

[Brently]

Have to give that a try, never have heard of doing that before.

[reddogge]

I had been watching my alignment for a couple of months as Terry mentioned and it helped the plucking problem immensly.  I used an old golf driving range trick and put an aiming arrow on the ground so I could stand with my feet parallel to the line of flight to the target and developed a better sense of aligment of feet,  body, shoulders and drawing arm.

This little trick may be the icing on the cake.

[Lowrider]

Makes all the difference in my shooting. Thanks a lot.

[sdpeb1]

I'll be giving this a try. thanks