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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Chasing Pike on the Ice
Chasing Pike on the Ice When Chad Loreth moved to the Iowa Great Lakes area in 2005, he knew he was coming to a great year-round fishery. Loreth has enjoyed helping anglers, both veteran and novice, young and old, enjoy the fishery through his guide service, Iowa Great Lakes Outdoors, Inc. As much as he […]
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Ice Fishing Styles and Techniques
Ice Fishing Styles and Techniques Ice fishing… you mention that to any number of people from the Southern states, and they will look at you like you have lost your mind. I often post images of myself or my family members out on the ice catching any number and variety of fish. A video of […]
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The Genz Fish Trap Turns 40
The Genz Fish Trap Turns 40 Yes, I am an ice fishing fanatic. Moving to northwest Iowa from South Dakota in 1978, I found an ice fishing mecca like I had never seen before, and I could write a book about my learning curve when it came to finesse fishing. Over the next several years, […]
READ MORERookies Last Bite
Rookies Last Bite By Cassie Dean The story began one fall morning in early November. It was 2011 and Chris Dunkin was heading out to do a Muddy hang and hunt with his buddy, Blake Lefler, the cameraman. The morning started off slow, not seeing any movement, they became discouraged as they were planning to […]
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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.
Created By Iowans, For Iowans
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.