Wednesday, July 8, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Cornucopia to Hawkins Pass: A 3-Day Wilderness Traverse Through Oregon's Southern Wallowas

Cornucopia to Hawkins Pass: A 3-Day Wilderness Traverse Through Oregon's Southern Wallowas

The southern Wallowa Mountains remain one of Oregon's least-visited wilderness areas. This 3-day route from Cornucopia through Hawkins Pass delivers granite peaks, alpine lakes, and genuine solitude.

By HFR Staff  ·  July 8, 2026
Reloading the 8mm Mauser (8x57 IS): From Military Surplus to Modern Hunting Loads
Reloading

Reloading the 8mm Mauser (8x57 IS): From Military Surplus to Modern Hunting Loads

The 8mm Mauser is one of the most widely distributed military cartridges in history — and one of the most underestimated hunting rounds. Here's how to reload it right.

July 8, 2026
Metolius Unit Archery Mule Deer: Ponderosa Bucks and the August Opener in Oregon's High Desert
Hunting

Metolius Unit Archery Mule Deer: Ponderosa Bucks and the August Opener in Oregon's High Desert

Oregon's Metolius Unit is one of the most underrated OTC archery mule deer tags in the state. Here's how to find velvet bucks in the ponderosa pine country above the Metolius River before the crowds arrive.

July 8, 2026
Suttle Lake Kokanee Trolling: Oregon's Best Summer Salmon on a High Cascades Lake
Fishing

Suttle Lake Kokanee Trolling: Oregon's Best Summer Salmon on a High Cascades Lake

Suttle Lake near Sisters delivers consistent kokanee action all summer long. Here's how to rig, find fish, and put landlocked salmon in the cooler before the crowds arrive.

July 8, 2026
Ice Lake Loop in Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness: Backpacking to the Wallowas' Most Spectacular Alpine Basin
Backpacking

Ice Lake Loop in Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness: Backpacking to the Wallowas' Most Spectacular Alpine Basin

Ice Lake sits at 7,900 feet in the heart of Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness, ringed by granite peaks and home to mountain goats. Here's how to get there and what to expect on this spectacular alpine backpacking trip.

July 7, 2026
Spotting Scopes for Western Hunters: Glass, Tripods, and Magnification That Actually Work in the Field
Shooting

Spotting Scopes for Western Hunters: Glass, Tripods, and Magnification That Actually Work in the Field

A quality spotting scope might be the single most underrated piece of gear a western hunter carries. Here's how to choose the right one, set it up, and use it to find more animals.

July 7, 2026
Reloading the .280 Remington: The Original Long-Range Deer and Elk Cartridge
Reloading

Reloading the .280 Remington: The Original Long-Range Deer and Elk Cartridge

Before the 7mm PRC and 6.5 Creedmoor dominated the conversation, the .280 Remington was quietly putting elk on the ground across the West. It still does — and it reloads beautifully.

July 7, 2026
Hunting Oregon's Silvies Unit for Archery Bull Elk: A Public Land DIY Guide
Hunting

Hunting Oregon's Silvies Unit for Archery Bull Elk: A Public Land DIY Guide

The Silvies Unit sits in the heart of central Oregon's high desert, offering archery elk hunters a realistic shot at mature bulls on public land. Here's what it takes to do it right on your own.

July 7, 2026
Buoy 10 Columbia River Chinook: Oregon's Premier August Salmon Fishery
Fishing

Buoy 10 Columbia River Chinook: Oregon's Premier August Salmon Fishery

The Buoy 10 season opens August 1 on the lower Columbia River, drawing thousands of anglers to one of the most productive chinook and coho fisheries in the Pacific Northwest. Here's how to get ready before the opener.

July 7, 2026
Minam River Canyon: Backpacking Into the Eagle Cap Wilderness Through Oregon's Deepest River Gorge
Backpacking

Minam River Canyon: Backpacking Into the Eagle Cap Wilderness Through Oregon's Deepest River Gorge

The Minam River drainage is lower, lusher, longer, and far less traveled than the Lakes Basin crowds. Old-growth ponderosa pine, wild cutthroat trout, Roosevelt elk, and a Wild and Scenic river corridor through Oregon's finest wilderness. A 3-4 day backpacking guide to the Minam Canyon.

July 6, 2026