Upland

Snow Pheasant Pursuits

Snow Pheasant Pursuits By Kent Boucher As I write this, my legs are burning from a fresh sunburn I received while mowing my acreage for several hours yesterday, and the thought of wading through January’s knee deep snow drifts seems almost therapeutic. When December gets here though, my sunburn will be long gone and my […]

A Flight of Passage!

A Flight of Passage! By Jacob Vanderberg It starts with a change. That first real bite of cold in early fall when the leaves have barely started to turn and daylight periods grow shorter. It isn’t a rapid change, but more of a coaxing that sends those first early migrants on their southward journey. Waterfowlers […]

Top Public Hunting Upland Areas in Iowa

Top Public Hunting Upland Areas in Iowa By Jessica Graham Iowa’s rolling fields and picturesque landscapes set the stage for an exhilarating outdoor pursuit that is just around the corner, pheasant season. As the leaves begin to turn and a crisp autumn breeze fills the air, hunters from across the state and beyond eagerly anticipate […]

A DIY Preseason Game Plan for Gundogs

A DIY Preseason Game Plan for Gundogs By Kent Boucher In my football playing days the preseason was one of the most intense times of the year. Although the coach’s calendar would say the preseason officially started sometime in early August, in reality it began months earlier during the summer weight lifting and conditioning program. […]

Hunting Early Season Pheasants

Hunting Early Season Pheasants By Jessica Graham October is finally here and for pheasant hunters, that means Iowa’s pheasant season will soon open. We know from survey results that last year’s pheasant hunting was phenomenal. In fact, hunters harvested more pheasants last year than any year in the last decade. We want this year to […]

What’s in a Hunt Test?

What’s in a Hunt Test? By Ryan J. Eder As bird hunters there is so much we enjoy about our experiences in the field. Shooting your limit of birds, enjoying time with family and friends, or simply taking in the outdoors are all part of those great experiences. I am going to be honest; I […]

A Story of Safety

A Story of Safety By Drew Henry The ducks have been scouted. The spread has been set. You are waiting with sheer anticipation in your layout blind, blanketed over by the early morning darkness. You are blessed to have your father along on the hunt, both of you sipping hot coffee and taking in the […]

Crow Calling March Madness

Crow Calling March Madness By Troy Hoepker As the upland and deer seasons fade in the rear view mirror hunters are left with the question of, “What are we going to hunt now?” Coyotes are always on the radar this time of year but if you prefer wing shooting, there is one wise and crafty […]

Following the Number for Ringnecks

Following the Number for Ringnecks By Tim Ackarman Introduced to Iowa in the early 1900s, ringneck pheasants were the premier game species across most of state from the 1960s through the early 2000s. Beginning in 2007 habitat loss, changing agricultural practices and several consecutive years of unfavorable weather sent populations spiraling downward. Meanwhile deer, turkey […]