The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 
The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats 

The Art of Persuasion: Deer Scents, Rattles, and Bleats In the 80’s, my father and grandfather were “entry-level” deer hunters.  They had been invited to begin hunting a timber here in central Iowa that had a steady population of deer.  In their efforts to learn more regarding the tactics to use to fool a wise old whitetail, my grandfather and father would douse their boots with fox urine!  It was an effort to hide human scent when they were in the woods.  It goes without saying that those boots were not allowed in the house, ever! There is no doubt […]

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Patterning Trophy Bucks Post-Rut

Patterning Trophy Bucks Post-Rut: Whitetails 365

Whitetails 365: Patterning Trophy Bucks Post-Rut As bowhunters, we wait all year for the Iowa rut. We hunt hard, see bucks chasing does around in open fields. We see a lot of deer on their feet moving. Anything can happen during this time. As December approaches, the rut winds down. Deer change their activity level […]

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Minnesota Ice Fishing Nothing Like it

Minnesota Ice Fishing… It’s Like No Other What happens when you combine over 10,000 lakes loaded with fish in a state that produces consistent below freezing temps? You have the recipe for ice fishing of epic proportion. Throw in a myriad of full service resorts, outfitters and sleeper fish house businesses that cater to ice […]

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Finding Coyotes Before Breeding Season

Finding Coyotes before Breeding Season

Finding Coyotes before Breeding Season There’s an old myth that implies coyotes are almost impossible to kill during the months of December and January because of the constant intrusion and disruption from the orange army of deer hunters, which invade their territory during that time. The theory suggests that coyotes become strictly nocturnal and have […]

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Three Tips for a Successful Muzzleloader Season

Three Tips for a Successful Muzzleloader Season One of the most exciting times to harvest a deer is in the snow, during the late muzzleloader season. It’s during this time that I eagerly retrieve my trusty muzzleloader and go on a mission to harvest does. These does, will be transformed into a batch of mouthwatering […]

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Featured Story

Iowa Public Land Hunting 

Every hunter wants to know where to go to harvest a great deer.  We often assume that there is some “honey hole” spot out there that a person can always go to and harvest a trophy year after year.  While having hope for that, we are always keeping our ears perked for that privileged information on where the best place to hunt would be.   

Now, let me ask you, if somebody had the perfect spot to hunt where they are harvesting trophy deer year after year, do you think that they would share that information with you?  Probably not.  Unless they are VERY gracious and kind.   

In this article, I will not share any “secret spots” with you who are reading.  Frankly, because I don’t have any secret spots to share!  However, I’ve lived in Iowa long enough to steer you to certain areas of our great state that might give you a great chance to fill a tag this fall and winter.  So let’s begin with some regions of the state to key into. 

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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.