String Plucking!

[Scottd9990]

I seem to have developed a bad habbit of plucking the sting when I shoot. Whats the common solution? I try to anchor to the corner of my mouth and just relax my fingers, but i find my hand gos out and not back after the shot. My groups are not consistant. I am trying to teach myself the Ferguson way of become the arrow! I just can't seem to put it all together. I am shooting a Hill style longbow, and I am a lefty! Yea, I know complicated!

Scott

[Jim Casto Jr]

Bale work up close.

[Scottd9990]

Jim, thanks. You mean shooting with eyes closed and just working on form?

[Yohon]

"hand goes out and not back"...tells me you need to crank in more back tension, pull more than you think you need and keep pullin till you see the arrow in the target. Sounds like your letting the string AND your back tension go at the same time...keep the back tension longer.

[Scottd9990]

Yohon, Thanks. I will work on that tonight. I think you are right!

[Jim Casto Jr]

Scott,

You’re talking to a master plucker here; a sufferer of target panic forever—it seems. I really get concerned when I hear anyone talk about an involuntary pluck. That’s been my Achilles tendon for years. For me, a pluck represents a collapse (an involuntary loss of back tension) and I’ve had a most difficult time trying to overcome it without the use of a clicker. There’s nothing more frustrating in archery than for the brain to know exactly what you want to do, and then, not be able to do it.

Getting close and shooting a bale allows a guy to go through each step of his shot sequence. It allows you to isolate the exact problem and lets you work on it without the pressure of having to hit the mark.

Just remember, if you can “maintain” back tension/pulling to conclusion, you won’t collapse and can’t pluck.

Closing your eyes is something that seems to help some, but I’ve never seen anything positive come of it for me. Best of luck to you.

Perhaps you can find a nugget or two in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11331

[whump]

Whump Sez; Well, the pull thru release that Yohon and Casto are talking about will cure it. Careful with pull thru that you don't start short drawing , that happens sometimes when people start snap shooting on a pull thru and casto mentioned the "clicker" to solve that problem.The only way I have ever been able to kill a turkey from a tree stand is with a snap shot, so it is not a bad thing , just don't start short drawing. I use the ball between the shoulder blades to maintain back tension. Try to imagine that you are trying to hold a ball or orange size object between your shoulder blades at full draw. That will help put your back in the shot and take your arms somewhat out of holding the draw. Keep your draw arm elbow down and practice the blind bale like the fellows are talking about. That way you can concentrate on your form . Getting in to a bad habit is easy and breaking it is absolute hell and why the brain works like that I have no idea. Hunt safe.

[Fuzzy Dog]

You've already had some damn good advice. The only thing I'll add is to suggest you try a Formmaster to be sure you're actually pulling with your back and not your arm. See if you can borrow one, because it only takes 5 to 10 pulls on the thing to show you what you're doing now and how to fix it if need be.

[Scottd9990]

Thanks for all your advise. I will be working on this issue alot. Trying to get into form for hunting season coming up. I am going hog hunting next week in FL. Taking my son with me too. Wish us luck and good hits! Not sure which bow to take, recurve @ 40, or longbow @ 50. I actually shoot a bit better with the recurve, but like the longbow better. Think I will take both.

Scott