Plucking the string

[Centex]

Does a right handed person plucking the string lead to the arrow hitting left of intended target?

[RickBarbee]

Yes, it does quite often.
Least that's the way it works for me.

Rick

[Deb]

Yep

[agtex42]

Yep, you're essentially pulling your hand away from your face/anchor at the moment of release which places the string and arrow nock right of "centerline" which causes the point of the arrow to impact left of your intended point of aim.

Most of my left hits are a result of a pluck and when I do it I can feel the extra tension in my hand immediately after the release (vice just holding at anchor, relaxing the fingers and expanding through the shot)

[Ghost Animation]

This is good to know. Been having this problem from time to time.

[jreyna920]

Yes and use more back and introduce a step or two to shot sequence to finish shot, like touching shoulder

[Centex]

Yes and use more back and introduce a step or two to shot sequence to finish shot, like touching shoulder

Yep. This weekend I rewatched some Jimmy Blackmon videos while on vacation and not shooting. His technique videos are awesome. Focused on tension and committed to shoulder touch and my shot returned to normal. My wood arrows came back to center. Just wanted to makes sure I had actually diagnosed correctly. Thanks Trad Gurus.

[El Paisano]

Makes em wiggle too.

[Stykbow]

Yes and use more back and introduce a step or two to shot sequence to finish shot, like touching shoulder

X2

[Greywolf in Hawaii]

as well as failure to follow through and the left arm moving to the left as well.
Not just a string pluck will "help" cause left hits.

[caughtandhobble]

To add to the great advise already given... Mr. Rod Jenkins suggest doing exactly as mentioned above, use the added step in the shot sequence of touching the shoulder with your shooting hand after the release. This can be used as a tool to ensure both consistency in the release, and good follow though. The touching the hand on the shoulder can also be used as signal to the bow arm to insure a good follow through, meaning keep your bow arm up and steady until the shooting hand touches the shoulder. This will ensure that your arrow has had time to clear the bow consistently without any interference from the bow moving around and effecting the arrows flight.

If I may add, the single largest improvement in my shooting was when I was taught to actually draw the string away from my face (to the right of my face) to help engage my back muscles. By drawing the string away from your face then pulling it into anchor almost guarantees no more plucking.

Jimmy Blackmon videos are great, he is dedicated to teaching traditional archery to the world for free. He is one technical fellow who has a great way of breaking things down in bite size chunks for easy understanding.

[Loreva13]

Great advice here! This will be very useful for me.

[n8vtxn1]

Guess I'm backwards, when my fingers hang on the string and my hand moves way from my face my shots alway hit right of intended target. When I'm hitting left I'm moving my bow hand at the shot. This happens if I shoot stiff armed.