Saturday, October 17, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Eagle Cap Wilderness Fall Backpacking: A 3-Day Wallowa Mountains Loop When the Larch Turns Gold

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.

By HFR Staff  ·  October 17, 2026
Reloading the .22-250 Remington: Oregon's Premier Varmint Cartridge for Coyotes and Ground Squirrels
Reloading

Reloading the .22-250 Remington: Oregon's Premier Varmint Cartridge for Coyotes and Ground Squirrels

The .22-250 Remington is one of the fastest, flattest-shooting varmint cartridges you can handload. Here's a complete Oregon-focused guide to powder selection, bullet choices, and load development for coyotes, ground squirrels, and high desert shooting.

October 17, 2026
Umatilla River Fall Steelhead: October Bank and Drift Fishing for Northeast Oregon's Wild B-Run
Fishing

Umatilla River Fall Steelhead: October Bank and Drift Fishing for Northeast Oregon's Wild B-Run

The Umatilla River is one of Oregon's most underrated fall steelhead destinations. With peak B-run fish arriving mid-October through November and far less pressure than the Deschutes or Grande Ronde, this northeastern Oregon river rewards anglers who make the drive to Pendleton country.

October 17, 2026
Crane Prairie Reservoir Fall Rainbow Trout: October Fly Fishing Oregon's Premier High Desert Stillwater
Fishing

Crane Prairie Reservoir Fall Rainbow Trout: October Fly Fishing Oregon's Premier High Desert Stillwater

After Labor Day the crowds leave and the big rainbows move shallow. Here's a complete guide to October fly fishing at Crane Prairie Reservoir — tactics, access, patterns, and why fall is the best-kept secret on the Cascade Lakes.

October 16, 2026
Reloading the .280 Remington: Oregon's Underrated Deer and Elk Cartridge
Reloading

Reloading the .280 Remington: Oregon's Underrated Deer and Elk Cartridge

The .280 Remington is one of the most versatile hunting cartridges ever made — and one of the most overlooked by Oregon handloaders. Here's a complete guide to powders, bullets, and loads for deer and elk.

October 16, 2026
Oregon Ochoco Unit Elk Rifle Season: October Tactics for Crook County Public Land Bulls
Hunting

Oregon Ochoco Unit Elk Rifle Season: October Tactics for Crook County Public Land Bulls

The Ochoco Mountains offer some of Oregon's most accessible public-land elk hunting. Here's how to read post-rut patterns, glass open ponderosa timber, and fill your tag in the Ochoco Unit this October.

October 16, 2026
Reloading the 6mm Creedmoor: Oregon's Flat-Shooting Varmint and Deer Cartridge
Reloading

Reloading the 6mm Creedmoor: Oregon's Flat-Shooting Varmint and Deer Cartridge

The 6mm Creedmoor delivers exceptional long-range accuracy with less recoil than a 6.5. Here's a complete handloading guide covering brass prep, bullets, powders, and load data for Oregon hunters and competitors.

October 15, 2026
Oregon Black Bear Fall Rifle Season: Cascade and Coast Range Tactics
Hunting

Oregon Black Bear Fall Rifle Season: Cascade and Coast Range Tactics

Oregon's fall black bear season is one of the state's most overlooked big-game opportunities. Here's how to find and tag a bear in the Cascades and Coast Range this October.

October 15, 2026
Santiam River Fall Chinook Salmon: North Fork and South Fork Bank Fishing Guide
Fishing

Santiam River Fall Chinook Salmon: North Fork and South Fork Bank Fishing Guide

The Santiam River system is one of the Willamette Valley's most productive and underappreciated fall Chinook runs. Here's how to bank fish the North Fork and South Fork for bright October kings.

October 15, 2026
Upper Rogue River Fall Steelhead: Fly and Hardware Tactics from Shady Cove to McLeod
Fishing

Upper Rogue River Fall Steelhead: Fly and Hardware Tactics from Shady Cove to McLeod

The upper Rogue above Shady Cove is prime October steelhead water. Here's how to read the canyon runs, pick the right gear, and land chrome fish from Shady Cove to McLeod.

October 14, 2026