Reflections on Deer Season
Reflections on Deer Season

Reflections on Deer Season Hunting season, for us, is more than just chasing whitetails or birds; it’s our escape button. It gives us a much-needed chance for escape and an opportunity to connect with God, nature, as well as friends and family. Hunting is how we finally slow down, take a solid break from the office grind, and ditch the electronics. My first memories in the timber aren’t solitary, they’re crowded. I learned the ropes by tagging along with Dad, Grandpa, and the uncles. Those hunts were memorable, and some I wish to relive. They’re full of crunching boots, and […]

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Summer Hunter's Checklist Timber Stand Improvement The Wild Past of Iowa

Timber Stand Improvement

Timber Stand Improvement  For Beginners Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) can mean different things to different people. Ultimately, it depends on the goals landowners have for their timber. For some, the goal is to improve timber quality by focusing on higher-value trees to maximize economic return. For others, TSI is aimed at promoting wildlife habitat to […]

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Why use Prescribed Burning

Why use Prescribed Burning

Why use Prescribed Burning I remember watching our field of switchgrass being burned for the first time. With a drip torch in hand, the volunteer fire department struck the first line of flame, and I watched as the flame slowly gained strength. The fire spread, low and steady at first, but then surging forward. As […]

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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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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.