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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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Crankbaiting For Eyes
Crankbaiting For Eyes By Steve Weisman One of the buzz phrases in walleye fishing in recent years has been about pulling crankbaits. It sounds so easy. Just grab your favorite colored crankbait, tie it on your favorite rod and reel, let out some line and take off at the speed you think will work. Oh, […]
READ MOREGood Housekeeping: Puppy Edition. Housebreaking your New Pup
Good Housekeeping: Puppy Edition. Housebreaking your New Pup By Ryan Eder Regardless of what kind of dog you have, one of the most popular discussions in dog training involves puppy training. From veterinary related topics, to basic training and so on, I still feel the most popular topic is how to properly house train your […]
READ MOREDon’t Spook Deer Before the Hunt Starts!
Don’t Spook Deer Before the Hunt Starts! By Dan Johnson Right now a majority of you probably have your trail cameras out capturing the velvet rut and taking inventory of the bucks you will be hunting in the fall. Some of you have may have already been out in the timber scouting the properties you […]
READ MORESmall Tracts Can Yield Big Racks
Small Tracts Can Yield Big Racks By Kevin Sturm Small farm owners are faced with a constant juggling act of income vs. habitat. In most cases, there has to be a happy medium of both to make a small farm work, not only from the checkbook stand point but also by what is hanging on […]
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.