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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Summer Hunter's Checklist Timber Stand Improvement The Wild Past of Iowa

The Wild Past of Iowa

The Wild Past of Iowa Iowa officially became a state on December 28, 1846 but that does not mean people weren’t living here long before that. I often wondered as I’ve been in the timber, “Who was here before me?” Alternatively, even along those lines, “What was here before me?” I’m sure if the timber […]

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Elevating Food Plots with Frost Seeded Clover and Alfalfa Simple Things Landowners can do to Improve Wildlife  Herbicides Now and Next Year's Tree Plantings

 Herbicides Now and Next Year’s Tree Plantings: Whitetails 365

 Herbicides Now, and Planning for Next Year’s Tree Plantings: Whitetails 365: A Second Spraying, or the First Weeds are the death of many food plots. Weeds can completely take over a plot of clover or alfalfa, lower yields or kill off soybeans altogether, and can make a corn stand look like CRP ground getting out […]

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Using UTV's on your acreage The Ins and Outs of ATV Ownership

The Ins and Outs of ATV Ownership

The Ins and Outs of ATV Ownership As a kid, I was fortunate enough to be able to ride a 4 wheeler all over my family’s acreage. My father had found a hot deal on a “retired” racing quad. This ATV was purchased with the idea of a do-all type of vehicle, mostly used to […]

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Exploring Iowa's Waterways Overlooked Fishing Destinations in Iowa

Overlooked Fishing Destinations in Iowa

Overlooked Fishing Destinations in Iowa Growing up in Iowa and fishing as much as I could I never took the time to realize how fortunate we are to have the natural resources that we do.  Perhaps it is being over four decades old, or perhaps it is the reflective mind that I am diving into. […]

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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. 

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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.