Check Out Our Current Issue!
In this issue of the Iowa Sportsman October 2025
- 5 Easy Mistakes to Make Fly Fishing for Trout in the Fall
- 10 Beginner Tips for Hunting Iowa Geese
- Deer Scents and Lures
- Early October Hunting Strategies
- Training your Dog to Blood-trail Deer
- Planning a Weeklong Pheasant Trip
- Shooting Optics for the Iowa Hunter
- Top 10 Bowhunting Destinations
- Whitetails 365: Mastering Scent Control
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Early Season, Rut, or Late Season: Which to Hunt and Why
Early Season, Rut, or Late Season: Which to Hunt and Why By Ryan Graden I’ve had the privilege to meet a lot of deer hunters thus far in my life. I’ve met them through common acquaintances, church functions, my job, and simply noticing folks wearing camo clothing. There are quite a few of us out […]
READ MOREPlan an Entire Trapping Season for Success
Plan an Entire Trapping Season for Success Trapping like most other outdoor endeavors takes planning, effort, and yes money. However, it is one of the few outdoor endeavors if done correctly a person can actually absorb expenses such as fuel cost, trapping supplies, and with hard work can even leave the trapper with some spending […]
READ MOREEarly Season Whitetail Reports
Early Season Whitetail Reports By Ryan Graden October is finally here and you know what that means? THE SEASON IS NOW OPEN! That’s right, cabin fever is over and you can now pursue that trophy that you’ve been eyeballing through the Spring and Summer. Or maybe you don’t have anything picked out, but you are […]
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The Cost of Getting into Ice Fishing
The Cost of Getting into Ice Fishing Last year’s pandemic was a boon for people heading to the outdoors. It was the one place that was safe. Fishing numbers and licenses in the state of Iowa were up by over 50 percent. Some were anglers getting back into the sport of fishing, while others were […]
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Featured Story
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 that in the last 40 years, there has been quite a bit of advancement when it comes to hunting whitetails. Knowing more about deer behavior, hunting scents, better tree stands, better bows, guns, and so much more.
I fear that somebody desiring to get into hunting in the current culture could be a bit overwhelmed with all the information and tools that are out there on the market. We must remember that man has been chasing deer for thousands of years. The art of hunting is not new. It’s the methods that are ever-changing.
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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.
