Tuesday, October 20, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Oregon Sporting Clays: Getting Started at the State's Best Courses for Wingshooting Prep

Oregon Sporting Clays: Getting Started at the State's Best Courses for Wingshooting Prep

Sporting clays is the fastest way to rack up wingshooting repetitions before bird season. A complete Oregon beginner's guide covering top venues from Albany to Medford, gear and choke selection, shooting fundamentals, five-stand practice, and how clay target work translates directly to pheasant, duck, and dove hunting.

By HFR Staff  ·  October 20, 2026
South Umpqua River Fall Steelhead: October Bank Fishing for Roseburg Area Wild Fish
Fishing

South Umpqua River Fall Steelhead: October Bank Fishing for Roseburg Area Wild Fish

The South Umpqua quietly delivers wild October steelhead for anglers willing to skip the crowds. A complete guide to access points from Days Creek to Canyonville, hardware and fly tactics, reading October conditions, and current ODFW regulations for the 2026–27 season.

October 20, 2026
Reloading the .223 Remington: Oregon's Premier Varmint and Predator Cartridge
Reloading

Reloading the .223 Remington: Oregon's Premier Varmint and Predator Cartridge

Handloading the .223 Remington cuts your cost to under 40 cents a round and delivers precision factory ammo can't match. Here's a complete Oregon-focused guide to brass prep, powders, bullets, and proven starter loads for coyotes, ground squirrels, and high-desert varmints.

October 20, 2026
Sky Lakes Wilderness Fall Backpacking: A 3-Day Loop Through Southern Oregon's Alpine Basin Country
Backpacking

Sky Lakes Wilderness Fall Backpacking: A 3-Day Loop Through Southern Oregon's Alpine Basin Country

Over 200 lakes, a PCT traverse, and Mount McLoughlin looming overhead — and almost nobody there in October. Here's your guide to the Sky Lakes Wilderness 3-day loop.

October 19, 2026
Haystack Reservoir Fall Rainbow Trout: Central Oregon's Overlooked High Desert Gem
Fishing

Haystack Reservoir Fall Rainbow Trout: Central Oregon's Overlooked High Desert Gem

Haystack Reservoir near Madras is one of Central Oregon's most underrated fall trout fisheries. Here's how to catch quality rainbows on flies and gear this October.

October 19, 2026
Klamath Basin Waterfowl: Hunting Tule Lake and Lower Klamath NWR for October Ducks and Canada Geese
Hunting

Klamath Basin Waterfowl: Hunting Tule Lake and Lower Klamath NWR for October Ducks and Canada Geese

The Klamath Basin is Oregon's top Pacific Flyway destination. Here's how to hunt Tule Lake and Lower Klamath NWR for ducks and geese this October.

October 19, 2026
Timberline Trail Circumnavigation: Hiking Mount Hood's Complete Loop Before October Snow
Backpacking

Timberline Trail Circumnavigation: Hiking Mount Hood's Complete Loop Before October Snow

The Timberline Trail's 40-mile loop around Mount Hood is spectacular in October — fewer crowds, autumn color, and dramatic early snow on the summit. This 4-day itinerary covers route, camp spots, creek crossings, gear, and everything you need before the season closes.

October 18, 2026
Fall Coho Salmon on the Trask and Kilchis Rivers: Tillamook County's October Silver Run
Fishing

Fall Coho Salmon on the Trask and Kilchis Rivers: Tillamook County's October Silver Run

The Trask and Kilchis rivers in Tillamook County are Oregon's most overlooked October coho fisheries. This guide covers prime bank spots, tide and rain timing, tackle choices, and regulations for chasing silver salmon on two of the coast's best-kept secrets.

October 18, 2026
Oregon Whitetail Deer Archery: Northeast Oregon's Columbia Basin and Blue Mountains October Buck Hunting
Archery

Oregon Whitetail Deer Archery: Northeast Oregon's Columbia Basin and Blue Mountains October Buck Hunting

Northeast Oregon holds a genuine, underrated whitetail deer population in the Grande Ronde, Wallowa, and Columbia Basin drainages. Here's a complete October archery guide covering units, habitat, blind strategy, calling tactics, and regulations.

October 18, 2026
Eagle Cap Wilderness Fall Backpacking: A 3-Day Wallowa Mountains Loop When the Larch Turns Gold
Backpacking

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fall Backpacking: A 3-Day Wallowa Mountains Loop When the Larch Turns Gold

October is the best month to backpack Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness. The crowds are gone, the western larch trees blaze gold, and the 360,000-acre wilderness feels like yours alone. Here's a practical 3-day loop from Wallowa Lake with gear tips for cold-weather conditions.

October 17, 2026