Do I have to have to have a strike plate material on my bow or can I just shoot right against the wood. Bow is cut to center

A strike plate shouldn't be necessary but with a hunting bow it will help eliminate excess noise of the arrow hitting the bow. Under ideal circumstances the arrow shouldn't touch the bow once released.

My understanding of this is a little different, Pat.  Not saying you're wrong, because I'm no expert in this.  My understanding is that when the arrow begins to go through paradox, it first presses against the strike plate and then recoils away.  The amount of recoil is one of the factors that determine POI on the target.  I have used different types of strike plate material to change the POI.  For a RH shooter, using a softer material, such as Velcro or rug rest will move the POI to the right, while using harder material, such as thin leather, will move the POI to the left.  Using a thicker piece of hard leather moves the POI even further to the left, because the initial recoil and the physical movement outward of the centershot of the bow are additive.  The hardest material of all would be the bare wood of the bow.

Aside from that, unless this is an old bow where appearance doesn't matter, either the strike plate or the side of the bow is going to pick up some wear over time.  Strike plates are easy to replace, bows have to be refinished.

McDave is spot on..

No you do not have to use a strike plate. Some of my longbows don't have anything but  small piece of leather on the shelf. If the arrows are tuned perfectly there will be no contact on release none. You can immediately tell when your release wasn't just right the arrow will click on the riser. Different thicknesses of strike plates then plungers then elevated rests all these are fixes for arrow flight problems not required add ons.

https://youtu.be/cP8XVW4H90g

There are many of these out there.  I purposely chose one showing archer's paradox with a traditional longbow, to avoid any implications relating to cushion plungers, etc.  Note that the first movement of the arrow on release is a bending inward against the strike plate, side of the bow, etc., followed by an outward recoil.  If the arrow is properly tuned to the bow, there should be no other contact with the bow other than perhaps a slight brushing of the fleather, as was the case here.  The initial pressure against the strike plate is a factor in determining arrow flight, however.

you dont have to. I believe howard hill didn't as he could hear better how the arrow was tuned

Maybe put some electrical tape on just in case you make a bad release.  Just a thought. 

The arrow shaft is touching /resting on the shelf and side of the bow when drawn. It does not push further into the side of the bow at release? It clearly moves away from the side of the bow, great video that illustrates the point. A side plate is not needed. A lot of people are shooting way over or underspinned  arrows and a thicker or thinner side plate is way to adjust the bow to the arrow and not the arrow to the bow.

Yes, the arrow pushes further into the side of the bow on release. I guess we're seeing two different things.

Lol definitely. The thing is you don't need a video camera try it if your arrow is tuned to the bow and your release isn't sloppy you get no sound of arrow contact, because there is non.

Yeah and I'm sure the average archer has a perfect release every time.  Is able to always perfectly tune their arrow and never worries about the release noise or even the noise drawing the arrow.
Of course then some of us WANT to shoot the arrow spine and diameter of our choice and get a bow with a shelf/sight window cut to allow for that.
Then I have to wonder, why is it called a "strike plate" if the arrow doesn't strike it at some point?
But I wouldn't shoot my bows without a thin strike plate material.  Calf hair is my personal choice but I've used trimmed down loop or hook and look and blister preventative mole hair in a pinch.

The OP asked if he "had" to use a strike plate, not if you need one. Even with a release not perfect there is no noise if you get sloppy you will get a clicking or worse. No one is going to force you to shoot the correct spinned  arrow for your bow you have every right to use the wrong spine and then add or subtract as much strike  plate material as you want. And yep the arrow is striking the plate you add that's why it's named that. The riser is not called the strike riser lol because the arrow doesn't have to hit the riser at the shot. One of my hunting bows I use a small piece of leather on the riser, why? Because the carbon arrows I use for hogs will not shoot right other wise because I don't like and will not shoot an arrow with any length sticking out past the riser at full draw. So to shoot those shafts at that length a strike plate is needed. The same bow shoots sure woods perfectly without a strike plate and without sound. The leather is a bandaid for the arrow not the bow.
      I guess the real difference in our opinions is I actually have done it both ways and I know for a fact it's not required not for arrow flight or arrow noise not drawing or shooting.

You're correct, not required.  But when selecting an arrow set up, the fact if you have one, how thick of one, affects  center shot and how you would tune your set up.  Be it a twist or two on the string or arrow adjustment.
And no.  I actually don't know why they call it a strike plate.
But I have tried to draw on a deer on a quiet sit with the calf hair missing and the arrow made a distinctive noise as I drew and the deer didn't like it.
That's when I found out mole hair blister material works.  Because I didn't have calf hair but I did have my first aid kit.😄

 

My strike plate is a small piece of leather glued in with Duco. No, you don't need it. The English longbows do not have it (I believe+ but when you are drawing on a deer silence is golden.  Jawge

Two reasons to use a strike plate;
(1) Quietly nocking an arrow when a critter's in front of you as opposed to 'striking' the riser.
(2) Quiets the draw.

What kind of arrows are y'all using that makes that much noise when drawn? Lol. The wood shafts I use make no noise when drawn and I just don't clank them down against the riser when putting an arrow on the string. Howard Hill and Bob Swinehart both shot and hunted without a strike plate so that's pretty decent company to have in a no strike plate discussion. Nate Steen well known in the ASL bow world also doesn't put a strike plate on his bows. Just because "most" people do something doesn't mean it's mandatory or even the best way. How many people you see with 4-6" of arrow sticking out past the riser when they shoot? Again not needed or necessary and a lot of people are doing it and don't know why they are just because they see others doing it.

Dave;
I'm shooting Easton 2213s in all of my bows.
What I've run into is a thin film of Neetsfoot oil will find it's way from glove to riser. Add a bit of desert dust and there's a potential for a squeak / squeal  as the arrow's drawn. Doesn't seem to be as noticeable on leather or a Bear Weather Rest.  It's a small thing and seldom a factor but as a wise man once said, "The Devil's in the details".

On one of my ASLs I run a strike plate because I have aluminums that fly like darts out of it. I don't have the best hearing but even I can hear a slight squeal when I draw them without the plate. All my other bows, it is only a piece of electrical tape for cosmetic sake.