Iowa Sportsman

2024 Rut Forecast

2024 Rut Forecast As bowhunters, we live for the month of November! The rut, though unpredictable, kicks up and our chances of seeing elusive bucks goes up dramatically as they start becoming more active in the daylight hours. The whitetail rut is a complex and dynamic process, and the timing can vary slightly from year […]

Basic Trapping Tactics

Basic Trapping Tactics I remember those days. Thirty years ago, everyone was trapping. It was a way of life, a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Every morning, I’d wake up with a sense of anticipation. The thrill of the chase, the excitement of the unknown. Would I have fooled an animal? Would I […]

Make The Most of Pheasant Season 2024

Make The Most of Pheasant Season 2024 The crisp autumn air nipped at my nose as I slipped into my hunting vest, the weight of my shotgun comforting. Today was the day I’d been waiting for: the pheasant season opener. My hunting buddy, Jake, and his lab were already waiting in the field, their excitement […]

When the Pressure (Hunting) is High

When the Pressure (Hunting) is High! I grew up hunting with a great bunch of guys from my church. Most of them were farmers who had plenty of land and enjoyed the company of a city boy and his dad. Deer drives were our method of hunting and with these guys on our team, there […]

Understanding Broadhead and Arrow Set-up

Understanding Your Broadhead and Arrow Set-up Archery and bowhunting have changed tremendously in the last 40 years, so understanding your broadhead and arrow set-up has changed as well. In recent years, arrow weight and Front of Center (FOC) have become hot topics among archers. Fifteen years ago, the trends leaned towards lighter, faster arrows. The […]

Getting Youth Involved in Pheasant Season

Getting Youth Involved in Pheasant Season In Iowa, our season is getting ready to open up, before the season begins, we have a few days set aside for youth to go out and try their luck pheasant hunting. Some days might be better than others while out in the field. When you take your kid, […]

Deer Scents and How to Use Them

Deer Scents and How to Use Them Eliminating Human Scent The foundation of scent control lies in minimizing your human odor. This starts with meticulous hygiene. Showering with scent-free soap, washing your hunting clothes in scent-free detergent, and avoiding scented products are essential steps. In our house, we use scent-free detergent all year round to […]

Iowa Duck Hunting: A Fall Tradition

Iowa Duck Hunting: A Fall Tradition As we turn the page and settle into my favorite time of year, the crisp autumn air settles in and the vibrant hues of fall paint the Iowa landscape thinking of mornings duck hunting in Iowa. The anticipation of waterfowl season reaches an all-time high. With a diverse ecosystem […]

Analyzing Your Shot What Next

Analyzing Your Shot What Next The moment of truth has finally arrived and all of your hard work has paid off: you got your shot on that whitetail you’ve been after for so long. Your arrow struck and your animal has bound out of sight. The impact was not enough to let the animal expire […]

Whitetails 365: Leveraging Conditions for Bowhunting

Whitetails 365: Weathering The Hunt: Leveraging Conditions for Bowhunting October holds so much hope and excitement for Iowa bowhunters. Finally, the season has opened. You no longer have to scout from afar and can make a plan to hunt. With the transition towards fall, comes a unique set of weather patterns that can significantly impact […]

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