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 […]

Read more

Check Out Our Current Issue!

Top 5 Rifles for Hunting Iowa

Top 5 Rifles for Hunting Iowa

Top 5 Rifles for Hunting Iowa It’s that time of the year that many Iowa deer hunters dream about. Before, we consider a few of the top choices for rifle cartridges, we should first review Iowa’s deer regulations for rifles. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources rules for the gun deer and youth/disabled season state […]

READ MORE
Snowmobiling Northern Iowa

Snowmobiling Northern Iowa

Snowmobiling Northern Iowa When winter descends upon Iowa, it brings with it a serene beauty and a world of outdoor possibilities. While the Hawkeye State may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of snowmobiling and winter exploration, it harbors a treasure trove of experiences for those willing to embrace […]

READ MORE
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 […]

READ MORE

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 […]

READ MORE

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.

READ FULL STORY

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.