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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10 Tips for Iowa Rut Late Season Whitetails

10 Tips for Iowa Rut

10 Tips for Iowa Rut Time-is-a-ticking, and before you know it, you’ll be pinned down, eye to eye with that old mature doe. The stomps seem like days, and days feel like weeks. But this time you took the week off and dropped her with the “if she blows, she goes’’ motto. You sit down […]

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Choosing Ammo for Iowa Deer Season

Choosing Ammo for Iowa Deer Season

Choosing Ammo for Iowa Deer Season We are approaching one of our favorite times of the year – deer season! The anticipation and preparation for deer seasons can be as much fun as the hunt itself. Be aware of your state’s regulations pertaining to legal firearms and ammunition. As you know, several of our Midwestern […]

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Prepare for the First Day of Ice Fishing

Prepare for the First Day of Ice Fishing

Prepare for the First Day of Ice Fishing As the temperatures drop and frost begins to decorate the landscape, it’s that time of year again – ice fishing season is just around the corner! Soon enough, our favorite frozen playgrounds will transform into angler’s paradises, offering the thrill of reeling in those elusive underwater treasures. […]

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Upland Hunter's Checklist

Upland Hunter’s Checklist

Upland Hunter’s Checklist “Hold my beer. Watch this!”, isn’t something any of us want to hear when we are hunting. If this is a statement we hear from our hunting group, we probably need to find new hunting buddies. All kidding aside, field safety isn’t a joke. Some of you are probably going to roll […]

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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.