Property/Gear

Dangerous Plants and Animals in Iowa

Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap

Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap I once struck up a conversation with a man from Australia and while talking I asked him the question most people want to know about Australians, “how many times have you been bitten by one of your crazy spiders you have down there?” His answer was shocking, “Oh not […]

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Wild Edible Foraging

Wild Edible Foraging With the arrival of spring comes many long-awaited activities for any outdoors enthusiast, like hiking, fishing, and turkey hunting. There is another short-lived activity that gets some of us out wandering around in nature. This is the adult version of an Easter egg hunt, and it’s called foraging. Foraging for wild edibles […]

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Iowa Artifact Hunting Tips

Artifact Hunting in Iowa

Artifact Hunting in Iowa I will admit, in high school, one of my least favorite subjects was history class. I’m not sure what rubbed me so wrong in those years, but something has changed since then. As I grew older, I think I realized how much history could help people shape the future. Knowing our […]

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Summer Work for Bow Season

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 […]

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Springtime Panfish

Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill Spring is in full swing here in Iowa, and what can be more pleasant a reminder than the sound of birds, the sight of flowers blooming, and the feel of a warm afternoon? I can think of at least one more thing…Panfish! I can remember it like yesterday, our family […]

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Building A Farm Pond

Building a Farm Pond to Hold More Wildlife

Building a Farm Pond to Hold More Wildlife Iowa isn’t known for vast hydrological opportunities, but most people who grew up in rural parts of the state are familiar with farm ponds. Whether it’s fond memories of catching bass and bluegill on a hot summer day or watching cattle wade in to cool off, most […]

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gun range shooting

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 […]

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Building a Foundation for Gundogs

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 […]

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Best Places for Early Season Fishing

Best Places for Early Season Open Water

Best Places for Early Season Open Water It’s time to start thinking about the open water season. Time to put away those short sticks and tiny jigs, and replace them with longer rods, bigger tackle boxes, and a fishing vessel if you own one. If a water vessel is not your thing, that’s ok because […]

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Polaris Ranger Cab Models 2026

Polaris Expands Industry’s Largest Cabbed Lineup with New Ranger Models for All-Season Comfort

Polaris Expands Industry’s Largest Cabbed Lineup with New Ranger Models for All-Season Comfort New 2026 RANGER 1000 CAB Improves Cold-Weather Comfort with Factory-Installed Heating System, New 2027 RANGER XP 1000 CAB Features HVAC System for All-Season Comfort at Competitive Price Point MINNEAPOLIS, MN (Feb. 5, 2026) Polaris Off Road, the world leader in powersports and […]

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