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Mastering Summer Catfish
Iowa Sportsman July 2025
This Issue Brings You:
- Mastering Summer Catfish
- Fishing Iowa: Iowa Hot Spots
- Do It Yourself – Iowa Kill Plots
- Introducing Youth to Shooting Sports
- Whitetails 365 – Drought, Deer & Looming Threat of EHD
- County Spotlight: Iowa Fishing Destinations
- Blind Buyers Guide: Clear Sight Hunting Blinds
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Chilly Open Water Cats
Chilly Open Water Cats Spring is here (or should) be. After a long winter we all are ready to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. The ice is off but the water is still cold. It is not yet pre spawn yet catfish are starting to come alive. Spring brings new life to everything […]
READ MORE5 Steps for an Easy DIY European Mount
5 Steps for an Easy DIY European Mount As a native Iowan I am reminded how blessed I am every October when I begin pursuing whitetails in a state notorious for producing trophy class deer. Once the hunt is over, when we have harvested a mature buck, we seek a way to preserve the memories […]
READ MORERun and Gun Gobblers
Run and Gun Gobblers By Nick Johnson There have been encounters in my life that make me question what God was thinking when he made one organism in particular. Never in my life have I had a creature bring such frustration and reward upon me in a single day. To be clear, I am talking […]
READ MOREThe Do’s and Don’ts of Turkey Season
The Do’s and Don’ts of Turkey Season The lull of winter is in full swing for me. Fall/winter hunting seasons have all closed and I am finding myself anticipating the next best thing. Turkey season! My mind has shifted. In my daydreaming I now see episodes of turkey hunts. When I’m driving to and from […]
READ MOREFeatured Story
10 Killer Big Buck Bow Hunting Ambushes
Why do top notch hunters shoot quality mature deer year after year? Sure they scout, don’t shoot young bucks, maintain their land, pay attention to the wind, plant food plots, are in big buck country, ect. Yes all of those and many more reasons can attribute to better chances of shooting bigger bucks consistently. However do you know the most important reason why people shoot big deer year after year? Because they place their stands in locations where big bucks like to frequent…it really is that simple. They are in the right place at the right time. You will never consistently shoot mature deer if you are not putting your tree stands in the proper locations.
Whitetails are creatures of habit and instinct, they do everything for a purpose and that is actually a good thing for us hunters. If we know what they like to do, what they don’t like to do, and how they navigate their day then we can key in on certain geographical locations on our properties and ambush an unsuspecting bruiser.
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.