Check Out Our Current Issue!
In the April 2026 Issue of the Iowa Sportsman
- Best Places for Early Season Open Water
- Building a Foundation for the Field
- Range Safety Tips
- Building a Farm Pond to Hold More Wildlife
- Shed Antlers: Do they really tell us anything?
- What Makes a Great Food Plot
- Keeping Kids Engaged in Turkey Hunting
- Pre-Spawn Bass
- Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill
Click Here To View This Issue Now!
The Healthy Start: Puppy Nutrition
The Healthy Start: Puppy Nutrition Life doesn’t always go as planned. October 13, 2025, is a day I’ll never forget. The plan was in motion. Our oldest, first Small Munsterlander, Chloe, was due with her last litter of puppies. She didn’t begin the labor process until around 4pm. I knew she was in full-on delivery […]
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The Fundamentals of the 1,000 Yard Shot
The Fundamentals of the 1,000 Yard Shot The first time I saw a target at 1000 yards, I was in high school. At the time, it seemed like an impossible distance, something only attainable by elite shooters with unlimited funds. A few years later, I would find myself at sniper school. And after an iron […]
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Prep for Deer Season 2026 Now
Prep for Deer Season 2026 Now Deer season 2025 seems like a distant memory at this point. What we longed for in anticipation has changed to a new longing: deer season 2026! Until then, there are quite a few deer-related activities that can keep us especially busy as we pass the time and pursue whitetails […]
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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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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.
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.
