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Listen Now! To the Iowa Hunting and Fishing Report

Iowa Hunting and Fishing Report: Cooler Weather Signals the Fall Bite

Cooler temperatures, plenty of rain and the first signs of fall are starting to change outdoor conditions across Iowa. In the September 15, 2026, edition of the Iowa Hunting and Fishing Report, Aaron McKinney breaks down the latest fishing conditions while also getting ready for the fast-approaching bow hunting season.


A special thanks goes to Al Martin Real Estate and Auction for sponsoring this week’s report. The company has an upcoming estate auction in Bloomfield, Iowa, featuring a variety of firearms and outdoor-related items. Outdoorsmen and women looking for shotguns, rifles, handguns and other sporting items will want to check out the upcoming sale: https://almartinauctions.com/september-auctions/?_kx=z8-rbjcsRDFqtgBuODqXLA.RRbGmN#KoettelEstate

Iowa Hunting Fishing Report

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Top 15 Big Buck Counties

15 Big Buck Counties in Iowa

15 Big Buck Counties in Iowa When it comes to deer hunting, few animals captivate the attention of hunters quite like the Boone & Crockett qualifying deer. These giants, known for their impressive antlers, scoring at least 160 net inches of antler, have become every hunter’s dream. Iowa is known for its giant trophy deer. […]

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Hunting Nocturnal Whitetail

Whitetail Black Ops: Operation Nocturnal Bruiser

Whitetail Black Ops: Operation Nocturnal Bruiser There is very little the modern hunter does not have at his disposal when it comes to tools, weapons, and attractants, that will help to even the odds between the hunter and the hunted. Each year, state of the art equipment makes scouting, patterning, and harvesting a mature whitetail […]

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Retriever Hunt Test Guide

The Retriever Hunt Test Study Guide

The Retriever Hunt Test Study Guide The most famous line from any bird hunter is “I don’t care about ribbons; I just want a hunting dog”. This was me when I got my first dog as well! The truth is that hunt tests provide a fantastic off-season activity for you and your hunting dog, as […]

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Selecting Loads for Pheasant Season

Selecting Loads for Pheasant Season

Selecting Loads for Pheasant Season It’s that time of the year again, when many of us dream about opening day for hunting the wily rooster pheasant. For nearly 60 years, which starts to date me, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed chasing the old rooster, almost always behind my favorite dog. We have always enjoyed the experience hunting […]

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Featured Story

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 deer ever.

Turning a Dream into Reality

As has been noted in several articles since 2023, my family and I finally put together the means to purchase our very own piece of Iowa ground. “The 32,” as we call it, has become a passion project to see if we could take an unassuming piece of real estate and harvest a mature deer from there by giving him all he needs in the way of habitat. This year was the first year that the farm would be huntable in the state in which we intended due to construction projects over the past couple of seasons.

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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.