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Fishing West Okoboji
Fishing West Okoboji One of the reasons for my moving to Estherville back in 1978 was its location to the Iowa Great Lakes. I was intrigued by the diversity that these lakes offer. No matter the time of year, there always seems to be something biting, especially this summer season where it seems that multiple […]
READ MOREIowa’s Biggest Off-Highway Vehicle Park
Iowa’s Biggest Off-Highway Vehicle Park Some of my best memories during my teenage years encompass four wheeling with friends. Four wheeling for youth is often their first introduction to driving and is a chance to make mistakes and learn from them. I am very thankful for those years and memories and the life-long bonds we […]
READ MORE3 Attractions for the Sportsman To Enjoy at the Iowa State Fair
3 Attractions for the Sportsman To Enjoy at the Iowa State Fair It’s July, and chances are if you are in Iowa, you are thinking about a trip to the Iowa State Fair. It is an Iowa staple in August; most Iowans venture out to the fair to view the animals, live entertainment, and of […]
READ MORESummer Deer Season Preparation
Summer Deer Season Preparation It’s July and for bowhunters all across the state they will begin patterning summer deer and making plans for the upcoming bow season, youth season and early muzzleloader season. If you are like me, keeping low pressure on your hunting area is always a top priority. Mature deer do not tolerate […]
READ MOREFeatured Story
Introducing Youth to Shooting Sports
I can still remember the day my mom told me we had to watch the next episode of “Buckmasters TV.” Being an oblivious five-year-old, you can only imagine how excited I was to see my picture pop up as their weekly winner of a FREE Buckmasters Daisy Model 840 BB gun. Bubba and Shotgun Red announced my name, and I was the proud new owner of my very first firearm.
I ran to meet the mail carrier every day to check for that long cardboard box. Watching “Buckmasters” with my parents fed my enthusiasm for the outdoors, but I was already obsessed with all things related to shooting at an early age. That BB gun gave me so much more than a tool to shoot targets with. It gave my parents an opportunity to teach me about gun safety. It gave me my first memories of being in the woods, tagging along with my dad and his .22 chasing squirrels and rabbits. It gave me another way to spend time with my younger sisters when they began to learn about gun safety. Most importantly, it sparked a lifelong love for hunting and target shooting.
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.