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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The Inkpaduta Canoe Trail
The Inkpaduta Canoe Trail “I would say the river is too low to have an enjoyable float.” These were the disappointing words spoken to me by Cherokee County Naturalist and Assistant Director Laura Jones. Having planned a canoe trip on the Little Sioux River through Clay, O’Brien, Cherokee, and Woodbury counties in early May. I […]
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Iowa’s Bass Fishing
Iowa’s Bass Fishing That thump on the end of the line can be ferocious at times and the jumps in the air so acrobatically. Only one fish in Iowa has those characteristics, the bass. Bass fishing in Iowa can be had in all corners of the state. Ponds, lakes, rivers and large reservoirs all provide […]
READ MORETiming Your Fall Plots: Whitetails 365
Whitetails 365: Timing Your Fall Plots As I sit writing the July installment of the Whitetails 365 column, I’m surrounded by farmers planting their spring crops with sudden urgency. The conditions are just right…warm enough, dry enough, right time of year. Millions of acres of corn and soybeans will be planted in really a very […]
READ MOREWorking to protect shoreline north of Bedell State Park on East Lake Okoboji
Working to protect shoreline north of Bedell State Park on East Lake Okoboji By Steve Weisman Over the years, residents and visitors have stepped up many times to help protect the waters of the Iowa Great Lakes. From providing financial support to help purchase lands that impact the waters, to being volunteers, to reaching out […]
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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.
