Check Out Our Current Issue!
In this issue of the Iowa Sportsman October 2025
- 5 Easy Mistakes to Make Fly Fishing for Trout in the Fall
- 10 Beginner Tips for Hunting Iowa Geese
- Deer Scents and Lures
- Early October Hunting Strategies
- Training your Dog to Blood-trail Deer
- Planning a Weeklong Pheasant Trip
- Shooting Optics for the Iowa Hunter
- Top 10 Bowhunting Destinations
- Whitetails 365: Mastering Scent Control
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Gathering Summer Intel for Fall Bowhunting
Gathering Summer Intel for Fall Bowhunting By Noel Gandy Is there really an off season? For the diehard bowhunter the answer is likely a resounding “no”! Do things look different during the Spring and Summer months for avid deer hunting enthusiasts? You better believe it. That does not mean, though, that there is not work […]
READ MOREImprove your Pond with Native Habitat
Improve your Pond with Native Habitat The northern corners crown our state with their excellent natural fisheries that are unparalleled throughout the vast majority of the rest of the state. In the Northeastern counties we have pristine, cold water trout streams and in the Northwestern counties we have our few and only naturally formed lakes. […]
READ MOREEnjoying Iowa’s Outdoors From The Sky
Enjoying Iowa’s Outdoors from the Sky Drones are an excellent way to have fun and explore the world from a different perspective. With their advanced technology and capabilities, they offer a wide range of possibilities for outdoor activities. Here are some of the ways you can have fun with a drone outside. One of the […]
READ MORE5 Tips for Catfishing the River
5 Tips for Catfishing the River Who doesn’t like spending quality time on the river with family and friends in Iowa? I’ll wait… One of the best ways to spend that time is to fish for some catfish! Fishing for catfish on the river is some of the most fun, exciting, and best ways to […]
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Featured Story
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 that in the last 40 years, there has been quite a bit of advancement when it comes to hunting whitetails. Knowing more about deer behavior, hunting scents, better tree stands, better bows, guns, and so much more.
I fear that somebody desiring to get into hunting in the current culture could be a bit overwhelmed with all the information and tools that are out there on the market. We must remember that man has been chasing deer for thousands of years. The art of hunting is not new. It’s the methods that are ever-changing.
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.
