Please help, release issues

[Iowabowhunter]

Good afternoon TG. Working on getting a new bow now (my TallTines recurve is for sale) My issue is with my release. I have practiced shooting @ my target and not worrying about aiming, from distances to almost point blank up to 10 yards, consciously trying to pull w/my back to get a crisp release.
I've read G. Fred Asbell's shooting books, watched video's online, heck I've even thought of praying about it!!!
My bow is 54# @ my draw weight, going with a heavier poundage bow (Kanati) for elk hunting out West.
Can anybody give me some advice? I've tried everything I could think of and I still pluck my release probably @ least 50% of the time, causing my broadhead flight to be terrible  

[moebow]

Iowa,

Plucking can be caused by many things and just trying to help without seeing is really tough.  Can you post a video from different angles??

Many times, plucking is simply a result of not getting good back tension -- regardless of what you THINK you might be doing.

In the meantime, take a look at my videos for some ideas to try.  You Tube, TheMoebow1, "Release tips" and see if they help any with ideas.  I know you say you've already looked at online videos, but...

Your 54# is plenty for elk, no need to go higher and especially if you are struggling with your release at 54#.

Arne

[McDave]

My own personal experience (I am a Master Plucker) is that plucking is caused by only one thing: creeping. It could be that Arne is a Senior Master Plucker, and has discovered other ways to do it.  I've always wanted lessons from Arne, and maybe this is one of the things he could teach me, as I've always wanted to increase my plucking skills.  (Just kidding!).

Creeping means that you reach maximum tension in your draw, whether (correctly) through back tension or (incorrectly) through using your arm muscles, and then relax the tension slightly before releasing the shot.  As you relax tension, you suddenly realize you have to get the shot off before you totally collapse, and so you try to pull back in a desperate attempt to save the shot and pluck the string, resulting in a right or right high miss for a RH shooter.

The solution is to keep all the tension you gain pulling, whether you're pulling with the right or wrong muscles, until you release the shot. I do it (when I'm not trying to perfect my pluck ;-) by drawing the string back against my eyebrow and maintaining the pressure I feel on the bone under my eyebrow.  It's hard to know if you start creeping unless you have something to gauge it by.  If you do feel yourself losing tension after you reach full draw, the recommended solution is to let down.  I, and even some GOOD archers that I have seen in videos, will sometimes flinch, recover, flinch, recover, and then shoot the shot, but I'm sure if you could make yourself do it, it would take less energy to just let down and start the shot over.

[Iowabowhunter]

Thanks for the advice guys! I think part of my problem is that I have trouble finding a repeatable anchor-my tab extends too far forward in front of my fingers. I will cut it this evening and try that. Gloves haven't worked out either :/ I was hoping that with a higher draw weight that would help achicve a cleaner release. I don't have any issues getting to full draw, I can hold it there for probably 12-15 seconds before I start to shame or anything

[Iowabowhunter]

Shake*

[LongStick64]

For me I had been shooting with most of the finger pressure on my middle finger and at anchor I was basically holding with one finger, since I have made a more conscious effort to add more finger pressure using the index finger along with the middle finger, I have a crisper release

[cahaba]

I highly recommend moebo's videos. They really helped me. Watching them all would be good.

[TSP]

Simply pushing hard with the bow hand and pulling  hard with the string hand will almost always provide a cleaner release and better arrow performance.

[Brianlocal3]

I dont have much to add, but im about to write up a pretty long thread on things ive learned part 2.  
James at JD Berry archery  was telling me (i have/had the same issue) to "relax your bicep".  Now, the premise behind it is that the muscles used in the had that help hold the string are tied into your bicep. NOW WITH THAT SAID it goes against all common teaching that you should be pulling/holding with your bicep as its a back movement i.e. back tension, but for grins conciouncly think about "relax the bicep" and see if that helps.  Also a side note, Byron Ferguson says to "relax the whole draw side of the body" meaning to just let the string flow off the fingers.