Iowa Sportsman

Signs to Success
Signs to Success By Ryan Graden I had been sitting in this stand all evening. It was one of many long hour sits during November for one particular buck that I knew was in the “neck of the woods” that I was frequenting. He was not a buck of a lifetime, but he was a […]
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Must Try Bass Baits
Must Try Bass Baits Every bass angler has his or her favorite bait that they take to the water whenever they head out, its just common nature for anglers to stick with something that has produced for them day in and day out. And with literally hundreds of different bait options it can often seem […]
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Fallback To Shoot Bigger Bucks: Using Fallback Stands For Archery Season
Fallback To Shoot Bigger Bucks: Using Fallback Stands For Archery Season Have you ever been sitting in a treestand and seen a large mature whitetail buck coming your way only to have it skirt your stand by 70 yards for no apparent reason? I have fallen victim to this scenario more than once. It is […]
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Why Wait Until The Snows Flies? Hunting Early Season Coyotes
Why Wait Until The Snows Flies? Hunting Early Season Coyotes By Troy Hoepker A sense of anxiousness and giddiness came over me all at the same time as I waited for the action to start! Peering over at my long time hunting partner Mark Johnston, he was busying himself with his normal routine. Grabbing the […]
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Hunting Iowa’s Common Waterfowl
Hunting Iowa’s Common Waterfowl Ive been an avid waterfowl hunter for many years and I still remember when I first found my love for the sport, one of the most fascinating aspects was the sheer diversity of species one could encounter. If my memory serves me right, there are 41 unique species of waterfowl across […]
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Another Bass Season in Iowa
Another Bass Season in Iowa The 2020 bass fishing season was a long one this year. The ice melted away rather quickly in March opening up lakes all over the state by St. Patrick’s Day. This gave the spring bite a kick-start as the year began. Those anxiously waiting to chase down some big spring […]
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Using Scents and Calls for Whitetail
Using Scents and Calls for Whitetail Sweet November! These are the days that deer hunters live for. The first two or three weeks of this month can be dynamic when it comes to buck activity. Lonesome bachelors are looking to hook up to the first receptive female and are, therefore, on the prowl! Optimistic hunters […]
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Three Strategies to Taking a Giant this November: Whitetails 365
Three Strategies to Taking a Giant this November: Whitetails 365 Last month, I stressed 3 tactics I use each October when trying to get in front of a giant whitetail. Taking advantage of bed to feed patterns, hunting active scrapes, and calling in October. October starts out all about food and bed to feed patterns, […]
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Top Tactics for Each Stage of the Rut
Top Tactics for Each Stage of the Rut By Ryan Graden I walked out this morning and it hit me! The cooler temperatures of the fall have finally showed up. Immediately, my mind went to my hunting memories. The smells, the sounds, and the scenery of my favorite hunts. The things that I have witnessed […]
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Buck Fever Follies
Buck Fever Follies By Jason Smith Growing up, my father was an avid deer hunter, but putting food on the table was his top priority and taking time off from work was nearly impossible for him, so he’d schedule PTO nine months in advance and squeeze all of his deer hunting in during first season […]
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