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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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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In this issue of the Iowa Sportsman December 2025

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Planning a Week-Long Pheasant Hunting Trip Rooster Recap

Rooster Recap

Rooster Recap How rare is it in your life when you wake up knowing that the day ahead of you is about to be so special that you will remember it for the rest of your life? And how rare is it that there will be someone else there that will share those same memories […]

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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.

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