The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 
The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 

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 […]

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Get Ready for Pheasant Season 2025
Get Ready for Pheasant Season 2025

Analyze Past Data  First of all, I like to know a little about the pheasant population before going out. If numbers are strong, I can expect to see some good numbers on public or private land. If numbers are down, I might expect to see fewer pheasants, and I might not be disappointed if I’m headed home empty-handed. One of the ways to get a good feel for the pheasant population is to review the data from the last few Iowa DNR Roadside Studies. Every year during the first part of August, the DNR travels gravel roads and reports on […]

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Mistakes to Avoid while Fly Fishing Trout
Mistakes to Avoid while Fly Fishing Trout

Mistakes to Avoid while Fly Fishing Trout As anglers, we all know how much fun it is to fool a fish into taking an artificial bait. We tease bass, walleye, northern pike, and musky with flashy baits and plastic that mimic their primary forage. When it comes to fly-fishing for trout in a cold-water stream that’s constantly moving, you add a whole new set of challenges. Trout are incredibly finicky at times, and your fly presentation must be spot on, looking as natural as the real bugs they feast on. However, there’s nothing more rewarding than lifting that fly line […]

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My Favorite Smallmouth Bass Techniques
My Favorite Smallmouth Bass Techniques

My Favorite Smallmouth Bass Techniques As a child growing up, my summer vacations were filled with fishing adventures, from the local lakes and creeks to our annual family vacation to Catch’N Fish resort on Big Bass Lake (seriously, that was the name of the place).  Early mornings in the pre-dawn hours, the dads would load up the boats and go after walleyes.  For years, I was “too young” to go out with them and had to wait for the afternoon trip to go out with the family and fish for panfish. In order to occupy myself, I roamed the resort’s […]

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Fall Fishing in Iowa: What to Target, What to Use
Fall Fishing in Iowa: What to Target, What to Use

The cooler fall mornings are always a welcome feeling after a long, hot summer.  This time of year always excites me as the cooler temperatures get a few species fired up.  Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and walleye love the cooler temperatures and are ready to feed in area lakes and rivers.  Let’s dive into some fall fishing tips, and baits that will fool these fish this time of the year. Water Transitions As the calendar turns to a different month our Iowa waterways are turning into something new as well.  The colder temperatures are changing the environment of the fish […]

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Check Out Our Current Issue!

Early Tactics for Full Buckets

Early Tactics for Full Buckets

Early Tactics for Full Buckets Once the calendar turns to November, anglers in the Ice Belt begin praying for several sub-freezing days and nights to get that first sold ice on fishable waters. Here on the Iowa Great Lakes that can be early as Thanksgiving but most usually around the middle of December. Now that […]

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2020-21 Fur Market Report

2020-21 Fur Market Report

2020-21 Fur Market Report Writing the magazine’s fur market outlook report in recent years, I recall thinking to myself, “Surely next year’s report will be more positive. Surely next year we’ll begin to climb out of the doldrums we are stuck in.” The next year would come and I’d report on the same doom and […]

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Ice Fishing Preview

Ice Fishing Preview December is around the corner! And with any luck, we will have a chance to get out and start punching holes and feeding our ice fishing addiction. There have been times when we’re on the ice by Thanksgiving, but in most cases, except for Northern Iowa, we’ll still have ice that’s pretty […]

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Ice Fishing 2020 Predictions

Ice Fishing 2020 Predictions

Ice Fishing 2020 Predictions As I sit here at my keyboard, the Dakotas are getting their first snowfall of the ‘19-20 season. Local temperatures have dropped from the seventies to the 50’s and overnight temps will be teasing the freezing mark. If this is truly the arrival of winter, then it has been a very […]

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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.

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