The Iowa Sportsman September 2018 by Twin Rivers Media

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FEATURES DOWN FOR SHOT PLACEMENT OUTCOME SUMMERTIME FISHING AND BLOOD TRACKING GUIDE 42 COOL 10 WHITETAIL 365: QUESTIONS ABOUT ARCHERY 14 TENKARA-JAPANESE FLY FISHING 50 WHITETAILS GEAR/TACTICS 5 FALLACIES IN DEER HUNTING 18 DIGGING DEEPER: CATCHING HOT WATER BASS PRE SEASON PREP 58 22 IOWA’S 60-DAY WATERFOWL TACTICS FOR PRESSURED FISH 28 SEASON RELEASED 64 5 FALL FESTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY PUBLIC LAND SUCCESS DEPENDS 68 32 UPON YOUR EFFORTS By Noah Gandy

By Billy Pryor

By Rod Woten By Jason Smith By Dan Turner

By Steve Weisman

By Tom Peplinski

By Gary Faith By Todd Reed

By Aaron Stonehocker

By Mac Chilton

DEPARTMENTS 67 FISHING IOWA 6 PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT SPORTSMAN INTERACTIVE 72 HUNTING BUDDIES 8 IOWA PHASES/ GUNDOG CORNER SUNRISE-SUNSET 9 MOON 74 TROPHY ROOM IOWA COOKBOOK 38 78 AROUND THE STATE 56 By Patrick McKinney

Photos Submitted by Readers

By Bob Jensen

Waterfowl Recipes

ON THE COVER

Welcome to the September issue of The Iowa Sportsman Magazine! On the cover this month is a photograph of an extremely photogenic Wood Duck. Waterfowl seasons get started in early September with the special teal season and then followed by the north, south, and Missouri zone duck and geese seasons. Check out page 28 for more info on the upcoming waterfowl seasons. 4

The Iowa Sportsman

September 2018

PUBLISHER STATEMENT

FALL HAS ARRIVED!

Welcome to the September issue of The Iowa Sportsman Magazine! Even more exciting welcome to fall here in Iowa! Soon those temperatures will start to dip and we will be welcomed by cool crisp mornings and evenings. If we could just press repeat three times on the months of September, October, and November I would be a happy camper. I am a known lover of cooler temperatures, football, and of course hunting. So the fall and I are like peas in a pod. Beggars can’t be choosers though! I guess the saying “all good things are worth waiting for” rings true in this instance. If I didn’t have to wait for the fall it wouldn’t mean as much to me if it was available at all times. With the fall hunting seasons just around the corner I wanted to take time this month and go over safety with our readers. Accidents happen no matter how prepared one might be, but if proper precautions are taken it is proven that accidents are less likely to occur. How many times do we hear or read about a hunter injured due to some sort of negligence on their part? Nine times out of ten accidents occur when proper safety wasn’t taken. We owe it to ourselves and loved ones to take the time and be safe. No species of animal we pursue is worth serious injury or death. Below I have provided some reminders for you to review and implement this fall. Please take time to read them. • Wear a safety harness – treestands are small platforms that we sit on for hours. The first loss of balance or misstep could lead to disaster. A safety harness will aid in your ability to get to the ground safely. • Wear a climbing belt – most falls when using treestands happen when a hunter is climbing up or down a ladder. It makes all the sense in the world to be secure when ascending and descending from a treestand. I know it is just another time consuming process, but you will be happy if your foot ever slips from a peg or rung. • Know your background – this is one of the first things they teach in hunters’ safety course. While your target may be clear as day, what is in the background typically isn’t. Many shooting accidents happen because of a person not knowing what lies beyond. • Let people know your location – letting a family member know your location ahead of time can be vital in the event of a search and rescue is needed. • Take your cellphone –cellphones allow us to make quick contact with someone in the event an accident happens. Reducing wait time dramatically is very important when an injury has occurred. • Check your equipment –Make sure your weapon is in proper working order. Also make sure and double check any piece of gear you use. If any piece of equipment is not up to par fix it or replace it. • Get into better shape – Yeah, I know working out is no fun! But it could save your life and make you a better hunter. Hunting isn’t an easy task, it takes quite a bit of physical effort trekking around the timber and fields. The better shape you are in the better you will feel during the hunt. Not to mention with the high heart disease rate our country has, being in shape could save a life! • Forecast The Weather – in Iowa we don’t get a lot of bad of storms in the fall, but occasionally we could get a thunderstorm and even snowstorm that could leave someone stranded or possibly injured. Make sure you know what Mother Nature has in store for any given day. As sportsman it is our duty to be as safe as possible when out hunting. Please make sure and plan ahead so you can limit any accidents that may occur. If at all possible make sure and use the above safety precautions and any others that you have apply to your situation. I wish everyone a safe and successful fall hunting season here in Iowa!

Patrick McKinney

@TheIowaSportsmanMagazine

The Iowa Sportsman

TWIN RIVERS MEDIA, LLC. 1517 3rd Avenue NW Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 877-424-4594

VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 9 • SEPTEMBER 2018

Gale W. McKinney II, President & CEO Patrick McKinney, Publisher Audra McKinney, VP of Finance Dustin Hector, VP of Sales Aaron McKinney, Field Editor Brandon Peterson, Art Director/Graphic Designer Teri Marsh, Graphic Designer Dawn Busse, Office Manager Robert Reedy, Controller Shawna Nelson, Circulation Manager

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tom Peplinski, Todd Reed, Jason Smith, Steve Weisman, Rod Woten, Noah Gandy, Billy Pryor, Gary Faith, Dan Turner, Mac Chilton Aaron Stonehocker, and Bob Jensen. The information and advertising set forth herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable and compiled with great care. Twin Rivers Media, LLC. however, does not warrant complete accuracy of such information and assumes no responsibility for any consequences arising from the use thereof or reliance thereon. Our advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their respective advertisements appearing in this publication, and Publisher shall not be responsible or liable in any manner for inaccuracies, false statements or any material in such advertisement infringing upon the intellectual rights of others. Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement or space reservation at any time without notice. Publisher shall not be liable for any costs or damages if for any reason it fails to publish an advertisement. This publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Copyright © 2018 All rights reserved.

The Iowa Sportsman was awarded the Niche Magazine Award for best consumer magazine in the nation!

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INTERACTIVE PAGE

IOWA SPORTSMAN ONLINE POLL

WHAT AM I

IF YOU HUNT WHITETAILS, DO YOU USE TRAIL CAMERAS TO HELP YOUR SCOUTING EFFORTS? Yes No

47%

63%

104 votes

CAN YOU GUESS THE OBJECT IN THE PHOTO?

Please send your guesses to The Iowa Sportsman at 1597 3rd Ave. NW Fort Dodge, IA 50501 or email to info@twinriversmedia.com. Answer will be given in the following month on the interactive page.

WHAT AM I WINNER

The winner of last month’s “What Am I” was Gene Sewell. The answer was: Spinner Blades.

Like us on Facebook! @ theiowasportsmanmagazine

FIND THE MISSING ANTLER We need your help readers! The antler in The Iowa Sportsman logo has come off and we need your help to bring it back! This antler could be anywhere, but most likely it will be hiding in a photo, so it will not be easily found. If you find the missing antler in this month’s The Iowa Sportsman magazine, send in your guesses via email to info@twinriversmedia. com or by mail with the page number and a brief description of where the antler is found. A reader with the first correct answer will be listed in next month’s magazine. Good luck! The antler last month was located on page 28.

THE WINNER OF THE AUGUST ISSUE WAS SCOTT MUNTZ

PHOTO HUNT: CAN YOU FIND THE 12 DIFFERENCES ON THIS PHOTO?

Answers: Screw is missing out of orange knife, lettering is off wooden handle, the “H” is gone from the word Kershaw, chunk is missing from black knife, yellow part on pliers is green, lettering on axe handle is flipped, country knives knife is yellow, Buck knife blade is shorter, extra hole in black handle, kife handle is orange, extra stripe on knife handle, green knife blade is rusted.

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MOON PHASES

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September 2018

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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 within sight so now comes the adrenaline-laced task of recovering your game. Often times these experiences can be filled with joy and enthusiasm upon the recovery of your trophy. Other times, they can turn into frustration, disappointment, and a sinking feeling in your stomach when doubt begins to creep in as to whether or not you made a lethal shot. Luckily for deer hunters, there are some tell-tale indicators that can help you make more informed decisions when it comes to tracking your game. The moment your arrow strikes the deer there are a myriad of notes you should mentally take. First, where on the deer’s body did my arrow enter? This is our first indicator of how lethal the shot was on the game we’re attempting to harvest. The entry point lets the hunter know if he initially struck the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, bones or other areas of the body. The exit point of the arrow is equally as indicative of a lethal hit as the entry point. Based on the angle of the deer and whether or not he was quartering to, broadside, or quartering away from the hunter can help the shooter understand the anatomy of the hit. Paying attention to these things, the entry and exit point of the arrow, and having a working knowledge of the internal structure of the whitetail deer can help you know right away whether you can take a confident trail because of a lethal hit or begin thinking of backing away due to a marginal shot. So far the impact has been made and you September 2018

have mentally noted the entry and exit zones on the animal. Next, a hunter will want to notice the posture that the deer uses as he bounds away. A heart shot, which is always lethal, will usually result in the deer making a mule-kick on impact and then running away with some

in their way and often but not always take a similar trail back towards where they last felt safe. Deer that were shot in the liver or even the guts will generally have a “hunched” trot or walk as they exit the scene. It is not uncommon for these deer to tuck their tail as they run away. Noticing small things such as these will help you pick up a better blood trail before ever exiting your tree. Upon realizing your hit and noticing the posture of your deer as they run away a mental marker of where you last saw your animal needs to be noticed. This is one of the most underappreciated aspects of trailing. Often times, terrain looks extremely different from the ground as it does from an elevated position like a tree stand. Taking time to make a note as to a certain bush, tree, or other

A GUIDE TO TRAILING A WOUNDED DEER WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT MENTIONING YOUR EARS. ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT SOUND STRANGE THAT EARS WOULD BE A TOOL FOR TRACKING A DEER THEY SHOULD NOT BE NEGLECTED. wobble in his step. Normally only lasting for 100-200 yards or so, a heart shot deer will generally slow his pace extremely and end up with a tail flicker before falling over in his deathbed. There are always exceptions but this generally is a good rule. Deer that have been hit in one or both lungs, and most shot deer for that matter, will also likely have those back legs kick when the arrow strikes. Experience proves that lung shot deer will generally bolt at top speed upon evacuation with no regard of obstacles

landmark that your deer crossed paths with could possibly save you some heartache in the long run. After all, it is not unusual for an animal to take 30-50 yards to begin bleeding, especially if there was not an exit hole with the shot. It is not always a given that the impact site will be loaded with clues for blood trailing. In this event, going to the spot where you last saw the deer can normally prove fruitful. Using a landmark to find where the deer was standing on impact can also be super useful, TheIowaSportsman.com

WHITETAIL SHOT PLACEMENT OUTCOME AND BLOOD TRACKING GUIDE especially in the waning hours of the day where light is scarce. You’ve done all of the legwork that you’ve needed to do from the tree. You’ve given the animal some time to leave the premises, and, let’s face it, you’ve given yourself some time to calm down and text your buddies that you’ve shot the big one. Now it’s time to locate the place where the deer was standing when you shot. Blood, hair, and footprints can give you a wealth of information for tracking purposes. In Iowa, I have been able to follow tracks that were indicative of a running deer through cut soybeans when blood was sparse. Don’t overlook running footprints. Placing a bit of flagging, toilet paper, or even a cheap glow stick at the impact site or first blood can help with a track job especially when it is dark out. If bow hunting, locating the arrow can be a wonderful indicator of the lethality of the shot that was made. You don’t always get a pass through but if you do it is super helpful. Blood, hair, or gut on the arrow can let you know what to look for on the ground. A bright red to pink, frothy blood indicates a hit in the lungs and usually a decent blood trail. The Quality Deer Management Association recommends that you always aim for the back of the heart/lungs area of the deer’s body so this is a very lethal hit. The deer should be a short track job away but, as always, slow and steady wins the race. Take time to keep up with the trail; always looking ahead for the white belly of a deer or listening for the rustling of leaves as he jostles the ground. It is important to note too that a deer hit in only one lung can live for a long time. If you suspect the arrow only hit one lung give the deer extra time to expire before you start your tracking efforts. Single lung hits usually occur when an arrow hits too high or too low, clipping only the one lung. Bright red blood can indicate a heart shot or possible leg wound. This is when our prior information that we took from the treestand or ground blind comes into play. Do you recall hitting the deer forward or was the hit more likely in the “boiler room?” The prior knowledge that you have upon inspection of your arrow or the blood on the ground will give you the intel that you need as to whether you should take up the trail immediately or give the animal some time. Dark red blood usually means a hit to the liver. While this is a lethal hit there must be some patience exercised while taking the trail. The impatient tracker will follow these spots of dark blood on a good trail and will often times jump a deer from its deathbed causing it to relocate. There are no guarantees of the distance a deer will run

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after it is bumped initially. Giving a deer 2-3 hours to expire before taking up the trail of a liver hit deer is never a bad idea. Many times, for all hits, the more time given the better off you will be. Blood that is mixed with green or brown material and has an odor usually means a gut-shot, which will require more time and patience. Most “experts” tend to agree that four to six hours is a safe amount of time to take before taking the trail of a deer that has been gut-shot. Again, go slow and steady and be ready to back off of the trail if things start to seem “pushy.” The best thing to do is to avoid the gut-shot but mistakes happen and if you hunt long enough you’ll understand. There is nothing wrong with waiting overnight to take up a blood trail if the weather lends itself to doing so. Venison will likely keep, even if allowed to sit overnight, during many of the cool Iowa fall and winter nights that we experience. Check your forecast for temps below 40 degrees fahrenheit if you wish to keep the table fare from spoiling. A guide to trailing a wounded deer would not be complete without mentioning your ears. Although it might sound strange that ears would be a tool for tracking a deer they should not be neglected. If hunting in timber or even on a field edge listen carefully as your deer runs away. There is a chance that you could hear him crash and help you locate him quicker. Also, as you take up the trail, be on the lookout and keep an ear open for local coyotes. These predators have a knack for smelling out fresh blood so they, along with birds of prey, can give you a fresh indicator of the location of an animal if it has been laying for some time. Tools that are useful to keep in your trailing pack can include but are not limited to: a good flashlight, trail marking tape, an aerial map, and a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide can act as an agent to make blood have a foaming effect when it comes into contact. This can be extremely useful in dirt fields or where blood is sparse. These indicators, tips, and tricks are all useful but are definitely not conclusive. The whitetail deer, especially the big-bodied brutes that run in Iowa, are resilient and can each act differently upon the hit and, quite frankly, upon the personality of the deer. Some that give every indication of being mortally wounded have lived to fight another day and others that showed no signs of being impacted have fallen in sight. Such is life. The best we can do is work with what God has blessed us to know and be flexible enough to adapt to the circumstances that we are given. If so, then we will likely run into many pots of gold at the end of our blood trail rainbows. To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594

September 2018

• Deer Reaction: Typically deer bolt at high speed, with a tucked tail. Often kick back legs on impact. • Blood Trail: Sparse blood first 30-40 yards, then abundant bright red-pinkish blood with air bubbles. Possible that deer bleed internally and leaves little blood. • Travel Distance: Typically less than 150 yards on double lung hit. Potentially longer if a single lung hit and pushed. • Wait Time: 60 minutes (unless you see the deer fall).

Lung Shot

• Posture: Runs off immediately, typically with no unusual movements • Blood Trail: Abundant, bright red. Appears to be spraying from the deer. • Travel Distance: 150 yards • Wait Time: 1 hour

Artery Shot

• Posture: Runs off immediately, typically with no unusual movements • Blood Trail: Red and watery • Travel Distance: Indefinitely, recovery is unlikely • Wait Time: Follow immediately if it isn’t an artery shot to keep blood moving.

Hindquarter and Neck

• Posture: Trots off slows to a steady hunched over trot, sometimes a twitching tail. • Blood Trail: Little to no blood, brown/green water like substance with chunky stomach material. • Travel Distance: 200 +/- before bedding or being pushed • Wait Time: 6 hours or more

Gut Shot

Hindquarter Shot

Artery Shot

• Posture: Typically falls immediately, partially paralyzed and trying to escape with front legs. • Blood Trail: None • Travel Distance: Usually none. • Wait Time: None, proceed immediately for a follow up shot.

Heart Shot

• Posture: Deer trots off a short distance, then walks or trots away occasionally stopping appearing to hunch over occasionally twitching tail. • Blood Trail: Moderate to sparse thick, dark red blood. • Travel Distance: 200 +/- yards before bedding or being pushed • Wait Time: 4 hours or more

Liver Shot

Spine Shot

WHITETAIL SHOT PLACEMENT OUTCOME AND BLOOD TRACKING GUIDE

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IF YOU FOLLOW fly fishing at all, you probably already have at least an idea what Tenkara is. If not, at the rate that Tenkara’s popularity is growing, you will soon. Tenkara is a method of fly fishing developed in Japan almost 200 years ago by commercial fisherman to catch trout in typically small and technical mountain streams. Unlike western methods of fly fishing, Tenkara is very stripped down and simple. “Only a rod, a line and a fly”, is the mantra of true Japanese Tenkara, and some western practitioners try to adhere to that philosophy very closely. One of the underlying principles of Tenkara is that the presentation of the fly is much more important than the selection of the fly, which is in large part where the “only a fly” part of the slogan comes from. Rather than carrying a multitude of flies to “match the hatch”, Tenkara maintains that placing the fly precisely and presenting it as naturally as possible is more important.

WHAT, NO REEL?!?!

One of the first things that most people notice the first time they see a Tenakra rod is the absence of a reel. Tenakra utilizes a set length of line attached to a short flexible piece of cord at the tip of the rod called the “lilian”. Since true Japanese Tenkara anglers are typically fishing small and medium sized mountain streams, being able to make a double-haul, leaderstraightening cast is just not necessary. If you fish any of the trout streams in Iowa, you can surely appreciate this. Even when I’m guiding fly fishing clients in Iowa it’s very rare that they ever need to learn anything more than a roll cast. Those grandiose overhead casts that reach out to distant fish simply aren’t necessary for 95% of the scenarios we encounter. Tenakra rods are also typically very long. A 9’ Tenkara rod would be considered short. Most range between 11 to 13 feet long. One of the reason for this is to allow anglers to stand well out September 2018

of the eyesight of wary mountain trout yet still deliver the fly precisely to them. It also allows them to overcome some of the reach handicaps that are inherent to fishing a fixed line. With a 13 foot rod and a 13 foot fixed line a skilled Tenkara caster can reach out almost the full 26 foot distance to fish without changing their

fortune to be near trout waters sometime during their adventures. Tenkara rods are so compact because they are telescoping. Traditional western fly rods must be taken down in sections which limits how short those sections can be. Conversely, a Tenkara rod’s sections can be much shorter since each one retracts down into the previous section as the rod telescopes down. The lack of a reel also means there is one less piece of equipment to keep track of and makes a Tenkara rod all that much more packable.

EAST VS. WEST

Typically when you see someone Tenkara fishing on this side of the globe they are practicing the western-ized version of Tenkara. This still utilizes the rod and line, but incorporates more traditional fly patterns and riggings. The traditional Tenkara fly, a Kebari, looks very different from the flies we are used to seeing. A traditional Tenkara fly is also fished in much the same manner as a wet fly would be fished by a traditional western fly angler. Those fishing Tenkara in the non-traditional style however, fish

IF YOU’RE JUST GETTING INTO FLY FISHING AND STRUGGLING WITH GETTING THE CAST DOWN THEN TENKARA IS DEFINITELY WORTH A TRY. IT SEEMS THERE’S REALLY NO WRONG WAY TO CAST A TENKARA ROD. location. In fact, many skilled Tenkara anglers actually use a fixed line a couple of feet longer than their rod allowing them to reach almost 30 feet away. Paradoxically, Tenkara rods are some of the most compact when stowed which makes them ideal for backpackers, bicyclists or anyone else that might be tight on space but may have the good

dry flies and nymph rigs with indicators just the same as the traditional western fly angler does. Even though they may not be staying true to the traditional Tenkara method, those that practice westernized Tenkara still get to take advantage of one of the strengths of Tenkara; that there is never a heavy fly line laying on the surface of the water. A Tenkara line is a TheIowaSportsman.com

TENKARA – JAPANESE FLY FISHING

long piece of level or tapered nylon that is held above the surface of the water. This makes it much easier to get the perfect drift because you are never wrangling with fingers of current moving at different speeds between you and your fly. The traditional angler must “mend” their line to overcome this and get a perfect drift but a Tenkara angler just lifts their arm and raises their line off of the water. For those that have ever seen the high-sticking method of Czech or European nymphing, the raised-arm stance of a Tenkara angler will look very familiar. Having your line off the water and in the air can be a detriment on windy days as the wind will wreak havoc on your drift.

YES, THERE’S NO REEL!!!

I have to admit, when I first heard about Tenkara, I was one of those traditional western fly anglers that grumbled something about wanting a reel with a drag to fight a big fish. While it’s true that Tenkara was designed with small and medium sized mountain fish in mind, it can handle larger fish as well. After landing an 18 inch brown trout in the Black Hills on my very first Tenkara outing, I quickly changed my tune. I felt much more connected to the fish as I fought him. I also had to be much more aware of what the fish was doing, what he was intending to do and what I needed to do in response. I got very good at “steering” this fish and gently persuaded it to go where I wanted it 16

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to rather than where it wanted to go. I also have to admit that the more I Tenkara fish, the more appealing I find the simplicity of TRUE Tenkara fishing. I find myself more and more often leaving my heavy sling pack…with every fly fishing doodad known to man tethered to it and a dozen different fly boxes in it…behind and taking a small spool of Tenkara line and a couple of flies. It’s very liberating to not be loaded down with all that equipment. If you’re just getting into fly fishing and struggling with getting the cast down then Tenkara is definitely worth a try. It seems there’s really no wrong way to cast a Tenkara rod. It’s actually harder for experienced fly anglers (like yours truly!) to “un-learn” their usual overhead cast in order to cast a Tenkara than it is for a beginner to pick up Tenkara casting. The moral of the story is, don’t let the fact that there is no reel on a Tenkara rod dissuade you from giving it a try. Tenkara’s simplicity is part of what makes it so much fun. I’m so glad that our guide convinced me to give it a try on the fateful trip to the Black Hills. In the months since I’ve probably Tenkara fished just as much (or more?) as I have used my traditional western gear. Tenkara is also ideally suited to the spring creeks that hold Iowa’s trout populations so there’s no better place to try it out. There are several Tenkara manufacturers in The United States now so pick a rod out and give it a go!

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WHILE BRAINSTORMING on this topic, I had so many different items jotted down that I almost didn’t know where to start. I’ve thinned them down as well as I could, by picking out and sharing just a handful of my favorites.

1: BUCKS CONTRIBUTE MORE TO OFFSPRING GENETICS THAN DOES, AND CULL BUCKS EXIST

If you’re a deer hunter, it’s easy to tell a mature trophy buck when you see one. Walking through the woods, feeding in an open field, or chasing a doe across the road in front of your car, etc., it only takes a quick glance to recognize their dominant size and stature, and the majesty of their antlers, like a large crown upon their heads. If you’re anything like me, you might find yourself pondering to yourself, if he’s THAT BIG, I wonder if his older brother, father or grandfather is alive, and what they must look like. Then I immediately go to hoping he’s spreading along his good genetics to the does in the area. Followed soon by, I need to find out who owns that land. We see the big antlers and immediately think that those trophy genetics came solely from the male’s lineage, and we’re, well, wrong for thinking that. Just like in humans, it takes two to tango, so to speak. It takes the combination of male September 2018

and female DNA to make a baby, and the genetic contribution to do so is roughly a 50/50 split, so body size and antler mass can just as easily come from mom’s lineage as it can from dad’s lineage. Have you ever known a young man that took after his mother’s side of the family in looks and/or physical build? The same

also 5’6”, and they have a child who grows up to be 6’10”. Just because mom and dad aren’t all that tall, doesn’t mean they aren’t carrying genetics to create tall children. The same can be said for a so called ‘Cull Buck’. You have no idea what dormant genetics that buck has potential to pass on to their offspring. Also, unless the buck is clearly old (on the back side of the downward slide), severely injured or sick, there’s also no way to say if that buck won’t one day

THE LENGTH OF DAYLIGHT IS WHAT TRIGGERS THE RUT. THAT’S BASED ON THE DATE ON THE CALENDAR, AND IT REMAINS THE SAME YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. SPECIFIC DATE RANGES CAN OFTEN BE HOT IN ONE LOCAL AREA AND NOT SO HOT IN ANOTHER LOCAL AREA. thing happens with deer too. Genetics can also lay dormant in a parent, but be passed along to their offspring. Think about a family that is generally tall. Say, mom’s 5’11”, dad’s 6’4”, three of their four children are between 6’1” and 6’9”, but one of their children is 5’6”. That shortest child moves away to a different area, where nobody knows their family, and begins a family of their own. People tend to be shocked when they marry a spouse who’s

mature into trophy, but I’ll talk about that in more detail later on.

2: ONCE SPOOKED, MATURE BUCKS RUN FOR THE HILLS, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN

Mature bucks can be a bit reclusive, anti-social, and spooky or extremely alert. All of these qualities help them to survive and thrive to grow into the magnificent animals that they become. TheIowaSportsman.com

5 FALLACIES IN DEER HUNTING

With this said, if they didn’t ever return to an area that they were spooked out of by a coyote, falling tree branch, ATV, or human hunter, etc., they’d quickly run out of ‘Safe Spaces’ to go. Deer snort, raise their flags and run off due to being spooked by one thing or another on a daily basis. It’s a common occurrence that is hardwired into their instinctive fight or flight response. It wasn’t instilled in deer by human hunters. Now, I will say that there is a difference between a soft bump and a hard bump, being, soft bump equating to lightly spooking deer as you may be quietly walking through the woods where the deer trots off waiving their tail, stopping to look back every few bounds, and hard bump equating to deer turning inside out to get away from you in a full out sprint as soon as they’ve spotted you or you have taken a shot at them, etc. In either case, if it’s the deer’s home turf, there’s a good chance that they won’t completely relocate. It usually takes repeated and constant pressure to push deer completely out of their home territory. But, if a big buck has busted you in your favorite stand, there’s a good chance he’s going to eyeball that spot heavily every single time he comes into that area again, until the day he dies. He may even go as far as staying even more recluse, moving about sparingly and doing so during the cover of darkness.

3: DEER ARE COLOR BLIND AND CAN’T SEE BLAZE ORANGE

While it is true that scientific examination of deer eyes has revealed that deer probably don’t see as many colors as, or to the degree humans do, they can see a 12”X12” patch of solid blaze orange. It doesn’t stand out as vividly to them as it 20

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does to humans, but they can still see it. Big patches of solid blaze orange does not occur naturally in nature, so they see it and are alerted by it. Part of this is due to the color, obviously, but other equal or greater parts of this is due both to it being a solid block of color with a solid outline, and the reflectiveness of the material. In short, if hunters dyed all of their blaze orange another solid color, e.g. red, blue, black, and even green or brown, etc., they would find that deer would still be able to pick them out, simply by the new solid colored object sitting in their living room.

4: MOON PHASES DICTATE DEER MOVEMENT Every year, leading up to the rut, I read several forums and articles that talk about the best days to hunt, based on the moon phase. Every year, I swear that I won’t, but I get excited when I read them. And every year, I experience first-hand, once again, that these predictive models are complete wastes of time and energy to both produce and consume. Fuller and full moon phases do provide more light at night for deer to see better as they feed and look for dancing partners, it does little to nothing else to affect rut activity. The length of daylight is what triggers the rut. That’s based on the date on the calendar, and it remains the same year in and year out. Specific date ranges can often be hot in one local area and not so hot in another local area. Once you figure out what date ranges are hot for what properties etch it in stone and hunt those properties on those dates every year, unless or until it possibly changes. Cold snaps and driving rain can affect the rut a bit by a day or two, but that’s it.

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Mother Nature can only put a short pause on the reproductive cycle of whitetail deer. Once daylight hours get to a certain point, the clock starts ticking and there’s no stopping it. The moon could fall out of the sky and deer would continue doing their thing within the same hot date ranges they’ve always done them in.

5: PEAK RUT IS THE BEST TIME TO HARVEST A MATURE BUCK

I won’t lie. I LOVE to hunt the rut. Especially peak rut! It’s an absolute blast. The deer activity is nonstop some days and it’s a neat experience to witness it. Bucks of all different ages and sizes pushing does around like kids chasing each other on the playground. It’s intense. However, just because multiple deer are on their feet and moving around during the daylight hours, you may not see a single mature buck amongst them. This is not uncommon. Mature bucks tend to dance to the beat of their own drum. They may be active at night and resting during the day. They may not be in the area at all. Heck, they may not even be interested in the rat race. Personally, I have been harvesting mature bucks in late October and early January these past few years. I still schedule a majority of my vacation time to coincide with the rut, and I see a ton of deer, but haven’t sealed the deal on a mature buck during the rut for a few seasons now.

Bucks can be and are everywhere, including within city limits. As long as they feel relatively safe, they have access to food and water, and does are around, (especially during the rut), then bucks will be there too. Going back to talking about genetics, some bucks are genetically blessed to be predisposed to wall hanger characteristics, no matter where. The spookiest deer I’ve ever hunted are the ones that rarely, if ever, encounter people, and the big mature bucks in those areas are usually wound up tighter than the rest. In my opinion, these ‘Big Country’ deer are the hardest to hunt. They may not even know what humans smell or look like, so as soon as they smell or see one for the first time, they bolt. Deer that live in a relatively close proximity to towns, cities, roads, bike paths, parks, etc. tend to be much mellower, cool, calm and collected than ‘Big Country’ deer. They smell and see people on a regular basis and in time determine that we aren’t a predator or a threat to them. Sure we’re noisy, stinky, and move around a lot, but we’re not pursuing them. They become

comfortable, accustomed to human sights, sounds and smells. And if you don’t think deer populations are very high within or near residential areas, I recommend you qualify for and participate in a local urban hunting program. I will all but guarantee you will change your mind after a single season. Plus, there’s a good chance you’ll see a big ol’ bruiser or two that you had no idea resided just a few blocks away from your front door. The biggest thing to remember in the world of hunting whitetails is there is no magic bullet that will work each time. What works for some hunters may not work for other hunters. That is what makes this sport so much fun. We are pursuing an advisory whose sole purpose is to evade danger and survive. Whitetails will do so how they best see fit on an individual basis. Some of their moves may coincide with common hunting knowledge or quite possibly some of their moves may leave you scratching your head thinking “they were not supposed to do that.” Sometimes it is best to think outside the box and go against the grain when hunting whitetails. Believe what you see, not what you hear!

HONORABLE MENTION

Only Big Properties Produce Big Bucks, Thick Cover Is Required To Hold Deer, and Big Mature Bucks Don’t Live Close To Human Traffic. If you’re passing over small properties that don’t have big thick patches of ground cover or are butted up against or even within a populated area, you’re not taking advantage of some great hunting opportunities that may practically be just a few minutes from your garage. Small draws and thin travel corridors are often overlooked, but they can produce nicely. Often, you can get to and setup undetected in these areas in comparison to bigger thicker timbers. Also, small patches of structure restricts or shrinks the area that deer travel within, so if you setup correctly, you can actually have a higher percentage shot at deer in the area, because they’re almost guaranteed to travel within your shooting range. September 2018

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LATE SUMMER is here and in the Midwest that means heat, humidity, county fairs, and hot water fishing! Break out the 50 SPF, put the water or Gatorade on ice and let’s go! Traditionally lots of anglers find themselves fishing slower in cold water and faster in warm water. While that method will produce, I tend to do exactly the opposite. In the cooler waters of spring and fall (40-60 degrees) the fish are schooled up and are going to give you small windows of fast action, usually in the afternoon. I spend most of my time with the trolling motor speed on 4 or above so I can cover as much water as I can untill I find the school that’s biting. With summer water temps over 75 degrees I work each spot slow and methodically. Hot water bass need less calories than a bass preparing to spawn or one that is fattening up before winter so they usually wait for the food to come to them. What are the spots to focus on? What baits should I use? The first thing that comes to mind when I think about summer bass is top water!! I love top water as much as anybody, but you are usually limited to mornings, evenings, or cloudy days. And the big fish in the lake tend to shy away from the shallow waters where most anglers concentrate their efforts. The big ones are in cooler water where the sun is diminished by water depth where they can September 2018

still ambush prey. When the sun gets high, we need to go deep. A typical Midwest lake is a reservoir, from 50 to 14,000 acres, has water clarity from 0.5 to 4 feet (sometimes more), and most have underwater structures that hold bass. Structure can be as complicated as man-made plastic devices, wooden pallets, planted rock piles, fallen brush and trees, or a simple drop off from a shallow

you can get ahold of. The Iowa DNR has done a fantastic job of publishing GPS waypoints of underwater structures on many of our Iowa lakes. From the Iowa DNR website you can download them into your boat GPS as a waypoint and go right to them. It is important to note that just because you see a rock pile in 25 feet of water that doesn’t mean it is worth fishing. Every lake has a certain depth where the oxygen levels are depleted by sediment and decomposing organic particles; the same sediment that clouds up a lake when it turns over in the fall. Below this level bass and other game fish can only

THE HARDEST THING TO LEARN IS DISTINGUISHING A BITE FROM A PIECE OF THE STRUCTURE. A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS IF THE BAIT IS MOVING UP AND YOU FEEL SOMETHING, IT’S A TREE. IF IT’S FALLING IT IS THE BOTTOM OR A FISH. water shelf to the main lake basin. This is where electronics are so important!! Not only is a good graph important, but the advances of side imaging and down imaging make them a must have in your boat. Side imaging will show you so many more targets and fish than you could ever see with a simple graph. You can easily distinguish fish, rock piles, trees, bridges, road beds, and even a single tire in 27 feet of water 100’ from your boat. If you only have a graph then use any map of the lake

survive for a certain amount of time so we need to fish at or above it. And believe it or not you can usually see this line on your graph. Go to the deepest part of the lake and look for lots of small particles at a steady depth on your graph, usually somewhere between 10’ and 20’ on most Iowa lakes. On some clear water lakes such as Okoboji and Lake of the Ozarks this line may be over 30’ deep. This depth and the 3-5’ of water above it is your target depth. Try to concentrate on the TheIowaSportsman.com

CATCHING HOT WATER BASS

structure in this depth range until the fish tell you otherwise. One of the best bass lakes I have fished in Iowa has no deep structure so most of the hot water fish are caught in 3-8’ of water on the endless bank weed lines. Sometimes you have to experiment and adapt. Except for a few bigger lakes and river systems in Iowa the main forage is sunfish and crawfish, so match the hatch! We can “match the hatch” for bass with a few basic lures: bass jigs and trailers, Texas or Carolina rigged plastics, and crank baits. Jigs and plastics imitate both crawfish and bluegill so they are always my “go to” baits. The stores offer countless colors of jigs and plastics, but all you need is two: green pumpkin for shallow or lightly stained water, blue/black for dingy and heavily stained water or on overcast days. A 3/8 ounce jig or Texas rig is my

line so I can easily see when fish bite by line movement or giving the tell-tale “line twitch”. If the water is clear I will tie on a 20# fluorocarbon leader, otherwise I color the last 5-7’ of the yellow line with black magic marker to camouflage the line.

FUN FACT The world record largemouth weighed in at 22 lbs. 4 oz. It has actually been accomplished twice. Once at Montgomery Lake, Georgia in 1932 and then again in Japan in 2009. The Iowa state record is 10 lbs. 12 oz. and was caught at Lake Fisher in 1984.

Your presentation is trying to imitate a bluegill, crawfish, worm, or snake moving along the bottom or through the brush looking for food. With a worm or a Carolina rigged plastic just slowly move the rod tip a few inches at a time, let it

DON’T BE DISCOURAGED OR INTIMIDATED BY DEEP WATER FISHING. THE WATER YOU NEED TO FISH IS PROBABLY LESS THAN A BOAT LENGTH DEEP. YOU CAN AVOID THE CROWDS ON THE BANK BY GOING DEEP WITH A FEW BASIC BAITS AND YOUR BOATS ELECTRONICS. favorite, but if it’s windy or if you are fishing in 15-20’ of water you may need to use up to ¾ oz weights. If you are using a plastic worm then sometimes 1/8 ounce is plenty to get to the depth you need. I normally present these baits with a medium heavy or heavy rod with a fast tip and heavy braid. Braid is a must!! You have to be able to feel everything that bait touches and monofilament just won’t do that. I prefer 50# yellow braid. I want to be able to pull fish out of heavy cover with strong hooksets. I use yellow

settle, and keep repeating back to the boat. With a jig or Texas rigged plastic you are making small hops across the bottom, sometimes several at a time with a pause. I always keep a finger in front of my bait caster under the line to feel the smallest tic of the line. As you work the bait through trees you can feel each twig it hits. The hardest thing to learn is distinguishing a bite from a piece of the structure. A good rule of thumb is if the bait is moving up and you feel something, it’s a tree. If it’s falling it is the bottom or a fish. If you are * Continued on page 26

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CATCHING HOT WATER BASS not sure then put the slightest tension on the line and wait to feel the fish move. You usually have several seconds before he spits out your bait. Experience is the best teacher with this. Once you feel the bite, and this is so important, set the hook HARD!! You want to reel down a full turn of the handle and really set it. You have to remember you have to set a fairy large hook through a brush guard (if using a jig), around brush and rocks, from deep water where your line may be bowed with slack, and into the boney part of a potentially big fish.

the occasional weed than change your bait or presentation to hug the weeds a little closer. I vary the retrieve till I find what they want; sometimes it’s a steady retrieve and sometimes it’s a reel and pause. Another crank bait method is deep cranking. Using deep diving baits such as Rapala’s DT series or a Strike King XD series I fish parallel to rock dams or just above sunken rock piles. Choose a crank bait that just tics the bottom at your target depth. Again, match the hatch with a blue gill or shad pattern. I use a 7’-6” fiberglass rod with a medium action and slower tip

ONE OF THE BEST BASS LAKES I HAVE FISHED IN IOWA HAS NO DEEP STRUCTURE SO MOST OF THE HOT WATER FISH ARE CAUGHT IN 3-8’ OF WATER ON THE ENDLESS BANK WEED LINES. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO EXPERIMENT AND ADAPT. You cannot set the hook too hard when fishing these presentations!! The last method I have to discuss with hot water bass is crank baits. I usually use 2 types of crankbait presentations in hot water. My favorite is a square bill on drop offs just outside weed lines. I position the boat parallel with the weed line and cast parallel just off the weed line. I choose a bait that will get down to about a foot off the bottom. If you are not hooking

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to really extend my casting distance. I prefer 10# or 12# fluorocarbon to help me get as deep as possible quickly. Don’t be discouraged or intimidated by deep water fishing. The water you need to fish is probably less than a boat length deep. You can avoid the crowds on the bank by going deep with a few basic baits and your boats electronics. And that’s where the big ones are waiting for you!

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THE 2018 WATERFOWL includes a special September teal season from September 1-16, a one-week duck season opening in the North Zone on September 29, October 6 in the South Zone and October 13 in the Missouri River Zone. Each zone will then continue with the rest of the 60-day regular season commencing in the North Zone on October 13, the South Zone on October 20 and on October 27 in the Missouri River Zone. The 2018-framework is based on the results of the 2014-2017 experimental early September teal season. The purpose of this experimental season was to give duck hunters more days to hunt that did not count against the 60-day waterfowl season allowed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to Orrin Jones, Iowa DNR Waterfowl Biologist, “Iowa’s waterfowl September 2018

hunters are a very diverse group. Some really like the early teal season, others like a season that includes an early duck opener that gives them the chance to catch the local ducks and some of the early migrators, while the others like to hunt the late season and try to catch the late migration. There is just no way we can please all groups, and we just can’t fit everybody’s wishes into a

60-day season. This year’s framework gives us the best chance to do that.” Part of the issue is that Iowa is a mid latitude state. States such as Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin are adjacent to Canada, so they are more able to match their season with the weather changes and the resulting migrations. However, as a mid latitude state, Iowa is more of a hostage to lack of weather changes. For the most part, the waterfowl are not going to migrate until things ice up and snow covers the food up north. Some years that can be early or like 2017, the fall weather can linger on and on and waterfowlers look to the skies and see no migrants. Here is the rationale for each of the 2018 seasons (see illustration for complete waterfowl dates, shooting times and bag/ TheIowaSportsman.com

IOWA’S 60-DAY WATERFOWL SEASONS RELEASED possession limits): A 16-day September teal season beginning Sept. 1. Blue-winged teal are abundant and begin migrating through Iowa in late August and peak in mid-September. Beginning on September 1st allows the use of all days available, which increases the likelihood of teal migrations occurring during the season, while also providing the longest rest period possible before the opening of the regular duck season. Jones adds that even the early teal season depends on weather. During 2014 and 2015, little cold fronts would move teal through Iowa throughout the early season. However, the weather didn’t cooperate as well in 2016 and 2017, and the number of teal bagged

(Photo by Lowell Washburn) Hopefully, the 16-day teal season will provide scenes of migrating teal like this one on a northern Iowa shallow slough.

5-day September season is no longer a benefit because the regular duck season can open on the same weekend in five out of 10 years. With a teal season, Iowa can utilize additional days and a more flexible season

SCOUTING WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR THIS EARLY TEAL SEASON. MOST OF THE MIGRATING BLUE-WINGED TEAL RELATE TO SHALLOW WATER, MUD FLATS AND SMALLER WETLANDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH HEAVY VEGETATION. dropped significantly. Data collected from the four-year experiment indicates there has not been a negative impact on teal, wood duck and local mallard populations. Iowa’s previous

structure. A bonus – these 16 days do not count against the regular duck season. A 7-day early duck season staggered between zones will begin in the North Zone on the last weekend in September,

then the South Zone a week later and the Missouri River Zone a week after that. This segment is intended to target wood ducks and other early season migrants. A 53-day duck season again staggered between zones will begin after a 7-day rest period following the 7-day early duck season, providing hunter’s opportunity in October, November and December. The light and dark goose seasons will run concurrently and be broken into four segments: a 9-day urban season for the three special zones (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/ Iowa City and Waterloo/Cedar Falls), a 16day early season that will open one week before the 7-day early duck season, a 53-day mid-season that will follow the duck season and a 29-day late season that will run into January. Youth waterfowl season will occur the weekend before the regular duck season. The regular goose season will be open during the youth waterfowl season to allow adults and youth to harvest geese.

THE HUNT

One possibility of this early season is the opportunity to hunt both teal and mourning doves. Teal and doves often frequent the same shallow water/mud flat areas, so chances are you will get a shot at both. That will definitely be a fun mixed bag. As acrobatic as teal and doves are, I am sure that a lot of holes will be shot in the air! That’s what will make this season so interesting. If you have ever had a flock of 50 teal dive bomb through your decoy spread and be gone before you can get nothing more than a “passing Hail Mary shot” off, then you know what I mean. Plus, they will come screaming in from the back, or the side, or the corner or right from the front. Each flock will most likely do something just a little bit different. Scouting will be important for this early teal season. Most of the migrating blue-winged teal relate to shallow water, mud flats and smaller wetlands, especially those with heavy vegetation. They love the seeds and gorge on them to prepare for their next push south. As for equipment, it will be relatively simple with only a few 30

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decoys needed. Most hunters will likely use some of their mallard decoys. Best bet is to go with mostly hen decoys, because the blue-winged teal drakes will not be in full plumage yet. Of course, some hunters will use teal decoys to make the spread as

realistic as possible. Since the best action will be on those shallow water areas, hunters will not be hitting the larger marshes, small lakes and rivers, so that will help them avoid other ducks: wood ducks, mallards, gadwall and shovelers.

2018-2019 MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS SEASONS & LIMITS SHOOTING HOURS: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset for all species except woodcock, which is sunrise to sunset. During special September teal season, shooting hours are sunrise to sunset. Season Youth Waterfowl

North Zone Sept. 22-23

South Zone Sept. 29-30

Missouri River Oct. 6-7

Ducks Mergeansers & Coots

Sept. 29-Oct. 5 & Oct. 13-Dec. 4

Oct. 6-12 & Oct. 20-Dec 11

Oct. 13-19 & Oct. 27-Dec 18

Bag Limits: Ducks: Daily limit 6, including no more than 4 mallards (of which no more than 2 may be female), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 3 scaup, 2 pintail, 2 black ducks, and 2 canvasback. Mergansers: Daily limit 5, including no more than 2 hooded mergansers. Coots: Daily limit 15. Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days: Shooting hours and daily bag limits will conform to those set for the regular waterfowl seasons. Season Dark Geese (Canada geese, Brant & Whitefronted geese) & Light Geese (white & blue phase snow geese, & Ross’ geese)

North Zone Sept. 22-Oct 7 & Oct. 13-Dec. 4 & Dec. 15-Jan. 12, 2019

South Zone Sept. 29-Oct.14 & Oct. 20-Dec. 11 & Dec. 22Jan.19, 2019

Missouri River Oct. 6-21 & Oct. 27-Dec. 18 & Dec. 29Jan. 26, 2019

Bag Limits: Geese: The daily bag limit for dark geese (Canada geese, whitefronted geese, brant and any other geese that are not light geese) is 5 and may include no more than 2 Canada geese from September 16 through October 31 and no more than 3 Canada geese from November 1 through the end of the season. The daily bag limit for light geese (white and bluephase snow geese and Ross’ geese) is 20. Statewide Special September Teal (Bluewinged, Greenwinged & Cinnamon only) Doves (Mourning & Eurasian Collared) Snipes Rail (Sora & Virginia) Woodcock

North Zone Sept. 1-16

South Zone Daily limit is 6

Sept. 1-16

Daily limit is 15

Sept. 1-Nov. 30 Sept. 1-Nov. 9 Oct. 6-Nov. 19

Daily limit is 8 Daily limit is 12 Daily limit is 3

Special September Canada Goose Seasons Only in designated zones around Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City and Cedar Falls/Waterloo. Special regulations apply. See Special September Canada Goose Season maps at select license agents in hunt zones and online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/MigratoryGameBirds. Canada Geese

Sept. 1-9

Daily limit is 5

Light Geese Conservation Order (additional regulations apply) Jan. 27-April 15, 2019 White & blue phase snow geese & Ross’ geese Possession Limits: Possession limits are three times the daily bag limit for all migratory birds, except light geese for which there is no possession limit. The possession limit for doves, woodcock, snipe and rails is twice the daily bag limit.

September 2018

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HUNTING PUBLIC LAND whitetails in any state is tough. If that state has minimal public lands, the task can be that much tougher. Iowa is composed of 36 million acres, and of that land, roughly 1 percent of it is state owned recreation land. If you add in our habitat and access program and county conservation ground, Iowa has roughly 500,000 acres of public hunting areas. To put that in perspective, that’s approximately the size of Clayton County in Northeast Iowa. If we take into consideration that in 2016, of the 171,000 hunters who hit the deer woods in Iowa, 16,000 of those hunters were nonresident. If half of those nonresident hunters were on public lands, that would leave each hunter with about 63 acres to hunt, and we haven’t even begun to talk about the resident public hunters. With that being said, having a successful hunt on public land may seem unmanageable, but it is very much possible. It will take some hard work and persistence, but people do it every year. In fact several world class bucks are harvested each year on public lands. Follow along and I’ll give you the basics that you need to know to bag that public land trophy this fall.

SCOUT

Be a step ahead of everybody when the season rolls around by doing your homework this summer. Begin by looking at aerial photos. Find the areas September 2018

with food sources and thick timber. Once you’ve located them on a map, it’s time to hit the woods and observe them in person. Confirm where the deer are bedding, traveling, and feeding. Make

note of areas that look good to hang a stand or two. If you’re able to, hang some trail camera’s also. They will give you an idea of what deer you may encounter in the future, and help you understand how the deer move. You may want to be creative in how you hang them. At the very least, you should secure them with a cable lock. Many people also like to hang them about 10 feet up in a tree and point the camera down. You can do this by using a climbing stick to get to the camera. Neither of these ways will guarantee that you won’t have a camera stolen, but it will be better than nothing. You will be amazed what you can learn after just four or five scouting trips and hanging a couple of trail cameras on one property.

SECLUSION

When deer hunting on public land, I try to choose large tracts of property. I usually stay away from small parcels, especially if those parcels are popular among other hunters. That’s not to say that those areas don’t have deer or even big deer, but when I’m hunting, I TheIowaSportsman.com

PUBLIC LAND SUCCESS DEPENDS UPON YOUR EFFORTS

don’t like the idea of not knowing how many other hunters are on the property and where they’re at. If I choose large properties, I can assume that most of the hunting pressure will be nearest to the parking lot, which will leave the secluded areas full of deer. One study that I read claimed that 85% of public

FUN FACT Iowa ranks 47th in the country for public land ownership ahead of only Nebraska, Kansas, and Rhode Island!

while bucks can still be patterned, can be a huge advantage. This is when your scouting will come in handy also. You’ll need to know where the deer are bedding and feeding, and how they are moving between the two spots. You can also look for the first few cold fronts of the year, and hunt the front and back end of them. Deer movement is usually at a maximum during these times, so the hunting can be great. October can be magical or it can be disastrous, it really just depends on what the weather is doing and the amount of

hunters hunted within a radius of 1/3 of a mile from the parking lot. If you’re willing to put in a little extra time and effort by walking a mile to your stand, your chances of encountering other people decrease, while your chances of encountering more deer increase.

EARLY SEASON

Early season can be one of the best times of year to kill a deer no matter if you’re hunting public or private land. I especially like this time of year on public land, because there is very little competition in the woods. Many hunters will take their vacation days to hunt during the rut. It’s hard to blame them since this is without a doubt the best time to kill big bucks. However, having the whole property to yourself, before the deer have been pressured, and * Continued on page 36

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PUBLIC LAND SUCCESS DEPENDS UPON YOUR EFFORTS

homework you have done ahead of time.

BE RESPECTFUL

Maybe being respectful to other hunters on the property you hunt won’t help you kill a deer this fall, but it certainly won’t hurt your chances. If you encounter another hunter in the woods, don’t try to ruin their hunt. Get to where you’re going as quickly and quietly as possible. If you see them in the parking lot afterwards, you can ask how their hunt was, if they’ve been seeing much movement, or if they have any other stands in the area. Ask for their phone number too. If you can coordinate when and where you’re each hunting, you can avoid disturbing each other on future hunts. Do not make a big deal about running into other hunters in “your spot.” Maybe you were the first one there, and maybe you tried doing everything right just to have someone else walk right through your set up, but remember that everybody has the same right to be on the property as you. If you know someone is in a certain area, do not go stomping through there. You can try to quietly walk around where they are at, or leave the area completely to go to another spot. Most importantly, do not take or tamper with other people’s stands or cameras. They worked too hard to get them and put them up, just to have someone mess with their stuff. If you’re respectful to others,

they will be respectful to you, which will ultimately lead to a better hunt and better experience on public land. Who knows? You might just find somebody that will help you track and drag out a deer in the middle of the night too. Bottom line, when hunting public lands treat others the way you would want to be treated. I think if you extend a branch of common bond with the hunters in the area you will be much better off in the long run.

CONCLUSION

Hopefully by now you understand that there are no big secrets to killing public land whitetails. It comes down to doing your scouting and being prepared before the season begins, getting away from other hunting pressure, and using other creative techniques in order to wrap your tag around a big buck this year. If you are looking for more things related to public hunting, I would suggest looking into The Hunting Public on social media and YouTube. I am in no way affiliated with them, but I’ve learned a lot stuff from watching their show and listening to their podcast. They have some great content, and are becoming a big name in the outdoor industry. Thanks for reading and I hope you’ve learned at least one thing to help you in the woods this fall. Good luck!

BE A STEP AHEAD OF EVERYBODY WHEN THE SEASON ROLLS AROUND BY DOING YOUR HOMEWORK THIS SUMMER. BEGIN BY LOOKING AT AERIAL PHOTOS. FIND THE AREAS WITH FOOD SOURCES AND THICK TIMBER.

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WE ARE ALL aware that any given summer day in Iowa is pretty much unpredictable. It may be a breezy 72 degrees with light fluffy clouds floating past or it may be a wildly windy day that you would not attempt to use a baitcaster. More often than not, it is a sweltering, humid, and almost unbearable sunny day that will probably be even worse once you are out on the water. You might think to yourself that the fish would not be biting on a day this hot. Actually, the heat does not mean that the fish will just be relaxing in the shade and napping all day. It simply means that you need to change your tactics to find those fish that have moved to the cooler, more comfortable spots. First and foremost, while fishing in the intense heat you need to make sure that YOU stay safe. You cannot stay out on the boat or on the shore for long if you are not prepared for what the sun is capable of. Before you head out to the lake, make sure you pack plenty of water and sunscreen so you can stay safe and focus on catching big summertime fish without getting “burnt out”! Suddenly it seems as if the fish have just stopped biting all together. You have pulled every trick out of the bag that you can think of. Whether you are switching from your usual day to day fishing styles or to a completely different fish species, your tactics are usually just modified with a simple change of lure color or maybe something a little flashier. Despite these challenges, if you are dealing with the pounding summer September 2018

sun and the mysterious missing fish...you may just need to completely relocate to a

down, most game fish will venture away from their wide open spaces and head to cover. A majority of game fish are ambush predators and will use this cover to hide as well as to stay cool. Once sufficient cover is found, they will tuck themselves in and suspend waiting to feed by looking out into the open water as the possible meals are swimming right past them. Fish will seek out this aquatic cover because it is not only cooler but it allows them to get the meal that they are after without having to raise their body temperatures due to a chase. The cover that I focus on finding consists of fallen trees, docks, trees hanging low over the water, or vegetation in the water. Basically, anything that can cast a shadow providing a cooler place for them to wait for the next meal to present itself. The shade from this cover will cool the water a few degrees and it will attract smaller bait fish who are more

FISH WILL SEEK OUT THIS AQUATIC COVER BECAUSE IT IS NOT ONLY COOLER BUT IT ALLOWS THEM TO GET THE MEAL THAT THEY ARE AFTER WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE THEIR BODY TEMPERATURES DUE TO A CHASE. new “cool down” spot. When it is hot out and the sun is beating

susceptible to the dangers of the heat. Most areas where bait fish are gathered TheIowaSportsman.com

COOL DOWN FOR SUMMER TIME FISHING SUCCESS are the same areas where the larger game fish will be found. Speaking of bait fish, you can also check out the shallow waters near the bank. The natural current and the wakes from the passing boats will be constantly hitting the shore and stirring up nutrient rich soil, shad, and other attractants, which will bring the larger predator fish to the cover in that area. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just the shallow shore areas that need to be focused on though. If you are ready to crank things up a notch, then take the boat out and be prepared to have the sun, not only beat down on you but reflect up at you as well. Once you have the boat out on deeper water, try to find some vegetation that is growing tall and strong from the bottom. With the water being deeper, the fish will tend to stay closer to the dark bottom for the cooler temperatures. If the water you are fishing is more on the shallow side- no worries. The strong midday sun will cause this aquatic vegetation to start photosynthesizing, and will produce scents that will attract a wide variety of insects. These insects will then lure the smaller bait fish into feed. Like I said before, where there are bait fish-there are

game fish. On those hot days, another promising

location to be on the lookout for are the areas of faster flowing waters, such as a runoff or a spill way. If you can find where the water has a stronger current, the fish that you are after are sure to hold there due to the cooler temperatures and more oxygenated water. A lot of anglers will fish smaller lakes and farm ponds that do not seem to have any flowing water or

DID YOU KNOW? The hottest temperature ever recorded in Iowa was 118 degrees in Keokuk on July 20th, 1934.

waves unless it is a windy day. However, water without wind is not completely calm. Any body of water will have moving currents for a variety of reasons. The main and most obvious being wind. However, a current can be affected by inlets, outlets, temperature change, and even pressure changes. These currents can sometimes be easily seen on top of the water or even hidden under the surface. When looking for faster flowing water that is not apparent, head to areas of the lake where the shore drastically changes size. If you can locate a branch or a channel jetting off of the shoreline, the pressure will change where the land squeezes the water. If cover is not necessarily an option, this may just * Continued on page 46

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COOL DOWN FOR SUMMER TIME FISHING SUCCESS

be the answer. Once these areas of the lake are discovered, it is time to really focus on presentation. Active game fish that are

IT’S NOT JUST THE SHALLOW SHORE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON THOUGH. IF YOU ARE READY TO CRANK THINGS UP A NOTCH, THEN TAKE THE BOAT OUT AND BE PREPARED TO HAVE THE SUN, NOT ONLY BEAT DOWN ON YOU BUT REFLECT UP AT YOU AS WELL. feeding heavily are still surprisingly picky. Using plastics with a lot of motion in the body is sure to get the attention of any hungry fish. I prefer Texas-Rigging also known as weedless rig or skinhooked rig, a 6 inch or slightly longer plastic worm. To do this place the worm onto the hook with the point of the hook pushed back into the body of the worm making it weedless and add a ¼ ounce 46

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bullet weight on the line ahead of the hook. What I have found to be a solid summertime finesse is to present the bait in a flick and fall motion. I retrieve my lures quickly but not necessarily fast. While doing so, a flicking motion of the wrist will give the lure a much livelier appearance. If you feel a sudden stop or slack in the line then quickly give it another flick to get the bait rising and falling again. Of course, different skills and tactics will always have to be used depending on things like the weather, your surroundings, water clarity, and even the current under the water that isn’t visible to the naked eye. On that hot summer day when you are surrounded by loads of late summer vegetation, there is still plenty of hope if you have the knowledge to find those lurking lunkers. But getting out on the water is the first step towards catching the big one. If you can stand the heat, then do not give up until you have tried all of the cover that you can find. Of course, there is no guaranteed way to catch fish all day long (especially while Iowa’s summer sun is trying to cook you), but that is why they call it fishing and not catching.

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THIS MONTH, I am responding to multiple questions I’ve been saving up from A SINGLE OR MULTIPLE PINS numerous hunters writing in with similar questions about gear and tactics. I’ve been saving them up because they are all archery related questions and season opener is coming up. 50

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I’ve received several questions regarding my opinion on using several pins compared to one pin with my archery setup. I don’t know that there is a right or wrong answer here but I do know what has and has not To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594

worked for me. When I started out with archery hunting some 35 years ago, I shot a low poundage and slow bow. I practiced almost every day and was actually a pretty good shot. Because of the equipment I used back then the only way to be target accurate was to have a bunch of pins for predetermined yardages. I knew the exact distance while practicing so I could become very proficient at picking the right pin and laying the arrows right in. If I remember, I had a 15, 20, 25, and 30-yard pin. This strategy all fell apart for me though once I entered the field. Not only did I have to be accurate in my field judging of distance at the moment of truth, I then had to use the right pin… which pin do I use when the yardage was in between… In short, it was too much thinking and too much went wrong. Fast forward those 35 years and I now use a much simpler and accurate method for aiming in field situations. Today, I use a single pin. I site my single pin in at a distance that allows me to simply aim high heart, heart, and low heart. Any deer further than aiming high heart and they get a pass. Let me explain. I shoot

about 80 pounds and my arrow leaves my bow around 350 feet per second. For me, I can sight my bow in dead on at 28 yards. This allows me only two slight adjustments with the same pin. If it’s closer than a 28-yard shot, I simply aim low heart to compensate. If I’m a little further, I simply aim high heart. My effective range is no further than about 37 yards or so and at that point aiming high heart is no longer high enough… so I’m done. I won’t take longer shots than this simply because by the time the arrow gets there (even at 350fps) too much can happen and the deer can be hit poorly even if my shot was true (otherwise known as deer jumping the string). If you’re not shooting this fast as an arrow, simply adjust your setup. My daughter shoots much slower arrow speeds but still uses this same method sighting her bow in for 18 yards, aiming high or low heart if closer or out to about 24 yards. At 24 yards she’s done. Using this method and I dare say I rarely miss or have poor hits on deer anymore. And, because I’m only compensating a few inches high or low

I WILL BLIND CALL DURING THAT TIME FRAME FROM ABOUT OCTOBER 25TH OR SO UNTIL NOVEMBER 20TH BUT I WILL DO SO ONLY IF AND WHEN MY CONFIDENCE LEVEL WITH MY AMBUSH SITES STARTS TO DETERIORATE. IN OTHER WORDS, I SPEND THE ENTIRE OFF SEASON PLANNING AND PREPARING MY SETS…

September 2018

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WHITETAILS 365 for my entire effective range, judging distance in the field does not have to be perfect.

SPEED OR WEIGHT

The debate or argument goes something like this…a heavier arrow is better because it carries more energy thus giving you more penetration for all hits, even the marginal one. OK. Sounds good. The other side is a super-fast arrow allows the hunter to be less accurate in the field with judging distance because the arrow drops less down range when it’s faster, and deer have less time to “jump the string”. OK. That also sounds good. So, who’s right? Well, there really is no clean-cut answer to the debate. Both arguments are valid depending on your perspective. For me, I think the most important thing in a clean kill on a deer is proper placement of the shot. A deer shot in the right spot, (heart or double lungs) is the most important part of the kill shot equation. For this reason, all other things being equal, I will choose speed over weight or even kinetic energy every time. A fast arrow allows for less guess work at the moment of truth and also means a deer has less time to react to the sound of the shot. I don’t know of an exception to this way of thinking. And, you aren’t necessarily giving up energy, or much energy just because you are shooting a lighter arrow with more speed since speed is also part of the energy equation. Then…the experts will get into the whole speed, energy, momentum, debate and that’s where I simply fall back to my initial argument of “The most important part of the kill shot equation is arrow placement”. Each year hunters miss or wound whitetails not because of arrows without enough energy, or because they don’t have enough momentum…they miss or wound because of bad shots or aiming in the wrong place to begin with, or taking shots that are too far, the wrong angle, etc. Don’t get caught up in this debate, shoot straight and fast and you’ll do just fine. One final point…practice, practice, practice, and aim for the heart!

RATTLING AND CALLING

I’ve gotten several questions about my opinions of using calls and rattling to bring in bucks during archery season. What part of the season do I call? Do I ever blind call (calling when I don’t see animals) in an attempt to bring one in? I want to start off by saying this… in general terms, less is always more,

ALWAYS. I think the biggest mistake hunters make when calling deer is doing it too much, too loud, too early, too late, too everything. Having said that, I’ve seen where calling can be a great way to bring in a bruiser buck that otherwise would not have been in range. So, if it’s not currently working for you, try these calling ideas that work for me. First, I always carry my grunt tube and rattling antlers with me throughout the entire early archery season. I won’t call during a late season archery hunt because I’ve only had negative reactions during late season. It doesn’t need to

LESS AGGRESSIVE CALLING JUST WORKS BETTER IN MY OPINION FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, I WOULD ARGUE IT ACTUALLY CALLS IN MORE DEER. SECOND, IF I’M UNSUCCESSFUL, I HAVEN’T COMPLETELY BLOWN UP THE AREA MEANING MY FUTURE HUNTS WILL BE THAT MUCH BETTER. be during the rut, or pre-rut, or any sort of rut for calling to work. In fact, I’ve had some of my best reactions to antler rattling during opening weekend when I have a good buck, or even a small group of bucks out in front of me but out of range. A very quiet and brief tickling of the antlers can get a dominant buck in this type of environment to come check out your location. I think this works so well because there has been no pressure at all on these deer since last season and they are sparring like crazy this time of year. Simulating a couple small bucks sparring can be quite the trick to pull over a more dominant buck. To pull it off just remember a short and quiet sequence lasting no more than a few seconds. I bring this early season calling up because many archery hunters believe you can’t call in a good buck during this time of year, but I’ve experienced just the opposite. During the rest of the season, I will again call to target bucks that are out of range and I’m convinced will not make it into range. There is one exception to this. If I have a target buck on a pattern of sorts and I’m just a little off…in that case I usually won’t call choosing instead to move my ambush site if that’s possible * Continued on page 54

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R & R Sports 3250 Fields Drive • Bettendorf, IA 52722 563-243-4696 www.randrsportsinc.com Fin & Feather 125 Hwy 1 W • Iowa City, IA 52246 319-354-2200 www.finfeather.com Palo Outdoors 1204 1st Street • Palo, IA 52324 319-851-5290 www.palo-outdoors.com No Limits Outdoors, LLC 212 11th St SW Plaza • Spencer, IA 51301 712-580-7000 www.nolimitsspencer.com Sommerfeld Outfitters 330 N Main St • Lidderdale, IA 51452 712-822-5780 www.shopsommerfeld.com Bluff Creek Archery 117 Washington Ave E • Albia, IA 52531 641-932-2422 www.bcarcheryia.com The Iowa Outdoors Store 1597 3rd Ave NW • Fort Dodge, IA 50501 515-955-HUNT (4868) www.iowaoutdoorsstore.com September 2018

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WHITETAILS 365

over trying to call the buck in. My thought process is that I’m way more confident in moving in on the buck than I am calling to it and chancing blowing him out on a failed calling sequence. If I call, and he locks up or spooks, my chances are quite possibly gone. This is a personal preference thing that just works better for me. I have way more confidence in my ability to set up on deer through my manipulations (food plots, fence jumps, connecting timbered points, etc.) than I am in trying to call in deer. And, failed attempts to call in deer that were not alert until that point, puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on them. My calling itself is once again shorter and quieter than most. I like softer

grunts or popping my grunt call to as closely mimic a younger buck grunting. I will only grunt louder if I’m convinced a deer can’t hear it like on windy days. My rattling sequences are literally only a few seconds long…crack, crack, then a little antler tickling, grinding of the main beams, then I’m done. The whole rattling sequence will last about 10-15 seconds. Less aggressive calling just works better in my opinion for two reasons. First, I would argue it actually

calls in more deer. Second, if I’m unsuccessful, I haven’t completely blown up the area meaning my future hunts will be that much better. I will blind call during that time frame from about October 25th or so until November 20th but I will do so only if and when my confidence level with my ambush sites starts to deteriorate. In other words, I spend the entire off season planning and preparing my sets…that’s where the absolute bulk of my work is spent by manipulating the ground I hunt so that each stand has my full confidence. However, things don’t always go as planned and when I find I’m in this scenario I will definitely try to blind call in a good buck. When I do blind call, my sequence is short. I’ll start with a couple soft grunts and then wait a few minutes to make sure any deer within ear shot doesn’t come in based on that call. Then I’ll slam my antlers together fairly loudly…grind the beams together…tickle the tines…more grinding of the beams…then I’m done. The whole rattling sequence barely lasts 10-15 seconds. I find these short stints of calling work best because I’m not making a bunch of noise and motion if a buck reacts quickly and comes in on me, and using these short stints just work better. My advice to anyone blind calling is always that less is more. Next month I again have a small assortment of various questions I’ve been saving for issues during the hunting season. It’s getting closer to season opener! Make sure to send in any questions or ideas for an article you would like written for the Whitetails 365 column to tapeppy@gmail.com. Thank you.

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AROUND THE STATE

2017 PHEASANT HARVEST TOPS 220,000, 2018 NESTING FORECAST IS MIXED. An estimated 55,000 hunters harvested more than 221,000 roosters in Iowa last fall; a slight decline from 245,000 harvested in 2016. Hunters reported good success across the entire northwest quarter of Iowa. An early look at the 2018 pheasant forecast begins with nesting success which is likely a mixed bag. Parts of southern Iowa are dry while northern Iowa has been inundated with rain. Combined with a late arriving winter is a recipe for a stable to declining pheasant population. “Our best indicator for the pheasant population is the August roadside survey, but our weather model gives us a pretty good guess what the population trend

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might be,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Bogenschutz bases his prediction on

a series of statewide weather indicators. The model uses historic correlations between roadside counts and winter snowfall, spring temperature and rainfall to predict this fall’s population trend based on current weather. The model has been used since 2002 and accurately predicts the population trend more than 80 percent of the time. The statewide thresholds that predict an up or down population are 30 inches of snow, eight inches of rain and an average spring temperature of 54 degrees. Much of the state crossed the rainfall line and was cooler than preferred, but not all. “It’s not all bad news,” Bogenschutz said. “We have a lot of mixed data especially in southern Iowa. That region didn’t receive much snow, and two of the three southern zones were at or below the rainfall totals that impact nesting. Anecdotally, we’ve received reports of more roosters crowing and male bobwhite calling in this area, which is a sign of good overwinter survival. Bobwhite could be abundant in southern Iowa this fall.” More than 8,500 quail hunters harvested nearly 27,000 quail in 2017 The August roadside survey of upland populations takes place Aug. 1-15. Staff will drive more than 6,000 miles of survey routes across the state to assess bird trends. Results will be posted around Sept. 10 at www.iowadnr.gov/ pheasantsurvey.

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2018 IOWA SCHOLASTIC CLAY TARGET PROGRAM STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS All Teams, Senior Division Team, Individuals, Score 1. North Scott Trap Team (Eric Long, Thomas Keeshan, Jaydon Biles), 442 2. Oskaloosa Shooting Team (Spencer Little, Ethan Herr, Ethan Vos), 431 3. PC Eagles (Colten Uitermarkt, Maclane Heinen, Noah De Boef), 429 All Teams, Squad, Sr./Jr. Varsity Team, Individuals, Score • DMCC JV1 (Kolton Eivins, Enzio Principato, Mathew Brindley), 414 • PC Eagles Skeet 27 Jr.Varsity (Noah De Boef, Emily Uitermarkt, Karsen Kamerick), 411 • Pella JV White (Noah Seelye, Nathan Dunsbergen, Elizabeth Eisenbath), 402 All Teams, Squad, Senior/Varsity Team, Individuals, Score 1. North Scott Red (Eric Long, Thomas Keeshan, Jaydon Biles), 442 2. PC Eagles Skeet 21 Varsity (Colten Uitermarkt, Dominick Ver Meer, Maclane Heinen), 429 North Scott White (Jacob Dies, Hunter Frerichs, Michael Mohr) tie 4. Osky V 2 (Spencer Little, Ethan Herr, Zackary Salevsky), 419 5. North Scott Gray (Drew Baxter, Hunter Block, Zach Howes), 417 All Teams, Men, Senior/Jr. Varsity -

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Individual, Team, Score 1. Ethan Vos, Oskaloosa Shooting Team, 142 2. Kolton Eivins, Des Moines Clay Crushers, 141 3. *Mathew Brindley, Des Moines Clay Crushers, 140 (won shoot off) All Teams, Men, Collegiate Individual, College, Score 1. Jason Herr, Indian Hills Community College, 139 2. Colton Selvy, Indian Hills Community College, 134 3. Karson Gonnerman, Indian Hills Community College, 111 All Teams, Men, Senior/Varsity Individual, Team, Score 1. Eric Long, North Scott Trap Team, 148 2. Thomas Keeshan, North Scott Trap Team, 147 (won shoot off) 3. Jaydon Biles, North Scott Trap Team, 147 (second in shoot off) 4. Drew Baxter, North Scott Trap Team, 147 5. Spencer Little, Oskaloosa Shooting Team, 146 (won shoot off) 6. Colten Uitermarkt, PC Eagles, 146

133 3. Erin Neppl, Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Shooting Sports, 124 All Team, Ladies, Senior Varsity Individual, Team, Score 1. Grace Eisenbarth, Pella Shooters Club, 145 2. Nicole Breese, Solon Spartan Trapshooting Team, 141 3. Kayle Eivins, Des Moines Clay Crushers, 138 4. Kamilla Brindley, Des Moines Clay Crushers, 128 5. Cheyanna Sheaffer, Pella Shooters Club, 125 6. Camden Barber, Oskaloosa Shooting Team, 118 All Teams, Ladies, Collegiate Individual, College, Score 1. Rebecca Tierney, Simpson College, 130 2. Alyssa Smith, Southeastern Community College, 125 A complete list of results is available at https:// sssfonline.org/ select results, then SCTP Shoot Results, then Iowa SCTP.

All Teams, Ladies, Senior/Jr. Varsity Individual, Team, Score 1. Emily Uitermarkt, PC Eagles, 139 2. Elizabeth Eisenbarth, Pella Shooters Club,

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TRADITIONALLY THINKING, when it comes to pre-season prep a few things come to mind. Check stands and straps, trim shooting lanes, get trail cameras out, work on food plots, set out minerals, scout new spots, and the list goes on and on. At times, it may lead to paralysis by analysis with the idea of so many tasks. On the surface these are good things to get done, although my preseason list tends to dig a little deeper. Each hunting season, I strive to be a better bow hunter than the season before. I want to hunt harder, more efficiently, and with more success in the field. With this mentality, my preseason prep begins right after the previous season has ended. The anticipation for the next fall drives me all year long. There are so many things that are beyond my control when it comes to chasing big game. My approach to preseason prep is to work towards improving those things that I can control. Improving these areas in the pre-season will make me a better hunter in the fall. When it comes to my own list of preseason preparations, 6 items come to mind: • Be an Archer First • Get In Better Shape • Make a Hunting Budget • Get Home/Work Life Settled Away • Practice Mental Toughness • Reflect On Previous Seasons

1. BE AN ARCHER FIRST

If you are anything like me, when I know the shot is coming on an animal, my heart rate jumps instantly. I start to lose my breath, and I need to make a conscious effort to keep myself under control in order to make the moment count. This is where September 2018

the time put in shooting in the off-season is going to count. It is good to be able to shoot out X’s at 20 yards over and over. That is a great place to start, but you need to challenge yourself as an archer. Go do a 3d shoot somewhere. Practice at longer distances than you would comfortably shoot at an animal. Shoot the in-between yardages and understand the hold offs on your pins.

2. GET IN BETTER SHAPE

Trying to get in better shape before the season comes is critical. The key word here is “trying”. Making an effort on a weekly basis is going to make a difference no matter what or how much you do. With an elk hunt in September to start my season, my main concern is to just not break anything important while out there. Hoping to prevent

HAVING THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES ALONG THE WAY WITH A POSITIVE AND STRONG MENTAL ATTITUDE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. Practice shooting up and down hill, they have a tremendous effect on the flight of the arrow. Set up a ground blind and shoot from a sitting position, or even from your knees. Put on the broad heads you are going to hunt with, and shoot them, a lot. To invest the time and energy it takes to get a shot opportunity, and to squander it because of a lack of preparation would be a shame. Practicing with your bow in these real life hunting scenarios or pressure situations will help make it count when the time comes.

injury, I tend to work towards strengthening the connective tissues around the main joints such as my hips, knees, ankles, and back. Working on functional strength is more of the focus than anything. This conditioning carries over into the whitetail season very nicely. Being able to carry a hang and hunt set up miles back on public land allows for a chance at some incredible hunts. As the season wears on, it can be a war of attrition as much as anything and preparing my body for that strain is going to help. Coming into the hunting season having worked on my TheIowaSportsman.com

DIGGING DEEPER: PRE SEASON PREP physical conditioning is going to make me a better hunter. Being able to hike longer, faster and farther is going to allow access to new areas, find new spots, and find more game.

3. MAKE A HUNTING BUDGET

Hunting can be expensive, but being able to budget some money ahead of time is going to take a lot of the financial sting out of the fall. Being conscious of this in advance and setting some money aside for licenses, fuel, stands, etc. helps tremendously. Making a separate hunting fund that you put money in will make it easier to take the time off in the fall, and still be able to pay your bills at the end of the month. Looking for deals on gear in the offseason can help save money overall also. Facebook buy/sell/trade groups and Craigslist can be a good place for finding quality used gear at a decent price. In many cases, the lower priced used gear is going to be a more realistic option, especially if you are just getting started. At the end of the day, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about spending time in the woods more than how you look while doing it.

4. GET HOME/WORK LIFE SETTLED AWAY

Talk to your significant other or loved

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ones about the upcoming hunting season to make sure they are on the same page. To give a friendly reminder of the upcoming season and being open to talk about hunting plans can reduce a lot of stress around the whole topic. On the same point, it is important to get work life in order. That could be talking to your boss about the upcoming time off, or scheduling projects with clients around the time you want off. It is important to not have any loose ends when wanting to take time off to hunt. Being out hunting and having half your focus on the things you should be doing at work or home instead is not going to help the overall goal. Getting your home and work life in order before getting into the woods will make the time spent out there that much more enjoyable and productive.

5. PRACTICE MENTAL TOUGHNESS

This is a truly underrated part of hunting. Mental toughness is having the wear-withall to force myself to accomplish tasks I otherwise would not want to. Being mentally tough plays a part in all of the topics that have been discussed to this point. Having the discipline to put in the time I need behind my bow. Having the drive to make my self-exercise months in advance for a hunt. Having the foresight to

set money aside that I could otherwise use. Being able to talk to my loved ones and coworkers about the upcoming fall and my hunting plans. All of these topics require a degree of mental toughness. Mental toughness can be applied to so many different areas of hunting and life. When it comes to chasing whitetails specifically, it can be applied in variety of ways. Being able to hold off on my best hunting spots until the weather conditions and time of year truly align takes mental toughness. Forcing my self to stay on stand later rather than going back to my truck can be an epic mental battle. Many times, the toughest battle is fought between my ears. Having the ability to be able to push through these challenges and obstacles along the way with a positive and strong mental attitude can make all the difference.

6. REFLECT ON PREVIOUS SEASONS

Taking the time to reflect on the success and failures of previous seasons is the last category. I spend the vast majority of my time hunting on public land. Looking back on the season past, one of the first things that come to mind is all the hunting pressure that I encounter throughout the season. I think about the hunter pressure and how to improve my game plan as to where I should be spending time in stand. Doing this should increase the odds of a quality encounter. Most all of this reflection recon can be done online from home with digital maps. There is a variety of resources to do this, but for us in Iowa, the Online Hunting Atlas at the Iowa DNR website is what I do most my E-scouting with. If you are not using this online resource you are missing out, whether you are hunting private or public. Spending this time recalling the pervious seasons may allow a chance to find a piece of information that could have otherwise been overlooked. I believe it is the time spent reflecting on seasons past that allows you to capitalize on opportunities when presented with a similar set of circumstances the next time around. While this is not the end-all-be-all list of preseason preparations, it is a good start. Focusing on improving these facets inside of my hunting life before the season arrives is going to make me a better hunter. It seems like chasing big game is like most things in life; success is buried under hard work. I have found that the preparation and the anticipation of the upcoming hunting season have almost become as rewarding as hunting itself. Almost. Good Luck to everyone this fall and be safe.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

SCHEELS:

THE INDUSTRY LEADER IN ARCHERY SERVICE AND EXPERTISE!

At SCHEELS we have a team of customer service experts passionate about the products within their department. We are dedicated to having the best retail experience in the eyes and minds of our customers where everyone can discover their passion for sports, hunting, fishing, camping and much more.

This vision of our customer service holds true company wide, especially in our archery department. For avid archers, no matter if you hunt whitetails or shoot competitively, one of the most important aspects of this passion is having the proper gear. More specifically gear that fits your wants, needs, and abilities. This is why SCHEELS archery department has grown to become one of the foremost leaders in service and expertise. Our archery department employees are experts and love the sport of archery just as much as the customer coming in for bow work or for purchasing archery equipment. They get the best knowledge and education of archery. This level of

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expertise provides our customers the truest level of customer service! Here at SCHEELS we take our employee training very seriously. We make it a point to provide the highest level training sessions in the industry. Our training includes hands on skills, classes, and testing to make sure our staff is providing our customers with the most accurate information that can be provided. Because of this commitment to customer service and dedication to having employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; who are experts in their department, the end result is a satisfied customer. A customer that trusts us and comes back in the store with a smile on their face after shooting a 3D course or having a successful hunting season. With the archery industry changing constantly we pride ourselves in the ability to keep up with the times. Our department stays up on the newest technology, whether it is a new way to tune a bow or how to install the newest accessories, our employees are trained on the newest products. We are a very hands on store, meaning that our customers are encouraged to test our products before they ever purchase them. During this time employees are making recommendations and providing feedback so that they trust whatever they purchase will be the product/s that they need and best fit them. Ultimately our goal is for the costumer to have the best experience ever when they walk out of our store with the equipment we

set up for them. Our customers expect the highest level of experience when working with one of our archery employees. The customers might even get to hear some of the amazing hunting stories our own employees have to offer. Archery is a social sport and camaraderie between our employees and customers is second to none. We want you to confidence in us and feel like our team is just another one of your archery buddies! As the whitetail archery season draws near here in Iowa or even if you are a competitive archer, come into a SCHEELS store near you and take a look around our archery department. We are certain you will be happy with the level of expertise and assistance you will receive. Best of luck to everyone this year! Let us know how you do in the timber this fall, we always love to hear how our customers do!

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Check out these dealers near you to get your Green Mountain Grill The Grill Works 763 8th Avenue Marion, IA 52302 319-395-7118 TheGrillWorks@mchsi.com www.thegrillworks.net Jones Appliance & TV 417 Washington Ave Iowa Falls, IA 50126 641-648-5529 Back Road BBQ 1850 Michigan Ave Humboldt, IA 50548 515-368-2057 Lake Fireplace & Spa 1604 Highway 18 W Clear Lake, IA 50428 641-357-3325 www.lakefireplace.com

Spahn & Rose Lumber Co. 1824 Trout Run Road Decorah, IA 52101 563-382-8733 www.spahnandrose.com

September 2018

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SEPTEMBER IS UPON us and nature is buzzing all around us. Hunting seasons are starting to take shape and football takes center stage with many looking for entertainment. September can also be a good time to get in a few more fishing trips before the weather turns cold. However, anglers must make a few adjustments to continue to catch fish in this month. In a previous issue I wrote about making adjustments for pressured fish, today we will dive deeper into what exactly to do when faced with pressured fish during August and September. We as anglers must make a few changes if we want to enjoy the day chasing our favorite fish. Let’s take a profound look at what we can do to catch these pressured fish. Fishing pressure is like no other variable in the equation of catching fish. Unlike weather, this pressure can last for weeks or months. It does affect fish and we have to make adjustments to be successful. We cannot change the issues we are up against this time of year, we can only deal with them and adjust. Here are some ideas to take with you to keep catching fish throughout this month. Boat traffic is one major pressure that fish are seeing and will continue to see as long as the weather stays nice. Everyone is trying to get in that one last trip to the lake or river to enjoy some powersports. Not only are those boats and jet skis causing an issue for the fish but all the fishing boats too. This is a pressure that we have to deal with if we choose to fish those bodies of water. A simple solution is to pick out smaller lakes around the August 2018

state that do not have the boat traffic, a no-wake lake or trolling motor only lake will offer the fish a less pressured system, making fishing much more enjoyable and rewarding this time of year. If you have your heart set on those bigger bodies of water you must combat the boat traffic.

to continue catching fish. Another technique this time of year to trick your favorite fish is to go into stealth mode. Professional anglers use this technique year-round, their livelihood depends on catching fish. It is a proven way to put more fish in the boat. Stealth mode takes electronics out of the game. When you arrive to a fishing location and set up, whether using an anchor or landmarks to stay in that position then it is time to turn off all depth finders. Depth finders send out hundreds and thousands of “pings” in the water column per minute, these can no doubt make fish aware that something is going on. Remember, these same fish have heard these pings all summer long and watched their friends disappear. A simple thing as turning off the electronics will help you be in stealth mode and no doubt catch more fish. Obviously a good anchor system is a must in this situation

ANOTHER TECHNIQUE THIS TIME OF YEAR TO TRICK YOUR FAVORITE FISH IS TO GO INTO STEALTH MODE. PROFESSIONAL ANGLERS USE THIS TECHNIQUE YEAR-ROUND, THEIR LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON CATCHING FISH. IT IS A PROVEN WAY TO PUT MORE FISH IN THE BOAT. One way to do this is to use the wind to your advantage. The windy sides of the lake will counter the extra boat traffic. Yes, this will make boat control more difficult but the fish will be more cooperative too. A good trade if you want

and working with those fishing with you to stay in the location to keep catching those fish is a must. Bait selection becomes key this time of year. The fish have seen every bait manufactured in the last couple of months, TheIowaSportsman.com

TACTICS FOR PRESSURED FISH

it is time to think outside the box. A simple thing to do is to downsize your baits. If you typically use a 1/8th ounce jig head, go down a size. Also downsize your live bait presentations too. Smaller minnows and worms will consistently bring in fish this time of year. If you typically use larger crankbaits, knock them down a size too. Smaller shad raps or Flicker-shads are great tools late in the fishing season. Lastly, especially those bass fishermen, instead of using seven and eight inch worms, go with a four-inch finesse worm. Downsizing your baits trick more fish into biting this time of year. If you like to use bobbers for your live bait rigs, it may be time to give them a rest. Fish can be so tentative this time of year that you will not even see your bobber move, yet your bait is gone. “Baitstealers” as my kids call them are those fish that are in their own stealth mode.

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They are so aware of their surroundings that the tension the bobber produces as they pull down turns them off and they can be very difficult to catch. They have seen this scenario time and time again. How can we counter this? First, this only works if you are floating above your targeted species, it doesn’t work from land in most cases. Straight-lining your live bait will get those bait-stealers. Straight-lining is simply dropping your bait over the edge of the boat/kayak and using your rod as your bobber. You must use a sensitive rod for this technique, actually most “kids” rods work very well for this, no need for anything fancy with this tried and tested technique. A rod with a limber tip is all you need to see those tricky fish tap your bait, or gently pull the line down. Using a drop-shot line set-up is ideal for this technique, a small hook and small split shot is all that is needed. This technique

is just like how many people ice fish in the winter. Drop the line straight down and feel and look for that subtle bite. Those of you that do ice fish will have an advantage with this technique especially if you take your Vexilar with you. Drop the transducer over the side and “go icefishing” in September. This technique is great for panfish throughout the year, but especially when fish are pressured and become difficult to catch. Again, the fishing pressure this time of year it at its peak, we must change a few things to keep those fish interested and allow us to have a good day on the water. Experimentation is always valuable when the fish are not cooperating. This led me to trying a straight-line rig for bluegills some fifteen years ago. There are many ways to catch fish, sometimes we must think outside the box when fishing pressure is at its highest.

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FISHING IOWA

TROLL UP MORE WALLEYES IN THE SUMMER By Bob Jensen

The dead of summer, is when some anglers have trouble catching walleyes. If you would like to increase your odds for putting some walleyes in the boat in the next few weeks, trolling, either forward or backward, will help you do so. Following are some ideas for trolling to catch more walleyes in the summer. There are several reasons why trolling can be so good right now. First of all, trolling allows us to cover more water. Walleyes will move around quite a bit in the summer. Their primary thing this time of year is to eat, and they’ll keep moving until they find something to eat. Another benefit of trolling is that it allows you to get more lines in the water in most states. More lines mean we can show more lures to the fish. Sometimes, probably most of the time, lure shape, size, and color will be an important factor. The more options we can show the fish, the more likely we are to get bit. Once we figure out which size, color and

September 2018

shape the walleyes want, the more we can fine-tune our presentation. Now, let’s go fishing. If the walleyes are holding tight to structure, they will often be concentrated in a small area. Live bait rigs presented slowly will often be the best presentation in this situation. We will want to keep our baits right in the fish’s face, so a backtrolling or slow, slow forward trolling presentation will be best. We want to make the fish bite. More and more though, we’re trolling faster this time of the year, looking for fish that want to get caught. Spinners such as Northland’s Crawler Hauler or Baitfish Image spinners tipped with

nightcrawlers usually are exceptionally productive when we’re looking for these big groups of wandering walleyes. The walleyes could be near the bottom, but often they’ll be suspended or just a few feet below the surface. They’ll be wherever their food is. Crankbaits like Strike King’s Lucky Shad have also been very productive for us the past couple of years. There’s something about the action and shape of these baits that seems to be very appealing to walleyes. To most efficiently present your baits, in-line planer boards will be a big help. They allow an angler to get more baits in the water without tangling, and they allow an angler to present a bait to those walleyes just below the surface without spooking them. The planer board gets the bait out away from the boat, so the fish aren’t aware of the boat when they see the bait. Unless you have some information from previous trips or another angler, you should try different colors and running depths. Attach a Pro Snap Weight or Tadpole to your line with the heavier weights on the lines close to the boat and lighter weights on the lines farther out. By doing so, the lines out away from the boat will run higher, the lines close to the boat will run deeper. You’ll cover more depth zones by doing so. When it comes to planer boards you can’t beat the ones produced by Off Shore Tackle. Off Shore is the leader when it comes to trolling systems. Walleyes can be surprisingly aggressive right now. By trolling, you can cover more water and catch more fish. Now is the perfect time to find that out for yourself.

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THERE IS NO denying that fall in Iowa is a magical time of the year. The crisp morning air swirling with the aroma of falling leaves as they rustle in the tree tops is enough to make anyone reminisce the good old days and the promise filled days ahead. Fall promises a much-needed break from the summer weather mood swings, fun filled family gatherings, and brings us all a little closer together. While I am sure most sportsmen look forward to time in the field chasing game, the best of what Iowa fall offers isn’t always found in a treestand. Here are five things you can do this fall to enjoy arguably the best time of the year.

CAMPING

Laughing at old stories and new bad jokes around the campfire on a brisk evening with family and friends is one of my favorite pastimes. Iowa is loaded with secret hideaways and public parks that offer more camping experiences than you can shake a marshmallow tipped stick at. Camping can mean catching up on the latest issue of The Iowa Sportsman, napping in a hammock while it swings in a cool breeze, or earning the bragging rights after winning a good old-fashioned game of corn hole. Make sure you check out the Reserve America website to book your camping site, and don’t forget the September 2018

marshmallows and chocolate. It will keep you coming back for s’more.

HIKING

Wither you are just out for a day trip

forest floors make for some of the best trail blazing of the year. Animals tend to be active with the cooling temperatures as well which can make hiking even more entertaining. As a former Park Ranger, I am partial to the extensive trail systems that the parks have to offer, but the best part about hiking is that you can do this anywhere! Be sure to bring plenty of snacks, refreshments, or even pack a picnic and head into the wilderness for a day full of adventure.

GEOCACHING

A newer trend in the adventure seeking outdoorsman’s play book is geocaching. These modern-day treasure hunts offer Iowans a chance to test their riddle solving skills against others using

THERE ARE SEVERAL LOCAL ORCHARDS IN THE STATE THAT OFFER APPLE PICKING, PUMPKINS FOR CARVING, CORN FOR MAZING, AND EVEN HAUNTS FOR SCREAMING! or staying at one of Iowa’s state parks for a long weekend, hiking can provide a unique getaway for the whole family. The falling leaves, changing colors, and open

GPS coordinates and differing levels of detailed instructions to find hidden boxes of items. Some places even offer rental equipment for a day hunt around a local TheIowaSportsman.com

5 FALL FESTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY

park or even some urban areas. If you are lucky enough to find one of these not so obvious caches, be sure to sign the log and leave a piece of treasure of your own for the next person to find. To find out how you can get started geocaching, go to: https://www.geocaching.com/play

SCENIC OVERLOOKS

Nature is full of beauty around every turn, but nothing beats the scenery that changing leaf colors provide in most parts of the state. Large hardwood forests offer fifty shades of red and orange throughout most of the fall season, while winding river bottoms shine yellow with the quaking aspen, river birch, and cotton woods that shutter in the autumn breezes. North Eastern Iowa offers some of the best scenery to be had in this heavily forested rolling landscape. One of my

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favorite views is from the balcony of Park Farm Winery (Durango, IA) that offers one of the best overlooks in the state for a romantic evening with that special someone sipping local wine and enjoying good company over a fire

from the Iowa horizon, others leave it in the field just a little longer to allow families to attempt an escape from a complex corn maze. There are several local orchards in the state that offer apple picking, pumpkins for carving, corn for

IOWA IS LOADED WITH SECRET HIDEAWAYS AND PUBLIC PARKS THAT OFFER MORE CAMPING EXPERIENCES THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A MARSHMALLOW TIPPED STICK AT. grilled pizza!

CORN, APPLES, AND PUMPKINS

Finally, it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be fall in Iowa without enjoying the fruit from which most of the state is known: corn. While the farmers work hard to remove hundreds of thousands of acres of corn

mazing, and even haunts for screaming! A quick Google search is sure to point you in the right direction for one of these fall escapes. Load up the family and head out for a day of roasted seeds, hot apple cider, and making memories in Iowaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest season!

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BUSINESS PROFILE

GLAND SCENTS!

HOW DO THEY WORK!

David Holder from the television show: Raised Hunting shot this buck working a scrape with Buck Pre Orbital, Ultimate Scrape Mix and Dominant Buck Urine.

By Jon Molden - Big Buck Adventures

What are gland scents? Why do glands work better than urine scents? Deer communicate through their glands and not through their urine. Big Buck Adventures is a company out of Central Minnesota who produces gland based scents. Each one of our scents contain 80% glands and 20% urine. Each bottle will contain one of the following glands, interdigital, tarsal, anal sex gland, pubescent gland, as well as Buck and Doe Pre-Orbital. Big Buck Adventures scents are a communicative scent and they work best in a mock scrape set up. Buck communicate through the forehead gland called the Pre-Orbital. That’s the first thing a buck will do, is rub his forehead gland on the licking branch above the scrape, then apply the Ultimate

Scrape Mix or any other scent mixes if it’s a buck or doe scent to complete the total communication. When using urine scents, it takes 6 to 10 ounces each time, to be effective because that’s how much a deer can urinate each time but with gland scents 4 to 8 pumps are required because glands are much stronger and the smell

WHEN USING URINE SCENTS, IT TAKES 6 TO 10 OUNCES EACH TIME, TO BE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THAT’S HOW MUCH A DEER CAN URINATE EACH TIME BUT WITH GLAND SCENTS 4 TO 8 PUMPS ARE REQUIRED BECAUSE GLANDS ARE MUCH STRONGER AND THE SMELL WILL LAST 8 TO 10 DAYS. will last 8 to 10 days. When calling, the gland based scents will put the odds in your favor. You will have total scent communication; they smell it, they hear it, and they will need to come in to investigate the smell and noise. There are many different ways you can use our scent products if you are looking for buck or doe products. It’s fun to watch how deer will communicate; Once you try these products from Big Buck Adventures it will bring new excitement

September 2018

and fun. This is because of the mixtures we use have all the different types of glands and smells. A unique thing with gland scents is they do not break down like urine scents. As long as the bottle does not freeze and the compounds of the glands stay together, the scent is good for the next season.

Give it a try. The results will speak for themselves! - Jon Molden, Big Buck Adventures.

* Paid Advetorial

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HUNTING AND FISHING BUDDIES

HUNTING & FISHING BUDDIES We thought it would be cool to implement our Facebook page into the magazine. So our first attempt was to ask our followers to share a picture of them and their hunting buddy. The response was great! In addition to the pictures below we received dozens more. Check out our Facebook page @TheIowaSportsmanMagazine and our website to see the rest of the photos. Then stay tuned for more special articles like this!

Frank Lyon and Frankie Shealey

Bret Paulsen

Melissa Dempsey and son

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Jeremy Houseman

Craig Davis

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Chris Rish

Amanda Chance

Nix Loux

Dustin Leslie

Noel and Lucy

Jaime Reiter

Jeremy Adams

Aaron Doretta Koldenhoven

Jesse Richard and daughter

Nate Olson

Sturtz Taxidermy

Ryan

Zach Crow

Michael Wentland

Colton Weldon Scott Longhurst

Aaron Sick

September 2018

Ron Starmer

Eric Dofner

Dan Nolan

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GUNDOG CORNER

THE GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER By Chris Riddle - 6R Upland Kennels

The German Shorthaired Pointer is a medium sized dog used primarily for upland bird hunting in the United States; his responsibilities include finding, pointing, and retrieving birds. They were developed in Germany to also trail and find furred game and for water retrieving. The dogs have also been used to pull sleds and hunt sheds. Breeding standards for Shorthairs are for males to be 23-25 inches at the top of the shoulder blades and for females to be 21-23 inches at the top of the shoulder blades, with an inch allowed above or below for both. The German Shorthair was developed in Germany and the exact ingredients in a shorthair may never be known, we do know there is pointing blood and scent hound blood in a shorthair. The best answer for the combination is probably the old Spanish pointer and a scent hound but not a blood hound, and added to the mix was a lot of English Pointer. The ultimate result is the standard we use today and was brought into existence in the 1800’s. The Germans definitely did a lot of refining to the older shorthairs to build an all-around hunting machine. A lot of people ask what are the differences between the shorthair and a German Wired Hair. Besides the obvious

hair difference the wirehaired pointer was designed to be better in the water, with the courser hair able to withstand colder water temperatures, as well as hunt and find larger game such as fox and wild pig. Training a German Shorthair can be fun and frustrating all at the same time. You can watch them learning on the fly and figuring out how to outsmart you all in the same training session. We try and stay 2 steps ahead of the dogs every day and some days they get the better of us, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. In training, try and read the dog as quick as possible, some dogs are hard headed and stubborn and can be pushed hard and

other dogs are softer and require a gentle hand and need to be allowed to learn at their own pace. You can completely turn a dog off by being too firm handed. All dogs can learn, it’s up to you as the dog’s owner to find his buttons and push them at the proper time. The nice thing about a German Shorthair is their breeding has not led to many health issues. Generally they are a very healthy dog with very few problems with hips, eyes, or joint issues. Most of the breeders now have been very careful to breed quality dogs that will last the owner over a 12 to 14 year lifespan. Remember, when you are looking at purchasing a German Shorthair * Continued on page 76

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September 2018

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GUNDOG CORNER

they are a high energy dog that require exercise. This is for the first 9 years at least and sometimes the entire lifespan so make sure you are willing to make the commitment before purchasing a shorthair. Also, you should know they are addicting like Lays potato chips, most of the time you can’t have just 1.

house with the understanding they will need to release some energy every now and then. Just remember when looking for a German Shorthair pup to look at the style of hunting you plan on doing, if its horseback trials and desert hunting look for a breeder with field trial lines and you would end up with a higher

GERMAN SHORTHAIRS ARE THE DO IT ALL DOG. DO THEY HAVE THEIR DOWN SIDE? YES, BUT AS FAR AS THE ALL-AROUND HUNTING COMPANION THEY ARE A GREAT FIT FOR THE FAMILY AND FOR THE HUNTER WHO WANTS TO FIND BIRDS AND HAVE A GREAT FRIEND IN THE FIELD. Most of the German Shorthairs bred today are family companions or companion hunting dogs, there are still some field trial dogs out there but they are becoming fewer every year. We say we breed 80/20 dogs. If you took the lifespan of the dog 80% of its life it is a companion and 20% of its life is spent hunting. Most dogs bred today can be an inside dog and live comfortably in the

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energy dog that loves to run, where a breeder that typically foot hunts will have somewhat calmer dogs that adapt well to most situations. Most German Shorthairs bred today are mid ranging dogs usually ranging between 50 to 75 yards depending on the cover and terrain you are hunting. Some hunters like to let their dogs run big while I prefer to have my dogs in the

50 to 60 yard range, but I also typically hunt with four to six dogs at a time. German Shorthairs are the do it all dog. Do they have their down side? Yes, but as far as the all-around hunting companion they are a great fit for the family and for the hunter who wants to find birds and have a great friend in the field. They will hunt all day and lay next to you on the couch all night, they are a very affectionate dog and love people. A German Shorthair will try your patience and have you ready to pull your hair out, then they will look at you with those brown eyes as if to say “but I really love you” and you can’t stay mad at them and end up most times letting them have their way. I have been a shorthair lover since I was 8 years old and never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined where my love for the breed would take me, but I can honestly tell you they had me hooked and I will be around them till the day I die.

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DOG BREEDERS

September 2018

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IOWA SPORTSMAN COOKBOOK

WATERFOWL EGG ROLLS INGREDIENTS

• 4 duck breasts • 1 package egg roll wraps • 1 Tablespoon fresh minced ginger • 4 garlic cloves chopped • 1 carrot shredded

• 3 green onions chopped • 2 cups cabbage shredded • 1 8oz chopped water chestnuts • 1 small red pepper chopped • ½ cup chicken broth

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg • Olive oil • Canola Oil

DIRECTIONS • Marinade Duck breasts in a Ziploc bag adding 1 Tablespoon olive oil, minced ginger and 2 chopped garlic cloves. Leave for 30 minutes. • In a bowl combine cabbage, carrots, onion, remaining ginger, garlic, red hot pepper, nutmeg and water chestnuts. • Remove duck from bag, chop and quickly fry in hot skillet. About 3-5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add ½ cup chicken broth to pan along

FRIED EGG ROLLS In large skillet, heat oil to about 350 degrees and place rolls flap down. Turn rolls until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove and place on paper towels. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

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with all vegetables and cook for about 3 minutes or until vegetables soften. Remove from heat and stir in duck meat. • Follow egg roll instructions on the back of the package. Simply taking a few tablespoons of filling adding it to the wrap, folding the bottom corner up over filling, folding sides in and rolling the rest up to form a roll.

BAKED EGG ROLLS Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place rolls on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray. Brush tops of egg rolls with olive oil and bake until golden brown. Keep an eye on them and turn every few minutes. Cook about 10-12 minutes. Serve with your favorite sauce.

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DUCK AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY INGREDIENTS

• 4–6 skinless duck breast fillets • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce • 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil • 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch • 2 Tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil • 3 green onions, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

• 2 cups button mushrooms, sliced • 2 cups broccoli florets • 3/4 cup beef broth • 1/2 teaspoon hoisin sauce (optional) • 1 cup bell pepper, any color, sliced into thin strips • 1 cup snow peas, strings removed • Warm steamed rice or cooked noodles

DIRECTIONS • Slice the duck breast fillet across the grain as thinly as possible. Placing the fillets in the freezer for an hour will make them easier to slice. • In a medium bowl, toss the sliced duck with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Refrigerate for an hour. • Make sure that all remaining ingredients are prepared according to the recipe and are ready to cook. • Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the green onions, garlic, and ginger root, and stir-fry for one minute. • Add the duck and stir-fry for two minutes

or until lightly browned. • Move the duck to the outside area of the wok or skillet (away from direct heat) and then add the mushrooms and broccoli. Stirfry for another two minutes. • Then add the beef broth, hoisin sauce, and bell pepper, and bring to a boil. • Stir-fry all ingredients in the wok or skillet to thicken the sauce. Add snow peas and cook for one minute more. • Mound cooked rice or noodles on plates and spoon the duck mixture and sauce over.

WILD DUCK GUMBO INGREDIENTS • 2 wild ducks, cut up • 1/2 cup canola oil • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour • 1 pound Johnsonville® Fully Cooked Smoked Sausage Rope, sliced • 2 cups chopped onion • 1-1/2 cups chopped green pepper • 1-1/2 cups sliced celery • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes • 2 bay leaves • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon dried thyme • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 2 quarts water • Hot cooked rice

DRESSING • In a Dutch oven or large pot, over medium heat, brown duck in batches in oil. Remove and set aside. • Discard all but 2/3 cup drippings. Add flour to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat until brown, 12-14 minutes. • Add sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, parsley and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stir-

ring occasionally. • Stir in the next eight ingredients. Add duck; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 60-75 minutes or until duck is tender. • Remove duck. Cool. Debone and cut into chunks; return to pan. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until heated through. Remove bay leaves. Serve with rice.

WE WANT YOUR RECIPES!

We want to see what our readers are cooking up, more importantly we want to taste what you are cooking. Please send us some of your most tastiest wild game recipes and we will publish them in the Iowa Cookbook Section. You can send recipes to patrick@twinriversmedia.com or mail them to The Iowa Sportsman, 1517 3rd Ave NW, Fort Dodge, IA 50501.

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On Friday, August 17th from 4pm-10pm

In downtown Osceola, we will have the Bacon & Bluegrass Festival. This will include the BBQ contest (including chicken and pork), community sampling with purchase of wristband, and live music.

On Saturday, August 18th Lakeside Casino

Is hosting the 4th Annual Car Show at 777 Casino Drive. Registration will be at 8am-11am; Show will be from 11am-2pm; and the awards will be at 4pm. This will include food & vendors on site, Dash Plaques, Goodie bags, Door Prizes, and specialty awards. Pre-registration will be $15 until July 27, 2018 and $20 the day of the show.

Contact Derek Lumsden | 641-342-4200 | ocms@iowatelecom.net

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Out Back and Off the Grid,

73 acres, off the grid cabin with great room/kitchen, loft, sleeping porch, shower room, deck, outhouse/storage building, 40x50 pole building with cement floor and 12 foot ceilings. Trophy deer and turkey taken off this secluded property. Drone Video available. $289,000 Listing #1435

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DEER PROCESSING/ MEAT LOCKER Minden Meat Market Don’t Forget Us For Processing Your Deer! HUSH Program Participant. 315 Main St. - Minden, IA. 712-483-2836

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MARSHALLTOWN, IA FAIRGROUNDS Oct 12-14

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GUN SHOWS TAXIDERMY

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Winter Taxidermy 2616 W Stockwell Lane • Clinton, IA 52732 Taxidermy Services include birds, small mammals, fish, and game heads. My average turn around is 3-4 months. I can be reached at 563-613-2965 or email docwinterdds@yahoo.com

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Davenport, IA • January 11-13th Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds Dubuque, IA • January 18-21st Dubuque County Fairgrounds

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River City Rifle & Pistol Club Gun Show November 17th and 18th North Iowa Events Center • Mason City, IA 100+ tables • Sat 9-5 Sun 9-3 Phil McCormick 641-529-1605

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