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Easy Ideas for Increased Ice-Fishing Success
Easy Ideas for Increased Ice-Fishing Success By Bob Jensen I saw a skim of ice on the pond this morning. Certainly not enough to walk on, but enough to provide hope that ice-fishing is not far away. Some folks just enjoy the social aspect of sharing an ice shelter with a friend or family member, but we all want to catch a fish, or a bunch of fish. If you keep these ideas in mind when you’re on the ice, your chances of catching a fish, or a bunch of fish, will go up. When fishing is slow, get as many lines in the water as possible. Be very sure that you know the rules of where you’re fishing when [...]
Whitetails 365: Why Grain Food Plots
Whitetails 365: Why Grain Food Plots By Tom Peplinski Each winter, I go over what worked and what didn’t during last year’s deer season. The self-assessment is really taking place during the entire season. Did my access points to the properties I hunt offer me concealment? Were my setups close enough for archery hunting? Do I need more stands? Did my property attract and hold deer? In order for a property to be able to attract and hold deer the entire hunting season, it needs certain things. First, deer need to be able to feel comfortable and unpressured in their bedding areas. If they don’t have areas that they can seek out and be undisturbed, there stands a very good [...]
Crow Calling March Madness
Crow Calling March Madness By Troy Hoepker As the upland and deer seasons fade in the rear view mirror hunters are left with the question of, “What are we going to hunt now?” Coyotes are always on the radar this time of year but if you prefer wing shooting, there is one wise and crafty adversary flying around our Iowa landscape that is in season. Iowa’s crow season lasts from January 14 until March 31, 2021 and offers exciting shooting that differs from upland wing shooting or migratory waterfowl shooting. If you’ve never experienced a crow hunt or don’t know where to start, begin with the obvious; finding crows. Roost locations, flyway areas and food sources are all at the [...]
Shed Antler Hunting: An art of logic, luck and long walks
Shed Antler Hunting: An art of logic, luck and long walks By Kent Boucher Christmas gifts are excellent indicators of what makes a person tick. Allow me to explain. Most people would probably identify themselves as fitting into one of these three categories: havers, experiencers, and those who fall into both categories. If you were tasked with purchasing a gift for a “haver” you would probably look for an antique collectible or some kind of sports memorabilia to strengthen a collection. For the experiencer, buying a pair of concert tickets would win you the title of Gift Giver of the Year. Then there is the category that I fit into: The people who love to experience sights and sounds, but [...]
New Bows for 2021
New Bows for 2021 By Jessica Graham The archery industry has witnessed a plethora of improvements, especially in the last 30 years. These changes have caught the attention of more and more archers and has aided to the popularity of archery and bow hunting. 2021 is still welcoming innovations to the archery world. Some of the technology we are seeing helps hunters with performance, and some add to the comfort and enjoyment of shooting a bow. Since its entrance into archery, Matthews continues to make innovations on their hunting line of bows. Known for their solid hunting bows, Matthews’ 2021 V3 line will include improvements specifically for the hunters. For instance, their new compact frame provides agility for critical bow [...]
Oh Snap! A Guide to Trophy Harvest Photography
Oh Snap! A Guide to Trophy Harvest Photography By Noel Gandy On the coffee table of the deer camp back home in Mississippi lies one of the books that I cherish the most. The contents of that book are completely original and are likely only valued by those who are company of that camp. Documentation of years dating back to my grandfather captures my attention every time I visit. I often turn through the pages as if it were the first time, completely enamored by the stories that unfold before my eyes. Although the book has no title and is not on any best-seller lists, it is priceless to me. This book is my family’s album of hunting photos. Every [...]
Henry’s First Turkey Hunt Part 1
Henry's First Turkey Hunt Part 1 By Steve Bellrichard “Shoot him when you’re ready” I said to my son Henry on that warm spring evening. The gobbler stopped 10 yards from our blind and froze. It seemed like hours before Henry pulled the trigger, leaving me time to recall all the preparations and practice that lead to this moment. Preparation started when I signed my then 11-year-old son up for Hunter’s Education Class. The class was to be held in the Fall of 2017 at the local community college, but the class didn’t get enough students and was cancelled. In January of the following year, our county’s (Des Moines) conservation office offered this class before the April 7th opening of [...]
Pursuing an Iowa Ghost: The Bobcat
Pursuing an Iowa Ghost: The Bobcat By Troy Hoepker They’re here! I can almost sense their presence as each footstep drives us deeper into their sanctuary. It’s like that every time I’m here. Fortifications Mother Nature has built up over hundreds of years surround us in the shape of rugged hills, acres and acres of cedar choked hillsides all intermingled with prairie grasses reminiscent of wagon train times as settlers trekked for westward expansion long before this new generation of bobcat now calls it home. Indians used to camp here on the hills overlooking the river below but these days the only human activity this spot sees is from those who follow in Native American footsteps as they hunt the [...]
Pay Attention to what goes on Under the Ice!
Pay Attention to what goes on Under the Ice! By Rod Woten Every ice season, there is so much emphasis on what goes on above the ice. Are you using the newest whizz-bang this season? What portable fish house are you using? Will you be using the latest and greatest custom rod? Is your ATV ready to hit the ice? Will your auger start on the first pull? All of these are important, don’t get me wrong, it just seems funny to me that so much attention is paid to what happens on top of the ice, when the really important thing is what happens UNDER the ice. After all, that’s where the fish that we chase live. That’s where [...]
