Early Spring Trout Fishing
Early Spring Trout Fishing

Early Spring Trout Fishing Spring in Northeast Iowa’s Driftless Region marks the beginning of one of the most rewarding trout fishing seasons in the Midwest. This is one of the prettiest areas in Northern Iowa marked with limestone bluffs, spring-fed creeks, and rolling pastures. The Driftless Region contains a several cold, clear streams that flow steadily year-round. This creates perfect trout habitat, and spring offers fishermen peaceful days on the water. With stable water temperatures, increasing insect activity, and hungry post-winter trout, there’s no better time to explore these legendary streams. Why The Driftless Region? This region is a trout […]

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Beaver Trapping Iowa Ice

Trapping Beaver Through Iowa Ice

Trapping Beaver Through Iowa Ice Trapping beaver beneath the ice during late winter is one of the most reliable ways to trap in Iowa. When lakes, ponds, and sloughs freeze over, beaver movements become easy to predict, their food supply is fixed in place, and their sign is simple to read if you know what […]

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Iowa Big Buck Story

Big Buck Profile: The 2025 Gandy Buck

Big Buck Profile: The 2025 Gandy Buck Ok, this first big buck profile is a little self-serving in that it is of a buck that I personally took this past deer season. While it is likely not the “biggest” big buck that we will profile this year it is definitely one of my most special […]

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Early Spring Catfishing Iowa

The Ice-Out Frenzy: Iowa’s Best Kept Catfish Secret

The Ice-Out Frenzy: Iowa’s Best Kept Catfish Secret In Iowa, March catfishing is a legendary “ice-out” tradition that brings some of the fastest action you’ll see all year. Even though some fishermen think you need the sweltering heat of a June summer to catch cats, the real “addicts” and die-hards know that early spring is […]

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Spring Turkey Hunting Story

Thunder in the Timber: A Morning with a Longbeard

Thunder in the Timber: A Morning with a Longbeard Songbirds sing their songs and fill the cool air along a timber edge overlooking a fresh, green alfalfa field. Virginia bluebells and spring beauty add dashes of color across the awakening forest floor behind the giant oak tree I rest my back against. A deer works […]

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Featured Story

Big Buck Profile: The 2025 Gandy Buck

Ok, this first big buck profile is a little self-serving in that it is of a buck that I personally took this past deer season. While it is likely not the “biggest” big buck that we will profile this year it is definitely one of my most special deer ever.

Turning a Dream into Reality

As has been noted in several articles since 2023, my family and I finally put together the means to purchase our very own piece of Iowa ground. “The 32,” as we call it, has become a passion project to see if we could take an unassuming piece of real estate and harvest a mature deer from there by giving him all he needs in the way of habitat. This year was the first year that the farm would be huntable in the state in which we intended due to construction projects over the past couple of seasons.

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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.