Monday, July 27, 2026  |  Oregon's Outdoor Journal
Arrow Spine Selection for Bowhunters: How to Match Your Arrows to Your Setup and Hunting Style

Arrow Spine Selection for Bowhunters: How to Match Your Arrows to Your Setup and Hunting Style

Arrow spine is the single most important variable in tuning a hunting bow — more important than broadhead choice, release style, or even draw weight. Get it wrong and your arrows fly inconsistently regardless of how well you shoot. Get it right and the rest of tuning falls into place almost automatically.

By HFR Staff  ·  July 27, 2026
Reloading the 7mm SAUM: Short-Action Magnum Loads for Open-Country Deer and Elk
Reloading

Reloading the 7mm SAUM: Short-Action Magnum Loads for Open-Country Deer and Elk

The 7mm Short Action Ultra Magnum is one of the most underrated short-action cartridges ever chambered. It pushes 7mm bullets at magnum velocities from a standard short-action receiver, with brass that's more available than ever and reloading data that rivals the best the 7mm family has to offer.

July 27, 2026
Reading Elk Wallows and Sign in Late July: Pre-Season Scouting Strategies for Oregon Archery Hunters
Hunting

Reading Elk Wallows and Sign in Late July: Pre-Season Scouting Strategies for Oregon Archery Hunters

Late July is prime time to find and pattern bull elk before Oregon's archery season opens in late August. If you know what sign to look for — fresh wallows, rubs, trails, and feeding areas — you can have bulls located and a hunting strategy dialed before you ever pull your bow from the case.

July 27, 2026
Sauvie Island Summer Bass and Panfish: The Metro-Area Fishing Paradise 15 Minutes from Portland
Fishing

Sauvie Island Summer Bass and Panfish: The Metro-Area Fishing Paradise 15 Minutes from Portland

You don't need to drive four hours into the backcountry to catch fish in Oregon. Sauvie Island's sloughs, lakes, and Columbia River backwaters hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish all summer long — and they're less than 15 miles from downtown Portland.

July 27, 2026
Clackamas Wilderness: A Weekend Backpacking Loop Through Mount Hood's Forgotten Old-Growth Corner
Backpacking

Clackamas Wilderness: A Weekend Backpacking Loop Through Mount Hood's Forgotten Old-Growth Corner

Less than 60 miles from Portland, the Clackamas Wilderness protects some of the finest old-growth Douglas fir forest remaining in Oregon's northern Cascades. Here's a complete guide to the best weekend loop — including access, campsites, wildlife, and why this wilderness deserves more attention.

July 26, 2026
Reloading the 6.5x47 Lapua: Sub-MOA Precision Loads for Pacific Northwest Long-Range Shooters
Reloading

Reloading the 6.5x47 Lapua: Sub-MOA Precision Loads for Pacific Northwest Long-Range Shooters

The 6.5x47 Lapua is the cartridge precision rifle competitors reach for when they want match-grade accuracy from a smaller, more efficient case. Here's a complete reloading guide covering brass, primers, powders, and the loads that actually shoot.

July 26, 2026
Oregon's Long Creek Unit Archery Elk: DIY Public Land Bull Hunting in the John Day Country
Hunting

Oregon's Long Creek Unit Archery Elk: DIY Public Land Bull Hunting in the John Day Country

Grant County's Long Creek Unit offers serious DIY bowhunters a legitimate shot at a public land bull elk. Here's a complete breakdown of unit access, habitat, summer scouting strategy, and rut-timing tactics for Oregon's archery opener.

July 26, 2026
Lower Deschutes River Smallmouth Bass: July Peak Season from Macks Canyon to the Columbia
Fishing

Lower Deschutes River Smallmouth Bass: July Peak Season from Macks Canyon to the Columbia

July is the pinnacle of the Lower Deschutes smallmouth bass season. Here's how to fish the 25-mile roadless canyon between Macks Canyon and Heritage Landing — one of Oregon's most rewarding summer float trips.

July 26, 2026
Archery Ambush Setup: Reading Sign and Terrain to Kill Deer and Elk on Oregon Public Land
Archery

Archery Ambush Setup: Reading Sign and Terrain to Kill Deer and Elk on Oregon Public Land

A good shot starts long before you draw your bow. Here's how to read terrain and animal sign to position your stand or ground blind where Oregon deer and elk will actually be.

July 25, 2026
Mill Creek Wilderness: A Weekend Backpacking Loop Through Oregon's Ochoco Highlands
Backpacking

Mill Creek Wilderness: A Weekend Backpacking Loop Through Oregon's Ochoco Highlands

Just outside Prineville, the Mill Creek Wilderness offers old-growth ponderosa pine, rocky canyon walls, and a twin-pillars landmark that most Oregon backpackers have never seen. Here's the loop.

July 25, 2026