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Mastering Summer Catfish
Iowa Sportsman July 2025
This Issue Brings You:
- Mastering Summer Catfish
- Fishing Iowa: Iowa Hot Spots
- Do It Yourself – Iowa Kill Plots
- Introducing Youth to Shooting Sports
- Whitetails 365 – Drought, Deer & Looming Threat of EHD
- County Spotlight: Iowa Fishing Destinations
- Blind Buyers Guide: Clear Sight Hunting Blinds
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Bowfishing in Iowa
Bowfishing in Iowa Over the years fishing has morphed from being necessary for survival to a leisurely activity enjoyed by all ages. With the shift in the fishing objectives came rules and regulations making the sport of fishing one of conservation. Catch limits and length limits are enforced to allow fishermen to keep some fish, […]
READ MOREFishing 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 MOREFeatured Story
10 Killer Big Buck Bow Hunting Ambushes
Why do top notch hunters shoot quality mature deer year after year? Sure they scout, don’t shoot young bucks, maintain their land, pay attention to the wind, plant food plots, are in big buck country, ect. Yes all of those and many more reasons can attribute to better chances of shooting bigger bucks consistently. However do you know the most important reason why people shoot big deer year after year? Because they place their stands in locations where big bucks like to frequent…it really is that simple. They are in the right place at the right time. You will never consistently shoot mature deer if you are not putting your tree stands in the proper locations.
Whitetails are creatures of habit and instinct, they do everything for a purpose and that is actually a good thing for us hunters. If we know what they like to do, what they don’t like to do, and how they navigate their day then we can key in on certain geographical locations on our properties and ambush an unsuspecting bruiser.
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.