Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap
Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap

I once struck up a conversation with a man from Australia and while talking I asked him the question most people want to know about Australians, “how many times have you been bitten by one of your crazy spiders you have down there?” His answer was shocking, “Oh not many, probably less than 20 times.”

I once struck up a conversation with a man from Australia and while talking I asked him the question most people want to know about Australians, “how many times have you been bitten by one of your crazy spiders you have down there?” His answer was shocking, “Oh not many, probably less than 20 times.” My coworker and I laughed in horror and amazement and counted our blessing of living in the relatively venom free state of Iowa.

I once struck up a conversation with a man from Australia and while talking I asked him the question most people want to know about Australians, “how many times have you been bitten by one of your crazy spiders you have down there?” His answer was shocking, “Oh not many, probably less than 20 times.” My coworker and I laughed in horror and amazement and counted our blessing of living in the relatively venom free state of Iowa. But only relatively venom free, within Iowa’s borders there are a handful of flora and fauna that if encountered can leave an unlucky Iowan itchy, burning, swollen, scarred and in the worst of scenarios, permanently incapacitated or dead.

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Dangerous Plants and Animals in Iowa

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Target Shooting Checklist

Target Shooting Checklist Target shooting is something anyone can do and so is this target shooting checklist. It gets you outdoors. Do it by yourself or with group of friends. You can shoot pistols, rifles, shotguns, or, “all of the above”. You don’t even have to be a hunter or have plans to become one […]

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What you Need to Know about CWD

CWD in Iowa: What Hunters Need to Know

The Growing Threat of Chronic Wasting Disease: What you need to know about CWD As the cooler weather settles in and the days shorten, Iowa hunters gear up for one of the most anticipated events of the deer season: gun season. While excitement builds for the season, there’s a pressing issue that no hunter should […]

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Tips For January Coyote Calling

Tips for January Coyote Calling

Tips For January Coyote Calling The sun started to peek over the horizon, casting soft, pink light across the field. It was a perfect morning for hunting. I’d set up just off the edge of a field bordered by dense woods. From my vantage point, I had a clear line of sight for a few […]

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Plan for Deer Season 2025

Plan for Deer Season 2025   As Iowa’s 2024 hunting season winds down this month, hunters across the state feel a mix of accomplishment and anticipation. For many, the season has been rewarding, with crisp mornings, challenging hunts, and stories to share. Yet, as the final days slip by and the fields quiet down, the […]

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Featured Story

Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Spring is in full swing here in Iowa, and what can be more pleasant a reminder than the sound of birds, the sight of flowers blooming, and the feel of a warm afternoon? I can think of at least one more thing…Panfish!

I can remember it like yesterday, our family would all meet up at the lake house. There was work to do. The yard was to be picked up, the cabin cleaned, and the dock had to be put in. But then, after the work was finished, it was time for all of us cousins to fish! We would all go out to the garage to pick out a few old rods and tie on a hook and sinker as best we could.

The next order of business was to hunt for worms. Flipping anything that we could find stuck in the ground in hopes of just finding a few crawlers. Once the bait was secured, we were ready to fish. We would go out on the dock and cast, vertical jig, and even troll along the side of the dock. We usually did pretty well use those tactics, but my all-time favorite was walking along the rocks on shore and dropping the bait down every little crevice, not knowing what was going to come up next.

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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.