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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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READ MOREWindy Walleyes
Windy Walleyes By Ben Leal When it comes to fishing in the wind there are two camps; there are the “I don’t fish in the wind” campers, and then there are the “I love fishing in the wind” campers. Ironically enough, both camps and fishing styles do yield results. But, when it comes to the […]
READ MOREIowa at its Finest Northeast Iowa Trout
Iowa at its Finest Northeast Iowa Trout By Earl Taylor “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal, and give strength to the body and soul alike.” John Muir Little Paint. Sny Magill. Waterloo. Wexford. Bloody Run. Simple names that make my heart leap for […]
READ MOREShould I Breed My Dog?
Should I Breed My Dog? By Ryan Eder A simple google search this morning told me a lot when I began prepping to write this article; “how many puppies are born each year in the United States?” What would your guess be? The first result that popped up in my search was that of up […]
READ MOREFeatured 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.