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Whitetails 365: Hunting in Cold Weather
Whitetails 365: Hunting in Cold Weather By Tom Peplinski The late hunting seasons can be some of the best times to kill a giant whitetail buck. Undoubtedly! In some cases, it can actually seem too easy. That’s right…too easy! This is the case because of some very good reasons all line up when the temperatures dip into the bone chilling degrees. Big bucks that have just spent a month or more doing a bunch of chasing and breeding have a long winter to look forward to. They need food; sometimes badly. With the fall harvest completely over, any remaining food sources will congregate deer making them easy to find. They aren’t spread out like they were in early October when [...]
2021-22 Fur Market Report
2021-22 Fur Market Report By Troy Hoepker As my pickup rolled to a stop I detected movement a quarter-mile away near the creek crossing in my pasture. A quick glance through the binoculars confirmed a fox desperately engaged in a tug-of-war with the chain attached to the trap gripping his leg at one of my dirt hole sets. Walking towards the trapped little vixen, I became absorbed with the atmosphere around me. The chilly overnight had blanketed every tree and blade of grass in a heavy coat of silvery frost. One would have thought I had trapped a silver fox looking at that little red, her back covered in a frosty glaze blending her in with the surroundings. It was [...]
The Evolution of Muzzleloader Hunting in Iowa
The Evolution of Muzzleloader Hunting in Iowa By Jessica Graham A group of does meandered their way through an open field past the edge of a tree line. They were now about 50 yards away from my Dad and me. One doe stopped broadside. I placed the crosshairs behind her shoulder, that’s where my Dad had been telling me to aim, and slowly squeezed the trigger of his Knight Rifle Muzzleloader. The muzzleloader kicked back into my shoulder and a cloud of smoke briefly obstructed my view of the doe running away. Within a few short seconds, I realized I had harvested my first deer. Muzzleloaders have been a key part of Iowa’s hunting history. Well before accurate shotguns, early [...]
Devils Lake – On Every Ice Fisherman’s Bucket List
Devils Lake – On Every Ice Fisherman’s Bucket List Article courtesy of Devils Lake Tourism Will this be the season to find out why Devils Lake is on every ice fisherman’s Bucket List? Whether chasing perch (the favorite for most anglers), white bass, pike or walleye, Devils Lake has it all. The reasons start with the fact that yellow perch are “…plentiful, big and fat, fun to catch…” according to guide Mark Bry. Since perch prefer working hours, 9 to 4, there is plenty of daylight for walleyes early and late. The facts support what guides know. Todd Caspers, Devils Lake fisheries biologist reported a big uptick during this summer’s survey. Perch have averaged 11.5 perch per net over the [...]
Voyageurs National Park Is A Winter Wonderland
Voyageurs National Park Is A Winter Wonderland Voyageurs National Park cloaked in its winter array is a beautiful, dramatic landscape of glistening snow, frozen lakes and frost-glazed pines. Article courtesy of Explore Minnesota There are few places to experience a winter vista largely free of roads and buildings, and it’s worth a trip to Voyageurs, along Minnesota’s northern border, to enjoy this captivating, snow-draped panorama. It’s also a great place to play in the snow. Here are a few of the best ways to explore Voyageurs National Park this winter: Go Snowmobiling Snowmobilers are drawn to Voyageurs for its 110 miles of groomed trail, mostly across frozen lakes. In addition, the 11-mile, ungroomed Chain of Lakes Trail explores the interior [...]
Iowa’s Deer Hunting History
Iowa's Deer Hunting History By Ryan Graden If these trees could talk, I am sure they could tell us of a history of Iowa that would amaze us! The animals that once used to be part of Iowa’s ecosystem, not only whitetail deer, but elk, bison, bear, wolves, mountain lions, and more! Where did they all go? Will they ever come back? Why did they leave? Sadly, you and I will probably never witness what our native grounds contained two hundred years ago when settlers first started crossing the territory that would become the great state of Iowa. What lived here then will never be the same. However, we can be thankful for the people who stepped in and saved [...]
Must Have’s For Ice Anglers
Must Have's For Ice Anglers By Todd Reed The ice fishing season is nearing and another exciting year is ahead for anglers in Iowa. As each ice season approaches anglers all over Iowa eagerly anticipate the first time they will hit the ice in search of their favorite wintertime species. Ice fishing is a simple way to fish and allows anglers without boats to roam their favorite lakes and get away from the shore. With a bucket full of gear and an auger the lakes of Iowa are yours to roam during the magical season. Throughout my 30+ years of ice fishing, this simple activity has gone through major changes in equipment. The activity is quite simple; drill a hole [...]
Shotgun Tactics for Success
Shotgun Tactics for Success By Ryan Graden Opening day of the Iowa shotgun season is like Christmas morning for many hunters in our state. December has just started and fall is giving way to winter. Breezes are turning more brisk and if we are lucky enough, we might have already had a layer or two of snow on the ground. The first shotgun season opens with hunters searching through Iowa’s timber and prairie areas for the flicker of a white tail. For a good number of Iowa hunters, this is the one and only method they choose for deer hunting. Slugs and shotguns enable them to chase down a challenging quarry hoping that they might fill the freezer. The shotgun [...]
Iowa River Monsters: The Quest for Flatheads
Iowa River Monsters: The Quest for Flatheads By Nick Johnson It’s not too often that I get to write an article about an actual fishing story. I’m not talking about the tale of Catfish Hunter or a story that grows with age, but rather a story of adventure, taking place right in the heart of Iowa. An annual adventure that started a few years back that has brought many lessons of success, failure, and the trials and tribulations of being a flathead catfish angler. It all began with a college buddy of mine named Josh Bruegge. If you look up the term “River Rat” in the dictionary his name follows in parenthesis. We joke with Josh that he walked out [...]
How to Win on Opening Day Waterfowl
How to Win on Opening Day Waterfowl By Ryan Eder There is something about opening day that gets us all excited. Whether it is the first day of school, a new job or the first home game of your favorite sports team, we find ourselves getting anxious in anticipation of “the day”. I cannot wait for April when my Chicago Cubs open their season, but I also long for September to come around; opening day of waterfowl season! In order to be successful on opening day (whether it be upland bird hunting or waterfowl hunting), we need to begin preparation several months in advance. We need our equipment to be clean and in working condition. We need to make sure [...]
