Uphill & Downstream

Pulling into the Pacific Crest trailhead in the Oregon Cascades for deer camp is different from how it used to be. The clothing and gear are better. Detailed maps and GPS locations are carried in our pockets instead of stored in our heads. Horses carry our gear 4 miles to our high-mountain lake campsite instead of us packing it on our backs. Even the landscape has changed. But one thing hasn’t changed over all these years: the feeling.

I’ve been chasing that feeling for 40 years. The anticipation. The gear piled up the night before. The planning and discussion about where to go and what strategy to use. The way the dog gets excited when I pull out my hunting vest and shotgun. Those feelings will never change. And the time spent with my dad and grandpa stays with me on every trip.

I’ve hunted and fished all over Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, from the coast to the high mountains to the rimrock canyons on the east side. I learned from the wisdom of those who came before me, and by getting out there and failing until I finally got it right.

What you’ll find here

• Stories — the trips that went right, the ones that didn’t, and the ones that ended in disaster, no sugarcoating.

• Then & Now — how the country, conditions, and species have changed over decades of watching the same places.

• How It’s Done — observations from experience, from backcountry deer and elk to chukar, salmon, steelhead, and trout.

If you’ve been at this long enough to know that feeling, this is for you. And if you’re newer to this or curious about trying something different, you’re welcome here too.

We can keep alive what’s worth knowing by experiencing it and passing it on. If this is something you’d like to be a part of, subscribe. It’s free.

See you out there.

— Jason