Tuesday, August 11, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Category

Hunting

97 articles

Oregon 2026 Draw Results Are In: Scouting and Prep Strategies to Make the Most of Your Tag

Oregon 2026 Draw Results Are In: Scouting and Prep Strategies to Make the Most of Your Tag

The 2026 Oregon big game draw results are out. Whether you drew your first-choice elk unit or a backup deer tag, the weeks between now and your opener are the most valuable scouting time of the year.

By HFR Staff  · July 5, 2026
Oregon Archery Elk Season Countdown: July Glassing, Unit Prep, and Opening Day Strategy

Oregon Archery Elk Season Countdown: July Glassing, Unit Prep, and Opening Day Strategy

With Oregon's archery elk opener just weeks away, July is your last window to glass velvet bulls, lock down your unit, and get your body and gear dialed before August hits.

By HFR Staff  · July 3, 2026
Late July Velvet Mule Deer Scouting in Eastern Oregon: Glass, Maps, and Moving Faster Than the Crowds

Late July Velvet Mule Deer Scouting in Eastern Oregon: Glass, Maps, and Moving Faster Than the Crowds

July in Eastern Oregon means velvet bucks are on predictable summer range, visible in the open, and patternable before anyone else is looking. Here is how to find a shooter before the draw results even hit your inbox.

By HFR Staff  · July 2, 2026
Oregon's Chesnimnus Unit Archery Elk: DIY Hunting in the Wallowa Backcountry

Oregon's Chesnimnus Unit Archery Elk: DIY Hunting in the Wallowa Backcountry

The Chesnimnus Unit covers dramatic canyon country north of the Wallowa Mountains, offering DIY archery hunters some of the best elk country in Oregon — and bulls that have never seen serious pressure.

By HFR Staff  · July 1, 2026
Packing Out Solo Elk: Quartering, Meat Care, and Pack Systems for DIY Oregon Backcountry Hunters

Packing Out Solo Elk: Quartering, Meat Care, and Pack Systems for DIY Oregon Backcountry Hunters

Killing a bull elk alone is one thing. Getting that meat off the mountain by yourself is another. Here's everything you need to know before you pull the trigger.

By HFR Staff  · June 30, 2026
Sage Grouse Hunting in Oregon: Conservation Tags, Eastern Oregon Units, and Tactics for America's Largest Grouse

Sage Grouse Hunting in Oregon: Conservation Tags, Eastern Oregon Units, and Tactics for America's Largest Grouse

Oregon's sage grouse season is tightly regulated and genuinely special — a chance to hunt one of the West's most iconic birds across millions of acres of high desert. Here's how to draw a tag and make the most of it.

By HFR Staff  · June 29, 2026
Bear Hunting with Hounds in Southern Oregon: Tradition, Dogs, and the Siskiyou Chase

Bear Hunting with Hounds in Southern Oregon: Tradition, Dogs, and the Siskiyou Chase

Before trail cameras and bait stations, southern Oregon bear hunting ran on dogs. Here's a deep look at the hound hunting tradition in the Siskiyou Mountains — the country, the breeds, and what it takes to close the distance on a treed bear.

By HFR Staff  · June 28, 2026
Chukar Hunting in Oregon's Snake River Canyon: Birds, Boots, and the Hardest Hunt in the West

Chukar Hunting in Oregon's Snake River Canyon: Birds, Boots, and the Hardest Hunt in the West

The Snake River Canyon holds some of the best chukar hunting in North America—and some of the most punishing terrain. Here's how to find birds, survive the descent, and come home with a full game bag.

By HFR Staff  · June 27, 2026
Oregon Archery Deer Season: How to Prepare for the August Opener on Public Land

Oregon Archery Deer Season: How to Prepare for the August Opener on Public Land

Oregon's archery deer season opens in mid-August and the hunters who do their homework in June and July will be the ones tagging out. Here's a complete preparation guide for public land deer hunters.

By HFR Staff  · June 26, 2026
Wilson's Snipe Hunting in Oregon: The Overlooked September Wetlands Bird

Wilson's Snipe Hunting in Oregon: The Overlooked September Wetlands Bird

Wilson's snipe is real, it's abundant, and Oregon has a generous season that opens in early September. Here's how to hunt this challenging migratory bird in Willamette Valley wetlands and agricultural sloughs.

By HFR Staff  · June 25, 2026
Fall Wild Turkey Hunting in Oregon's Willamette Valley: Tags, Tactics, and the October Season

Fall Wild Turkey Hunting in Oregon's Willamette Valley: Tags, Tactics, and the October Season

Oregon's fall turkey season opens in October and the Willamette Valley is loaded with Rios and Eastern hybrids. Here's how to fill your tag when the birds have shifted from spring breeding behavior.

By HFR Staff  · June 24, 2026
Cow Elk Hunting in Oregon: Antlerless Tags, Public Land Access, and Filling the Freezer

Cow Elk Hunting in Oregon: Antlerless Tags, Public Land Access, and Filling the Freezer

Oregon’s antlerless elk tags are one of the most underutilized opportunities in the state. Here’s how to apply, where to hunt, and why a cow elk is the best deal in big game hunting.

By HFR Staff  · June 22, 2026