Iowa Sportsman

Plan A, B and C when the Fish Disappear
Plan A, B and C when the Fish Disappear By Todd Reed The ice fishing season is well underway and anglers are having success all around the state of Iowa. The fish have had ample time to get in their winter patterns and can become pretty predictable this time of year. Typically that is a […]
READ MORE
A Trip Down Memory Lane
A Trip Down Memory Lane By Steve Weisman In late September, my wife and I traveled to her hometown of Redfield, SD for her 50th year class reunion. The kids of ’69 were now in their late 60s, and as a friend of mine and I watched the Redfield homecoming parade, we cheered as the […]
READ MORE
The Warren Holder Buck
The Warren Holder Buck – I Won the Battle, but He Still Won the War! As told by Warren Holder The story of this deer begins in the summer of 2015. We had just acquired a new piece of property. As usual with any piece of ground we acquire we start by putting trail cameras […]
READ MORE
Hunting the Coyote Rut
Hunting the Coyote Rut By Troy Hoepker Only the pleasing sound of loose gravel under the tires of my ¾ ton could be heard as I slowly rolled up the lonely gravel road by one of my hunting spots. Darkness was slowly losing its struggle to grip the landscape as I stopped to glass a […]
READ MORE
Snow Goose Hunting on a Budget
Snow Goose Hunting on a Budget By Nick Johnson At first glance you might scoff at the title and think, “that’s not possible”. Those who have dabbled or jumped head first into the snow goose game know that things can get expensive in a hurry so I will forgive you for scoffing. Snow goose hunting […]
READ MORE
Iowa Ice Hotspots for Crappie
Iowa Ice Hotspots for Crappie By Ben Leal November of 2019 will be remembered by the sudden blast of cold that blew into the State early in the month…Anglers across Iowa, especially those in the central portions of the state were talking about being on the ice by Thanksgiving. As I sit and hammer out […]
READ MORE
The Good and Bad Yellow Bass
The Good and Bad Yellow Bass By Todd Reed What: Yellow Bass are an invasive species in some lakes around Iowa. They are not meant for lakes but have found their way into some, and typically means the lake will not survive. Yellow Bass are in the same family as the white bass and striped […]
READ MORE
The Controversy of Coyotes
The Controversy of Coyotes By Troy Hoepker Coyote hunting contests have risen in popularity in recent years and while they have increased the interest in hunting, they have also drawn a shining light of focus from anti-hunting groups and animal rights activists as well. The controversial type of hunt that is involved with these contests […]
READ MORE
12 Reasons Why You Didn’t Tag A Mature Buck This Year
12 Reasons Why You Didn’t Tag A Mature Buck This Year By Ricky Kinder In order to tag a mature buck year after year you need some luck on your side, but the hunters who consistently put a tag on an Iowa giant don’t rely on luck. Instead they rely on not making mistakes or […]
READ MORE
Searching for White Gold: Whitetails 365
Searching for White Gold: Whitetails 365 November 4, 2021 was a pretty special day in the deer woods for me. Early that morning I had the pleasure of filming one of my best friends take his biggest buck to date: a 180” Southwest Iowa monarch that he had been chasing for two years. While on […]
READ MORE