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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Using Decoys to Hunt Coyotes

Using Decoys to Hunt Coyotes

Decoying Coyotes   As I sat and watched the terrain, I couldn’t help but think that if I were a coyote, I’d sure be intrigued by those spinning feathers that whirled around the caller. Heck, I’d even catch myself watching it in moments of boredom while waiting on a customer to show up. The decoy […]

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Why Hire a Fishing Guide

When and Why to Hire a Fishing Guide

When and Why to Hire a Fishing Guide In today’s fast paced society, time is of the essence and when you do get a chance to go fishing you want to make the most of it. Hiring a fishing guide can be a cost effective and efficient way to make the most of your time […]

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The Costs Of Raising A Dog

Knowing The Costs Of Raising A Dog Having a well-trained hunting dog in your life is an extraordinary experience. These furry little friends will provide families with years and years of loyalty. They will aim to please both in family and hunting settings, and give us countless memories to cherish. However there is an actual […]

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Getting Kids Involved in Fishing

Creating a Catman DISCLAIMER: While this article should be very informative for getting a kid into catfishing it is also a gushing proud dad moment. Nobody thinks getting kids to participate in the outdoors is a bad thing. If you use social media you have probably come across a meme that says “More tackle box […]

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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.