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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Long Range Shooting Basics

Long Range Shooting Basics

Long Range Shooting Basics Long-range shooting is a specialized skill that requires a high degree of precision and accuracy. Long-range shooting involves hitting targets accurately at distances beyond 500 yards, and it requires a comprehensive understanding of ballistics, environmental factors, and marksmanship fundamentals. High-Quality Gear The foundation of long-range shooting is the rifle, and it […]

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Choosing A Bass Boat

Choosing A Bass Boat The ability to get out on the water, away from the hustle and bustle is a wonderful thing. As I get older, therapy time in a boat is invaluable. As a youngster, I dreamt of having a bass boat, just like the pros on the Bassmaster tournament trail back in the […]

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Planning a Switchgrass Planting Gathering Summer Intel for Fall Bowhunting

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 […]

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Improve 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. […]

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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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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.