Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap
Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap

I once struck up a conversation with a man from Australia and while talking I asked him the question most people want to know about Australians, “how many times have you been bitten by one of your crazy spiders you have down there?” His answer was shocking, “Oh not many, probably less than 20 times.”

I once struck up a conversation with a man from Australia and while talking I asked him the question most people want to know about Australians, “how many times have you been bitten by one of your crazy spiders you have down there?” His answer was shocking, “Oh not many, probably less than 20 times.” My coworker and I laughed in horror and amazement and counted our blessing of living in the relatively venom free state of Iowa.

I once struck up a conversation with a man from Australia and while talking I asked him the question most people want to know about Australians, “how many times have you been bitten by one of your crazy spiders you have down there?” His answer was shocking, “Oh not many, probably less than 20 times.” My coworker and I laughed in horror and amazement and counted our blessing of living in the relatively venom free state of Iowa. But only relatively venom free, within Iowa’s borders there are a handful of flora and fauna that if encountered can leave an unlucky Iowan itchy, burning, swollen, scarred and in the worst of scenarios, permanently incapacitated or dead.

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Dangerous Plants and Animals in Iowa

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Habitat for the Birds Comparing Pheasant Hunting Opportunities: South Dakota Public or Iowa Private

Comparing Pheasant Hunting Opportunities: South Dakota Public or Iowa Private

Comparing Pheasant Hunting Opportunities: South Dakota Public or Iowa Private Ace worked the fence line with ever-increasing zest, confident in his nose, he zig-zagged through the switchgrass as we moved further into the field trying to decipher the scent. Finally, it seemed the trail went cold and Ace was again looking for the essence of […]

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Keeping the Outdoor Legacy Alive

The Four Year Legacy

The Four Year Legacy Today as I watched my three girls run around our yard, the thought hit me; “These kids are my legacy…I hope I don’t screw up!”. I think most parents have uttered those words to themselves. Especially newer parents whose kids haven’t crossed the teenage threshold of all “knowing-ness” yet. Even if […]

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Catch More Fish Trolling

Catch More Trolling

Catch More Trolling Across the Midwest and almost all of North America, most fish in most places are done spawning. After a few days of rest, those fish will want to eat. If you can put a bait near a fish, it will probably eat it. Therefore, it’s good to show as many fish as […]

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Successful Iowa Duck Hunting

Successful Iowa Duck Hunting

Successful Iowa Duck Hunting Long at last, waterfowl season is upon us once again. This is a time of year that I have cherished since my early years as a hunter and something that reignites the excitement and passion, no different than October 1st for the bow guys and gals, or that first step into […]

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Featured Story

Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Spring is in full swing here in Iowa, and what can be more pleasant a reminder than the sound of birds, the sight of flowers blooming, and the feel of a warm afternoon? I can think of at least one more thing…Panfish!

I can remember it like yesterday, our family would all meet up at the lake house. There was work to do. The yard was to be picked up, the cabin cleaned, and the dock had to be put in. But then, after the work was finished, it was time for all of us cousins to fish! We would all go out to the garage to pick out a few old rods and tie on a hook and sinker as best we could.

The next order of business was to hunt for worms. Flipping anything that we could find stuck in the ground in hopes of just finding a few crawlers. Once the bait was secured, we were ready to fish. We would go out on the dock and cast, vertical jig, and even troll along the side of the dock. We usually did pretty well use those tactics, but my all-time favorite was walking along the rocks on shore and dropping the bait down every little crevice, not knowing what was going to come up next.

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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.