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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Diy Water Hole for Deer

DIY Water Hole for Deer: Whitetails 365

DIY Water Hole for Deer: Whitetails 365 Having clean water is of utmost importance for deer as it is essential for their survival and overall health, so creating a DIY water hole for deer can greatly improve your property. Having a place with food, cover, and water is vital for any successful hunting property. If […]

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Shed Hunting Secrets from the Experts

Shed Hunting Secrets from the Experts

Shed Hunting Secrets from the Experts Shed hunting is one of the most magical bonus gifts that nature provides to all of us hopeless outdoor addicts. Sometimes my inner dialogue exclaims “You mean to tell me there are antlers just laying around out there waiting to be picked up?! For free?!?” Yeah, it’s that good. […]

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How to Establish Perennial Cover

How to Establish Perennial Cover

How to Establish Perennial Cover Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to destroy than it is to build something great? It probably has something to do with the law of entropy, everything degrades into a state of greater disorder over time. This is easy to see people introduce a wrecking ball to […]

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Elevating Food Plots with Frost Seeded Clover and Alfalfa Simple Things Landowners can do to Improve Wildlife  Herbicides Now and Next Year's Tree Plantings

Elevating Food Plots with Frost Seeded Clover and Alfalfa

Elevating Food Plots with Frost Seeded Clover and Alfalfa Clover and alfalfa are both excellent choices for deer and other wildlife. Clover and alfalfa are cool-season legumes that grow well during cool soil seasons, like spring and fall, and also thrives in the summer. They are one of the best perennial food sources for deer […]

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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.