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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Management for a Thriving Deer Season

Management for a Thriving Deer Season in 2024: Whitetails 365

Management for a Thriving Deer Season in 2024: Whitetails 365 In May, a lot of Iowa Sportsmen shift their focus from deer to turkey and fishing. However, for some of us, we are always planning and doing what we can for the upcoming deer season. There are some things you can do to help your […]

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Spring Mushrooms to Forage in Iowa

Spring Mushrooms to Forage in Iowa When spring rolls around and temperatures start increasing, Iowa foragers become excited knowing that soon spring mushrooms will be popping up in our Iowa timbers. Here are a few you may expect to see: Morels One of the first mushrooms to begin growing in Iowa are morel mushrooms. If […]

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May Fishing Tips

May Fishing Tips Probably my most, favorite time to fish is in early spring. It is a new reason to get outside and see a new side of nature that you have missed since last year, and don’t realize it until you’re standing in it. Now is the time to pack a cooler with the […]

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Getting Youth Involved in Turkey Hunting

Getting Youth Involved in Turkey Hunting

Getting Youth Involved in Turkey Hunting I remember sitting in the timber, listening to the song birds wake up and the first gobbles begin. At this time, I was a young hunter, and I just was so excited to get to hunt or to tag along with my dad or uncles turkey hunting. Even though […]

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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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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.