The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 
The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 

The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats In the 80’s, my father and grandfather were “entry-level” deer hunters.  They had been invited to begin hunting a timber here in central Iowa that had a steady population of deer.  In their efforts to learn more regarding the tactics to use to fool a wise old whitetail, my grandfather and father would douse their boots with fox urine!  It was an effort to hide human scent when they were in the woods.  It goes without saying that those boots were not allowed in the house, ever! There is no doubt […]

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Ringnecks Rise from the Ashes

Ringnecks Rise from the Ashes By Troy Hoepker I can still see that bird spinning straight upward into the blue sky like it was yesterday. I thought it might never come down! It was hit and sent into a spin yet it continued to gain elevation. If it hadn’t been for my good buddy and […]

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Common Myths Concerning Deer Movement Summer Patterning Tips and Tricks

Common Myths Concerning Deer Movement

Common Myths Concerning Deer Movement In 1953 Iowa held its first modern deer season for hunters and there has been a deer season of some sort ever since. In those passing years, we’ve learned a lot about deer behavior, habits, nutrition, needs, and more. Experts in wildlife biology have used that information to help us […]

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Cold Water Fish Tactics

Cold Water Fish Tactics By Todd Reed Cold-man Winter is knocking on the door here in Iowa, but don’t give up on the open water yet.  Even though ice fishing, hunting and football are grappling with our time during November there are still opportunities to get out and catch a few more fish before you […]

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Twin Rivers Media Appoints Kaid Panek as Brand Ambassador and Multimedia Content Strategists

Twin Rivers Media, LLC Appoints Kaid Panek as Brand Ambassador & Multimedia Content Strategist

Twin Rivers Media, LLC Appoints Kaid Panek as Brand Ambassador & Multimedia Content Strategist Panek to shape brand voice, elevate creator partnerships, and lead cross-platform storytelling Fort Dodge, Iowa — October 31, 2025 — Twin Rivers Media, LLC today announced the hiring of Kaid Panek as Brand Ambassador & Multimedia Content Strategist. In this role, [...] READ MORE

Featured Story

Iowa Public Land Hunting 

Every hunter wants to know where to go to harvest a great deer.  We often assume that there is some “honey hole” spot out there that a person can always go to and harvest a trophy year after year.  While having hope for that, we are always keeping our ears perked for that privileged information on where the best place to hunt would be.   

Now, let me ask you, if somebody had the perfect spot to hunt where they are harvesting trophy deer year after year, do you think that they would share that information with you?  Probably not.  Unless they are VERY gracious and kind.   

In this article, I will not share any “secret spots” with you who are reading.  Frankly, because I don’t have any secret spots to share!  However, I’ve lived in Iowa long enough to steer you to certain areas of our great state that might give you a great chance to fill a tag this fall and winter.  So let’s begin with some regions of the state to key into. 

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The Iowa Sportsman website and magazine are Iowa’s only privately owned media sources catering to hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts here in Iowa. Simply put, we are unlike other Iowa outdoor media sources: All our staff is from Iowa, from our publisher to our writers. We actually follow through on what we advertise; we provide knowledgeable content from people who know the industry or sport discussed.