Check Out Our Current Issue!
In this issue of the Iowa Sportsman October 2025
- 5 Easy Mistakes to Make Fly Fishing for Trout in the Fall
- 10 Beginner Tips for Hunting Iowa Geese
- Deer Scents and Lures
- Early October Hunting Strategies
- Training your Dog to Blood-trail Deer
- Planning a Weeklong Pheasant Trip
- Shooting Optics for the Iowa Hunter
- Top 10 Bowhunting Destinations
- Whitetails 365: Mastering Scent Control
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DIY Turkey Tail Mount
DIY Turkey Tail Mount As Sportsmen, we like to preserve our trophies. Sometimes it’s the size of the animal that we’ve harvested that creates the desire to do so. Sometimes it’s the uniqueness of it and sometimes it’s for the memory or the story that was experienced. Whatever the reason, hanging something on the wall […]
READ MOREThe Spring Ritual of Spawning Crappies
The Spring Ritual of Spawning Crappies Spring is finally in the air! Ice has finally decided to release its grip on our lakes, the sun is starting to feel warmer, and the days are getting longer. Surely gobbling turkeys and popping morels can’t be too far behind? Ever since becoming a fly fishing guide, it […]
READ MOREOptimal PH Levels for Food Plots: Whitetails 365
Optimal PH Levels for Food Plots: Whitetails 365 When I was a teenager, I set out on a quest to harvest my first archery deer. My Dad set a treestand up just north of the cornfield on our farm. My plan was to position myself between the deer coming out of the cedar bedding area […]
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Introduce Someone New To Fishing
Introduce Someone New to Fishing Most of us probably have someone in our lives that took the time to introduce us to fishing. It may have been a grandparent, your Dad or your Mom, or even just a friend that invited you out one day. So the seed was planted, and you’re now an angler. […]
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Featured Story
The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats
In the 80’s, my father and grandfather were “entry-level” deer hunters. They had been invited to begin hunting a timber here in central Iowa that had a steady population of deer. In their efforts to learn more regarding the tactics to use to fool a wise old whitetail, my grandfather and father would douse their boots with fox urine! It was an effort to hide human scent when they were in the woods. It goes without saying that those boots were not allowed in the house, ever!
There is no doubt that in the last 40 years, there has been quite a bit of advancement when it comes to hunting whitetails. Knowing more about deer behavior, hunting scents, better tree stands, better bows, guns, and so much more.
I fear that somebody desiring to get into hunting in the current culture could be a bit overwhelmed with all the information and tools that are out there on the market. We must remember that man has been chasing deer for thousands of years. The art of hunting is not new. It’s the methods that are ever-changing.
Created By Iowans, For Iowans
The Iowa Sportsman website and magazine are Iowa’s only privately owned media sources catering to hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts here in Iowa. Simply put, we are unlike other Iowa outdoor media sources: All our staff is from Iowa, from our publisher to our writers. We actually follow through on what we advertise; we provide knowledgeable content from people who know the industry or sport discussed.
