Check Out Our Current Issue!
In the May 2026 Issue of the Iowa Sportsman
- Chase the Bite: Early Season
- Calming A Hyper Gun Dog
- Perfecting Your Turkey Setup
- Summer Work That Pays Off in Bow Season
- Artifact Hunting in Iowa
- Wild Edible Foraging
- Tactics for Late-Season Toms
- Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap
Click Here To View This Issue Now!
Youth Deer Hunting – A Father/Daughter Perspective
Youth Deer Hunting – A Father/Daughter Perspective Many of our family’s greatest memories are made in the outdoors. For as long as they can remember, my daughters have watched me prepare to go and return from hunting, and occasionally bring home wild game. About five years ago, my oldest daughter, Hope, asked if she could […]
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February Coyote Calling
February Coyote Calling When the calendar flips to November bowhunters in Iowa feel the magic in the air of the whitetail breeding season kicking into full swing. The majestic bucks that dreams are made of seem to be everywhere. For coyote hunters that magical time of year is late January into February. It means coyotes […]
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Combat Cabin Fever with Outdoor Activities
Combat Cabin Fever with Outdoor Activities The winter lull has hit and those of us who love the outdoors sit there wondering, “Now what do I do?” The hunting season has closed, spring Turkey season doesn’t open for a few months, and you are itching to do something outside but you just don’t know what […]
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Fishing Late Season Ice
Fishing Late Season Ice February is the time of year when, in Iowa, most outdoor sports and recreation shows are taking place, giving reason for the thoughts of open water. Reality soon sets in as you peer out the window and see a blanket of snow covering much of the ground and fishing boats remain […]
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Featured Story
Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill
Spring is in full swing here in Iowa, and what can be more pleasant a reminder than the sound of birds, the sight of flowers blooming, and the feel of a warm afternoon? I can think of at least one more thing…Panfish!
I can remember it like yesterday, our family would all meet up at the lake house. There was work to do. The yard was to be picked up, the cabin cleaned, and the dock had to be put in. But then, after the work was finished, it was time for all of us cousins to fish! We would all go out to the garage to pick out a few old rods and tie on a hook and sinker as best we could.
The next order of business was to hunt for worms. Flipping anything that we could find stuck in the ground in hopes of just finding a few crawlers. Once the bait was secured, we were ready to fish. We would go out on the dock and cast, vertical jig, and even troll along the side of the dock. We usually did pretty well use those tactics, but my all-time favorite was walking along the rocks on shore and dropping the bait down every little crevice, not knowing what was going to come up next.
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.
