Trapping

Summer Skin Care

Summer Skin Care My friend grabbed his hat before we ventured outside. I’m used to seeing him without a hat, so this was a little different routine. I must have had a confused look on my face, because he began to explain a meeting he had with his physician, warning him of his increased risk […]

Getting Kids Involved in Hunting

Getting Kids Involved in Hunting As much as summer months bring the warmth that we have been longing for, it also means that our hunting seasons have come to an end. Sure, there still other things to do in the outdoors. It doesn’t mean that we have to become summer hermits. However, stepping into the […]

3 Attractions for the Sportsman To Enjoy at the Iowa State Fair

3 Attractions for the Sportsman To Enjoy at the Iowa State Fair It’s July, and chances are if you are in Iowa, you are thinking about a trip to the Iowa State Fair. It is an Iowa staple in August; most Iowans venture out to the fair to view the animals, live entertainment, and of […]

Digital Hunting Maps And How To Use Them

Digital Hunting Maps And How To Use Them It’s crazy to think back ten to fifteen years ago and relive the days when a very important tool for me in terms of hunting was a hard copy of the Iowa Sportsman’s Atlas. I still have that Atlas somewhere tucked away in storage, full of highlighter […]

Whitetails 365: September – Setting the Trap for Success

Whitetails 365: September – Setting the Trap for Success I’ve always wanted to be a trapper; running the trap line on vast amounts of acreage. The anticipation or waiting game after setting the trap…what could be waiting for me around the next bend as my set comes into view would be exhilarating! Well, maybe someday […]

A Place For Family and Friends: The Outdoors

A Place for Family and Friends: The Outdoors As a young man growing up in the Loess Hills of western Iowa, I was too busy pursuing teenage interests to realize the beauty the hills had to offer. It wasn’t until I was older and a college student at Mankato State University that I found myself […]

Trapping Coyote and Their Impact On The Ecosystem – Podcast

The History of the Fur Trade in Iowa: Part Two

The History of the Fur Trade in Iowa: Part Two Last month we chronicled the early beginnings of the first fur traders to enter Iowa lands in the late 1600’s and the development of the fur trade from then until after the Revolutionary War. In this month’s edition we move forward from the year 1800 […]

The History of the Fur Trade in Iowa: Part One

The History of the Fur Trade in Iowa: Part One Picture it in your imagination if you possibly can? The year is 1685 and after painstakingly securing supplies and food your trek began in Montreal. Once ready, you managed to navigate the waters of the Ottawa River until it opened wide into the cold waters […]

Summer Prep for Trapping Season Success

Summer Prep for Trapping Season Success A successful trapper never stops learning or pursuing to be more successful. And a successful trapper is an efficient trapper. As I think about some of my first years trapping, I remember putting down a bunch of traps, driving a bunch of miles, and using up lots of hours […]