Thursday, July 30, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Grassy Knob Wilderness: Backpacking Oregon's Remote South Coast Rainforest

Grassy Knob Wilderness: Backpacking Oregon's Remote South Coast Rainforest

Tucked in the Siskiyou National Forest above Port Orford, the Grassy Knob Wilderness is one of Oregon's smallest and least-visited designated wilderness areas — but it delivers old-growth Sitka spruce, dramatic coastal views, and genuine solitude.

By HFR Staff  ·  July 30, 2026
Reloading the .300 Savage: A Classic Short-Action Deer Cartridge Worth Rediscovering
Reloading

Reloading the .300 Savage: A Classic Short-Action Deer Cartridge Worth Rediscovering

The .300 Savage may be 100 years old, but it's still a deadly deer cartridge — and a rewarding one to reload. Here's everything you need to know about components, load data, and getting the most from this underrated round.

July 30, 2026
Oregon's Desolation Unit Archery Mule Deer: Public Land Bucks in the John Day Canyon Country
Hunting

Oregon's Desolation Unit Archery Mule Deer: Public Land Bucks in the John Day Canyon Country

The Desolation Unit sits in the heart of Oregon's John Day country — open canyon terrain, light hunting pressure, and genuine trophy mule deer. Here's how to scout and hunt it before the August archery opener.

July 30, 2026
Illinois River Summer Steelhead: Wild Fish in Oregon's Most Remote Siskiyou Canyon
Fishing

Illinois River Summer Steelhead: Wild Fish in Oregon's Most Remote Siskiyou Canyon

The Illinois River is one of Oregon's last truly wild steelhead rivers — remote, uncompromising, and worth every step of the approach. Here's what you need to know to fish it in July and August.

July 30, 2026
Low-Light Archery Hunting: Equipment, Setup, and Shot Execution for Oregon's Best 20 Minutes of the Day
Archery

Low-Light Archery Hunting: Equipment, Setup, and Shot Execution for Oregon's Best 20 Minutes of the Day

The last 20 minutes of daylight produce more big game encounters than any other window of the day. Here's how to set up your compound bow, choose the right accessories, and execute the shot when the light is barely there.

July 29, 2026
Semi-Auto Hunting Rifles for Western Big Game: Platform, Calibers, and Field Performance in Oregon's Mountains
Shooting

Semi-Auto Hunting Rifles for Western Big Game: Platform, Calibers, and Field Performance in Oregon's Mountains

Semi-automatic hunting rifles have crossed into serious big game territory. Here's a practical look at the best platforms, calibers, and real-world performance for elk, mule deer, and blacktail hunters in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

July 29, 2026
Imnaha Canyon to Eureka Bar: A 3-Day Wilderness Hike Through Oregon's Most Remote Hells Canyon Country
Backpacking

Imnaha Canyon to Eureka Bar: A 3-Day Wilderness Hike Through Oregon's Most Remote Hells Canyon Country

The lower Imnaha River canyon route to Eureka Bar on the Snake River is one of the most remote and rewarding backpacking trips in all of Oregon. Here's a complete guide to the 3-day route, logistics, and what to expect when you drop into North America's deepest river gorge.

July 29, 2026
Oregon's Fort Rock Unit Archery Mule Deer: High Desert Bucks in Lake County's Hidden Gem
Hunting

Oregon's Fort Rock Unit Archery Mule Deer: High Desert Bucks in Lake County's Hidden Gem

The Fort Rock Unit in south-central Oregon doesn't get the attention of more famous mule deer draws, but it offers consistent over-the-counter archery opportunity, light pressure, and big-bodied high desert bucks for hunters willing to put in the glassing hours.

July 29, 2026
Willamette River Summer Smallmouth Bass: Wade and Float Tactics from Corvallis to Salem
Fishing

Willamette River Summer Smallmouth Bass: Wade and Float Tactics from Corvallis to Salem

The Willamette's mainstem runs clear and warm by July, and the smallmouth bass fishing between Corvallis and Salem reaches its annual peak. Here's how to find fish, what to throw, and the best access points for wading or floating this underrated Oregon river.

July 29, 2026
Oregon Public Land Navigation: Using USFS, BLM, and OnX Maps to Find Hunting Ground Everyone Misses
Hunting

Oregon Public Land Navigation: Using USFS, BLM, and OnX Maps to Find Hunting Ground Everyone Misses

The best elk, mule deer, and pronghorn country in Oregon isn't on the roads everyone drives. It's in the corners that take real map skills to reach. Here's how to find it.

July 28, 2026