The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 
The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 

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 […]

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Tips for Hunting in the Snow

Tips for Hunting in the Snow 

Tips for Hunting in the Snow  On a snowy Saturday morning last December, I doubted the instincts of one of my Small Munsterlanders, Della. We were chasing pheasants with some of my friends and their dogs. We were two birds shy of a three-man limit and one of those birds was mine. On our way […]

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Four reasons to hunt with a muzzleloader

Four Reasons to Hunt with a Muzzleloader 

Four Reasons You Need Hunt with a Muzzleloader  The muzzleloader is one of the most traditional weapons still used in modern times.  The guns, bullets, and powder have all been advanced in ways over the last 100 years but there is still a bottom line tradition to shooting one.  This weapon only gives you one […]

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January ice tactics

JANUARY ICE TACTICS 

JANUARY ICE TACTICS  January in Iowa is best described by one word…cold. Average temperatures will range from highs in the low 30’s, dipping to 6 degrees by morning. Ice still dominates lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Ice fishing remains the mainstay for going after crappie, bluegill, perch, and walleye.  SAFETY FIRST  As any ice angler knows, […]

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Ice Fishing Destinations in Iowa 

Ice Fishing Destinations in Iowa

Ice Fishing Destinations in Iowa  The ice cracked beneath my boots as I took my first step onto the frozen lake, the sound echoing across the quiet winter landscape. My daughter had been excited about this trip all week, as it would be her first time ice fishing, and I was secretly just as eager […]

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Featured Story

Iowa Public Land Hunting 

Every hunter wants to know where to go to harvest a great deer.  We often assume that there is some “honey hole” spot out there that a person can always go to and harvest a trophy year after year.  While having hope for that, we are always keeping our ears perked for that privileged information on where the best place to hunt would be.   

Now, let me ask you, if somebody had the perfect spot to hunt where they are harvesting trophy deer year after year, do you think that they would share that information with you?  Probably not.  Unless they are VERY gracious and kind.   

In this article, I will not share any “secret spots” with you who are reading.  Frankly, because I don’t have any secret spots to share!  However, I’ve lived in Iowa long enough to steer you to certain areas of our great state that might give you a great chance to fill a tag this fall and winter.  So let’s begin with some regions of the state to key into. 

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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.