Wednesday, August 5, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Lower Deschutes River Trail: Backpacking Oregon's Best Wild and Scenic Canyon

Lower Deschutes River Trail: Backpacking Oregon's Best Wild and Scenic Canyon

The Lower Deschutes River trail runs 25+ miles through basalt canyon country from Maupin to the Columbia. It's one of Oregon's premier desert backpacking routes — and almost nobody thinks to hike it.

By HFR Staff  ·  August 5, 2026
Choosing Your First Reloading Press: Single-Stage, Turret, and Progressive Presses Explained
Reloading

Choosing Your First Reloading Press: Single-Stage, Turret, and Progressive Presses Explained

The reloading press you start with shapes your entire handloading experience. Here's how to choose between single-stage, turret, and progressive presses based on what you actually shoot.

August 5, 2026
Oregon's Murderers Creek Unit Archery Elk: DIY Public Land Bull Hunting in the John Day Country
Hunting

Oregon's Murderers Creek Unit Archery Elk: DIY Public Land Bull Hunting in the John Day Country

The Murderers Creek Unit in Grant County is one of Oregon's most storied public land elk hunting destinations. Here's what it takes to tag a bull on your own, on foot, in this demanding Blue Mountains unit.

August 5, 2026
Summer Kokanee Trolling at Lemolo Lake: Oregon's Hidden North Umpqua High-Cascades Fishery
Fishing

Summer Kokanee Trolling at Lemolo Lake: Oregon's Hidden North Umpqua High-Cascades Fishery

Lemolo Lake sits at 3,400 feet in the North Umpqua drainage and produces some of Oregon's best landlocked kokanee salmon every summer — if you know when to go and how to troll it.

August 5, 2026
Reloading the 6.8 SPC: Custom AR Hunting Loads for Oregon's Most Underrated Intermediate Cartridge
Reloading

Reloading the 6.8 SPC: Custom AR Hunting Loads for Oregon's Most Underrated Intermediate Cartridge

The 6.8 SPC is a legitimate deer and blacktail cartridge in an AR-15 platform. With careful handloading, it delivers accuracy and terminal performance that factory ammo barely hints at.

August 4, 2026
Getting Started with IDPA Defensive Pistol Competition in Oregon: Clubs, Gear, and Your First Match
Shooting

Getting Started with IDPA Defensive Pistol Competition in Oregon: Clubs, Gear, and Your First Match

IDPA is the fastest-growing defensive pistol sport in the country — and Oregon has a thriving club scene. Here's what you need to know to show up ready for your first match.

August 4, 2026
Late-Season Elk Hunting in Oregon: November Rifle Tactics for Public Land Bulls After the Rut
Hunting

Late-Season Elk Hunting in Oregon: November Rifle Tactics for Public Land Bulls After the Rut

Once the bugling stops and the orange army goes home, November elk hunting on Oregon public land gets hard — and rewarding. Here's how to find bulls after the rut.

August 4, 2026
Klamath River Salmon and Steelhead: Oregon's Historic Dam Removal and What It Means for Anglers
Fishing

Klamath River Salmon and Steelhead: Oregon's Historic Dam Removal and What It Means for Anglers

The largest dam removal in U.S. history has reopened hundreds of miles of the Klamath River to salmon and steelhead. Here's what Oregon anglers need to know heading into the 2026 fall season.

August 4, 2026
Electronic Hearing Protection for Hunters: Best Ear Pro for the Oregon Field, Blind, and Range
Shooting

Electronic Hearing Protection for Hunters: Best Ear Pro for the Oregon Field, Blind, and Range

Most Oregon hunters protect their hearing on the range but neglect it in the field. Electronic hearing protection solves that — and actually makes you a more aware, effective hunter. Here is what to choose and why it matters.

August 3, 2026
Table Rock Wilderness: A Summer Backpacking Loop Through Oregon's Molalla River Country
Backpacking

Table Rock Wilderness: A Summer Backpacking Loop Through Oregon's Molalla River Country

Just 45 minutes from the Portland metro, the Table Rock Wilderness offers old-growth solitude and dramatic basalt plateau views — and almost nobody knows it exists. Here's how to explore it in a weekend.

August 3, 2026