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FEATURES YOUR HUNT: HOW TO TAKE YOUR HUNTING STORIES TO THE 42 SHARE 10 EARLY ICE VS. LATE ICE NEXT LEVEL TURKEY HUNTING SCENARIOS 14 MISTAKES ON LATE TANK OF GAS SPORTSMAN GETAWAYS 46 WINTER COYOTES 18 FOR GETTING THE FISHING 22 LATE ICE SEASON CRAPPIES 52 TIPS RIG READY FOR OPEN WATER SNOW GOOSE GUIDE 26 THETO SUCCESS CALLING MY SHOT 56 34 WHITETAILS 365 By Rod Woten
By Ryan Graden By Earl Taylor
By Aaron Stonehocker
By Troy Hoepker
By Ben Leal
By Steve Weisman
By Brandon Geweke
By Mac Chilton
By Tom Peplinski
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DEPARTMENTS 61 GUNDOG CORNER 6 PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT THE SPORTSMAN SPORTSMAN INTERACTIVE 66 ASK 8 IOWA IOWA COOKBOOK MOON PHASES/ 70 SUNRISE-SUNSET 9 72 FISHING IOWA 32 AROUND THE STATE 38 TROPHY ROOM By Patrick McKinney
By Ryan Eder
Venison Southwestern Chili By Bob Jensen
Photos Submitted by Readers
ON THE COVER
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Welcome to the March issue of The Iowa Sportsman Magazine! On the cover this month is a photo of a cute Vizsla puppy. If you are considering purchasing a new gundog, there is no better time than right now. Doing so early in the year will give you a jump start on training and obedience and will allow for your dog to get that first year under their belt in the fall. Make sure and read the Gundog Corner department this issue on purchasing a new puppy! 4
The Iowa Sportsman
March 2018
PUBLISHER STATEMENT
IOWA SPORTSMEN GIVE BACK MORE THAN THEY TAKE Many years ago I was blessed with the opportunity to meet and collaborate with Ron Kuntz, our longtime Field Editor and lifelong Iowa Conservationist. Ron is no longer with us, God rest his soul, but I am sure he is chasing pheasants and cracking some good one liners with the man upstairs. During one of many weekly conversations with Ron, one thing I will never forget that he told me was “anyone can go out and shoot a buck or catch a bluegill, but a true sportsman gives back more than he/she takes”. Ron lived by those words and as Iowa sportsmen I believe these are words that we all should live by too. What does Ron’s words mean? Simply put, he means that you have to do more than just go out and hunt and fish. You have to support your passion by being involved with Iowa conservation more so than just putting a tag on an animal. Supporting your passion can come in many different shapes and forms and is not limited to just one thing. Below is a quick list of some ways I try and give back to conservation on a yearly basis. If you are looking to give back then some of these ideas may be a good start.
FIND YOUR REPLACEMENT
I strongly believe that the number one thing everyone can do is to introduce a child into the outdoors. I don’t care if you are 18 years old or 80 years old, take it upon yourself to mentor a youngster and get them to turn off the TV and IPad and pick up a bow, shotgun, or fishing rod. If you can find just one person to take your place in the timber or on the water then you have done conservation a big favor. There is no shortage of young people in Iowa so if you don’t have children yourself ask to mentor your siblings, nephews/nieces, or friends’ children. Don’t think of this as a job but rather a responsibility, I guarantee you that this will be some of the most satisfying time you have ever spent in the outdoors.
VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME
Sometimes there is nothing more valuable than a person donating time and effort. There is a constant shortage of volunteers and the State, County Conservation Boards, and local wildlife organizations would be more than happy to have you help out. Whether it is volunteering to clean up a riverbed or joining the staff of your local Pheasants Forever Chapter, any time you can devote is of great use. To find out more about volunteer opportunities contact the DNR, talk to a local wildlife chapter, or County Conservation Board and see what you can do in order to help out.
LAND STEWARDSHIP
We are at a point in time where wildlife habitat is disappearing at alarming rates. As a landowner and outdoorsman you have the choice to make your land inhabitable to wildlife even more so than it already might be. If there is any part of your land that is not being used for whatever purpose I suggest that you make it into a wildlife refuge, no matter if it is one-acre or 80-acres. If you don’t own land yourself there is still plenty you can do to impact the lands that we do use. I know money is hard to come by and time is a commodity so giving back isn’t all that easy. However if you can come up with any support possible that is all that you need to do. It doesn’t have to be any of the ideas I listed above, but as an Iowa sportsman you need to do more than just hunt and fish, you need to give back more than you take. Patrick McKinney
@TheIowaSportsmanMagazine
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The Iowa Sportsman
TWIN RIVERS MEDIA, LLC. 1517 3rd Avenue NW Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 877-424-4594
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 3 • MARCH 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 Dawn Busse, Office Manager Shawna Nelson, Circulation Manager
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tom Peplinski, Rod Woten, Steve Weisman, Ryan Eder,, Earl Taylor, Bob Jensen, Aaron Stonehocker, Mack Chilton, Brandon Geweke, Troy Hoepker and Ben Leal. 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
WHAT AM I
IOWA SPORTSMAN ONLINE POLL HOW MANY SPORT OR TACKLE SHOWS DO YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING THIS YEAR? None 1 or 2 3 to 5 5 or more
17 (18.48%) 19 (20.65%) 9 (9.78%)
47 (51.09%)
92 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 Don Yurt. The answer was: a road sign with bullet holes.
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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 58.
THE WINNER OF THE FEBRUARY ISSUE WAS MATT PETERSEN
PHOTO HUNT: CAN YOU FIND THE 12 DIFFERENCES ON THIS PHOTO?
Answers: Middle jig is purple, piece of hook is missing top left, a green jig has an extra dot, white jig has a white dot, bottom left jig is flipped, black jig has a bronze head, red middle jig has chunck out of it, top right green jig is smaller, yellow jig is missing a hook, top left black jig is missing a dot, green jig hook lower left is bent, no red ring on yellow jig.
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MOON PHASES
February/March 2018 11 Visible: 17%
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March 2018
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The Iowa Sportsman
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IT’S A DEBATE almost as old as ice fishing itself. Early ice or late ice and which is better? You’ll hear just as many opinions on why one is better as you will for the other. The truth is, they both can be great from a fishing standpoint, especially when compared to the mid-winter period but for different reasons. They each also have their own inherent risks…again for different reasons. I will present the facts for each and let you decide for yourself which one you like the best.
GREAT FISHING AT EARLY ICE
Every fall as first ice approaches, a switch is flipped for the fish. Their appetite explodes and they go on a feeding binge. This is just as Mother Nature intends it because it allows the fish to pack on a lot of extra calories that they will need to survive the long cold winter when food becomes much more scarce. Ice anglers can reap the benefits of this by being out on this first ice while these fish are still in a feeding mood. There are also a couple of other good things, from the perspective of the fish, happening at first ice. First of all, the aquatic weeds are still alive and thriving. This will change in a few weeks, when a cap of ice and snow cover will choke out the sunlight that kept these weeds green and healthy. This will eventually cause these weeds to die off, decay and consume oxygen. This brings me to the other good thing that is happening at first ice; an abundance of oxygen in the water. This will also change as winter wears on partly because decaying weeds are actually consuming oxygen and partly due to the fact that the cap of ice prohibits the wave action that normally incorporates oxygen into the water during the open water months. The March 2018
only oxygen available to the fish at first ice, is the oxygen already in the water, which the dying weeds and fish will begin to use up. During especially long winters, in smaller and shallower bodies of water, ALL the oxygen can be used up and a fish kill will occur. Additionally, as long as
and uniform than first ice. Ice does not freeze uniformly and things like current, wind, and waterfowl can keep certain areas open while the water around these areas freezes. That means that while the areas not affected by these factors will thicken in a predictable manner, the areas that are affected will be well behind in thickness. This means that you could be standing on six inches in one spot, but a few steps away may only be an inch or two thick. This is one area where midwinter ice is definitely preferable to first ice. Unfortunately, the bite at first ice can be so good that every year many are tempted to push the limits, but there are some things we can do to mitigate the risks of pushing these limits at early ice.
EVEN WHEN IT’S AT ITS BEST, EXTREME LATE ICE CAN BE VERY “IFFY”. THIS IS ICE THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL THAW/FREEZE CYCLES AND IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS HONEYCOMBED. the weeds stay green and the water highly oxygenated, the fish will stay relatively shallow which makes our task as ice anglers that much easier. In years when there is little snow cover, the weeds may stay green and alive well into mid-winter, but that is often the exception rather than the rule.
DANGERS OF EARLY ICE
While the bite at first ice can be exceptional, the conditions can also be treacherous. There is no such thing as “safe ice”; the ice we encounter at midwinter is often much more predictable
Always let someone know where you’re going and when to expect you back. That way, if you don’t return at that time, they can alert help and send them to the correct place. Always go with a buddy. They can throw you a rope and/or go for help. They should never attempt a rescue if it puts themselves in danger…they can be way more helpful by calling 911 and notifying those that are trained to help in these types of situations. Wear your picks. These are simply dowels with sharp metal spikes on the tip. If you go through, it is almost impossible TheIowaSportsman.com
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EARLY ICE VS. LATE ICE to pull yourself out without these because the ice is so slippery that you can’t get a grip. By wearing these around your neck where they are easy to get to, you simply stab them into the ice to gain enough traction to try and drag yourself back on top of the ice. Wear a PFD. Almost every fatality that results from going through the ice is due to drowning and not hypothermia. Sadly, none of these individuals drowned before hypothermia can even become an issue. This means if you can at least stay afloat, you buy yourself valuable time; time to attempt to self-rescue or time for rescuers to find and rescue you. There are several good options on the market now for ice fishing outerwear that floats. A floating suit can make it very easy to wear your flotation without even really having to think about it. Use a spud bar. A spud bar, or ice chisel, allows you to quickly and accurately check the ice thickness and avoid the thin spots before you step. Carry a rope and a throwable PFD. This is the best way to help your buddy if he/she goes through. Toss the PFD to him/her to keep them afloat and then use the rope to attempt to pull them out. The one advantage that early ice has over late ice is that the ice is “new” ice. The ice that forms early in the season is ice that hasn’t been snowed on and gone through several thaw and freeze cycles. These things rob the ice of its structural strength. Early ice is often called “black ice” because it is so clear, dark and hard… it is the hardest ice you will see all season. It is also the slickest ice, especially with no snow cover so be sure to wear your ice cleats!
GREAT FISHING AT LATE ICE
Much like early ice, the fishing at late ice can be exceptional…but for different
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reasons. The days are growing longer and the snow pack has been mostly melted or packed down into ice. This means more light is penetrating the ice and the dead weeds on the bottom are beginning to sprout anew. These two things along with melt water trickling back into the lake means that freshly oxygenated water is also entering the lake. This inflow also begins to warm the water ever so slightly. Like falling dominos, all these things begin to bring the fish out of the mid-winter funk they’ve been in. Their metabolism starts to fire up and suddenly they realize they are HUNGRY. The regenerating weeds and warmer waters draw the fish shallower as they attempt to satisfy their hunger, which we’ve already established makes it much easier for ice anglers to find and catch these fish. Some of these fish like pike, perch, walleye and crappie are actually preparing to spawn soon or in the next several weeks, so they are definitely eating with a purpose.
DANGERS OF LATE ICE
Even when it’s at its best, extreme late ice can be very “iffy”. This is ice that has been through several thaw/freeze cycles and is often referred to as honeycombed. Honeycombed ice feels soft or spongy to walk on and comes up in chunks of cubes when drilled with an auger. It’s not hard to see why late ice has nowhere near the strength of early ice. Six inches of late ice will be significantly weaker than six inches of early ice. Also be on the lookout for open holes at late ice. Holes that don’t re-freeze overnight will actually erode as melt water goes through them into the lake and become large enough to do some serious damage to an ankle or knee if you accidentally step into one of these widening holes. The saving grace of late ice is that it is usually thick
enough after a long season of growing that there will often be a thinner layer of hard black ice still under a thicker layer of honeycombed ice on top. It is when the melt water finally passes directly through the ice into the lake rather than pooling on top of the ice and draining down through old holes, because that means the ice is porous enough from top to bottom to allow the water to pass through which also means that there is next to no structural integrity left to the ice. Ice will start to melt first around the shoreline where it is shallower, on points where it is also shallower and anywhere there is current. Accordingly, it is very important to steer clear of these areas the closer it gets to ice out. Often the main sheet of ice is in very good shape even after the shoreline has opened up. This is when some ice anglers will “plank out” onto the main sheet to continue ice fishing. Be very vigilant if you do this that the shoreline doesn’t open up even more once you are on the ice to leave you too far from the shoreline to safely get back off the sheet of ice.
LATE ICE OR EARLY ICE, YOU DECIDE.
So which is better, late ice or early ice? I waffle back and forth. I do appreciate the relative sense of security that the fresh, hard, black ice of first ice offers. On the other hand I also appreciate the shirt-sleeves fishing that can often be enjoyed at late ice. Obviously the bite can be very good during each period, but I even like to fish in the mid-winter when the bite can be considerably tougher. Truthfully, it’s up to each of us individually to decide if early ice or late ice is the best. Now get out there and see which one you like the best!
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TURKEY SEASON IS just around the corner and I have the turkey hunting bug! I can’t wait for that first morning when I can get out in the timber here in Iowa to chase the big Easterns that make the hardwoods their home. I enjoy engaging them in a challenge of wits hoping that I will come out on top providing a turkey for our Thanksgiving turkey dinner! But my success has come from countless situations that have ended in the joy of success and the frustration in failure. But, if you call yourself a turkey hunter, you will surely understand that is the way the game goes. You make a plan, play your cards, and you’ll win some and lose some. You just hope that your winnings are more than your losses. As the seasons come to Iowa, I would like to lead you through a few of the most common situations and scenarios that an Iowa turkey hunter can expect to deal with. Along with these situations I’d like to offer up a few choices to choose from as well as my advice on the choice that I would make. Please know, these aren’t ALL of the things you will in encounter as a serious turkey hunter. But my hope is this might offer a little assistance in easing your frustration and boosting your success.
BEGINNING ADVICE
Before I lead you through any of the following situations there are a few things that I think you need to consider before hunting a turkey. First, choose a method of calling that you are confident with. For turkey hunting March 2018
there are three primary calling tools. A mouth diaphragm, a slate call, or a box call. You need to discover which one suites you best and practice to gain a degree of mastery with. Trust me, you don’t want to sound like a sick and wounded dog when calling out to these wise old birds. You’ll be busted before you even start! Second, I would suggest finding yourself one good decoy. If you only want to buy one, get a hen decoy. I’ve hunted with the cheap $10 decoy you might get at Wal Mart and have had some success. But when I made the investment to purchase one of the “realistic” decoys that are now on the market, the difference was night and day! Toms are magnetized with these and will rush right in with very little hesitation. Trust me, it’s worth the investment.
SCENARIO #1 – HOW TO HANDLE THE ROOST
Personally, I am a “Roost” hunter! I’ve had a TON of success catching the ear of that early morning tom and bringing him in for a shot. Probably 80% of the birds I’ve harvested have been done in this way. Remember though, there’s a few things you need to make sure of for this type of scenario. First, know your terrain. These birds
are roosting in certain areas for a reason. And when they are ready, they will go a certain direction. Play to their favor. If they are roosting on the edge of a hayfield or beanfield, it’s a good bet that’s where they are planning to fly down to those areas. If there’s a clearing in a timber, that might be where they are aiming. Your goal is to sound like the very first bird in that target area. And it’s that “birds” (your) job to indicate, “All is clear. Come join me.” Second, you have to know where the birds are roosted. The best way to do that is to visit areas later in the evening the day before. Now, don’t get too close to where you think the birds might be roosting. Keep a distance of 200-400 yards. When you find a place, use a loud box call or a coyote howler and let out a call that “disturbs the peace”. Something sudden and shocking. With hope, you’ll hear a response of a gobble. Do this a couple of times to make sure they are all coming from the same area signifying they are roosted. That will determine your setup the next morning. At this point, you know where the toms are roosted. You have a general idea where they will be the next morning. Now you need to pick where the right place is for your setup. I would suggest getting to your setup choice no later than 30 minutes prior to shooting hours. (1/2 hour prior to sunup) Try to choose a place within 100 yards of the roosted tom, but not closer than 50. This is a delicate situation and you don’t want to create too much “spook” factor when you are coming in during the dark. TheIowaSportsman.com
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TURKEY HUNTING SCENARIOS
HOW DO YOU COAX THIS BIG IOWA EASTERN INTO YOUR SETUP?
A. Set your decoy out where you hope he will travel through and see it? B. Wait until he makes a move and determine what to do next? C. Begin to coax him before he leaves the roost? All situations might offer some success. But for me, “C” is what I do! Once shooting time hits, I’m letting off some very quiet clucks and purrs. (I prefer a mouth diaphragm) If he answers, I don’t answer right back. Give it some time before you call again. Then, after a bit, do the same thing again. If you’re the only “hen” in the area, there’s no doubt he will give aim to your direction and fly down for a visit. Remember, don’t get too excited and don’t call too often. Once he’s on the ground and calling on his own, keep him interested with a few prompt responses. As soon as you see his head, give him a headache!
SCENARIO #2 – ALL HENNED UP
During the middle seasons of the Iowa Turkey seasons (seasons 2 and 3), I feel this is a common frustration among turkey hunters. I agree. A tom with a bunch of hens is going to be one of the toughest
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situations to deal with. However, it’s not impossible. Here’s what’s happening and here’s what you need to try. A tom turkey will gather up a group of hens to breed with consistently for a short period of time. Maybe it’s an ego thing with turkeys. If you have more hens, you’re a tougher turkey. I don’t know for sure, but it does make it tough to hunt. You might, if you’re lucky, see this Tom breed hen after hen. When the hens are ready, he will be a busy guy. At the same time, hens do a pretty good job of keeping each other safe as well as the tom that is with them. Many eyes make for a safe watch. In this situation, as a hunter, that’s hard to deal with. At the same time, a strong and determined tom will keep all other males at bay.
leave his hens and come to your calls. Although you could wait him out hoping for a shot. Or you could stop wasting your time and venture elsewhere. I would choose “B”. Remember this tom is defending his ladies and he will be ready to battle for it. Switching a call to a “gobble” call would be a great option. Let off a few gobbles to get his attention. Next, show him a fan. That’s right, he needs to see some fanned out feathers mimicking a challenger. Nowadays you can buy those photographed decoy umbrellas if you wish. But, easier and cheaper would be to use a dried out tail fan from a tom that you harvested in years past. Whatever you choose, show him that fan, and if he’s serious, he’ll come strutting right to you.
HOW DO YOU PULL A MALE TURKEY IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO DRAW AWAY FROM HIS HENS FOR A CLOSE THAT TOM CLOSER FOR A SHOT? I’M ENOUGH SHOT? WHAT’S BEST TO DO? NOT CONFIDENT IN GOBBLING OR A. Wait him out. As a flock moves USING A FAN DECOY? around a feeding area, there’s a chance he’ll venture close enough for a shot. Just have patience and hours of time. B. Challenge him. Make him believe that he has to defend what he has. C. Give up. There’s no way that he’ll
A. Continue to hen call in hopes of upsetting the “Boss Hen” causing her to come and challenge a foreign hen. B. Move in for a closer shot using the terrain to get into a better position for a shot. C. Wait it out. Hope that the hens will return
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to their nests and the tom will come to you. Waiting it out will work. So could moving. But again, if I was to share from my experience, “A” is my choice here. It’s hard work, but I’ve had it work a few times over the years. Typically when you have a larger group of hens that are keeping that tom to themselves, there will be one dominant hen that is giving direction to the rest of the flock. Usually, older and louder. If you’re confident in your calling, get her riled up! Usually, when you call, she will call back. It’s a “You’re wasting your time. He’s not interested.” type of response to the hen you are pretending to be. But that’s when the tactic comes in to play. Continue to call. Be that obnoxious hen that won’t take “no” for an answer. Keep calling. Call loud. Call often. Do anything that you can to get her angry. Eventually, if the trick works, she will come to investigate. And who do you think will follow her? That’s right! Your tom! Just remember, you’ll deal with many other eyes, and typically he’ll be at the back of the pack. If you’re confident in your cover, camo, and ability to shoot, take the chance! It just might work!
SCENARIO #3 – OBSTACLES BETWEEN YOU AND HIM
A situation like this can often times be one of the most frustrating things for us as hunters to witness and deal with. In my experience, streams and barb wire fences become my greatest enemy when I’m trying to call in a tom. It seems silly, but sometimes the smallest obstacles become monumental obstacles for a tom turkey to tackle. I’ve seen turkeys come right up to a fence and begin to pace left and then right as if they are deciding what to do. For me, I’m looking at the situation and saying in my head, “just duck under the stinking fence!” But no! For them, that’s too hard. Nine times out of ten, they will turn around and begin to ignore you. Streams too! I’ve been in timbers when I’ve struck up a tom and he’s answering my calls very well. I will set up to bring him in only to have him hang up for some reason. We will call back and forth only to end up with an empty conversation and a tom venturing off to find somebody else. Upon investigating those situations, a small stream at the bottom of a ravine had halted his travels and I was left with pure frustration.
HOW DO YOU GET A TURKEY TO SIDESTEP AN OBSTACLE TO COME INTO YOUR CALLS? A. Continue to call. Hoping to drive March 2018
his interest to a peak causing him to conquer the obstacle. B. Set up a “flock” of decoys hoping that safety in numbers will coax him in. C. Allow him to leave and reposition yourself closer to the obstacle allowing you a shot. Again, as I said, It’s so hard to understand why something like this will halt a turkey from coming into your setup and calls. But, if you hunt enough, this scenario will happen at one time or another. My suggestion is option “C”. Allow the tom/jake to become uninterested hoping that he will walk away. When he does, quickly reposition and call him in again. I remember one year I was hunting the last day of Iowa’s third turkey season. I was faced with a “double challenge”. I had a flock of jakes interested across the ravine on our neighbors property. The property lines were divided by a fence and just past the fence, on our property, was a flowing stream. As I called to them, I was sitting half way up the ravine on our property. I could tell they came down to the fence but WOULD NOT come under and commit to finding the “hen” that they were hearing. So I sat silent. I really had no other option. As I listened, I heard them cluck and gobble as they returned back up their side of the ravine. I quickly and quietly moved down to the bottom of the ravine on the edge of the stream and a mere 20 yards from the fence that was the property divide. I began to call again and that flock of Jakes got all fired up again! Before I knew it, they came running down their ravine and pushed up against the fence. I was well hidden and continued to call. After about 5 minutes, one Jake (to my surprise) broke from the flock, came under the fence and came to the edge of the stream. Standing at less than 15 feet, I made the shot and filled my tag. Turkey hunting is truly a battle of wits and endurance. These large birds that roam through the timbers of Iowa are not dumb animals. They know how to play the game, but you will learn how to play it too. Continue to try different ideas, fix your mistakes, and listen to the wisdom and experience of other seasoned hunters. In time, you will have your own bag of tricks to pull from. Keep hunting and good luck!
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THE THOUGHT OF a fancy vacation, complete with Disney World or a visit to the Grand Tetons is every parent’s hope; but reality sets in when the billfold is thin and time off from work is limited. Sometimes, life consumes us. You may need to break up your time off into smaller, more affordable bites. There are at least four things that adults and children can do together during the summer. Canoe down a river. Ride a bike on one of the many trails. Catch a fish. Sit around a campfire and tell stories and eat smores. That seems like a simple recipe, but it is a recipe that can generate great memories and can be done on a meager budget. According to the book The Power of the Moments: Why Certain Experiences 18
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have Extraordinary Impact by Dan and Chip Heath, the authors describe a defining moment as a short experience that is both memorable and meaningful. They also state, “ that a defining moment rises above the-every-day. Defining moments rewire our understanding of ourselves or the world. Defining moments capture us at our best— moments of achievement, moments of courage. Defining moments are social: weddings, graduations, baptisms,
vacations, work triumphs, sporting events. Defining moments are further strengthened because we shared them with others.” As an adult, I am constantly bringing back the good old days in my mind; these great memories were defining moments in my young life. I have to be proactive in generating “defining moments” for those who follow me. My favorite trips as a child were not complicated, well-designed events that took dollars and time; they were the times we piled into a 1950 Chevy and camped in and out of the car along a trout stream in northeast Iowa. It was the week-long snagging of carp below Dunbar Slough Dam as the fish tried to prepare to spawn. They were close to home, and they were To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
with my Dad. Close to home still works today. If you live in Iowa, you only need a tank of gas to create defining moments in your family’s lives. 50 bucks for gas can put you into a great outdoor experience. Briggs Woods County Park offers everything for a young, active family. This park is the oldest county park in Iowa, dating back to 1921; it is located 4 miles south of Webster City off of Hwy. 17. Pack the boat, the bikes, the golf clubs and the fishing poles. Bring the camper or tent and stay in one of 79 campsites, or stay in one of their fully stocked cabins – complete with kitchen and air conditioning. Cabin housing available for 2 to 15 guests in one cabin. March 2018
The beauty of Briggs Woods is that its location along the Boone River. The river is one of central Iowa’s best rivers to float either in a canoe or a flat bottom boat. The 14 mile stretch from Briggs Woods access to where the Boone River dumps into the Des Moines River has six different boat access points that include an overnight camping spot at Bells Mill. Canoes can be rented from Briggs Woods for $15 per canoe for 4 hours. Design your canoeing adventure with your family in mind. A 2 to 3-hour canoe trip is a long adventure for children under 5, but it is too short for teenagers who want to splash and play along the way. This section of the Boone River has four to seven feet drop per mile, which creates
some gentle, but fun rapids to float. Look at the Iowa DNR website: www.iowadnr. gov.watertrails to find specific details about times and distances between canoe access points. The river has great smallmouth bass and catfish opportunities. By floating slowly with a flat-bottom boat, you can stop above holes and throw either minnows, lures, or catfish bait. A late night floating adventure complete with a camp out on a sandbar with your child would create the elevated moment that will be long remembered. Leave Mom back at the nice cabin to enjoy the nearby bike trail that runs 5.7 miles back to Webster City. The 18- hole golf course is adjacent to the camping area. Check out Briggs Woods TheIowaSportsman.com
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TANK OF GAS SPORTSMAN GETAWAYS website at www.briggswoods.com If the Boone River doesn’t have enough rapids to entertain your teenagers, head to Charles City to try out their paddling skills on the Whitewater Park located on the Cedar River. The park was created by removing a low head dam and engineering whitewater features in its place. The project was a joint effort with the support of numerous entities. In-river use includes kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, tubing and more. The flat water above and below the Whitewater Park is the perfect float and fish. The river is known for its good population of smallmouth bass, rock bass, walleye, northern and catfish. The relatively steady flow of the Cedar makes this river navigable and enjoyable for a large portion of the year. Rentals are available through Rapids End Outfitters located near the river, offering canoes, recreational kayaks and tubes. They will drop you off and pick you up for a three-hour trip from Floyd Bridge back into Charles City. Reach the outfitter at 641-220-2645. There is local camping in private campgrounds nearby. Check out the site at www.ccwhitewater. com. Creston is 75 miles southwest of Des Moines. This small town is blessed with three reservoir lakes within shouting distance from downtown. Three-Mile Lake is operated by the Union County Conservation Board, while Twelve-Mile Lake and Green Valley Lake are operated by the DNR. I believe in county parks; they operate with an understanding of how a park can enhance the county. Rates are reasonable, and each park has different amenities that families should take advantage of throughout the summer months. By looking online at www.mycountyparks. com, you can see what each lake site can
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offer. These county parks offer cabins, RV sites, and tent camping options. Three Mile Lake offers nearly 400 acres of ski zone; this still gives the fisherman nearly 480 acres of quiet fishing water. However, the lake recently was drained, and all species of fish were killed to remove unwanted rough fish. Restocking took place in the spring of 2017. Union County has five different lakes, so if fish are not biting in one, it is only a quick drive to another lake. On the north side of Three Mile Lake is a shooting range available at $5 per day per person. There are over 2500 acres of public hunting area close by as well. The Union County Conservation Board also offers canoe rentals. You are never too old to ride a bicycle. Often Dads are a bit too intense on accomplishing something big like catching fish. A simple bike ride on one of Iowa’s paved bike trails can involve the entire family: young and old. Design the ride by matching length and steepness to your family’s abilities. Go to: www. iowabikeroutes.com/road to find every trail available in Iowa. Plan a bike trip in addition to spelunking in the caves found at Maquoketa Cave State Park located near Maquoketa Iowa. The pure beauty of the park, combined with the adventure of exploring one of Iowa’s finest network of caves will challenge the entire family. The nearby Wapsipinicon River offers good fishing and canoeing. The Missouri River; a river that Lewis and Clark found teeming with fish and wildlife 213 years ago is a different river today, but the tributaries that flow into it still offer some of the same beauty and adventure as it did for Lewis and Clark. The Little Sioux River flows from north of the Okoboji area into the Missouri River near Onawa. There are nearly 600 acres and two
campgrounds located on the Little Sioux just outside of Correctionville. This Woodbury County park has plenty of camping spots, cabins, a pond, and a 1.75-mile bike trail that wanders back towards Correctionville on a cement bike path. This river is similar to the Boone River and is full of blue cat and other species of fish that makes their way up from the Missouri River. The river is perfect to canoe with several boat access points along the way. In every county in Iowa, there is recreation and adventure. It won’t take but a simple tank of gas to get you and your family outdoors; expensive vacations are nice, but what matters to a ten-year-old kid is that his Dad is alongside him sitting in a canoe, sitting next to a fire, or riding a bike trail along the river. The use of the MasterCard is not needed when you stay in Iowa- however, the times are still priceless.
THE POWER OF THE MOMENTS According to the authors of The Power of the Moments a person needs to do these things to elevate a moment so that it will stick in our memory: 1. Boost sensory appeal. Turn up the volume on reality. Sitting in a canoe or around a campfire generates many sensory moments. 2. Raise the stakes. A ten-mile canoe trip with a camp out on a sandbar is out of the norm of life. 3. Break the script. (Breaking the script means to violate expectations about an experience) Try creating fun outdoor experiences that are not expected by the family. Moments of elevation need not have all three elements, but most have at least two.
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AS MARCH APPROACHES anglers start to look at their boats, bass and walleye rods, thinking about the open water season. February is the time of year when, in Iowa, most of the outdoor sports and recreation shows take place, giving a reason for thoughts of open water. The reality however soon sets in as they peek out the window and see a boat under a blanket of snow. Ice still dominates lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, and ice fishing is still the mainstay for going after crappie, though open water is not far off. March crappie fishing can be some of the most productive of the ice fishing season. Early ice, you’ll find the crappie shallow and relating to structure, by mid-season these fish have moved off to deeper water and are relating to lake contours and soft bottoms. March rolls around, the sun may be shinning a bit more on the ice and crappie will start staging and moving back into shallow water.
OPEN WATER OR ICE…THAT’S THE QUESTION
March is the transition time for many area lakes, early in the month you’ll likely find some decent ice to fish for crappies. March usually indicates the late ice period as far as crappies are concerned. Many of them will still be in their midwinter pattern, suspended over basin areas. There will be a lot of crappies, however, beginning the transition to staging areas in deeper water, very near the shallow bays that they will spawn in. If you draw a line directly between where you were catching them suspended over the basin during midwinter and their spring spawning areas, there’s a pretty good chance, you’ll intercept fish all along that line. During midwinter, you’ll March 2018
catch more crappies at the deeper end of that line, but as ice out draws near, you’ll start to catch more crappies at the shallower end of that line. Brush piles or stump fields
marks. If you don’t see one, move immediately to the next hole, repeating this process until you do see a mark. Once you find a mark, it’s simply a matter of dropping down your jig and finding out what presentation they want that day. Late March, at least in Central and Southern Iowa you may be looking at more open water than anything. This time of year we’ll still have very cool water temps, your best bet is to look for shallow open water in bays where the sun has been shining or a southern breeze has been pushing into the lake. These areas will typically be warmer, attracting both predator and forage fish. Minnows suspended below a bobber next to brush piles, or if you can locate them, creek channels will be your target locations. Small plastic baits and jigs can produce as well. Weather, especially cold fronts will shut down the late March bite rather quickly, forcing fish to move back into deeper water, but they’ll continue to stage off creek channels or along
THE FISHING IS AWESOME DURING THIS TIME BECAUSE THE TEMPERATURE AND THE WEATHER ARE USUALLY PRETTY NICE AND THE FISH ARE REALLY GETTING ACTIVE WITH THE WINTER RUNOFF. in deeper water, adjacent to their spawning areas can be pure gold during this time of year too, so don’t overlook those. Electronics and a fast, light auger are ESSENTIAL! It’s not uncommon to punch 150 holes or more over an average basin area. Go from hole to hole, dropping the transducer in and looking for suspended
them, but in deeper reaches of the lake.
WHERE TO LOOK
For ice fishing, the short answer is…look for the ice shacks. Anglers that fish a lake frequently have already patterned the fish, or historically will know where to look. So that’s a quick way to get into some crappie in March, TheIowaSportsman.com
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LATE ICE SEASON CRAPPIES but what if you’ve never been out on this body of water, or what if you have very little experience finding crappies through the ice? One of the best assets an angler can have, whether you are fishing open water or ice, is a lake map that shows the contours, creek channels, and submerged structure. With the advent of mobile technology, there are quite a few mapping apps that can give you that information at your fingertips. Another option is to visit the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website and find downloadable maps you can reference. There are a number of factors that can affect the March crappie bite, but typically some of the things to consider are, water clarity, structure, remaining weed beds, and the topographical lay of the land beneath the ice. Look for creek channels that come off the main lake that have about a two to three-foot drop off from 10-13 feet of water. Follow those creek channels into areas that are marked with structure, or if you’re not sure, start punching holes in the ice and do a bit of sleuthing with your electronics. If you can find both the weed beds or brush piles right off the creek channels, you’ll find the fish. These fish will stage either off the drop or up in the weed beds and brush piles. Another key component to this time
of year is to look for turbid water. And by turbid, I mean areas in the lake where early runoff is flowing in. These areas will attract small baitfish due to the increased oxygen levels as well as the food that comes in with the flow. Crappie are naturally going to be attracted to the fresh inflow and come into these areas following the food source. A great tactic in this instance is using live bait, or by mimicking the bait or insects with plastics. As we think about targeting crappie for late ice fishing, employing the plastics comes to mind. Plastics work better for crappies than they do for probably any other species caught during the hardwater periods. Crappies will feed on any aquatic insect they can find during the winter. When they’re feeding in this manner, you will usually find them suspending very near the bottom. As ice out approaches, don’t be hesitant to look for them in the “sticky bottom” areas at the base of sharp breaks. If they’ve already begun their transition to their late winter/early spring staging areas, there’s a good chance they could be right there with the bluegills that have been there most of the winter, snacking on all the yummy burrowing insects that inhabit that particular bottom type. For these fish, go with a smaller plastic on a small tungsten jig. Gold seems to be most agreeable to all fish in the largest number of
scenarios. With a gold jig tied on, use some variety of plastics to determine what colors the fish want on any given day. If they switch their preferred color any time during the day...which happens a lot, all you have to do is work your way through plastic colors until you find the one they’ve changed to. If you rely on the jig for color, you would have had to re-tie every time you changed colors. The one exception to this is if they really seem to be responding to glow colors, then tie on a glow jig. March is a transition time, crappie will start moving and feeding in preparation for the coming spawn. Though they may not be as voracious as they would be during the spawn, these fish will be active and hungry. The fishing is awesome during this time because the temperature and the weather are usually pretty nice and the fish are really getting active with the winter runoff.
SAFETY
As any ice angler knows, safety on the ice is paramount. Early ice anglers are always asking about safe ice, where and how thick. Truth is, there is no “safe ice”. As temperatures warm and lakes start to see runoff flowing into them, ice thickness can vary from one area to another. Also never go alone, take a length of sturdy rope that can be used to help pull your fishing partner to safety. Let someone know where you are fishing and when you are expected to return. It’s always better to err on the side of caution than not.
OPEN WATER
The truth is…take the same information for ice fishing and apply it to open water. These fish will pattern the same, whether you’re standing above them on 6-7 inches of ice or sitting in a boat or offshore. Live bait and plastics are the things you need to keep in mind. You can continue to use wax worms or spikes, (maggot larvae), and if you can find them in red even better. Red or orange is also a great color to use with a small jig under a bobber in open water. Why you ask? Well, quite a few areas have bloodworms that flow into lakes during the influx of water as days warm up and snow and ice begin to melt. Mimicking the bloodworm in your presentation can yield amazing results. March can be a great time for early open water crappie fishing! And for all those anglers that have been holed up in the house… hopelessly peering out the window at a snowcovered boat, this will bring considerable relief as lines are cast and baits hit the water. So set your eyes on getting out and sticking some nice crappies for table fare. These fish are a great resource and a renewable one at that. The days will get longer and the sun will shine brighter…tight lines all! 24
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SNOW GOOSE HUNTING might be the most challenging of all waterfowl hunting. Everything about it requires more effort, more work, more gear (in several cases), more shotgun shells; more, more, more! Unlike duck hunting or even hunting Canada geese in the early season, putting a few decoys out and taking your chances simply won’t cut it. This sport can be grueling, but the payoff is an incredible experience unlike any waterfowling you’ve seen. If you are considering throwing your hat in the ring and trying to hunt snow geese successfully, I’d like to help by offering some advice and insight to help you. No risk, no reward is the motto. If you put in the grind, you will succeed! 26
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SCOUTING AND STRATEGIZING
The first thing you must understand when hunting snow geese (and any waterfowl species for that matter) is how to scout them. To be successful, you must know where the birds are, when they are there and what kinds of behavioral patterns are being demonstrated. Sure, you may be short on time but at least in the morning before work, or even after work try to locate a feeding spot or roost pond. Our favorite expression is “find the x”. To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
Finding the “x” is not as easy as it sounds. Be ready to put on the miles! We have driven hundreds of miles in a day searching for feeds and roosting ponds. Simply put, your odds are much better if you know birds are there, right? Right. The roost pond is critical as well; if birds are roosting at night, they must eat the next morning. This information helps validate your field selection for the morning hunt. Identifying and finding feeds will largely depend on what part of the push you are hunting. The push refers to the leading birds of the migration. Keep in mind that while a feed of 10,000 birds is incredible to witness, that flock likely has several adult birds in it. Adult birds are experienced and wise; they are skittish March 2018
around spreads and have been pressured so much that they are not easy to trick. Do not be discouraged if adult birds prove difficult to hunt! ADD PRIME
weather conditions. As a hunter, seeing juvies in the feed is a great sign of possible success. These younger birds tend to act more similar to a Canada
IF YOU ARE HUNTING THE FRONT PUSH OF BIRDS, VOLUME IN YOUR SPREAD IS A MUST. USE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE FROM FULL BODIES, SILOSOCKS, AND SHELLS. CONDITIONS Hunting juvenile birds is a different story. “Juvies” are easy to spot; they will appear gray in color because they have not fully developed their white feathers (we call them “dirty birds”). Juvenile birds get mixed in with the adults; some fall behind during the migration due to
goose; smaller feeds of 1,000 – 5,000 birds, leave the roost in grounds of 25-30 and tend to decoy hard. Once the roost is empty, your hunt is likely over, so be ready for a quick, intense shoot and then immediately prepare for the next day’s hunt by picking up gear, fueling up trucks and scouting. TheIowaSportsman.com
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THE SNOW GOOSE GUIDE TO SUCCESS
GEAR
Let me be the first to tell you, there is nothing cheap about these outdoor hobbies of ours. Snow goose hunting
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requires snow goose specific equipment such as decoys that can really add up in cost. You must ask yourself, and the group that you hunt with what your goals are and what kind of investment makes
sense. Are you hunting a few times per year, or is this a permanent spread that will be used extensively? Silosocks are the economic snow goose decoy. We jokingly call these the “poor man’s decoy” due to lower cost point, but make no mistake about it they have their time and place. The biggest issue with these particular products is how weather-dependent they are. No wind causes them to sag and droop, making them virtually ineffective. With any wind, snow or sleet they can get heavy and collapse. The plus sides of the silosocks are that when the wind is there, they have great motion in your spread. Being so lightweight they are easy to get into the field (you really appreciate this on a muddy day where trucks and trailers are too heavy to get into the field and you hike everything in yourself). Full body decoys are by far the most realistic decoy option on the market. The realism is hard to beat. We run a spread between 40 and 60 dozen full body decoys (5-8 hunters) and if more are necessary we will add silosocks to add volume to the spread. Full body decoys are much more expensive, but as I stated earlier it is all about what you’re trying to accomplish versus what kind of investment is tolerable. If you are hunting the front push of birds, volume in your spread is a must. Use everything you have from full bodies, silosocks, and shells. If
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THE SNOW GOOSE GUIDE TO SUCCESS hunting juveniles, the 40-60 dozen count should suffice given that you are in a well scouted location where birds are located. Motion is also important; we run 4-6 spinners (aka rotary’s) at any given time. Much like other motion decoys, there are times where birds may not respond favorably; make that adjustment in the field and on the fly. Sound boxes are a must in the early spring season. I like feeding murmurs and great calls, but it is important that regardless of which you use, do not overpower through the speakers. The sound carries very well with open space and wind. If you notice birds getting within 60-80 yards but never closer, try turning your volume down and seeing if you can close the distance a bit. In terms of the setup strategy, we have had success with the “x” shaped spread, “u” shaped spread or even the donut shaped spread. Much of this is based on preference and what gear you are running in the field. Your scouting may also impact how you setup, based on what you see the birds doing. My “go-to” setup is more of a tear drop shape. We leave a hole (or pocket) at the top end of the spread as a landing zone. Our layout blinds are usually 10-20 yards back from the landing zone and this is the “kill hole”. That hole tends to be the focus on decoying birds rather than the layout blinds themselves. This sport is very enjoyable; but with the increased amount of decoys the work load is significantly more. Those that endure will enjoy a great hunting experience. Most of us do not make a living at this, so enjoy the field, your friends and family, and do not get discouraged when the hunting gets tough. There will be days with minimal success, and days with 100 plus bird shoots!
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AROUND THE STATE
2017 HUNTING, FISHING LICENSE SALES IN 2017, IOWA RESIDENTS PURCHASED...
*Courtesy of Iowa DNR
FISHING
• 234,648 annual licenses • 9,532 three-year licenses • 8,293 lifetime fishing licenses • 43,434 trout fees • 8,415 third line licenses • 1,082 seven-day licenses • 2,881 one-day licenses • 278 paddlefish licenses • 46,389 fishing, hunting and habitat combination licenses
HUNTING
• 24,734 annual licenses • 2,416 hunting and habitat three-year licenses • 2,980 lifetime hunting licenses • 73,540 hunting and habitat annual combination licenses • 893 apprentice (hunting and habitat) licenses • 24,536 migratory game bird licenses • 22,675 habitat fees • 12,890 fur harvest annual licenses age 16 and older • 639 fur harvest annual licenses age 15 and younger • 607 fur harvest and habitat annual combination licenses • 297 lifetime fur harvest licenses
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DEER
• 8,885 youth general deer, 370 antlerless deer licenses • 271 disabled hunter general deer, 53 antlerless deer licenses • 55,778 archery general deer, 22,262 antlerless deer licenses • 7,533 early muzzleloader general deer, 1429 antlerless deer licenses • 48,654 first shotgun general deer, 15,883 antlerless deer licenses • 45,577 second shotgun general deer, 15,463 antlerless deer licenses • 22,200 late muzzleloader general deer, 11,012 antlerless deer licenses
TURKEY
• 6,050 spring bow licenses • 16,492 spring gun/bow licenses seasons 1-3 • 14,263 spring gun/bow licenses season 4 • 5,686 spring youth gun/bow licenses • 2,375 fall gun/bow • 1,520 fall bow
LANDOWNER-TENANT DEER
• 77 youth general deer licenses, 46 antlerless deer licenses • 5,202 archery general deer licenses, 5,269 antlerless deer licenses • 1,320 early muzzleloader general deer licenses, 990 antlerless deer licenses
• 23,183 shotgun first and second season general deer licenses, 18,889 antlerless deer licenses • 2,616 late muzzleloader general deer licenses, 4,269 antlerless deer licenses
TURKEY
• 2,224 spring gun/bow season 1-3 • 1,958 spring gun/bow season 4 • 757 bow licenses • 50 youth licenses • 2,538 fall gun/bow • 895 fall bow
IN 2017, NONRESIDENTS PURCHASED… FISHING
• 21,246 annual licenses • 2,266 seven-day licenses • 12,405 three-day licenses • 14,875 one-day licenses • 5,371 trout fees • 50 paddlefish licenses
HUNTING
• 13,110 annual licenses age 18 and older • 11,434 hunting and habitat annual combination licenses age 18 and older • 15,875 habitat fees • 2,869 migratory game bird fees • 106 apprentice (hunting and habitat) licenses • 59 fur harvest annual licenses • 44 fur harvest and habitat annual combination licenses
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CHARLIE YOUNG WHO hunts in SW Iowa wrote in with this question about improving habitat around streams and bottom ground. I read your article on hinge cutting and really enjoyed it. Seems like a costeffective way to implement some cover into a property. The best part is you don’t have to have big machinery to do it! It got me to thinking of what else I could potentially do to my property. I have roughly 160 acres of family land in SW Iowa. I don’t own it outright but I can make wildlife improvement in certain areas on the property. It is cash rent cropland mainly with a stretch of stream bottom timber that dissects the property, with protruding fingers coming out. I can make improvements to any part of the timber, the edging of the timber, and low-lying areas that don’t get planted on the property. Other than hinge cutting is there other fast producing cover options that I can do in these types of non-timber areas that will hold deer? Any suggestions you can provide would be appreciated. Thank you for the question Charlie! This question pertains to millions of acres of whitetail hunting grounds all across Iowa that have streams or other waterways on them…and even farms and other parcels
DEER LOVE EDGES, ESPECIALLY EDGES THAT HAVE FOOD AND COVER. THIS CAN BE OBTAINED WITH VERY LITTLE ACREAGE. that have ditches and draws that are farmed around. A very common land feature that many hunters and land owners don’t know what to do with to create better whitetail habitat. The scenario plays out like this… the most fertile and easily tillable ground is farmed up to and around ditches, draws, streams, and rivers. These areas hold some deer and wildlife, but because we are only dealing with small strips of cover, bedding habitat and nature food sources for wildlife (we are focusing on deer) is limited around the ditches and streams. Low-lying area are sometimes open for us to improve because it is hard for farmers to get their equipment in to farm that ground. These areas can be great places to hunt whitetail. But all too often, after the fall
March 2018
harvest, these areas no longer support deer because the food sources are mostly gone (the beans, corn, etc.). Now the hunter has to rely on deer cruising through during the rut. Once that movement dries up, and food becomes a priority once again, hunting gets very tough. Creating great habitat along these corridors can actually be achieved. So, lets break down the question into the three categories Charlie has identified: the timber, the edges, and the bottom ground.
TIMBERED EDGES
Most edges around rivers, ditches, and other corridors have timber growing along them. The timber can in some cases shade the water in the streams and ditches keeping them cooler. If this is the case, and these streams contain fish or other wetland game, be careful not to disturb the timber in ways that can actually harm the stream/river. I only bring this up because I am no way qualified to give advice around this specific area. So…for purposes of this article, I am going to assume these areas are not trout streams, protected wetlands, navigable water ways, etc. If this is the case, the NRCS would definitely be the go to agency to help with ideas around improving these areas for better habitat. Setting these scenarios aside, the timber along these areas can still be hinge cut in pockets. Many times, a farmer will not work the ground right up to the ditch in certain spots. These pockets where the timber can be wider and grow out from the ditch 20 or 30 yards can actually be big enough to hold deer. The best hinge cutting practice for these small spots are to only hinge a tree or two. Less is more in these scenarios as all you are really trying to do is establish some horizontal cover for the deer to bed up against or keep in front of them for security. Also, it does you little good to hinge cut a tree that falls in the ditch… hinge it out or alongside!
EDGES
The edges of these corridors are where you can really get some good habitat. The question asks for fast producing cover… I’m not sure what the exact time frame is, but let me tell you what would be a good and permanent way to greatly improve this edge habitat. I don’t know how much edge Charlie has to work with…10 yards…50 yards? But under ideal conditions, and still allowing TheIowaSportsman.com
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A solid habitat plan for a typical waterway/ditched farm. Starting from the ditch you would have natural timber, followed by planted or early succession woody browse cover strips, followed by planted warm season grass strips. In the bottom ground the grasses can be terminated to promote early succession growth of forbs and woody browse.
the vast majority of the tillable ground to be farmed, some pretty good habitat can be obtained in a very small amount of edge cover. Let’s say you were given 20 yards on both sides of a ditch in which to improve the habitat. A half mile stretch would be just slightly over 7 acres of land. In many cases, there might be that much or more already available along most ditches and draws. If you have more…or less than this to work with, just adjust what I’m about to explain! Deer love edges, especially edges that have food and cover. This can be obtained with very little acreage. Using the 20 yards example, what you want to do is create an edge that has layers of differing cover types. First, along the field or crop edge (starting at the field and working into the ditch), plant or establish the first 10 yards in a warm season grass blend. I like a blend that contains stiff stemmed grasses like switchgrass. This provides a barrier for the deer to feel secure all along the ditch. It also provides bedding cover and thermal protection for deer. Next, plant the remaining 10 yards in a variety of brushy cover up to the timber… intermixed with the timber…or where there is no timber. Native brushy plants could include red and grey dogwood, American hazelnut, ninebark, elderberry, and highbush cranberry to name a few. These plants can be obtained from an Iowa DNR nursery for a very reasonable price. The woody brush type plants provide food 36
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and additional cover. If you don’t have the money, another possible alternate for this “woody browse” type strip would be to simply use a grass specific herbicide multiple times per year…for a couple years and let nature take its course. When you eliminate competition from cool season grasses, you allow native broadleaf plants to germinate and grow. You might get blackberries, dogwoods, willows, and other broadleaf forbs to grow in this strip. The downside is you never know what you are going to get; however, in many cases
NATIVE PLANTS OVER TIME WILL FILL IN THE BOTTOM FIELD WITH GREAT FOOD AND COVER AND ALL YOU DID WAS KILL THE GRASS… NOT A BAD TACTIC THAT TAKES VERY LITTLE EFFORT OR TIME. by just eliminating the grass vegetation you get much more preferred vegetation and woody browse. The effect is a tapered edge starting with tall native warm season grasses, working into lower growing woody browse, and finishing off at the very edge with full size trees. This tapered edge is great wildlife habitat and deer love it! The grasses will establish in two years, and the woody brush will be at 4-5 feet in a year or two as well. Add a few hinge cut trees that fall To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
This is a typical Iowa farm with a main waterway and multiple waterway fingers. The waterways and the bottom ground are highlighted. This would be the normal farming practice up to the ditches with very little habitat.
into the woody browse and warm season grasses and you have yourself an excellent corridor that will hold and feed deer most months of the year. If you can’t go 20 yards wide on both sides, do one side. Can’t do 20 yards… do 10 yards. If you don’t have the time or money to do a project like this in one year, make it a 4-year project. The farm will see benefits in less wind and water erosion. In many cases, the landowner can actually get financial assistance from the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service at the county USDA center) for putting these strips in. In the world of the NRCS, this type of habitat could be called a riparian buffer. These tapered edges are some of the best habitat structures you can possibly create on these types of farms!
season grasses along the ditch edge, and then spray the remaining acreage with a grass herbicide and let nature take its course. You might have to spray with a grass specific herbicide for several years to give the broadleaf woody vegetation a
chance to establish…then nature will take care of itself. Native plants over time will fill in the bottom field with great food and cover and all you did was kill the grass… not a bad tactic that takes very little effort or time. If native woody browse doesn’t fill in what you’ve sprayed, you can always go back and do your own planting. So, as you can see there is actually quite a bit more you can do to provide great habitat without breaking the bank. Please continue to send in questions to tapeppy@gmail.com. Note: In this article, I referred over and over to killing cool season grasses…and establishing warm season grasses. These varieties are very different from each other. An example of a cool season grass is the low growing and very useless to deer broam grass. An example of a warm season grass is the tall and woody switchgrass that can grow to 7 feet tall and stays standing in winter and high winds. The two are not equal. The warm season grasses have to be establish by you planting them. Cool season grasses occur readily in nature and will take over a landscape if left unchecked. Warm season grasses are far superior in terms of whitetail habitat. And, whenever establishing habitat make sure to promote native species and beware of and control invasive species.
THE BOTTOM GROUND
In the question, Charlie also wants to know a good way to create better habitat in low-lying areas or what I refer to as bottom ground. Bottom ground that is not tilled is usually not farmed because it is wet. I’m assuming this is the case here. Bottom ground is also usually very fertile soil. This is a great place to adopt the strategy of creating tapered edges as earlier described. Or, again, by simply spraying all the bottom ground with a grass herbicide you allow the local seed bank to kick into high gear when it is no longer held back by the dense and fast growing cold season grasses that naturally occur here. If the bottom ground is large in acreage, you can create tapered edge cover including the warm March 2018
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EVERY SUCCESSFUL HUNT is always capped off with a story that you will be telling for years to come. As sportsmen, one thing we all can agree on is that the memory of a hunt is as vivid in our minds today as it was the day it played out before our very eyes. What if you could put the people you tell your story to, into the stand with you? This is why I started to film my hunts. Filming your hunt not only captures that moment in time exactly how it happened in the field, it adds another element to sharing your story. If you have been thinking about filming your hunts, this article will get you up to snuff with a basic knowledge of equipment to get started, as well as some recommendations tailored to your style of hunting.
GEAR BASICS
I know most of you are already seeing dollar signs and thinking, “Great, more stuff to haul in and out of the woods”. It may surprise you that most gear used to film modern hunting TV shows can fit right in your current hunting pack, takes about as much effort to set up as screwing a bow hanger into the tree, and costs less than half of a new bow! Knowing what gear you need to shoot footage of your adventures is the first step, and to get you started, here is an overview of each to get you filming like a red neck George Lucas: 1. Camera: There are three basic types of cameras used to film your hunts: POV, DSLR, and Camcorder. A basic knowledge of each is listed below. a. Point of View Camera (POV): These are typically small camera’s (less than a pound) that are specialized to capture “your point of view”. They can be mounted on the person, directly to your weapon, or several other mounting options to capture your entire hunt, or a second angle of the action. b. DSLR or “Point and Shoot” Camera: This is your typical “picture March 2018
taking” camera. Most modern DSLR’s have video capabilities, are relatively small, and can easily be packed in your hunting bag. They will have a zoom limited to the lens they have attached to the camera body, so the lens you need is dependent on each situation, sometimes requiring you to change lenses for each situation. The best part is you are ready to take trophy pictures with the same camera. c. Camcorders: These are your typical “video cameras” and come in with more price points and options than a used car lot. The best advantage is that you can get models that don’t break the bank while still offering a ton of features. Camcorders will have your best zoom capability, as well as accessory options, depending on how Hollywood you plan to get with your filming. 2. Camera Arm/Tripod/Fluid Head: These are essential if you are planning to film with a DSLR or Camcorder. a. A camera arm attaches to the tree and holds the camera out on the end of it, usually allowing you to maneuver the camera to the desired position. These come in a variety of sizes, dimensions, brands, capabilities, and the best choice
depends on what you are wanting to do, and what camera you are supporting. b. If you plan to ground hunt or are hunting from an elevated blind, you will want to consider a Tripod to hold and maneuver your camera. You get what you pay for here, however a cheap Wal-Mart tripod will do just fine if you don’t use it more than a few hunts a year. c. A fluid head is the piece of equipment that allows you to tilt, angle, swivel, and generally maneuver the camera smoothly while filming. They attach to the top of the tripod, or business end of a camera arm, and are worth their weight in gold for great footage. Some low-end tripods and camera arms come with a fluid head “built in” and they can work great for the weekend warrior. 3. Pack: With a camera, tripod, or camera arm now coming with you to the woods, you may think you need a whole new pack just for this gear. While they do make packs specifically for camera gear, I find that a separate pack is unnecessary and that with a little trial and error you can get your current bag packed just right to carry your camera gear and your regular equipment. Now you have an idea of what you will need to make a movie set out of your best hunting spot, lets explore the exact gear you will need depending on your personal hunting scenario.
“WHAT GEAR DO I NEED FOR HOW I HUNT?”
While there are many types of cameras, arms, tripods, and accessories out there for you to choose from, not all will fit the bill when it comes to filming “your” hunt. Here are some common hunting scenarios and filming set ups that will have you ready to roll when the moment is right: TheIowaSportsman.com
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SHARE YOUR HUNT 1. Long Range Hunting (Tree stand): Most people don’t think about Iowa as a place that provides “long range hunting” opportunities. That may be true, but I personally have taken deer at 200yds, and on camera…that is a LONG SHOT. If you hunt over food plots, ag fields, or pasture ground you may encounter some long-range filming situations. In this case, your best camera choice is going to be a camcorder with good zoom capability and a strong camera arm to support the weight of your camcorder. Sony makes some great options for lightweight cameras that have outstanding zoom capabilities, and typically have options for any budget. Most camera arms will be fine for this type of hunting, just pay special attention to the weight limit on the arm you are considering. 2. Short Range Hunting (Tree stand): Short range hunting for filming purposes will be anything 100yds or closer. For this type of hunting, you will have more versatile options when it comes to camera’s because most DSLR cameras, Tactacam POV camera’s, and all Camcorders will perform well at these distances with moderate zoom capabilities. Personally, I like to combo with my Sony a3000 (and entry level DSLR) on my tree arm and my Tactacam 4.0 POV attached to my weapon. I choose a DSLR over a camcorder here because the zoom capabilities are adequate, and the camera is much more compact for carrying in and out. Your tree arm can be lighter duty as well because it won’t be supporting as much weight. My Tactacam 4.0 (POV) has a unique lens coupled with a 5x zoom feature that makes filming out to 100+ yards with a tiny camera possible. 3. Ground Hunting/Blind Hunting: Hunting from a blind or the ground will require a tripod with a fluid head, and your camera of choice. This will give you height adjustment depending on the blind window height or the height of the cover you are concealed in, as well as the ability
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to maneuver the camera 360 degrees for situations when the animal comes in behind the blind. As with the short distance hunting, your camera choice will depend on the zoom you are wanting for your likely shot distance. I use a Tripod with a Lightning Camera Arms “Tripod Arm” for filming on the ground or in a blind. The “Tripod Arm” is a great tool that allows me to move the camera around the blind to different windows without having to pick up and move the tripod. For a POV, I also like the Tactacam because it has the option to mount it on the riser of my bow, scope, gun barrel, or even on the blind itself to make sure I can get the shot on camera no matter what the situation.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Sound Quality: Most camera models will offer a built-in microphone that can capture sounds within 50’ or so of the camera fairly well. Unfortunately, a lot of the sounds we hear when hunting come from distances greater than that. Getting an external microphone will add to the sound quality of the video substantially. For your DSLR or camcorder there will be several options that will work fine, just be sure to research what mic options will work with your camera brand and model, because not all will fit every camera. Weather: As with most electronics, DSLR’s and most camcorders are not weather proof. This means that you either hunt out of a blind, pick your hunting days based on the weather, or improvise a way to keep the camera dry. There are tree umbrella’s you can set above your stand that will keep rain from your camera, or I have even seen improvised grocery bag rain flies for cameras in a tree.
OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS
Ultimately, filming your hunt is meant to add to the experience, not take away from it. For this reason, I recommend finding
a simple affordable set up that fits your hunting scenarios. If you walked up to me on the deer trail and asked, “what should a beginner outdoor videographer get, that will allow them to easily film almost any hunt without breaking the bank?”. I would give you two options: a.) Get yourself a decent DSLR in your price range (you can find refurbished models as good as new with small price tags), an entry level tree arm that is light weight, and a lightweight entry level tripod. Most entry level arms and tripods come with basic fluid heads, so all said and done you are looking at around $300-500 for a full set up. Add in a fluid head and external mic and you are looking at $500-800. b.) For the average joe who wants a simple, easy to use, and cost-effective option: I would tell them to go with a Tactacam 4.0 POV camera. These camera’s mount right on your weapon, head, tree stand, or wherever you decide to mount them, have a built-in microphone that pics up a turkey gobble out to 200yds, and are weather proof right out of the box. The camera’s sport HD footage that looks exactly how your eyes see it, and has 5x zoom capabilities to broaden the range of situations it is built to film. The only accessory that isn’t included in the box is an SD card. All said and done it will run you around: $350. Experiencing the hunt in person is something that we all love. The next best thing is sharing those memories through stories that pass down from generation to generation. Filming your hunt allows those you tell your story to, to be right there in the moment with you. The only problem I have found with filming your hunts, is that you will never go into the woods without your camera after your first successful harvest on film. So, all that is left is to set your budget, get your filming gear, then it is as easy as: Sunrise, Camera’s…ACTION!
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IT’S AMAZING HOW quickly an explosion of adrenaline can replace boredom when it comes to coyote hunting. A coyote sprung from the ditch with its afterburners set so high it’s a wonder he wasn’t melting the snow in his wake! We had one up and running! One of the trucks in my hunting party driving along a deep ditch must have been within feet of that smart old songdog before he was finally made nervous enough to get up and run. Evidently, it was a coyote that had been chased before and knew what it was doing! I should have known right then what to do. Instead, I sat from a distance watching as the coyote distanced himself from the pickup headed south the opposite way. In a few steps he was over a small rise of a hill and safe from any shots from my hunting partners. Almost as soon as he was out of their sight I continued to watch as the coyote did a right face and turned west up a steeper pasture hill and climbed it with such ease and grace. As he disappeared from view a half-mile away I headed off to get around to the other side of the section to hopefully cover his escape. I got eyes on him again just as he got to the bottom of the opposite side of the hill when once again he took a hard left and lit the candle headed back south. That’s when it hit me! He knew exactly where he was headed the whole time! The section to the south was an overgrown, thick and nasty section that was bigger than normal and he was headed right for it. Hoping somebody was already blocking March 2018
the south road, I sped towards the coyote’s intended path. As I came over the last hill where I thought the coyote would cross, sure enough, the coyote flew through the ditch, overtop of the road in about three bounds and launched itself, disappearing into the vast thickness of grass and safety that land provided. Quickly, the dog truck was there and we put the hounds out on the track. They bolted from their dogbox and leapt from
Intermittingly one of the guys would relay across the radio a location of the dogs when we caught a glimpse of their travels. We could hear their bawls in the distance but with only a few inches of snow cover the heavy grass and timbered ditches hid their whereabouts most of the time. They’d circle to one side of the section and later be on the other, continuing this cat and mouse game for what seemed an eternity. This coyote was a smart one! He was leading these dogs in circles in there and we weren’t able to see him let alone get a shot. Finally, we retrieved one of the dogs after he just appeared on the road with his tongue hanging out and apparently disoriented about what he was supposed to do with such a clever adversary. We gave up on the coyote and finally retrieved all the dogs, defeated and knowing we had just ran into a tough customer. If only I would have thought quick enough about our
COYOTES EDUCATE REAL FAST ESPECIALLY IF ANY MISTAKES ARE MADE AND REPEATED. IF YOU’RE OVER-CALLING THE SAME SPOT, YOUR INTRUSION INTO THEIR AREA IS NOTICED. the tailgate with the exuberance that only hunting dogs can display with that built in desire to do what they were bred to do! The chase was on again! We waited and watched surrounding the section as best we could.
neighboring terrain when we first jumped that coyote in open pasture. By late winter, Iowa coyotes have had an extensive education on every aspect of survival. After all, everything is out to get them. They may be the top TheIowaSportsman.com
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MISTAKES ON LATE WINTER COYOTES of the food chain here, but they have to survive the elements, starvation, hunters, hounds, traps, and disease. It’s no wonder they learn a few tricks along the way. The wisest of coyotes that live on to see another winter are by then, cunning enough to be considered one of Iowa’s toughest critters to hunt. When hunting and trapping, sometimes we underestimate their keen abilities and by late winter we can make mistakes that cost us a prized pelt.
ON THE CHASE
If you’re a hound hunter or run with a truck group you’ve likely witnessed coyotes that have experience being chased. Like the one I described earlier, it’s important to have blockers in the right spots before a coyote is even spotted or prior to entering a section in search of one. That way, you can block all the likely spots they’ll run to, which is important anytime but especially when a neighboring section holds a vast amount of cover. Wise old dogs will waste no time trying to get there. Also, late in the winter, it’s important to pay attention to anywhere else a coyote can hold up safely such as brush piles. Once a coyote has been ran a few times, they’ll realize quickly that if they can reach a nearby brushpile, they can burrow in deep and remain safe. Pay attention to things like brushpiles, long culverts, pond tubes, or abandon buildings. Coyotes know where they are and you should too to keep them from entering such protective structure. I’ve seen coyotes double-back on their own tracks to fool hounds, lay down in a tiny bit of foxtail to hide from trucks, and head straight for the safety of city limit signs to avoid being caught. Once, I even saw a coyote run across several sections just to arrive at the safety of a feedlot and stand there amidst the cattle in the
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lot knowing no hunter would dare risk a shot or also risk drawing the wrath of an angry cattleman. Another time, after a coyote had disappeared out of nowhere, we found the coyote huddled underneath a creep feeder in a pasture after a chase. Most people who haven’t witnessed it wouldn’t believe just how smart an experienced coyote can be when pursued by hounds. Anytime someone in the group can get eyes on a coyote during a chase, it’s important for that spotter to stay on the coyote’s movements and communicate them to the group. The reason is simple. Coyotes double-back. To give an example, I’ll share an experience I had while watching a chase some years back. Three dogs were running a coyote about 400-500 yards behind it but trailing the scent well and occasionally catching a glimpse of their enemy. I watched that coyote zigzag all the way up a steep hill on one side of an island of timber in the middle of the field on top of the hill. Every so often the coyote would bounce to a stop broadside to look back at his pursuers, almost as if he was making sure they were taking the bait. Then, he’d resume his zigzag technique up the hill. Once over the hill and out of sight, I watched the hounds follow every zig and every zag that coyote had made up the hill. As soon as the last dog disappeared over the hill I figured I might as well move on to a better vantage point, but before I left something caught my eye. There, back down in the bottom again was that same coyote! He had raced around that island of timber and came back down the other side of it until he followed his own tracks part of the way back of the same hill once again. This time he peeled off in a different direction and our hounds never caught on! He was in the wind, and the hounds were
left chasing a ghost. I’ll never forget the look of that coyote. It was almost as if he enjoyed the cat and mouse chase himself.
TRAP-WISE
Coyotes don’t just learn from hunters, they learn from everything, including trapping situations. Even though it wasn’t late winter, a savvy coyote showed me the error of my ways one frosty morning when my trap was left exposed at what I had thought was a decent set. There was nothing wrong with the location along the edge of timber where the treeline came to a point in the field edge. A place like that is always a good location for a set and the proof was in the sign of scat and tracks present. I came upon the set that morning and found my trap perfectly dug up and sitting on top of the ground. The coyote worked right up to the trap in the dirt until he exposed it. I had been taught a lesson. Don’t make your trap location so obvious! Looking at the scene I realized that I must have been super eager to set that spot because it looked so good. While I still believe that my trap was bedding very solid, looking at the dirthole scene afterwards I could see that I had went overboard. I had put coyote scat nearby, included an eye catching small white bone behind the dirthole by the backing, was too conspicuous with my guide clods and sticks and probably even left too much silted dirt exposed without enough chaff. Once a coyote has had a trap snapped in his face a time or two, they’ll become cautious. To avoid those late season diggers, make extra-sure your trap is bedding firmly to start with! Make sure the dirthole set as a whole doesn’t draw too much attention to itself visually. Let the lure work and you don’t need but a drop or two. If you have a coyote digging up your traps, try resetting it just as it was
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MISTAKES ON LATE WINTER COYOTES and then setting a second foothold further back where the coyote would place it’s feet as it begins to work its way up to the place where it starts to dig. And bed it firmly!
CALL-SHY
Late-season coyotes can be hard to call in and even harder to kill. The same coyote that may have traveled across open ground for an easy meal in the fall is now a battle-hardened veteran that won’t make the same mistakes in late winter. Once the snow has been on the ground for a while, coyotes seem to disappear in daylight hours. They’re easier to spot and even if they don’t know it themselves, it’s readily apparent to them that all of a sudden anything and everything is shooting at them every time they are exposed in the open. Thus, a coyote caller has to change their tactics. Get closer to cover, maybe venture farther into a section or pay even more attention to the wind. Coyotes called in during the late winter will have a higher percentage of trying to wind the source of sound than in the fall. They’ll also be more hesitant to cross over open ground. They are just more cautious in general. It’s a combination of negative experiences with human interaction and the breeding/whelping season that causes this. Therefore, coyotes can also stay out at longer ranges so it’s important to be practiced up on longer range shooting. One important lesson to learn is to have the restraint to not take a low percentage shot so that you might be able to call that coyote again later on at the same farm. More missed coyotes lead to more educated coyotes out there. Call manufacturers have had incredible sales but the downside of that is that there are lots of people out there blaring sounds at coyotes. Consider that when you’re calling to coyotes in February and March. Change up and use some sounds that aren’t as popular or consider giving mouth calling a try and give them some sounds they haven’t heard. Learn coyote vocalizations and try some howling. January on into spring is a great time to convince a coyote that you’re another coyote. Whenever I have a conversation with a newer caller that is telling me about their hunts, one of the questions I always ask is “How long are you staying on stand?” The answer is usually not long enough and I think that is one of the biggest mistakes I see hunters making, especially
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later in the season. Coyotes can have a tendency to approach slower later in the season and that’s perfectly fine. I’d sometimes prefer a coyote come in slow and easy over one that is charged up and flying to the call. The slower one is easier to kill. Another mistake is realizing just how important it is to practice good set ups regarding the wind. If a coyote spots something they are unsure of, as long as they aren’t shot at, most of the time you can still get that coyote to check up and look back before they leave. If a coyote gets a whiff of you, he’s gone and gone for good! Keep your downwind scent cone from drifting into any place where a coyote can get to without you spotting him first. I think some hunters call the same area from the same spot with the same sounds far too much. Coyotes educate real fast especially if any mistakes are made and repeated. If you’re overcalling the same spot, your intrusion into their area is noticed. Mix up the places you call from and don’t repeat the same sounds over and over. Lastly, when you’ve successfully called a coyote in, don’t be in such a hurry to celebrate. Continue calling. Late season here in Iowa means that the chances are greater that coyotes are paired up. You’d be surprised just how often you can call in a second coyote if you are patient. The mate of any coyote you’ve shot is hesitant to leave its partner behind in the right circumstance. Wait for a bit and then begin calling again. You can change sounds, maybe even switching to coyote vocalizations if distress worked on the first coyote. I think a lot of people figure once you’ve shot at a coyote, the hunt is over, but give a second one a chance. You may just double up! The best thing you can do is get out there and hunt. Coyotes are the best teachers. They’ll humble you when you make a mistake. But it’s those lessons, often taught by late season coyotes that make us better. Let the one that got away, teach you how to get the next one that won’t!
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AS SPRING APPROACHES, anglers are transitioning from ice fishing to open water fishing. When this time comes, it’s time to get the boat ready for another year of fishing. There are really two ways to approach this. The first is for those who are mechanically inclined. They have the knowledge to both winterize and springerize their boats. Others like myself feel better relying on a marine mechanic for these tasks. For me, I want to jump in that boat at the first sign of open water, so I have taken my fishing rigs to Shane Kendall, owner of Great Lakes Marine and Sales (greatlakesmarineco.com) in Spirit Lake for the past 17 years. As Kendall says, “Time is so valuable. The last thing a person needs is to skip these fall and winter checks. They are what helps determine a trouble-free boating and fishing season.” Kendall, who has been working on boats, motors, trailers and accessories for the past 35 years (since he was 15), shares some tips for both the do-it-yourselfer and the individual who relies on a trained mechanic to make sure things are working in the spring. “The first thing we do in the spring when we take the rig out of storage is March 2018
to take a good visual look. We look for the obvious, maybe a rip in the travel cover or some snaps that don’t work right.” Next, Kendall suggests looking at the boat trailer tires. In addition to checking air pressure, look for grease that has leaked out from the hubs. This is a sign that a seal might be bad and that the bearings need to
be repacked. “Actually, we never check. We repack the hubs every year.” It makes sense. How many times have you seen a boat and trailer pulled off to the side of the road with burnt up bearings? During this initial look, Kendall also checks the trailer jack and winch system. Things always work better when moving parts are greased or lubed. One of the least checked spots is the winch. “It will definitely work better if you spray silicone on the open gears of the winch.” Also, examine the winch strap for wear and tear. A lot of pressure is placed on this strap during loading and even when pulling the rig down the road. Once this is completed, Kendall will roll back the boat cover and begin looking inside the boat. First, comes the battery check, both cranking and deep-cycle batteries. See if they have plenty of liquid. Open each port, making sure to keep the battery level during the entire maintenance process. Each plate should be covered equally. Water levels are low if any part of the plates is exposed to TheIowaSportsman.com TheIowaSportsman.com
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TIPS FOR GETTING THE FISHING RIG READY FOR OPEN WATER air. Kendall suggests using distilled water rather than tap water to replenish the water level. On a personal note, I do remember one time using my onboard charger during the winter, and I did not check the water levels. In the spring, I found that one of the batteries had been low on water, and I had fried the battery! During this battery check, it is a good time to clean the dirt off the batteries and make sure that there is no corrosion around the posts. Clean the posts and then reconnect the batteries making sure everything is snug. With batteries checked and charged, Kendall next does a full systems check: all lights, horn, locator, trolling motor, accessories, bilge pump and livewell pump. “We also wet check the livewells and bilge. Just because they hum when you flip the switch, that doesn’t mean they are working. We will put in the livewell plugs, take a garden hose and fill the livewell to a level where we can check the system including the recirculation pump. Then we pump out the water. This is a good way to prime the system and know that it will be working when you hit the lake.” Something some people forget is to grease the steering cables. With all the water and sun that the cables experience yearly, the boat’s cable steering can begin to tighten up and even rust. A good grade marine grease works best, and there are fittings on the outboard engine bracket that grease the steering cable. “This is always something we do in the fall, when we are winterizing the rig. We also check the lower unit in the fall, but if you didn’t, then do it in the spring. Any oil dripping off the scag could mean a bad seal or a cracked lower unit drain plug gasket.” Kendall also believes it is extremely important to pull off the prop. “You never know when line has become wrapped up around the shaft.” Line that gets wrapped around a spinning propeller shaft can eventually work its way under the lip seals on the shaft. Those are the seals that keep water from entering the gear case and keep oil from leaking out. While the prop is off, lubricate the prop shaft with marine grease to prevent corrosion. At the same time, Kendall suggests that you check to make sure you have a stainless steel cotter key. Finally, we come to the outboard 54
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motor. If taken care of and regularly serviced, outboard motors can last for many decades. The age of the engine helps determine what needs to be done. First, let’s look at the older two-stroke motors, pretty much anything before 1988. Kendall says, “With older two-strokes, we will fog the cylinders in the fall before taking the rig to storage. Then in the spring, I recommend replacing the spark plugs because fogging tends to foul the plugs.” Of course, these motors require a mix of good, quality premium octane gas along with the recommended TC-W3 oil, which is an industry marine standard (NNMA) that certifies the oil provides adequate lubrication and engine protection. With the premium octane and quality oil mix, two-stroke motors are extremely dependable and can last for many decades. Be careful not to get any gasoline that contains ethanol for these older twostroke motors. The new four-strokes are quite the motors. Kendall says, “You inspect the motor, check the oil and the fuel filter. We recommend changing the oil and filter once a year or every 100 hours.” In this situation, we are usually dealing with larger gas tanks, so the gasoline will often set idle for the winter. In this case, Kendall always uses Stabil fuel stabilizer to protect the gas, the fuel tank and the four-stroke motor. Finally, it’s time to check out important accessories that are too often overlooked: life jackets, throwables and fire extinguisher. “Many people do not realize that a tear/rip in a life jacket or throwable means it is no good. A fire extinguisher can also be no good.” By not checking their condition, it could turn into an unwanted fine if you are checked by a conservation officer or water patrol officer. It’s all about safety, so it is important to make sure these things are all workable and up-to-date. Completing these tasks will help ensure that your boating and fishing season isn’t spent with your fishing rig out of the water in need of repair. Nothing can ruin taking valuable time away from the water. Although these tasks can all be done yourself, for me knowing that a reputable professional marine mechanic has winterized and springerized my fishing rig definitely gives me peace of mind. To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
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By Mac Chilton
ON OCTOBER 1, 1932, Babe Ruth, of the New York Yankees called his shot during Game 3 of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs. He pointed over the outfield fence, and on the very next pitch, hit the ball right where he was pointing. As a hunter, I try to call my shot all the time. I tell my dad or my wife before I go hunting, “Be ready, I think it’s going to happen tonight!” It has never actually worked out for me, though, until this last October. October 6, 2017 was a normal Friday for this college student. I was in my morning class at Iowa State University when I got a text from my boss. He told me I must’ve been reading the wrong work schedule because I had been working on days that I was supposed to be off. He also explained that I wasn’t scheduled to work that weekend. The Iowa archery deer season had only been open for six days, but I had already managed two public land hunts; however, I was anxious to make it home to hunt our farm where my Dad and I had been watching one particular big buck. I messaged my boss back to say, “I’m going to head back home for the weekend, and try to knock down a deer with this cold front moving in.” Little did I know that I had just called my shot. I spent that evening at home discussing a game plan with my Dad about hunting the next day. We had one unique buck on our Southeast Iowa farm that we were going after, a deer that we had two and a half seasons of history with. He was first March 2018
picked up on camera in January of 2016. The buck was a simple, tight racked, eight point with split G-2’s. We knew this deer had potential. Over the next summer, we got pictures of the buck again, but he had exploded into a non-typical giant! The
I’m sure glad he did! The next Spring, I scoured the farm looking for his sheds, but had no luck. We set cameras out in the Summer of 2017 to find the buck again. It didn’t take long for Freak to appear and he was bigger than ever. He sported the same beautiful split brows, though he lost a split on one of his G-2’s. Still, he had gained so much more mass and tine length! The summer pictures were sporadic. I feared he may be living on a neighboring property, and just coming to feed on our farm. I wasn’t too concerned because I knew once fall came around his pattern would change, and hopefully he would become more
I HAVE TO THANK MY FATHER, BRAD. HE’S THE MAN THAT TAUGHT ME HOW TO HUNT, AND SHOWED ME THE OUTDOORS. HE ALWAYS TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT AWAY. split G-2’s confirmed that this was indeed the same buck. He had also grown some incredible split brow tines. That’s when we started calling him the freak buck, eventually just settling on Freak. Freak had an impressive rack to say the least. The buck would’ve been the largest that my Dad or I had ever harvested, but you can’t shoot a great deer if you shoot a good deer. We knew the buck was young so we elected to pass. Dad was tested in mid-October of 2016 when he had Freak at 20 yards, but decided to let him walk –
regular. He did just that. Freak became consistent on one food plot at the end of September. We even had a few daylight photos of him there. I knew that if I was going to kill him it was going to be on his favorite little food source. With the weather cooling down on October 7, I thought I had a good chance to seal the deal. I had planned to get in the stand around 2:00 pm that afternoon, well before deer would start moving, so I could settle in and enjoy the evening. That didn’t TheIowaSportsman.com
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CALLING MY SHOT happen. Did I mention that I go to Iowa State? Yep, I wasn’t going to miss them upset third ranked Oklahoma. After the game, I managed to check a camera and get into the stand around 3:30 pm. The camera revealed no new photos of Freak, but I still felt good about my chances. My stand sits down in a bottom, overlooking a Frigid Forage Big-NBeasty food plot. There’s no cell phone service, so I can enjoy nature without being interrupted. A few does walked out around 5:00 pm, and I watched them feed about 25 yards from me. From then on it was non-stop action until dark. Some smaller bucks made their way in front of me, tempting me with an easy shot. I wanted to hold out. Around 6:30 pm I looked into the plot across the creek and saw tall tines. I knew it had to be Freak. He disappeared for a bit, and then showed up again at 75 yards. I said, “Lord please give me a shot.” He walked across the creek right into my food plot, stopping at 30 yards. I couldn’t shoot without moving too much, so I waited. It felt like forever. My heart was pounding out of my chest. I kept thinking, “Just a few more steps, just a few more steps.” He picked his head up and took about 5 more steps. I grunted to stop him, pulled my bow back, settled the pin right behind his shoulder, and squeezed it off. The arrow smacked him! I watched the buck exit the field, and thought I heard him crash. I knew the arrow had hit true and I was ecstatic. I said a “thank you” prayer and got the heck out of there. My first phone call was to my wife, Ally, telling her I had shot Freak. The second call was to my Dad. I told him I shot a buck, but I didn’t give him the specifics. I wanted to surprise him when we walked up on Freak. We waited a couple of hours and then the three of us headed out to find him. We went right to the spot I had shot him. The arrow was covered with blood, and we picked up the trail right away. We followed it to where I watched him leave the field. We trailed him across a creek, and then, nothing. No blood or sign anywhere. We decided to walk a little more, but still found nothing. As we stood there I started to feel sick. I had ruined it. I had to come clean with my Dad. I told him I didn’t just shoot a buck, I shot the buck, I shot Freak. He looked at me and thought I was joking. When he knew I was being serious, he said those all too famous words, “When in doubt, back out.” So, we did. I got about 2 hours of sleep that night, but I was just hoping we
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would have good luck in the morning. My dad, Ally, and I all met at the farm around 7:00 am that morning. We jumped in the Polaris Ranger and headed to the spot where we had last found blood, across the creek. We started to look again, when my wife said, “Hey guys, there’s a deer over here!” We ran over and could see the tines sticking up. He had doubled back along the creek and died 20 yards from where we had stopped the night before. At that point, it was all smiles and hugs. We sat there and admired him for a while, before getting him cleaned up for a few pictures. Finally, after hundreds of pictures, several strategies, and two encounters, we were able to close the book on a fantastic deer. I’m so thankful to have had this opportunity of a lifetime on such an impressive creature. I do have to say, “thank you,” to a few people for allowing me to have the chance to “call my shot.” My mom, Joanie, who always supported my hunting habits, even if she hasn’t hunted a day in her life. My wife, Ally, who would rather spend an evening in a deerblind with me than go on a dinner date. I should also thank my taxidermist Tyler Messer, from Burlington, for doing some amazing work on the mount with a 60-day turn-around. He and I each rough scored the deer at just over 198 inches, but I will get it officially scored at the Iowa Deer Classic in the Spring. Last, but not least, I have to thank my father, Brad. He’s the man that taught me how to hunt, and showed me the outdoors. He always taught me how to do things the right away. My Dad deserved this deer more than I did. He’s spent countless hours on stand waiting for his opportunity, but I just happened to get lucky. I’m glad he was able to share the recovery with me. That’s a memory I’ll never forget.
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GUNDOG CORNER
5YOUR NEW PUPPY IMPORTANT
CONSIDERATIONS
WHEN PURCHASING
By Ryan Eder - President – Upland Gundog Association
Holiday season tends to be the time of year that I am asked a particular question the most;“When is the best time to buy a puppy”? The most obvious response is “when you are personally and financially ready for the commitment”, but more often than not, the question is referring to seasonality and time of year. In my opinion, the winter months are the best time to buy a puppy, and not just because they make a great holiday gift! For us hunters, a puppy is a very exciting purchase for reasons beyond what most people think. Not only are we adding a new member to the family, but we are gaining a new partner in the field, a partnership that only a bird hunter can understand. Because of the amount of socialization and training necessary to get a dog ready for the duck blind or the uplands, winter puppies are perfect in my opinion because by the time spring and summer comes, the dog is old enough to get into the beginning stages of field training. I’ve also found the cold weather outside advantageous to house training (the dog learns quickly that they can get back into the warm house once they go to the bathroom outside). Of course, as you already know, there are a lot of other things to consider when purchasing a puppy other than
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the time of year. Here are 5 things to consider as you search for your next hunting partner.
GENETICS
Without question genetics are critical when selecting your next dog. Most people think I am referring to a pedigree full of field champions when I say that (partially true), but I am referring to health clearances and history of a bloodline in terms of hip, eyes and elbow certification, EIC and CNM clearances (especially in retrievers), and any history of disease or other health related issues. The only way to get honest, factual insight to this is to buy from an ethical breeder who only breeds healthy animals, and takes the time to track this information. I personally also like to see kennels that
have second, third and fourth generation dogs in their breeding stock. This shows that they have been breeding the same bloodline for several years, and have a good idea of what they are producing (versus breeders that are constantly selling off dogs, buying new dogs and have no longevity in their program). For those of us concerned with the field ability of the dog, it is always wise to discuss the tendencies, abilities (strengths and weaknesses) and overall trainability with the breeder. Genetics also includes marking ability, how good of a nose the dogs tend to have, temperament, intelligence etc. Training will obviously play a large role in the development of your dog, but it is very good to know how dogs in the lineage of your dog perform in the home, the training field and of course hunting situations. When looking
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GUNDOG CORNER at your next puppy, make sure to investigate certifications on the hips, eyes and elbows on the breeding dogs. Also look into other clearances such as EIC (energy induced collapse), which is particularly important in retriever breeds.
PEDIGREE
To build on the genetics consideration, you should always look at the pedigrees of the dogs in the kennel you are considering purchasing your pup from. A pedigree can tell you a lot of information, including certain health certifications, as well as the origin of registration of the dogs (AKC, UKC, etc.). For those of us that are looking for a hunting dog and value proven field performance, the pedigree will more than likely show hunt test and field trial titles earned by dogs in the pups lineage. There are cases when these titles may not show up, for example titles earned in the AKC will not show on a UKC pedigree. Let me clarify, titles are very nice to have on a pedigree. They show that a dog was able to be trained to a certain level and perform in a hunt test or trial. All titles have certain criteria a dog must abide by to earn the title, so do some research on various hunt test and trial accomplishments to further understand what you are looking at. Titles are not the gospel, there are plenty of outstanding hunting dogs that are not out of hunt test or trial parents, but I will tell you that proven lineage is the best foundation you can build for yourself and the success of your training later. Nonetheless, pedigrees provide enough information to research dogs on the pedigree to gain valuable insight into dogs that are in your pup’s bloodline.
BREEDER
The breeder is just as important, if not more important than the previous two items. This is the person that breeds, cares for and sells dogs to people like us. Do they answer your emails, calls or texts in a timely fashion? Are they patient and understanding? Do they go the extra mile to educate you about their dogs, their knowledge of the breed, training and hunting? If the answer is yes, you have found a good candidate to buy a dog from. When a breeder is short with you on the phone, or is quite pushy on collecting deposits or payment before giving you ample information to make your decision, you should be concerned. Of course a kennel is a business, and we all should understand that. But the ethics and morals involved in dog breeding are critical, and someone mass producing puppies for quick and easy sales with minimal interaction with customers is not a breeder I would recommend to any of you. Keep in mind that there are 62
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outstanding kennels out there that may take 24-hours to reply to your email or phone call. These kennels are excused because they are working long hours caring for and training dogs for clients. Kennels that specialize in field training have an excuse; they are in the field! This is a good thing; if you choose to utilize their training services someday you will appreciate this.
FACILITY
Similar to the breeder, the kennel facility itself is something to look at when purchasing your puppy also. The “Taj Mahal” is not necessary, but are the dogs kept in a clean, dry and suitable place? If they are kept outdoors do they have adequate shelter available? The environment in which the dogs live plays a large role in the health of those dogs, and gives you insight to the kennel living conditions. Again, some of the top field dog kennels in the country are very basic kennel facilities, so do not misjudge a breeder because they have outdoor kennels or an old barn that they use. These facilities can be more than suitable if the facility provides a safe, clean (emphasis on clean), dry and warm (if necessary) place for the dogs to live. Also ask the breeder about the care schedule of the kennel (facility and dogs). How often do they feed the dogs, clean the runs, get the dogs out, etc? In the end, if you would trust this person to care for your dog then chances are the facility and program are suitable.
PRICE
You might think I am going to tell you what price range is acceptable when purchasing your new dog. You would be wrong! In most cases, the old “you get what you pay for” adage is applicable here. Do not use price as your main criteria when selecting a dog, at least not initially. Keep all of these considerations in mind when evaluating a breeder, a litter and a puppy, and try to see the value provided. I can tell you from experience that in many cases puppies priced at well over $1,000 is accurate if the breeder is providing top level care (themselves as well as with a veterinarian), has dogs with all health clearances, perfect facilities, etc. There is no cheap way to produce top quality puppies, and I think this is true in any business! Please do not misunderstand me here; I am not suggesting that you cannot find a good dog for less, because you absolutely can. That being said, if dogs are too cheap, you have to at least consider the care and program they are coming from. I think that by keeping these five considerations in mind, you can more accurately evaluate a possible puppy purchase and make the best decision for yourself and your family. To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
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Palo Outdoors
1204 1st Street Palo, IA 52324 319-851-5290 www.palo-outdoors.com
R & R Sports
3250 Fields Drive Bettendorf, IA 52722 563-243-4696 www.randrsportsinc.com
Southern Archery
325 11th St SW Spencer, IA 51301 712-262-7213
Fin & Feather
125 Hwy 1 W Iowa City, IA 52246 319-354-2200 www.finfeather.com
Sommerfeld Outfitters
330 N Main St Lidderdale, IA 51452 712-822-5780 www.shopsommerfeld.com
The Iowa Outdoors Store
1597 3rd Ave NW Fort Dodge, IA 50501 515-955-HUNT (4868) www.iowaoutdoorstore.com
Glen’s Outdoor Hydro Wood Heat 2771 140th St NE Swisher, IA 52338 319-857-4010 Pudenz Repair 13496 Noble Ave Carroll, IA 51401 712-790-0122 Dovel Refrigeration 1600 N Broadway Red Oak, IA 51566 712-623-9614 www.dovelappliances.com Backyard Depot, LLC 17218 Kelp Ave Bloomfield, IA 52537 641-722-3641
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ASK THE SPORTSMAN
ASK THE SPORTSMAN I GOT THE GO AHEAD TO BUY MY FIRST FISHING BOAT. THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE YET TO ANSWER THOUGH IS; SHOULD I BUY A NEW BOAT OR PRE-OWNED BOAT?
Keaton, West Des Moines This may seem like a tough question, but in all honesty it is pretty simple. If you have enough money to buy a brand new boat in the style, make, model that you prefer then go for it. By enough money I mean disposable income; money that if you spend it will not make a difference in your financial obligations one bit. Now if you are crunching numbers trying to figure out a way to afford a brand new boat then you probably should opt for a cheaper pre-owned version. A word of advice though before you start the process, make sure you know how much you want to spend, more specifically can afford, and what you want out of the boat. Such as length, motor/HP, # of passengers, accessories, etc. If you know how much you can afford and what you want on the boat it will make the process so much easier no matter if you get a new or pre-owned boat. Also know that there are other known and unknown expenses that will go into owning a boat. So make sure and calculate some extra money into the equation after the purchase. As would be expected you will have more repairs and issues with pre-owned boats, potentially costing you a big chunk of change unexpectedly. If you buy used make sure you give it a thorough inspection or bring someone with you that knows how to do so. Always make sure and have the boat fired up and ask for a test drive. Lastly, no matter if you buy new or used make sure you use the darn thing. I liken boats to the restaurant business, in which 90% fail that first year. If you buy a boat 66
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make sure you have the time to use it and don’t end up like so many of us before in that we simply end up selling it a year or so later because all it did was collect dust and take up space in the garage. Good luck with your new or used boat and have fun with it!
MERRIAM’S
Our Cornhusker neighbors in Nebraska have a great population of Merriam’s in the Western part of the state. South Dakota also boasts a good number of birds as well. Leave in the morning and you can be roosting birds in the evening.
I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH OSCEOLA THE GRAND SLAM OF TURKEY HUNTING. This one will be your easiest decision and HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST GOING ABOUT probably the most costly. You only have one option with the Osceola….book a flight to IT LOGISTICALLY FOR AN IOWA BOY? Justin, Fort Dodge For those unfamiliar with the Grand Slam for turkeys it is harvesting the following species of turkeys in the US: Eastern, Osceola or Florida, Rio Grande and Merriam’s. Depending on the time frame for your goal the Grand Slam of Turkey Hunting can be a very attainable goal for long beard hunters. If you want to accomplish it in one year it will be exponentially more difficult than accomplishing it over multiple seasons…for the obvious reasons. Nonetheless many people accomplish the feat in a single year. Luckily living in Iowa gives you a great chance to harvest 3 out of the 4 species relatively close to home. If I were in quest of the Grand Slam I would visit the following states for each species:
EASTERN
This is your home state species so the easy answer is to hunt ground here in Iowa. You will save time and money. If you are looking at traveling a bit, head down to our southerly neighbors in Missouri. You can get tags pretty reasonable, ($190 will get you the chance at two turkeys, read the regulations). Plus there are a lot of birds, and a good amount of pubic ground to pursue them.
the Florida peninsula region. This is the only place the bird inhabits, making it arguably the hardest tag to fill due to the low population and the pressure the species incurs.
RIO GRANDE
Head to Kansas, it is close to home and there are a ton of Rio Grande birds to chase. Plus Kansas has a great hunter walk in program providing ample places to hunt. Want to take it a step further and complete the Royal Slam? Then add the Gould’s species to your list. Gould’s birds can be found in parts of the Southwest and Mexico. Not done yet? Then go for the World Slam and book a trip to Mexico or Central America for the Ocellated Turkey. One step at a time though. The above recommendations are in no way the only way to accomplish your goal, but with logistics, budget, and number of birds in mind this should point you in a good direction. Good luck with your goal…let us know if you accomplish it!
HAVE A QUESTION? If you have questions for us to answer please send them to info@twinriversmedia.com or mail them to 1517 3rd Ave NW, Fort Dodge, IA 50501.
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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 No Limits Outdoors, LLC 212 11th St SW Plaza Spencer, IA 51301 712-580-7000 www.nolimitsspencer.com Palo Outdoors 1204 1st Street Palo, IA 52324 319-851-5290 www.palo-outdoors.com Sommerfeld Outfitters 330 N Main St Lidderdale, IA 51452 712-822-5780 www.shopsommerfeld.com The Iowa Outdoors Store 1597 3rd Ave NW Fort Dodge, IA 50501 515-955-HUNT (4868) www.iowaoutdoorsstore.com
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The Dakota’s Section
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The Dakota’s Section
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IOWA SPORTSMAN COOKBOOK
VENISON SOUTHWESTERN CHILI INGREDIENTS
• 1 venison roast • 1 packet of ranch mix • 1 packet of taco seasoning • 1 large diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery • 1 can of corn • 1 can of chili beans • 2 large cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon cumin • 1 Tablespoon chili powder • Fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS Bring all dry ingredients, diced onion, diced celery, and cans of tomatoes to a boil in a braising pot. Once boiling, add in the whole thawed venison roast.You may need to add water to the pot to help cover some of the venison. Place the pot in the oven, tightly covered, at 300 degrees for several hours until the venison is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. This will most likely take at least two to four hours. After the venison is done and pulled apart, add it back into the pot with the remaining ingredients and continue to bake in the oven for approximately one more hour. Top your chili bowl off with your favorite tortilla chips. Enjoy!
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VENISON MEATBALL CABBAGE AND LEAK SOUP MEATBALL INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 pound ground venison • 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter • 1 cup carrots, chopped • 1 cup leeks, chopped • 4 cups cabbage, shredded • 5 cups chicken broth • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream • salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS In a bowl add ground venison, sausage, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, ground sage, salt and white pepper. Mix meat together with clean hands and form small meatballs. Heat skillet over medium-high heat, add oil to pan and cook meatballs in batches until browned on all sides. In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped carrots and leeks and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in shredded cabbage and continue to cook until wilted. Add chicken broth and bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce heat to low, cooking for 20 minutes. Carefully drop meatballs into soup and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Stir in whipping cream and cook for 5 minutes. Top each bowl of soup with fried leeks and serve with sourdough bread.
PHEASANT DUMPLING SOUP SOUP
• 2 Tbsp. Butter • 1 Onion diced • 3 cloves Garlic minced • 2 ribs Celery sliced
• 2 Carrots, medium sliced • 1.5 Tbsp. Chicken Base • 2 quarts Water • 1 Pheasant cubed
• 1 or 2 cups Egg Noodles • Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. Salt • 1 Egg
• 2 Tbsp. Butter melted • 3/4 cup Milk
DUMPLINGS • 2 cup flour • 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper • 4 tsp. Baking Powder
DIRECTIONS In a large stock pot melt butter over medium heat. Add minced onions and garlic. Cook until onions become translucent. Add celery and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes. Add pheasant to the stockpot and lightly brown on all sides- no more than 1 minute per side. Add the chicken base and water (or chicken stock). Bring to a boil, lower heat and allow soup to simmer for at least 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. 10 minutes before adding the dumpling batter mix the egg noodles into the soup. Mix up the dumplings. Add together all dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper.Add wet ingredients and stir together. It should be a moist, stiff batter- if not all the dry ingredients are moist add another 1/4 cup of milk. Drop dumpling batter into the pheasant soup by the spoonful until all the batter covers the soup. Cover the pot and allow to sit and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until dumplings are completely cooked through.
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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FISHING IOWA
TROLLING ON ICE By Bob Jensen
Open water trolling is a technique, or at least a phrase, that most anglers are familiar with. Trolling on the ice is a technique that more and more ice-anglers are becoming familiar with. Trolling on the ice might not make sense at first, but once you understand the concept, it will start to make sense. Once you put the concept into action, trolling on the ice will become a big part of your ice-fishing arsenal. Trolling on the ice is an effective way to present a bait to walleyes, perch, and crappies. Here’s how you “troll on the ice”. I was introduced to trolling on ice by several very accomplished ice anglers back through the years. Lake Mille Lacs guide Tony Roach showed me how to troll for walleyes, John and Duane Peterson introduced me to trolling on ice for Upper Red Lake crappies before that, and Craig Brown and I trolled on ice for Lake Winnibigoshish perch. These are all huge bodies of water, and much of that water is void of fish. “Trolling” helped us find fish quickly, and it will do the same for you wherever you fish through the ice. Trolling on the ice increases your odds of showing your bait to more fish, and the more fish that see your bait, the better your chance of getting bit. Sonar and GPS/mapping will enable an angler to troll on the ice most effectively. The GPS/mapping is very helpful, but the sonar is a must-have piece of equipment. The GPS enables an angler to drill holes at the edges of drop-offs or up on top of a piece of structure, and that is so helpful 72
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and much faster. But the sonar will reveal the depth also, and by drilling several holes and then employing the sonar, you can also learn about the structure down below. Additionally and most importantly, the sonar will show if fish are down there. Vexilar is the leader in sonar technology. Once you use a Vexilar and learn how to interpret it, you will feel under-gunned and even out-gunned if you don’t have one. Starting off, you find the area where you want to fish and drill holes. Drill at different depths. Now we start trolling. The series of holes is considered the “trolling pass”. Once you get your trolling pass set up, it’s just a matter of moving from hole to hole until you find a hot hole. Put the transducer for your sonar in the hole, drop a bait to the bottom, and watch for fish life. If you don’t see something within five minutes, reel up and “troll” to the next hole. A jigging spoon such as a Buck-Shot
Rattle spoon is outstanding for trolling on the ice. You can fish them quickly to determine if fish are in the area. Try different presentations until the fish tell you what they want. Most anglers, when trolling on the ice, like a one-person portable shelter for their “boat”. When ice-trolling, if there are 2 anglers, it works best if they fish separately. That enables them to cover more water. The Pro Cottage from Otter is a lightweight portable that pulls easily and is comfortable to fish from. And, it has plenty of room for all the equipment that you will need. If you want to catch more fish this winter, try trolling on ice. Once you do, you’ll see why this approach is so effective. To see new and old episodes of Fishing the Midwest television, new and archived articles, and fishing video tips, go to fishingthemidwest.com.
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SILENCERS IN THE FIELD For Tom Bowers, owner of the Bowers Group LLC, working in the suppressor industry comes second nature. Having a father who worked as a machinist, a gunsmith and who was also an avid shooter, allowed Bowers to literally “grow up” in the world of guns. As such, nearly 20 years ago Bowers embarked on the adventure of manufacturing his own particular type of firearm. During the R&D stage of this new venture, Bowers began designing and manufacturing suppressors as a way to bootstrap the
purchase of the machines needed for the future production of his propsosed firearm design. As his suppressor manufacturing business substantially grew and his firearm design was mimicked by another company, Bowers turned his attention
ANOTHER POPULAR SILENCER AMONG HUNTERS INCLUDES THE BOWERS GROUP VERS 50, WHICH IS A .50 CALIBER HIGH-EFFICIENCY SILENCER. THE VERS 50 IS DESIGNED FOR USE WITH CALIBERS .510 AND SMALLER UP TO 2200 FPS VELOCITY. to manufacturing suppressors full-time. The result? His leading suppressor manufacturing company has made a significant impact on the firearm industry and has become a household name for hunters and gun lovers throughout the U.S.
MAKING INROADS
Sound suppressors, or “silencers” for firearms help reduce gunfire noise to safe hearing levels when attached to the end of a firearm’s barrel. The use of suppressors in the hunting field makes sense, as no hunter wants to wear hearing protection while they are hunting. Being able to hear other people in their hunting party, as well as other hunters and game moving in the brush is vital to being successful in the field.
March 2018
“The problem is that high-powered rifles are brutally loud and they can damage your hearing with a single event,” says Tom Bowers. “Whereas if you have a can that brings the sound pressure level down to a hearing-safe level, now you can take
that shot or two and you are not damaging your hearing. If you are successful and can launch a shot, you aren’t blowing out your eardrums.” Today the Bowers Group manufactures subgun/carbine suppressors in 9mm and .45, three .22 offerings, as well as the Bowers Group Vers 458 and Vers 50 silencers and the ultra lightweight ASP .45 pistol silencer. The company also offers 27 Versadapt inserts for its Vers series of silencers for subgun/ carbine and big bore cans and 11 ATAS inserts for their ASP .45 pistol suppressors, the company’s two Paradigm models and its USS 22 (User Serviceable Suppressor). “Quite frankly, what sets us apart is our mount system, as there is nothing vaguely close to it in terms of versatility,” Tom says. “We offer the type of cans that Iowa hunters TheIowaSportsman.com
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would be interested in. They will have the Aims mount system, which takes the Versadapt inserts, including 27 different inserts.” As they have worked to establish the Bowers Group within the industry, Tom and his wife Dorothy understood that it was time to raise the bar for customer experiences by re-thinking who their customers are, what they deeply value, and how their company can deliver a customer experience that is consistent, differentiated, and valuable. For the Bowers, it is about serving gun users in a fundamentally improved way. In fact, the exceptional customer service has won the Bowers Group accolades aplenty and truly sets them apart. “Bowers has been selling suppressors for almost 20 years,” Dorothy Conway says. “It has only been in the last few years that we’ve spent any type of money on advertising. So for the majority of our company’s history it has been word-of-mouth advertising that
has helped our company become as well known and successful as it is.” Service, performance and versatility are top of mind for the Bowers Group team. They also don’t change their models around to make something seem “new.” Rather, they make improvements to their previous models, allowing a “backwards compatible” product evolution for customers who may have purchased products years ago. “We offer retrofits and upgrades to our previous models,” Dorothy says. In fact, recently the Bowers Group provided a retrofit upgrade to one of the first suppressors ever sold by the company. “We do try to take care of customers because our products are durable goods and we try to treat them as such,” Dorothy says. When necessary, the Bowers Group will make parts for silencers they’ve discontinued so they can service those cans.
March 2018
The most popular suppressor models that are most conducive to hunting include Bowers Vers 9, 9s, 458 and 50 series. Vers 9 is the company’s full-sized, high efficiency 9mm subgun and carbine silencer and is rated for heavy fully automatic fire in 9mm. The Bowers Group Vers 9S is a small, high efficiency 9mm subgun and carbine silencer, rated for heavy fully automatic fire in 9mm. In addition the Bowers Group Vers 458 is the company’s purposebuilt .458 SOCOM silencer, rated for fully automatic fire. The Bowers Group is making this for people who need a can capable of taking the pounding from a full auto .458 firing supersonic rounds, but who don’t need the bore size of a Vers 50. It is rated to pass .460 diameter bullets and for
for minimal point-of-impact shift. “Versatility is what separates the Vers 30 and 30T from the competition,” Tom says. With the ability to mount to nearly every rifle on the market Bowers Group currently offers 27 different Versadapt thread adapting inserts. A hunter can use their Bowers Vers series suppressor on various platforms without hunting down a third-party thread pitch adapter or spending money on proprietary mounts. By directly threading onto the rifle the gun operator won’t spend hundreds of dollars on muzzle devices that have to be added to the firearm. And while customer service and versatility have led to the company’s
“WE OFFER RETROFITS AND UPGRADES TO OUR PREVIOUS MODELS,” TOM SAYS. IN FACT, RECENTLY THE BOWERS GROUP PROVIDED A RETROFIT UPGRADE TO ONE OF THE FIRST SUPPRESSORS EVER SOLD BY THE COMPANY. velocities up to 2650 feet per second. Another popular silencer among hunters includes The Bowers Group Vers 50, which is a .50 caliber highefficiency silencer. The Vers 50 is designed for use with calibers .510 and smaller up to 2200 FPS velocity. It is also suitable for any other slower rounds that will fit through the bore. As Tom explains, every silencer Bowers sells includes one insert of the customer’s choice. These thread adapting inserts are CNC crafted from billet and
success, it is the Bowers Group products’ performance, which is substantially better than many major manufacturers, that has helped earn the company an exceptional reputation. In fact, the level of product performance is why their customers are often repeating customers, eager to continue their relationship and outfit their guns with a solid suppressor product. Customers understand that while the Bower Group products have consistently improved over the years, the company
feature a hexagonal head so the gun owner can quickly and easily change the thread pitch on the silencer by changing the insert. This enables the operator to use one silencer on many different firearms. As part of the company’s ongoing goal to continually enhance and improve its product offering, Bowers Group has recently released its Vers 30 and Vers 30T suppressors. Both suppressors use the Versadapt series of thread adapting inserts. These are precision rifle cans, engineered
has always stood squarely behind their quality, versatility, and durability of their products. “We’ll keep working to improve our existing products and to bring out worthy new products after we’re satisfied they’re ready,” Tom says. “We have the track record to demonstrate that none of this is just talk; this is how we’ve operated since day one.” *Sponsored Content
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Lake of the Woods
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Marketplace
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Holiday Shores Marina 3901 River Rd Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 608-254-2878 www.holidaywatersport.com Upper Iowa Marine Inc 1651 State Hwy 9 E Decorah, IA 52101 563-382-9387 www.upperiowamarine.com
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Harbor Recreation Inc 807 Harbor Rd Milton, WI 53563 608-884-6007 www.harborrec.com Millers Sport Center Inc 24565 Zier Rd Lanark, IL 61046 815-493-6401 www.millerssport.com
Bob’s Bike Shop 32903 170th St Le Mars, IA 51031 712-546-5983 www.bobsbike-shop.com O’Hair Automotive 22957 110th St. Van Wert, IA 50262 641-445-5687 To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
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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
GOODS & SERVICES Lake or Pond? Aeration is your 1st step toward improved water quality. Algae Reduction, de-icing, attract wildlife, etc. Also - High efficiency water fall pumps 11,000 gph flow - only 3.6 amps!! CHECK OUT OUR GREAT PRICING ON TOP QUALITY POND PRODUCTS!!! www.fishpondaerator.com 608-254-2735 • Open every day!
Your one stop shop for Fish House supplies since 2003! Order online Today!
www.fishhousesupply.com Or call us at 763-682-2953
America’s first and largest on-line store for all your fish house parts and accessories!!! GUN SHOWS
Spirit Lake Gunshow
March 3-4 Doors open at 8:30 Held at Dickinson County Expo Center Dealer set up on Friday from 11-8 Tables are $25 24 hour armed security Call 712-330-3247 for info or reserving tables
GUN SHOWS Maquoketa, IA February 16, 17, 18th Jackson County Fairgrounds Davenport, IA March 2, 3, 4th Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds
www.bigboreenterprise.com
Admission is free to veterans
March 2018
2018 Gunshows
March 3-4th Greene County Fairgrounds Jefferson, IA Sat 9am to 5pm • Sun 9am to 3pm For Show or booth information contact JR Gun Shows Jamie Robinson: 712-782-3195 Duane Gehling: 712-684-5893
Send Your Trophy Photos To info@iowasportsman.com Or log on to www.iowasportsman.com
WATCH FOR UPCOMING GUN SHOWS LATER THIS YEAR!
Mississippi Riverview Cabin, Fantastic view of
Southwest Iowa Gun Show March 9th-11th, 2018 at Page County Fairgrounds 200 S 6th St. Clarinda, IA Fri 4-8pm • Sat 9am-5pm Sun 9am-2pm 100 tables Admission $7 ea. day Jim Wymore 712-621-8026
HUGE 3 - DAY SALE
Guns & Ammo Auction Along with Western memorabilia, Indian artifacts, antique sporting goods and much more March 8-10* 300 + Guns Held at Lolli Bros. Macon, Mo. - 660-385-2516 www.eastforkguns.com
Marv Kraus Promotions 2018 Shows ATLANTIC, IA FAIRGROUNDS Mar 2-4
SERGEANT BLUFF, IA EVENT CENTER Mar 23-25
Mississippi River, Rustic cabin, Full bath, one bedroom, kitchen, large great room, fireplace, deck, Well with new pump, septic, new roof, recently remolded, electric, private setting. Drone Video available. $89,700. Listing #1416
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COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA WESTFAIR April 20-22 SIOUX CITY, IA CONVENTION CENTER April 27-29 Iowa Show Hours: Fri 4-9 • Sat. 9-5 • Sunday 9-3 See our website for WI and IL schedule
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Rush Creek Realty De Soto, WI 888-942-6644 www.rushcreekrealty.com
Little Sioux Southwood Snyder Bend Reserve online at www.MyCountyParks.com
MARSHALLTOWN, IA FAIRGROUNDS April 6-8
FOR MORE INFORMATION www.marvkrauspromotions.net or call Marv 563-608-4401
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DOGS FOR SALE Chesapeake Bay Retriever, AKC Pups and Started Dogs since 1982. prairiechesapeakes@yahoo.com; Wood River, NE MARK 308 383 3745
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CasCade 5000 Floating POND FOUNTAIN! Aerator Now Available Factory Direct! FAST UPS shipping right to your door! www.fishpondaerator.com Call 7 days/week! (608) 254-2735 Complete with light & timer, 100 ft power cord, 1yr warranty! Pre-Assembled - Installs in Minutes! Elegance & Improved Water Quaility $698.95 “$ave Hundreds!”
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