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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I.O.W.A. (Ice-fisherman Out Wandering Around)
Even though most Iowans don’t realize it, Iowa is on the doorstep to the ice belt. It’s hard to say that we’re the center of the ice belt, but head anywhere in a northerly direction out of the state and you’re going to run into world-class ice fishing destinations. After traveling to fish in the […]
READ MOREBig Buck Profile
With all the practicing, scouting, and preparation done, deer season was finally here! Little did I know how exciting 2012 was going to be for me. It started with my muzzleloader deer. I set a camera up in August and was very happy to see one buck that showed up on several different evenings. He […]
READ MOREThe Parker Harms buck
I have been hunting and fishing with my Grandpa Terry for as long as I can remember. I hunt a little bit of everything and always find an excuse to get out and hunt no matter what it is for. Deer hunting is by far my favorite thing to hunt. I started deer hunting with […]
READ MORETHE COST OF QUALITY
THE COST OF QUALITY In the past few years have you noticed the decline of quality in goods and services we purchase in the US? The short-lived coffee pots, footwear, tools, batteries, auto parts, etc? Unlike the deteriorating aspects of quality, have you noticed that the prices in most instances have not decreased? We seem […]
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Featured 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.
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.
