Thursday, August 6, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Field Judging Bull Elk Antlers Before Drawing Your Bow: A Western Bowhunter's Guide

Field Judging Bull Elk Antlers Before Drawing Your Bow: A Western Bowhunter's Guide

You have seconds to decide when a bull steps out. Learn how to use the elk's own body as a measuring stick, read main beam length, tine length, mass, and symmetry — and make the right call before the moment is gone.

By HFR Staff  ·  August 6, 2026
Reloading the 6mm BR Norma: Sub-Half-MOA Precision for Benchrest and Varmint Hunting
Reloading

Reloading the 6mm BR Norma: Sub-Half-MOA Precision for Benchrest and Varmint Hunting

The 6mm BR Norma is one of the most accurate cartridges ever developed. Here's a complete handloading guide covering brass prep, bullet selection, powder choices, and the seating depth work that separates a half-MOA load from a quarter-MOA one.

August 6, 2026
Field Caping a Deer or Elk for the Taxidermist: A Step-by-Step Oregon Hunter's Guide
Hunting

Field Caping a Deer or Elk for the Taxidermist: A Step-by-Step Oregon Hunter's Guide

A poor cape job can ruin months of hard work before you ever reach the taxidermist. Learn exactly where to cut, how to skin the head, and how to salt and preserve your deer or elk cape in Oregon's varied hunting conditions.

August 6, 2026
Chetco River Fall Chinook: Oregon's Trophy South Coast Salmon Destination
Fishing

Chetco River Fall Chinook: Oregon's Trophy South Coast Salmon Destination

The Chetco River at Brookings consistently produces some of the largest wild king salmon on the Oregon coast. Here's everything you need to know about timing, tactics, access, and regulations for this late-season trophy fishery.

August 6, 2026
Lower Deschutes River Trail: Backpacking Oregon's Best Wild and Scenic Canyon
Backpacking

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.

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