>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Norm Paullus, who hunts with a compound bow, has been interested in archery since he was a boy. (Observer photo/PHIL BULLOCK).

Bill Rautenstrauch

The Observer

If you're new to bow hunting, you've got a lot to learn and think about. But the first thing you should be thinking about is your own safety.

That's some advice from Norm Paullus, a lifetime bow hunter who on some hunts disappears into the woods for 48 hours or more.

"I think safety's the most important thing. It starts with letting people know where you're going, so they know where to look for you if something happens to go wrong," Paullus said.

Paullus, who with Ron Babcock owns Alpine Archery in La Grande, has been interested in archery since he was a boy. It's his passion. He loves to talk about it every bit as much as he loves doing it. And he is now gearing up for the general deer and elk bow-hunting season, which runs Aug. 26 to Sept. 24.

The love affair began in Myrtle Point, a city world famous as a producer of Port Orford cedar arrow shafts.

"Sometimes I'd get some of the reject shafts and shoot them with a stick bow. I learned how to shoot a bow before I got my first air gun," Paullus said.

Paullus went to high school in John Day and college in Portland before moving to

La Grande in 1973. His interest in archery and big-game bow hunting never waned.

He has been active in the Grande Ronde Bowmen for many years, forming friendship with other local bow hunters who share his commitment to the sport.

He and Babcock are among those who shoot competitively, in world-qualifying tournaments across the Northwest.

Paullus said he thinks membership in an organization like the Bowmen pays big dividends for anyone hoping to master bow hunting.

"When you join a club, you have a range available to you. You're walking trails and shooting unmarked distances. It's really a major benefit, well worth the dues," he said.

But before a archer steps out in the range, he's got to have a bow. There are a few choices, and none of them is wrong, according to Paullus.

Compound bows, with their system of wheels and pulleys and selection of accuracy-enhancing accessories, are by far the most popular.

Paullus hunts with a compound himself. He agrees they have strong advantages over recurves and longbows. Faster arrow speed and greater accuracy top the list.

But there are some disadvantages, too.

"There's a lot of mechanical things that can go wrong with a compound," Paullus said. "I have more than one, so there's always a back-up. But some hunters don't have that luxury. I encourage people to check their equipment over long before the season starts."

In the end, choice of a bow boils down to individual preference and the bow hunter's level of commitment, he said.

"I used to shoot a recurve and I know it takes a lot of practice and skill," he said.

In the right hands, he added, a recurve or traditional bow can be just as accurate and effective as a compound.

"I know people who can shoot a recurve or a long bow as well as I can shoot a compound," he said. "There are people out there who are really good with them."

No matter what the bow, said Paullus, the way to accuracy lies both in practice and in a knowledge of the weapon's limitations.

It's well to keep in mind that bow hunting, unlike rifle hunting, is a close-in sport.

"Always practice at reasonable ranges. Forty or fifty yards is probably a maximum, whether you're a beginner or someone who's been shooting a long time," Paullus said.

When Paullus hunts, he goes in search of trophy animals. His personal rule is never to take anything less than than a four-point deer or elk.

He said that over the years, he has found elk to be the smartest of the animals he's hunted, and mule deer — at least those of trophy stature — the wariest.

For Paullus, there isn't any one "right" way to hunt elk or deer. He chooses the tactic that best suits the situation. Sometimes he stalks his game. Other times he might hunt from a tree stand.

Paullus recommends scouting areas thoroughly, especially when the game is trophy mule deer.

"It's difficult to get into their bedding areas. I do a lot of scouting, a lot of glassing across canyons. That way, there's less chance of stumbling in and running the game out," he said.

In elk hunting, Paullus said scents sold commercially can be helpful, if they are used in the right circumstances. He said he uses them entering or leaving an area, and sometimes when hunting from a stand.

But more often than not, it's better for a hunter to simply hide his own human smell.

One trick Paullus uses is to wash his clothing in a stream, then hang it to dry in a pine tree.

"Lots of times, it's better to cover up your scent than it is to put scent on," he said.

For Paullus, bugling a bull elk in during the rut is one of the most exciting aspects of the sport.

Bugling takes practice, he said, and lots of hunters have a tendency to over-use the tactic.

But done right, it yields experiences and memories to last a lifetime.

"One time I called in a bull and I made him mad enough to charge. I'd set my bow down and didn't have time to pick it up. I left the bow right there and ran," Paullus remembered. "I don't know how close he came, because I didn't stop to look back."

He added, "That same day we called in a big six point and got him to come within 80 yards. It was too far for a shot, but it was still a thrill."

Back to the safety issues, Paullus said he considers it important to be well-equipped for the terrain and the weather, to stay well-hydrated, and especially, to be careful when handling broadheads.

"Broadheads kill by causing hemorrhage. They're razor-sharp and it's so easy to cut yourself. You may not even feel it, and then the next thing you know, you're bleeding like crazy. Always keep your broadheads encased," he said.

He also said it's worth remembering that scents and calls can attract animals the hunter isn't interested in meeting, predators like cougars and bears.

As with any sport, there are elements of risk. But done safely and well, bow hunting offers unique rewards.

"I like the challenge, and I like the peace and quiet. You don't have a lot of guns going off around you," Paullus said.

For the novice, he recommends this approach:

"I'd say learn as you go, and remember the lessons. Then your next trip will be a lot more enjoyable."