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 […]

Check Out Our Current Issue!

Key Lockdown Locations to Know

Key Lockdown Locations to Know

Key Lockdown Locations to Know Being in a treestand during the whitetail rut here in Iowa is what dreams are made of. Waiting for a hot doe to come trotting through with a big bruiser in tow is what all of us hope for each time we climb into the tree during this time of […]

READ MORE

What you Need to Know about Late Season Waterfowling

What you Need to Know about Late Season Waterfowling

What you Need to Know about Late Season Waterfowling Arguably my favorite time of year for duck and goose hunting is late season. There’s just something about battling the elements, scraping ice off my beard and fooling weary birds that gets the adrenaline flowing. This is the time of year when a lot of scouting, […]

READ MORE

In Season Adjustments: Whitetails 365

In Season Adjustments: Whitetails 365

In Season Adjustments: Whitetails 365 For many hunters, they don’t get serious about their whitetail hunting until the month of November. I’m not one of those hunters. In fact, in many ways, my season began the day after last year’s season ended. That’s when I get serious. Making that yearly assessment into what went right, […]

READ MORE

What it is like to be a Tournament Bass Angler Iowa’s Big Water Largemouth Challenge

What it is like to be a Tournament Bass Angler

What it is like to be a Tournament Bass Angler Bass tournaments are the ultimate fishing thrill.  The feeling that you get at 5am as you hop in your boat and face your competitors for the day is like no other.  I have been fishing tournaments for twenty-five years and there is no doubt in […]

READ MORE

Featured Story

Iowa Public Land Hunting 

Every hunter wants to know where to go to harvest a great deer.  We often assume that there is some “honey hole” spot out there that a person can always go to and harvest a trophy year after year.  While having hope for that, we are always keeping our ears perked for that privileged information on where the best place to hunt would be.   

Now, let me ask you, if somebody had the perfect spot to hunt where they are harvesting trophy deer year after year, do you think that they would share that information with you?  Probably not.  Unless they are VERY gracious and kind.   

In this article, I will not share any “secret spots” with you who are reading.  Frankly, because I don’t have any secret spots to share!  However, I’ve lived in Iowa long enough to steer you to certain areas of our great state that might give you a great chance to fill a tag this fall and winter.  So let’s begin with some regions of the state to key into. 

READ FULL STORY

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.