Early Spring Trout Fishing
Early Spring Trout Fishing

Early Spring Trout Fishing Spring in Northeast Iowa’s Driftless Region marks the beginning of one of the most rewarding trout fishing seasons in the Midwest. This is one of the prettiest areas in Northern Iowa marked with limestone bluffs, spring-fed creeks, and rolling pastures. The Driftless Region contains a several cold, clear streams that flow steadily year-round. This creates perfect trout habitat, and spring offers fishermen peaceful days on the water. With stable water temperatures, increasing insect activity, and hungry post-winter trout, there’s no better time to explore these legendary streams. Why The Driftless Region? This region is a trout […]

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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

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.