Hunting

Tactics for Late-Season Toms

Tactics for Late-Season Toms The warm spring air felt a little chilly but good as I approached the area I was going to turkey hunt in the dark, well before sunrise. The dew was on the grass, and I headed towards an open field with rolling hills and timber nearby. Be Observant There were plenty […]

Summer Work That Pays Off in Bow Season

Summer Work That Pays Off in Bow Season Early mornings in the turkey woods are beginning to give way to graduation celebrations, long afternoons on the lawn mower, gardens, and ball parks for yours truly. I would like to think that this “season” of life that falls between springtime gobblers and fall whitetails would be […]

Calming A Hyper Gun Dog

Calming A Hyper Gun Dog We’ve all experienced a hyper gun dog. If we’re honest, there have been times when the dog is ours. A hyper dog can be a lot of things: annoying, out of control, disruptive, destructive, exhausting, etc. BUT a hyper dog can also be led and taught to manage their energy, […]

Shed Antlers: Do they really tell us anything?

Shed Antlers: Do they really tell us anything? March 5, 2021 was a very special day in my time spent afield. I had taken a walk through the timber to “get out of my own head” and to decompress from a long work week. I was looking for shed antlers which was an activity that […]

Range Safety Tips

Range Safety Tips In 2002, I was twelve years old when my parents signed me up for a hunter’s safety program. By then, I had already spent plenty of time tagging along behind my dad and uncles, trailing through timber, listening watching, and soaking up everything I could. Hunting had a way of grabbing hold […]

Building a Foundation for the Field

Building a Foundation for the Field Anymore, “basic” seems to have a bad rap. It isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t make the highlight reels. It’s often the thing we ignore, rush, or cheat. It seems lame. With a clearer perspective, we can see the value of “basic”. It’s what brings the glam to glamorous. It’s the […]

The Healthy Start: Puppy Nutrition

The Healthy Start: Puppy Nutrition Life doesn’t always go as planned. October 13, 2025, is a day I’ll never forget. The plan was in motion. Our oldest, first Small Munsterlander, Chloe, was due with her last litter of puppies. She didn’t begin the labor process until around 4pm. I knew she was in full-on delivery […]

Prep for Deer Season 2026 Now

Prep for Deer Season 2026 Now Deer season 2025 seems like a distant memory at this point. What we longed for in anticipation has changed to a new longing: deer season 2026! Until then, there are quite a few deer-related activities that can keep us especially busy as we pass the time and pursue whitetails […]

Trapping Beaver Through Iowa Ice

Trapping Beaver Through Iowa Ice Trapping beaver beneath the ice during late winter is one of the most reliable ways to trap in Iowa. When lakes, ponds, and sloughs freeze over, beaver movements become easy to predict, their food supply is fixed in place, and their sign is simple to read if you know what […]

Big Buck Profile: The 2025 Gandy Buck

Big Buck Profile: The 2025 Gandy Buck Ok, this first big buck profile is a little self-serving in that it is of a buck that I personally took this past deer season. While it is likely not the “biggest” big buck that we will profile this year it is definitely one of my most special […]

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