Iowa Sportsman

Deer Hunting 101: Mentored Deer Hunts

Deer Hunting 101: Mentored Deer Hunts By Ben Leal Alarm clock rings in the background…its 4AM on a Saturday and 10 hunters from Central Iowa are getting up and preparing for their very first attempt at harvesting a deer. Camouflage clothing…check…hunting license…check…extra cloths for warmth…check…okay, time to head on out for a 6AM breakfast and […]

Decoying Waterfowl – Costly Mistakes

Decoying Waterfowl – Costly Mistakes By Nick Johnson Waterfowl hunting as a whole is a pretty straightforward concept. It is the different variables that factor in given the time of season that make it challenging and rewarding, maybe even frustrating. The variables that we cannot control such as weather, migration patterns, hunting pressure and even […]

Something to Consider Before Using an Electronic Collar

Something to Consider Before Using an Electronic Collar By Ryan Eder When it comes to electronic collars for training your dog, there are all kinds of resources available to help you select the right product. Electronic collars come in several different varieties, from several manufacturers and can vary quite a bit in cost as well. […]

The Poor Man’s Bucket List

The Poor Man’s Bucket List By Earl Taylor It is easy to get all juiced up about hunting out west after watching a half hour hunting show where a celebrity hunter whacks a monster bull, buck or ram. Just as in ancient mythology where the Sirens called out to Oedipus to come to their beautiful […]

Icy Water Divers

Icy Water Divers By Nick Johnson The air was frigid…so crisp and so cold that my breath froze to my facial hair in little icy droplets. The only sounds were the gentle gurgling of the river and the occasional crash of a floating ice chunk meeting a brief stopping point on its way down stream. […]

Successful Party Hunting Techniques

Successful Party Hunting Techniques By Jason Smith In the great state of Iowa, we have what is referred to as ‘Party Hunting’, for deer Shotgun 1 and Shotgun 2 seasons. The 2017-18 Iowa DNR Hunting Regulations, Pages 30 & 36, describes ‘Party Hunting’ as: Helping other Hunters Resident and nonresident deer hunters with a valid […]

Purchasing Your Next Camper

Purchasing Your Next Camper By Jessica Graham In 1872, the United States congress recognized the beauty and importance of the nature surrounding us and set aside land which would later be used to establish the world’s first national park, Yellowstone National Park. Since the establishment, thousands of other parks have been established for tourists and […]

Firearms Auction

A Day on the Ice with… me!

A Day on the Ice with… me! By Rod Woten One of the questions I hear several times every ice season as I’m presenting seminars or making retail in-store appearances is, “what’s it like to be an Ice Team Pro?”  Simply put, it is AWESOME!  I get to travel the ice belt and talk about […]

The Puzzle in Patterning a Rutting Buck

The Puzzle in Patterning a Rutting Buck By Aaron Stonehocker I have always been fascinated with the complexity and interconnection of everything in our natural world. Like a completed jigsaw puzzle, the perfect picture is only there if every piece is carefully laid in the perfect place, starting with the outer edge. A big buck […]