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The Fundamentals of the 1,000 Yard Shot
The Fundamentals of the 1,000 Yard Shot The first time I saw a target at 1000 yards, I was in high school. At the time, it seemed like an impossible distance, something only attainable by elite shooters with unlimited funds. A few years later, I would find myself at sniper school. And after an iron […]
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Prep for Deer Season 2026 Now
Prep for Deer Season 2026 Now Deer season 2025 seems like a distant memory at this point. What we longed for in anticipation has changed to a new longing: deer season 2026! Until then, there are quite a few deer-related activities that can keep us especially busy as we pass the time and pursue whitetails […]
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Trapping Beaver Through Iowa Ice
Trapping Beaver Through Iowa Ice Trapping beaver beneath the ice during late winter is one of the most reliable ways to trap in Iowa. When lakes, ponds, and sloughs freeze over, beaver movements become easy to predict, their food supply is fixed in place, and their sign is simple to read if you know what […]
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Big Buck Profile: The 2025 Gandy Buck
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 […]
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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.






