Monday, July 6, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Minam River Canyon: Backpacking Into the Eagle Cap Wilderness Through Oregon's Deepest River Gorge

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.

By HFR Staff  ·  July 6, 2026
NRL22 Rimfire Competition: Getting Started in Precision .22 LR Shooting in the Pacific Northwest
Shooting

NRL22 Rimfire Competition: Getting Started in Precision .22 LR Shooting in the Pacific Northwest

NRL22 is the most accessible entry point for practical precision shooting, and Oregon clubs are running sanctioned matches year-round. If you want to get into long-range shooting without a $3,000 centerfire investment, here's everything you need — rifles, optics, ammo, local clubs, and what to expect at your first match.

July 6, 2026
Reloading the .30 Nosler: Long-Range Elk Loads for Oregon's Open Country
Reloading

Reloading the .30 Nosler: Long-Range Elk Loads for Oregon's Open Country

The .30 Nosler pushes 180-grain bullets faster than a .300 Win Mag in a standard-length action. For open-country elk hunters in Oregon's Blue Mountains, Wallowas, or high Cascades, the handload advantage is real. Components, powder selection, AccuBond loads, and brass management for the .30 Nosler.

July 6, 2026
Archery Pronghorn at Oregon's Hart Mountain Unit: Spot-and-Stalk Tactics for High Desert Goats
Hunting

Archery Pronghorn at Oregon's Hart Mountain Unit: Spot-and-Stalk Tactics for High Desert Goats

Of all the Western archery hunts, few test a bowhunter like archery pronghorn. Oregon's Hart Mountain Unit offers one of the most challenging and rewarding archery pronghorn experiences in the Pacific Northwest. Water hole setups, stalk tactics, gear, and logistics for the open high desert.

July 6, 2026
Alsea River Fall Chinook Preview: Scouting Oregon's Premier Coastal Salmon River Before the September Run
Fishing

Alsea River Fall Chinook Preview: Scouting Oregon's Premier Coastal Salmon River Before the September Run

July is the time to start thinking about fall chinook. By the time the Alsea River turns green and the first rains push into the Coast Range, the anglers who did their homework in summer are the ones backing down the boat ramp with confidence. Timing, access, tactics, and gear for Oregon's Alsea River chinook season.

July 6, 2026
Red Buttes Wilderness: Backpacking the Oregon-California Border's Most Remote Corner
Backpacking

Red Buttes Wilderness: Backpacking the Oregon-California Border's Most Remote Corner

Straddling the Oregon-California border in the Klamath Mountains, the Red Buttes Wilderness is one of the Pacific Northwest's least-visited and most botanically extraordinary backpacking destinations — serpentine rock, rare plants, and alpine lakes with virtually no crowds.

July 5, 2026
Reloading the .444 Marlin: Big-Bore Lever-Gun Loads for Oregon Black Bear and Elk
Reloading

Reloading the .444 Marlin: Big-Bore Lever-Gun Loads for Oregon Black Bear and Elk

The .444 Marlin is the most powerful round ever chambered in a production Marlin lever-action rifle. Here's how to handload it for maximum performance on Oregon's heaviest game at close timber range.

July 5, 2026
Oregon 2026 Draw Results Are In: Scouting and Prep Strategies to Make the Most of Your Tag
Hunting

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.

July 5, 2026
Tenmile Lakes Largemouth Bass: Southern Oregon's Premier Warm-Water Destination Near Coos Bay
Fishing

Tenmile Lakes Largemouth Bass: Southern Oregon's Premier Warm-Water Destination Near Coos Bay

Just inland from the Oregon Coast near Coos Bay, the twin Tenmile Lakes offer some of the state's best largemouth bass fishing — and most anglers driving Highway 101 have no idea what they're missing.

July 5, 2026
Pueblo Mountains: A 3-Day Backpacking Loop Through Southeast Oregon's Remote High Desert
Backpacking

Pueblo Mountains: A 3-Day Backpacking Loop Through Southeast Oregon's Remote High Desert

The Pueblo Mountains rise nearly 5,000 feet above the Alvord Desert floor and remain one of Oregon's best-kept backpacking secrets. A 3-day Denio-to-Fields traverse covers alpine ridgeline, volcanic plateau, and sweeping Great Basin views — usually without another soul in sight.

July 4, 2026