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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

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Early season whitetail hunting

How to Hunt Early Season Whitetails Successfully

Early Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Tips for Iowa Whitetails Steps to Baggin’ that Early Season Brute! It’s been three months since I heard the last gobble of turkey season and it already seems like an eternity has passed since then. I’ve stored my camouflage, guns, and other gear for the long and dull lull of the […]

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Whitetails 365 Archery Gear/Tactics

Whitetails 365: Questions about Archery Gear/Tactics

Whitetails 365: Questions about Archery Gear/Tactics This month, I am responding to multiple questions I’ve been saving up from numerous hunters writing in with similar questions about gear and tactics. I’ve been saving them up because they are all archery related questions and season opener is coming up. A Single or Multiple Pins I’ve received […]

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Iowa walleye muskie fishing

Improving Walleye and Muskie Fishing In Iowa: Part 2

Improving Walleye and Muskie Fishing In Iowa: Part 2 Read Part 1: Improving Walleye and Musky Fishing in Iowa In the spring of 2016, we featured a very similar article discussing how the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and researchers from Iowa State University were working on improving the […]

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Things to Consider When Purchasing a Crossbow

What to Consider When Purchasing a Crossbow We are fortunate to be able to live and hunt world-class whitetails in the state of Iowa. A few things contribute to the trophy class deer such as agriculture production, wildlife research, and hunting rules and regulations set by the Iowa DNR. The state of Iowa has done […]

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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.