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FEATURES KEYS TO BEING A RIVER ANGLER 10 IOWA’S TOP 5 MULTI-SPECIES LAKES 36 4GOOD 14 FISH HIDEOUTS DURING THE SUMMER 46 GEOGRAPHICAL WHITETAIL HIDEOUTS AND TRAVEL CORRIDORS. PART 2 TIPS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW 18 SURVIVAL WHITETAILS 365: NEIGHBORHOOD BLUES 50 IN SEARCH OF MID-SUMMER ‘GILLS 22 PROVIDING HOPE THROUGH TAKING YOUR INVENTORY 56 THE OUTDOORS 26 WALLEYE AND MUSKIE FISHING IN IOWA: PART 2 32 IMPROVING By Rod Woten
By Brad Durick
By Todd Reed
By Jason Smith
By Joel Johnson
By Steve Weisman
By Ryan Graden
By Tom Peplinski
By Earl Taylor
By Ben Leal
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DEPARTMENTS 60 IOWA NEWS 6 PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT GUNDOG CORNER SPORTSMAN INTERACTIVE 8 IOWA 68 PHASES/ IOWA COOKBOOK SUNRISE-SUNSET 9 MOON 70 FISHING IOWA 42 TROPHY ROOM 72 By Patrick McKinney
Photos Submitted by Readers
By Bob Jensen
ON THE COVER
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Welcome to the August issue of The Iowa Sportsman Magazine! On the cover this month is a photo of a large Iowa buck with velvet on his antlers. The summer time is when buck’s grow the majority of their antler mass. The anlters will not stop growing until after they shed the velvet in the early part of the fall.
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August 2018
PUBLISHER STATEMENT
WELCOME TO THE IOWA SPORTSMAN FAMILY! Welcome to the August issue! Hopefully this column finds everyone having a great summer and doing well! As I sit here and type out this month’s publisher’s statement I will be honest I had one of those writer’s block moments. Normally I close the door, sit down, and hammer out 500 words in no time. Not the case this month. I literally stared at a blank word document thinking about what I was going to share with you all. I found myself thinking about my first day on the job. I was a 20 something young man fresh out of college. I had no clue what the next phase of life was going to bring me, but I was so excited to go to work for a hunting and fishing magazine! I had great ideas and high expectations for myself and my new job. But I never thought I would make a career out of it, now you fast forward 13 years later and here I still am! As soon as I started to reflect back then all of the other memories of my life during the time I have been with the magazine started to flood in….my marriage to the lovely Mrs. Lindsey McKinney, the birth of my two little ladies Hadley and Landry, and even the loss of Hunter my dog (sorry that one still brings a tear to my eye), they all came gushing back in…the good, the bad, the sad, my accomplishments, and my failures. Everything was bouncing around my mind. After a nostalgic memory session I was even more in a tailspin with this month’s article…what was I doing? Here I am trying to write a column for a hunting and fishing magazine and all I can think about is my personal and family memories the past 13 years. What the heck! I kind of chuckled a bit and was ready to hit the delete button on the column, when it finally struck me. I am thinking about those memories because this magazine, the people I work with, and all of the readers have become like family over the past 13 years. That may sound a bit strange, but really it isn’t. At least not for me. The past 13 years my goal with this magazine has been to provide a common product thousands of Iowans can share and relate to, just like a family does. I guess I never realized that until now! Crazy what a little writer’s block will do for a man! I have met so many wonderful people along this journey because of the magazine. To the point where I do consider everyone involved with The Iowa Sportsman a part of my extended family. For that I would like to thank all of my co-workers, readers, friends, and family for making it possible! More importantly I would like to thank you for joining this family we call The Iowa Sportsman. Without the audience we couldn’t make this work, so your support is greatly appreciated! Thank you again for being a part of my family! Who knows what my next case of writer’s block will conjure up?!
TWIN RIVERS MEDIA, LLC. 1517 3rd Avenue NW Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 877-424-4594
VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 8 • AUGUST 2018
Gale W. McKinney II, President & CEO Patrick McKinney, Publisher Audra McKinney, VP of Finance Dustin Hector, VP of Sales Aaron McKinney, Field Editor Brandon Peterson, Art Director/Graphic Designer Teri Marsh, Graphic Designer Dawn Busse, Office Manager Robert Reedy, Controller Shawna Nelson, Circulation Manager
OUTDOOR MARKETING SPECIALISTS
Joyce Kenney - joyce@twinriversmedia.com Ed Juncker - ed@twinriversmedia.com Kendra Sassman - kendra@twinriversmedia.com
SUBSCRIPTION SALES
Shawna Nelson - shawna@twinriversmedia.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tom Peplinski, Todd Reed, Joel Johnson, Ryan Graden, Earl Taylor, Jason Smith, Ben Leal, Steve Weisman, Brad Durick, Rod Woten, and Bob Jensen. The information and advertising set forth herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable and compiled with great care. Twin Rivers Media, LLC. however, does not warrant complete accuracy of such information and assumes no responsibility for any consequences arising from the use thereof or reliance thereon. Our advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their respective advertisements appearing in this publication, and Publisher shall not be responsible or liable in any manner for inaccuracies, false statements or any material in such advertisement infringing upon the intellectual rights of others. Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement or space reservation at any time without notice. Publisher shall not be liable for any costs or damages if for any reason it fails to publish an advertisement. This publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Copyright © 2018 All rights reserved.
Patrick McKinney
@TheIowaSportsmanMagazine
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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 FISHING RODS DO YOU OWN? None I don’t fish: 1-3: 4-6: 7-10: 11-14: 15+ - I have a problem:
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 CJ Sullivan. The answer was: allen wrenches.
Like us on Facebook! @ theiowasportsmanmagazine
5%
23% 11%
19%
33%
9%
104 votes
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 23.
THE WINNER OF THE JULY ISSUE WAS RICH SMORT
PHOTO HUNT: CAN YOU FIND THE 12 DIFFERENCES ON THIS PHOTO?
Answers: Top right gun’s clip is light orange, top middle gun is missing, top handle is missing from bottom left gun, sword blade has chunk missing, extra cartridge top middle, middle left ammo cannister is red, part of door molding is missing, small white gun is turned around, no gun barrell on bottom left gun, part of middle gun ammo cannister is yellow, small teddy bear, grip is missing on gun right middle.
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MOON PHASES
July 2018 15 Visible: 9%
16 Visible: 17%
17 Visible: 26%
18 Visible: 36% 19 Visible: 47%
20 Visible: 58% 21 Visible: 67%
First Quarter Sunrise: 5:56 AM Sunset: 8:44 PM
Sunrise: 5:53 AM Sunset: 8:46 PM
Sunrise: 5:54 AM Sunset: 8:46 PM
Sunrise: 5:55 AM Sunset: 8:45 PM
Sunrise: 5:55 AM Sunset: 8:44 PM
22 Visible: 76%
23 Visible: 84%
24 Visible: 91%
25 Visible: 96% 26 Visible: 99%
Sunrise: 5:57 AM Sunset: 8:43 PM
Sunrise: 5:58 AM Sunset: 8:42 PM
27 Visible: 100% 28 Visible: 100% Full Moon
Sunrise: 5:59 AM Sunset: 8:41 PM
Sunrise: 6:00 AM Sunset: 8:40 PM
Sunrise: 6:01 AM Sunset: 8:39 PM
29 Visible: 98%
30 Visible: 94%
31 Visible: 89%
Sunrise: 6:06 AM Sunset: 8:35 PM
Sunrise: 6:07 AM Sunset: 8:34 PM
Sunrise: 6:08 AM Sunset: 8:32 PM
Sunrise: 6:02 AM Sunset: 8:39 PM
Sunrise: 6:03 AM Sunset: 8:38 PM
Sunrise: 6:04 AM Sunset: 8:37 PM
Sunrise: 6:05 AM Sunset: 8:36 PM
August 2018 1 Visible: 82%
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Visible: 73%
3 Visible: 64% 4 Visible: 53% Last Quarter
Sunrise: 6:08 AM Sunset: 8:31 PM
5 Visible: 43%
6 Visible: 32%
7 Visible: 22%
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Visible: 13%
Sunrise: 6:09 AM Sunset: 8:30 PM
9 Visible: 6%
Sunrise: 6:10 AM Sunset: 8:29 PM
Sunrise: 6:11 AM Sunset: 8:28 PM
10 Visible: 2% 11 Visible: 1% New Moon
Sunrise: 6:12 AM Sunset: 8:27 PM
Sunrise: 6:13 AM Sunset: 8:25 PM
Sunrise: 6:14 AM Sunset: 8:24 PM
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13 Visible: 7%
14 Visible: 14% 15
Visible: 2%
Sunrise: 6:16 AM Sunset: 8:23 PM Visible: 22%
Sunrise: 6:17 AM Sunset: 8:22 PM
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Visible: 32%
Sunrise: 6:18 AM Sunset: 8:20 PM
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Visible: 42%
Sunrise: 6:19 AM Sunset: 8:19 PM
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Visible: 52%
First Quarter Sunrise: 6:20 AM Sunset: 8:18 PM
Sunrise: 6:21 AM Sunset: 8:16 PM
Sunrise: 6:22 AM Sunset: 8:15 PM
Sunrise: 6:23 AM Sunset: 8:13 PM
Sunrise: 6:24 AM Sunset: 8:12 PM
Sunrise: 6:25 AM Sunset: 8:10 PM
19 Visible: 62%
20 Visible: 71%
21 Visible: 79% 22 Visible: 87%
23 Visible: 93%
Sunrise: 6:27 AM Sunset: 8:07 PM
Sunrise: 6:28 AM Sunset: 8:06 PM
Sunrise: 6:29 AM Sunset: 8:04 PM
Sunrise: 6:30 AM Sunset: 8:03 PM
Sunrise: 6:31 AM Sunset: 8:01 PM
Sunrise: 6:32 AM Sunset: 8:00 PM
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Visible: 100%
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Sunrise: 6:26 AM Sunset: 8:09 PM
24 Visible: 97% 25 Visible: 100%
Sunrise: 6:33 AM Sunset: 7:58 PM
Full Moon Sunrise: 6:34 AM Sunset: 7:57 PM
August 2018
Sunrise: 6:35 AM Sunset: 7:55 PM
Sunrise: 6:36 AM Sunset: 8:53 PM
Sunrise: 6:37 AM Sunset: 7:52 PM
Sunrise: 6:38 AM Sunset: 7:50 PM
Sunrise: 6:39 AM Sunset: 7:49 PM
TheIowaSportsman.com
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HAVE YOU EVER had one of those days fishing where you’re never sure what species you’ll reel in next? Those days where you catch six or seven different species from one lake are truly special and make all those tough days well worth the effort. Of course, in order to have one of those multi-species days, the lake you’re fishing needs to have a lot of different species available in it. Luckily Iowa has a few lakes that fit this bill. Give any of the five lakes below a try and you’ve got a great shot at one of those kinds of days.
#5 – TWELVE MILE CREEK LAKE
This 635-acre gem is one of the hottest lakes in Southwest Iowa, but it hasn’t always been the case. In the mid 2000’s it had to be drawn down and renovated due to poor water quality caused by an abundance of carp. Since then the lake has bounced back in a big way. The lake now attracts a lot of attention year around for the quality of its fish and the broad August 2018
diversity of species swimming in it. For the panfish enthusiast there are black and white crappie, bluegill, green sunfish and yellow perch swimming in its waters. For those that prefer game fish, large and smallmouth bass, walleye and catfish are available to be caught. Just to round things out, 12-Mile anglers also have a shot at catching yellow bullhead. Nearby 3-Mile Lake until very recently rivaled 12-Mile and added muskie,
blue catfish and wipers to the mix. In 2016, however, like 12-Mile it had to be drawn and renovated due to an overpopulation of yellow bass. Keep your eyes on this southern Iowa sleeper though, because in a year or two it will be in the sweet spot that all newly renovated lakes hit when forage is plentiful and restocked fish really start to thrive.
#4 - BRUSHY CREEK
There are LOTS of great lakes in northwest and north-central Iowa…LOTS of them. Many of them have four or five very catchable species to pick from as well. But only a couple have a huge variety of species available to rise to the top of the stack. Brushy Creek is definitely one of those lakes. A different pair of Northwest Iowa lakes will also appear a little later in this piece (hint, hint…). The 690 surface acres that make up Brushy Creek TheIowaSportsman.com
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IOWA’S TOP 5 MULTI-SPECIES LAKES Lake contains black crappie, bluegill and yellow perch. It’s not enough that each of these species swim in Brushy Creek, but the hardcore panfishers have a shot at a trophy specimen of all three! For those that are after trophy game species, Brushy delivers there as well, with legitimate shots at trophy sized largemouth, muskie, walleye and channel catfish. As the name implies Brushy Creek is loaded with lots of standing timber and I believe this is why so many of the species in this lake can grow to trophy sizes. It can be confusing for the angler at times, however making it hard to “see the forest for the trees”. Brushy also has shallow water areas that hold fish and very deep-water areas, some as deep as 70 feet, to fish. The anglers that stay on the move until they find the fish they’re looking for and fish many different types of structure, depths and cover to figure out what the fish are wanting on any given day are the ones that do the best at Brushy Creek.
#3 - MISSISSIPPI BACKWATERS
If you live on the eastern side of the state, any of the myriad of Mississippi backwaters are your best shot at a multi-species day. The great thing about these backwaters is that any species that swim the waters of The Mighty Mississippi can be caught in these backwaters. Arguably, this may well
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be the most species-diverse fishery available anywhere in the state. If I were more of a river fisherman instead of a lake fisherman, this might even make #1 on my list. For those that prefer river fishing, feel free to slide this one into your #1 slot. For game fish you have large & smallmouth bass, muskie, northern pike, walleye, sauger, channel and flathead catfish. For panfish you can choose from bluegills, green sunfish, black and white crappie, yellow perch, and white bass. As if that wasn’t enough, you can also catch drum, carp, buffalo, bowfin and gar just to name a few. Some of these backwater areas have decent shore fishing access, but having a boat will give you the best access to all of them.
#2 – SPIRIT LAKE
There’s a reason Spirit Lake is considered one of Iowa’s Great Lakes. It and several of its very nearby neighbors are some of the largest natural lakes in the state. Spirit Lake alone is a little over 5600 acres! Spirit Lake has some of the best perch and walleye fishing in the state and are the species most Spirit Lake anglers are chasing. Also available in Spirit are black crappie, bluegill, white bass, yellow bass for the panfish fanatics and large and smallmouth bass, muskie, and walleye for gamefish anglers. Like many glacial lakes,
Spirit Lake is relatively shallow, bottoming out at a modest 24 feet. Access to Spirit Lake is also very good with many public boat ramps around its perimeter and several state parks and state recreation areas to give boat access as well as many good shore fishing opportunities.
#1 - EAST/WEST OKOBOJI
The Okobojis are very similar to their next-door-neighbor Spirit Lake in the species available but the similarities end there East and West fish quite a bit differently than Spirit. Both Okobojis, especially West, are known for their shallow weedy bays. I LOVE this type of fishing and that’s why The Okoboji twins edge out Spirit for the #1 slot on my list. There are fish in shallow weedy bay areas on Spirit, but there are so many more of those bays on the Okobojis and they are much better defined. East comes in at just a touch over 1800 acres and West at 3800, so combined they are roughly the same surface acreage as Spirit. Like Spirit, East and West both have very good access for boat and shore fishing with many public ramps, state parks and state recreation areas around their perimeters. West Okoboji also has the distinction of being the deepest lake in the state with a maximum depth over 100 feet. East Okoboji is much more like its neighboring glacial lakes with a maximum depth of 22 feet. For the panfish aficionados, black crappie, bluegill, white bass, yellow bass and perch can be caught. West is very well known for its giant bluegills so it’s a great destination if a trophy ‘gill is on your bucket list. West is also well known for its “gin-clear” waters that are the result of “West O” being spring fed and the sight fishing opportunities this affords in the winter. For game fish anglers largemouth, smallmouth, muskie, pike, channel cat and walleye are swimming in East and West Okoboji. And for those of you that just can’t get enough bullhead fishing, West and East also contain both black AND yellow bullhead. There are several other lakes in Iowa where you have a good chance of catching three or four species in any given trip, but the lakes I chose for this list go above and beyond that by offering a shot at five, six, seven or even more species on any trip. Don’t be afraid to experiment with “alternative” species either. Many of these lakes have species that aren’t even officially listed as residing there. Drum, bowfin, carp and suckers are all great examples! A trophy-sized specimen of any of these “undesirable” species will put a bend in your rod as well as any game fish and pull even harder. Besides…you don’t have to tell anyone you actually caught any (or all!) of these species. Just tell them that you had a 7-species day on the lake today. You can thank me later. To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
August 2018
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SUMMER TIME is the season of many opportunities. There are countless activities going on around each and every community, however most outdoors people still make time to go fishing. Those hot summer days are sometimes our only chance to get out and fish, so we have to make the best of it. Where do fish go in the hottest months of the year? No matter the species you are after there are many places to put at the top of your list and a few things we as anglers can do to increase our odds. The first thing we must do is to use the clock to our advantage. Anglers should focus their time on the first few hours of daylight and the last few hours of daylight. These times you will find all species a little more active and willing to bite. Also, it will be more comfortable for you to be in the outdoors as well. Although it is summer, it is more important than ever to do your homework. Taking a look at lake maps is a very important step. The hot months of July and August will have the water temperature at its highest for the year. Fish as well as the species they are feeding on will want to be in the coolest water they can find. Sometimes a couple degrees can make all the difference. Locating the deeper banks and the creek channels will be key areas to focus on. In river situations finding the heaviest current will help you find the feeding fish. Shallow and stagnate backwaters are typically a waste of time August 2018
during this month. Locating the cooler deeper water is vital to finding those hot water fish. As with any time fishing, bait selection is key during the hot periods of the year too. The smaller baitfish have grown so if you are after predatory fish such as bass,
be complete without talking about the thermocline. This is something anglers don’t have to worry about in rivers but need to be aware of in lakes around the state. The thermocline is a division of water so defined that you can see the difference in a depth finder. The issue occurs because the deeper water in a lake will stay cool and the water at the top of the water column will be much warmer. These two different layers of water do not mix. The water on the bottom layer lacks the pH levels and oxygen levels that fish desire. Fish are not caught below the thermocline during these hot weather times. Depth finders will show this as a constant line on your chart, typically less than 20 feet in deeper lakes. If you
THE AMOUNT OF SHADE A DOCK OFFERS WILL ATTRACT MANY SPECIES AND FOOD FOR THEM TO SPEND THE ENTIRE DAY THERE. IF THE LAKE OR RIVER YOU ARE FISHING HAS THESE AVAILABLE, MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO FISH THEM. walleye, catfish, or pike using larger baits will appear more realistic to the fish. The same goes for crappies too, I like to use larger minnows in the summer months for them. Matching what the fish are feeding on will produce more bites for your efforts. No summer fishing article would
are fishing from shore there is no way to know for sure. Just be mindful of the thermocline and if you are fishing deep and not being successful, the thermocline may be the reason. To counter this phenomenon fish in the upper half of the water column are moving shallower yet staying close to the deeper/cooler water. TheIowaSportsman.com
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FISH HIDEOUTS DURING THE SUMMER
Just like humans fish will find a way to stay cool during the hottest times. Shaded banks offer fish relief and should be focused on. Throwing lures while using slip bobbers to cast under trees is a great way to beat the heat and catch some dinner. Water that has been shaded much of the day will be a couple degrees cooler and fish will seek that out. Another visible area to look for are laydown logs. These logs offer shade and a place for the fish to hide and ambush their next meal. The same goes for docks, I have found that many species will seek out the comfort of a dock, no matter how warm the temperature is. The amount of shade a dock offers will attract many species and food for them to spend the entire day there. If the lake or river you are fishing has these available, make it a priority to fish them. The last bit of advice for hot summer months are to key in on any weeds the lake or river offers. Weeds provide many things to fish; shade, insects, baitfish, and a good pH level in the water. These reasons make weeds a top choice anytime in the year, especially now. A precision casted bobber between two lily pads or weed patches will surely catch the eye of
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a hungry panfish. Increase the bait to a chub for pike or bass. Casting topwater frogs during this season is a fun way to catch them as well. A good quality frog will skim across the top of any patch of weeds to tempt a bass or pike into biting. When venturing into the weeds it is important to have the right equipment. Using braided line will increase your catches in and around the weeds. • Hot weather warnings- make sure and take plenty of cool water with you as you venture out this time of year. Dress light and don’t forget to cover up or use sunscreen to protect yourself. • Keeping fish to eat- If you plan on keeping your catch make every effort to get them on ice as soon as you catch them. A small cooler works well and no water is needed as long as you have plenty of ice. Keeping your catch cold will make them easier to clean, and taste much better. Plan ahead with extra ice to ensure a tasty meal of fish. As the end of summer approaches don’t get discouraged by the hot temperatures, make the adjustments, try some new areas and keep catch those fish.
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WITH ALL THE technology available to the average sportsman today, it’s hard to imagine ever being faced with a survival situation. However, you may be surprised to learn that almost 47,000 people required search and rescue from 2004 to 2014 in our national parks alone. In addition, just shy of 14,000 of these people were either too injured or too ill to make it out on their own. Even more sobering is that nearly 1,600 of these folks perished before they were rescued. The most common activities requiring rescue were daytime hiking, followed by overnight hiking, non-motorized boating, motorized boating, and swimming. Men accounted for more than half of people needing rescue, and people between ages of 20 and 29 accounted for the largest segment. According to these findings, young men in their 20s are more likely to end up in a sticky situation than any other demographic. As a result, it is important that we discuss some basic survival skills that you should learn, and practice, before that hiking trip to the Appalachian Trail or fishing trip to the Boundary Waters. To get started, it is important to remember that shelter, water, fire, and food, in that order, are the keys to surviving a vacation gone wrong. Shelter can be defined as any structure that can get you out of the elements to prevent hypothermia, heat exhaustion/ stroke, and severe sunburn. A good shelter should be as comfortable as possible; blocking icy winds, shading burning rays, and providing dry bedding. Being lost, sick, or injured, is incredibly hard on the mind, and a comfortable shelter maximizes the ability to rest both the body and mind. August 2018
Being rested supports critical thinking, decision making, and positive morale; optimizing one’s chance of being rescued. If you are caught unaware without a tent or tarp, the simplest and easiest shelter to build, with the lowest calorie burn, is the
and available cordage for emergencies. Always orient your lean-to so it blocks prevailing winds and rain. There are a few keys to keeping your lean-to as dry and warm as possible. When constructing your shelter, make sure it is large enough for you to be completely covered, but not so big that you cannot keep it warm with a small fire. Ensure that roof poles are spaced as closely as possible to close gaps. Overlap layers of roof branches with the leaves pointing downhill. This approach leverages natural wicking, channels water down and away from your bedding, and helps prevent leaks. It’s also important that you brush in the sides of the lean-to to prevent heat stealing drafts. Finish the shelter with a layer of sticks and several inches of leaf litter or evergreen boughs to insulate and reduce conduction of heat to the ground. Once an adequate shelter has been
THE HUMAN BODY CAN SURVIVE FOR THREE WEEKS OR MORE WITHOUT FOOD. AS A RESULT, IF ONE CAN BUILD A SHELTER, SECURE A WATER SOURCE, AND START A FIRE, THE CHANCES OF RESCUE WITHIN THREE WEEKS ARE VERY HIGH. venerable lean-to. Leaning poles and then layering leafy branches against a tree trunk or outstretched limb is the most common method. Another variation is to erect two poles and a cross bar, and a pro tip is to always replace your boot laces with paracord before an outing to insure ample
built, the next focus in a survival situation is water. Ideally you would have packed water for your trip in a Camelbak, Nalgene, or similar container. If not, the next best solution is to bring a LifeStraw or similar wilderness water filter. If these were overlooked, it is crucial to have researched, TheIowaSportsman.com
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SURVIVAL TIPS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW and practiced, natural filtration approaches in advance including boiling water in a container, flash boiling with heated rocks, assembling a water filter with charcoal, or building a rain catchment system or evaporation still. Fire has been an outdoorsman’s best friend since the first lightning bolt scorched stick and stone for our ancestors. First and foremost, fire enables one to boil water to stay hydrated. Fire also keeps you warm, allows food to be cooked and eaten safely, and provides light at night; discouraging predators from coming too close to your camp. Fire boosts morale and fights feelings of loneliness and depression. Successfully starting a fire provides a sense of accomplishment and maintaining the flame breaks up the monotony and eases the anxiety of a survival situation. If you are heading to the woods for an extended hike or canoe trip, always be sure to pack at least one windproof lighter, several waterproof matches in a waterproof container, and a ferro rod. These items are all very lightweight, and having them stowed in your pack, on your person, and in a tackle box insures you are prepared for the worst-case scenario. Although we all get “hangry” after not eating for several hours or half a day, food is the last priority in a survival situation. The human body can survive for three weeks or more without food. As a result, if one can build a shelter, secure a water source, and start a fire, the chances of rescue within three weeks are very high. That being said, it is a good idea to study trap and snare building for rodents and other small game to secure a source of protein. If you can locate game trails or “runs” from small mammals, snares can be quickly fashioned from the same paracord boot laces used for lashing. To get you started, there are multiple how-to videos online to help you master this skill. Setting multiple snares in the surrounding area and letting them soak while you are busy gathering firewood or building a locator beacon is the most efficient way to capture some game. Knowing how to identify wild edibles is another invaluable skill that can insure survival. For example, most people kill every dandelion on their property indiscriminately without knowing that all parts of this humble native plant are edible. In fact, many of the most “obnoxious” 20
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lawn weeds are edible including clover, plantain, burdock, purslane, ckickweed, white mustard, and amaranth. In a survival situation, boiling a handful of dandelion greens, a few burdock stalks, a fistful of clover, or an arm load of cattails may be the difference between life or death! So far we’ve covered the basics of wilderness survival including shelter building, water sourcing, fire making, and food gathering. However, based on the search and rescue statistics, three out of five of the most common survival situations are associated with boating and swimming. As a result, as responsible sportsmen it is critical that folks learn basic water survival skills and ALWAYS wear a PFD if you are going to be on the water. I learned this lesson the hard way on two separate occasions, and I am alive and writing this story today due to the grace of God and quick thinking of my best friend when I wasn’t wearing a PFD. Before venturing out on a day hike, wilderness canoe trip, or other adventure, it is best to remember the rule of three and prepare accordingly. You can survive for three minutes without air (oxygen) or in icy water. You can survive for three hours without shelter in a harsh environment. You can survive for three days without water (if sheltered from a harsh environment). You can survive for three weeks without food (if you have water and shelter). Do not assume you are going to make it home that day, and make sure you let somebody know where you are going and when you will be back. At a minimum, make sure you have a charged cell phone, backup charger, pocketknife, flashlight, and a basic survival kit even for the most routine outings. If you are an avid hiker or back country hunter, consider replacing your boot laces with paracord for peace of mind. With a little common sense and preparation all of us can avoid becoming a search and rescue statistic. We owe it to our friends and family to be responsible and make sure we come home at the end of the trip.
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AS A BLUEGILL fishing fanatic, I love the month of May through mid-June. It’s spawning time, and this time period is a fantastic time to target big bluegills and lots of them. No matter the lake, they are in the shallows on or near their spawning beds. They are actually so easy to catch, especially the big fish, that I encourage selective harvest during this time. This is a time that we can literally catch five-gallon buckets full of big bluegills. That’s the reason for the 25-fish limit on all public waters. When you are catching those nine+ inch bluegills, I encourage you to keep enough fish for a good meal, but let the rest go for another day. Here on the Iowa Great Lakes, my family and the friends that I fish with try to follow this. Our hope is that letting some of those big bluegills go will help the fishery. We do it for walleyes, largemouth and smallmouth bass and musky, so why not our big bluegills? Enough of my soap box plea; let’s get back to catching bluegills. However, we are going to shift from the spawning time and look at mid-summer, when it takes more time to find big bluegills.
SEARCH MODE
To me, this is a huge key for success. If I don’t know the lake very well, I will first check with a local baitshop or a panfisherman that I know and get as much information as I can about general areas for finding bluegills. If possible, study a lake map looking for deeper weedbeds. Often times, I will go on search mode with my Humminbird 998C using both down view and sideview just to see what these weeds look like. Now sometimes, these fish will be right in the weeds. Lakes with good water clarity will often have weeds that grow several feet in height. On a lake like West Okoboji in the Iowa Great Lakes, the weeds might be pushing 15-20 feet. So, I will look for pockets and openings where I can put my bait. Sometimes, if the bluegills aren’t biting in these areas, I will move along and look for bluegills suspended away from the deep end of the weeds. If I can find them, they are often some of the bigger fish. However, you might have to move to keep with them! When I fish an area, I don’t sit in one spot for very long. My electronics will let me know if the fish are there. If not, I will move along the area until I find aggressive fish. Each time I get into the bluegills, I mark the spot on my locator. Over the years, I have found that there are several spots that hold fish year after
year. As a result, I have a lot of waypoints that I can go to.
DRIFTING THE WEEDS
I stumbled on to this several years ago in the summer, when I was drifting and trolling over weedbeds for walleyes pulling a spinner and a nightcrawler or leech. Yes, I caught walleyes, but I also caught lots of bluegills, perch and crappies with this presentation. They would come right up out of the weeds and attack the bait. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of nightcrawlers to those same panfish. So, I began to focus on those panfish more. I would use the same strategy as I had trolling for walleyes. Only now it was for panfish. I would go to a smaller mini jig with a plastic tube skirt. Of course, after a while, anglers always get their favorite colors. My favorite tube colors include yellow, white, yellow/ white and red/white. However, there are dozens of colors from which to choose. There are also power baits that can be threaded onto these jigs. I will tip these jigs with a piece of nightcrawler, a tiny leech, silver wigglers or wax worms. The key to this presentation is to cast the jig away from the boat and then drift or troll slowly over the weeds, making the jig hop just right over the top of the weeds. Keeping the rod tip up as you hop the jig helps you control the depth of the jig. I have used a splitshot at the head of the jig, if the wind is causing me to drift too fast. What is really crazy is that this presentation still catches walleyes, largemouth bass and northern pike using this presentation. And let me tell you, those panfish whack the bait when they go after it. TheIowaSportsman.com
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IN SEARCH OF MID-SUMMER ‘GILLS
USING THE ANCHOR
This is a presentation that I use a lot. However, years ago, I gave up using an anchor. An anchor loaded with weeds is a tough pull up out of the water. Even with an electric anchor there were times that I had to help pull the anchor up. It’s definitely a backbreaking job. So, I now use a Minnkota Terrova I-Pilot as my trolling motor and also as my anchor. Now, it does shift a little bit and won’t hold me in one exact spot, but deploying and raising the Terrova is a much easier task, and I can deal with a little slipping. I consider it an anchor system. I have found this to be true. The difference between no fish, small fish and big fish can be only a few feet when you’re fishing these weeds. It’s really easy for me to bump the boat along, using my locator as a guide.
LURES AND BAITS FOR ANCHORING
Some anglers will use a slip bobber rig with either a plain hook or a tiny jig (1/64 to 1/80-ounce) tipped with a Belgian worm (red worm, leaf worm), a small to medium leech, a wax worm or silver wiggler – in that order. For this presentation, set the bobber to match the weed depth, trying to be about two feet either above the weeds or off the bottom when fishing the deep weed edges. Some of the largest bluegills I have caught over the years has come on one of those smaller, wiggling leeches. The leech seems to trigger the bigger gills and helps keep the little ones away. Plus, bonus fish (smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and walleyes) love leeches, too. The slip bobber allows us to fish a lot of area because you can anchor on the
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wind side of the weedbed and then cast with the wind. We can also cast on all sides of the boat. Many times using the fancast method, we will find one spot that seems to hold bigger bluegills. It’s then pretty simple to hone in on that spot where the bigger fish are located. A slip bobber bouncing in the waves often will trigger a fish. The other option is straightlining right over the side. This is my favorite method, because I love to feel the bite. Nothing can beat that strike. One tiny jig I have found works well is Clam’s tungsten Dingle Drop jig. The tungsten helps it get down to the bottom quicker, and you can also feel it better. I have found a Shuck’s Jigger Minnow works really well. Everybody has a favorite color, but I really like the green/ gold color on West Okoboji. It’s really pretty simple. Just fish this right over the side of the boat without a bobber. It gets down quickly and also offers a lot of flash and glitter. Just a subtle jiggle, jiggle works great.
BEST WEATHER CONDITIONS
First off, we go fishing when we can go fishing. Being retired, I can pick and choose my times, but most people can’t. So, you go when you can go. However, I’ve found that the best bite usually occurs in calm waters, and sunny days are better than overcast days. Of course, in Iowa, it seems there is wind most of the time, so it works best if you can fish the calmer side of the lake. Fishing for and catching these feisty panfish is great fun. Plus it is definitely a great way to get a youngster hooked on fishing!
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August 2018
THE SUMMER LULL is happening and if you are an avid whitetail hunter, I am sure you’re feeling the “cabin fever” like I am. So many of the fall and winter months are spent chasing these graceful creatures in the timber during Iowa’s variety of seasons. When the months are gone, right away we are already looking forward to the next season. By the time the summer months come, we are literally counting the weeks until the first season opens and we can again enter into the timber with the intentions of “playing the game” and hopefully coming out successful in the chase. Taking a good inventory of the deer on the property that you hunt can play a HUGE part of your success. Whether you are the type of hunter who will pinpoint a certain deer to chase and follow through with determination through the entire season, or maybe you are just looking for some meat to put in the freezer and you need to be in a place
If you are looking to increase your chances in either case, use these suggestions to use some of your summer time wisely. It will also get you off the couch and into the timber!
SCOUTING
This word “scouting” has become a heavily used term in the past 20 years
STEP ONE OF TAKING AN INVENTORY IS SPENDING SOME TIME AT A DISTANCE. IF YOU’VE HUNTED A PLACE FOR A WHILE, YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE DEER. IF YOU ARE NEW TO AN AREA, MAKE YOUR BEST GUESS AS TO WHERE TO BEGIN. that will give you the greatest percentage of success, taking a good look at what’s out there should be an important part of your summer months. August 2018
as modern technology has invaded the hunting industry. I have seen many men and women follow the changes and advancements with eagerness. Using the TheIowaSportsman.com
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TAKING YOUR INVENTORY “new things” out on the market to better their hunting luck. Yet, there are those “traditionalists” who still like doing things “the old way” and cling to a way of hunting that has been used for many years. Regardless, scouting is a very important part to hunting. A good scouting trip should happen in the days, weeks, or months before your hunt. Some people can put a lot of time into this and some have very little. Regardless, getting out to your hunting area in a discrete manner to see what’s around is a great idea. You will learn what deer are living in certain areas. You will learn their travel patterns. Where they are entering and exiting food sources. You will learn the time schedule that they are living by. You will learn their favorite food sources. You will learn the population of deer in an area and so much more. Scouting is an inventory of information that, if used properly, will put meat in your freezer. I would suggest blocking out some hours in your evening to head out to the area you hunt and pick a spot that could be used to see what’s going on. Be sure not to “invade” the area. You don’t want
deer to be spooked or scared off by your presence. Remember, you don’t have to get near them to scout. This is best done from hundreds of yards away. Just be somewhere that you can see what’s going on and you will be set. I would suggest maybe even keeping a journal of dates and times of what you are seeing. If you do that over a good period of time, you will begin to see certain trends in what you are observing. Those trends, if used wisely, will help you put together a plan to intercept your harvest when the time comes. Be it for a trophy or for meat, scouting is valuable on many levels!
GLASSING
Step one of taking an inventory is spending some time at a distance. If you’ve hunted a place for a while, you probably know where to find the deer. If you are new to an area, make your best guess as to where to begin. A good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope will give you the advantage you need to gain the notes needed for a successful season. From a distance, begin to watch for and make note of things like favorite food sources, how they are entering and exiting food sources, how often are you seeing the same deer, how many deer are you seeing, time of day they are moving, and more. Glassing from a far is a great way to begin to take your inventory of what deer are there for you to chase. Be consistent and diligent and remember to keep your distance.
TRAIL CAMERAS
Motion sensor trail cameras have been a helpful hunter’s tool for a good number of years now. And the technology is only getting better. Their prices can vary from as little at $35 on up to hundreds. Regardless of their cost, these little contraptions will be a HUGE tool for you to use in gaining and understand your hunting and herd. Nowadays, trail cams will practically do all the scouting for you. You just have to process the data that it collects in order to formulate your plans. They have the ability to operate for long periods of time, collect large amounts of pictures or video (depending on your card size), and can even send you this collection of pictures and video footage via email or text system. They can literally eliminate 99% of the human activity that it would take to scout an * Continued on page 30
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TAKING YOUR INVENTORY area. That is, if they are used properly. Placing your camera is a key factor in success. If you want it to gain the information you are hoping it will, you have to do your part by placing your camera in the right place, giving it the opportunity for success. Think about where it’s placed (trails, bedding areas, food sources), the height that it is on the tree, the angle you have it aiming, the mode it’s on (picture or video), and how often you check it and or move it. All of these “thoughts” will lead you to getting what you want. However, you can’t expect to just pick any tree, strap a camera to it, and go. You’ll be sorely disappointed with what little you gain and will lose valuable time in your weeks of scouting. Another tactic to consider would be “tracking” a deer with a camera. If you are gaining enough information on a particular deer and it’s pattern, begin to move the camera. If he’s coming out on the same trail night after night, move the camera further into the timber down the same trail. See if you can really pinpoint where he’s coming from. That will work to your advantage later in the summer when you begin to set your stands in
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strategic locations.
HIKING
This, I will warn against from the very beginning. It’s not something that I would suggest unless you absolutely need to do it. That is, getting into the
woods and “finding” the deer in the timber. You have to know that you could risk the chance of bumping a deer from it’s territory. Once is probably not going to do too much “damage” to his normal daily patterns. However, if you are returning over and over again, a deer will not hesitate to change their home range and go somewhere he or she might feel safer in. The only times I would suggest this is in the cases that you are stuck with the big “question mark” in your scouting and you just need to get in deeper to see what’s actually going on. Questions like, “I’m seeing them come from all directions, but where are they truly traveling from?” Or something like, “These deer seem to be transitioning from point A to point B, but I’m not sure why?” Things like that would demand a little “on the ground” investigation in order to get some answers. If you determine this is the best way to answer your questions when taking your inventory, make sure that you keep it short! In and out. Solve your question and exit the area. Be cautious to not touch too much, leave your scent in any way, or stop to take a bathroom break. These might all be signs to the local herd that something is up and they might need to leave. Be sneaky and quick. Get what you need and get out! So, get off the couch and get outside! Do what you can to increase your chances of success in making a harvest that you can be very proud of. Good luck!
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IN THE SPRING OF 2016, we featured a very similar article discussing how the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and researchers from Iowa State University were working on improving the walleye and muskie fishing in Iowa. “We observed a significant loss in Muskellunge abundance in Big Creek Lake from 2007 to 2010. This loss seemed to coincide with flood events during their spawning period over several years,” said IDNR Fisheries Biologist Ben Dodd. “In addition, we were researching harvests in 2010/2011 at Big Creek, by tagging fish and releasing them back into the lake; of those two tagged fish that were caught downstream. One was caught below the Saylorville dam in the tailrace and the August 2018
other was caught up at the big dam at Fort Dodge.” At that point, the IDNR fisheries biologists began researching fish barriers and finally settled on a physical barrier that consists of horizontal bars. The barrier was installed in 2012 with assistance from Central Iowa Anglers, Recycled Fish, the IDNR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Michael Weber (Iowa State University) and the Iowa DNR Fisheries Bureau applied for and received funding
through the Planning Assistance to States & Tribes program from the Corps. The IDNR is collaborating with Dr. Weber’s lab and the Corps to evaluate the effectiveness of the Big Creek spillway fish barrier at reducing walleye and muskellunge escapement. “We are tagging walleye and muskie and releasing them back into the lake”, said Dodd. These PIT (passive integrated transponder) tags as they are referred to by the Iowa DNR (similar to microchips that veterinarians provide pets) are implanted into the released fish. “The purpose of the tags is to individually mark the fish and to see if they escape through the fish barrier”, he added. “Before we tag them however we are gathering information on each fish such as length, weight, and gender. All that TheIowaSportsman.com
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IMPROVING WALLEYE AND MUSKIE FISHING IN IOWA
information is then recorded to coincide with the tag number being implanted.” The DNR installed automated PIT tag readers at the Big Creek Lake and Brushy Creek Lake spillway in late winter/early spring in 2016. Brushy Creek Lake is being used as a control lake during this project because it is similar in size and walleye and muskellunge escapement has been documented there and it has no barrier. “The tags monitor each individual fish and will let the IDNR know when a fish has gone over the spillway”, he continued. “These readers are set up behind or downstream of the barrier, if a fish goes through the barrier it gets detected, its fish tag number is recorded.” This study
tags and the other is seasonal movement and habitat use of walleye and muskie using radio telemetry”. This is the third spring that the fisheries management team has been doing their tagging with the 2018 sampling and tagging being the second full spring. Managers have implanted 32 mm HDX PIT tags into 4000 walleye and 640 muskellunge at Big Creek and nearly the same number of tags into Brushy Creek fish. Preliminary results indicate that the barrier is effective at reducing fish loss at Big Creek Lake. Since mid-April 2016, 170 tagged walleye and 25 tagged muskellunge have been lost from Brushy Creek, where only 13 tagged walleye and 5 tagged muskellunge have been lost from Big Creek.
design will provide a means for comparison between a lake that has a barrier (Big Creek) and a lake that does not (Brushy Creek).
“A total of 85 walleye and 45 muskellunge are currently being tracked with radio telemetry between the two lakes”, said Iowa State University Research Assistant Robert Weber. Radio-tagged walleye and muskellunge in Big Creek have been found to move least during the summer, with most movement occurring during the spring and fall for both species. Both walleye and muskellunge were found to have larger seasonal home ranges in Big Creek than in Brushy Creek. At Brushy Creek, muskellunge and walleye home range sizes were comparable
RADIO TELEMETRY
Radio-telemetry is also being utilized to monitor habitat use, movement and to determine what factors influence escapement of walleye and muskellunge.
2018 UPDATE
“In general, the study is going pretty well”, said Dodd. “We’ve got a two-part study going, one is escapement with PIT 34
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“The overall objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the barrier at Big Creek versus Brushy Creek that does not have one”, adds Weber. “The telemetry study will help us determine what habitat the fish are using seasonally and how much they move during those seasonal changes.” The telemetry study will also help relate water temperatures and flows to fish escapement which will help with a better understanding of when these fish are prone to escapement. “It also helps us determine if it’s the juvenile fish or the adults are more likely to go over the spillway and in general will help us be better prepared to manage the system and keep them in the fishery.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
across seasons, and the minimal movement of these fishes may be due to the abundance of coarse woody habitat and aquatic vegetation within the system. “In 2017, 35% of radio-tagged walleye in Big Creek and 20% of radio-tagged walleye in Brushy Creek were harvested by anglers and returned, with most of the harvest occurring from April to June,” added Weber. “No radio tagged fishes have been lost over the spillway at Big Creek. However, 8% of radio-tagged muskellunge and 15% of radio-tagged walleye escaped from Brushy in 2017. An additional 14% of radio-tagged walleye have escaped from Brushy Creek so far in 2018.”
LOOKING AHEAD
“We’re right in the middle of the fiveyear study”, continued Dodd. “We’ll be sampling in the spring of 2019 and then again in the spring of 2020, where we’ll be done with the tagging and follow the fish for the remainder of that year.” The goal is to determine what’s causing these fish to go over the spillway, is it flow, the spawning period, or a combination of these two factors? “We’re looking at several environmental variables to determine what leads to escapement of both walleye and muskie”. The Iowa DNR will also be looking at different barrier designs in a lab environment at the Rathbun hatchery to test various spacing of the horizontal bars and other barrier designs with the ultimate goal of choosing a design that is both cost-effective and efficient in preventing escapement from Iowa’s impoundments. August 2018
You can be a part of the research team by doing your part, returning electronic tags that you find in harvested fish. “We would like to encourage the public to help by returning these tags to the IDNR when they find them”, continued the biologist. “We have signs posted at the boat ramps at both lakes that inform the anglers on the project and what to do with those fish when they are harvested.” There are drop boxes, surveys, and envelopes at the fish cleaning stations and park offices at both lakes. He added that by providing those tags and surveys it lets the IDNR fisheries management team know which individual fish is no longer in the system. “It also gets us the tag back in hand, which overall will help with project expenses”, adds Dodd.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Mid-Iowa Chapter of Muskies Inc. joined the research project by volunteering and providing 1,200 PIT tags for tagging muskellunge. “We would like to thank all of our partners and volunteers for their help on this project”, acknowledged Dodd. “It’s been a pleasure working with folks who are so passionate about Iowa’s resources. There’s nothing quite like seeing a trophy walleye or musky come out of some of Iowa’s local fisheries. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is working hard for you, the angler, to improve these fisheries for not only you but for future generations to enjoy. Take someone fishing, young and old alike, and share your love of the sport. Remember that we are all responsible for the stewardship of not only our local fisheries but lakes, rivers, and streams across the country where we might fish. All of these resources are for you to use…pass them along in better shape than you found them. Do something today…give them tomorrow. Tight lines all!
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FISHING RIVERS IS A different kind of fishing. Some anglers don’t like it yet others love and prefer it. Many river anglers are hard core, hence the term “river rats”. With that distinction questions must be asked, what makes rivers so special and how does one become a good river angler?
THE LURE OF THE RIVER
There is just something about rivers that make them special. Many of them once on them feel like a step back in time. In the case of my home river, the Red River of the North it is the wild feel as most of it has not been altered by humans. You can simply sit back and imagine what 36
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that river has seen over the past couple hundred years. Another big lure for river anglers is that rivers are so full of fish and many times you simply do not know what is on the end of your line. Rivers also tend to have BIG fish and who doesn’t love to catch big fish. The options for fishing rivers are many and the skills required vary
depending on how involved you want to get. You can sit on the bank with a fire and good friends, be in a kayak floating down and fishing as you go or even in a boat actively targeting whatever it is you want to target. Whichever camp you are in rivers are simply wonderful places to fish and enjoy.
KEYS TO BEING A GOOD RIVER ANGLER
Over the years of river fishing it has come to me that there are some things that very successful river anglers understand and do that make them much better To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
anglers in different situations and for targeting different fish. • Respect the River- This sounds very simple but it is very good advice. The key to anything with a river for your safety is respect the river. This always comes up when rivers are out of their banks but rivers have moving water and must be respected at all times. This does not mean be scared of the river, it just means keep it in the back of your head that there is current and with current there can be debris or sometimes dangers. • Understand Current (reading the river)- This is an area that many people August 2018
simply do not understand as anglers. Almost every movement fish make in river is based on current. Understanding and being able to read currents can be a huge key to success or lack thereof. In terms of catfish if there is a heavier current the fish will follow the current tunnels. This makes them easy to find and numbers will be much easier to attain because the fish are predictable. When current is very lacking, that predictability goes away because the fish will spread out because they don’t need near as much cover. One tip here is when there is very little current, if you find a faster visible
current you can usually find catfish. • Understand Your Species of FishKnowing the habits of the species of fish you desire to catch is a key to success. You should understand their seasonal patterns and where they tend to hang out during certain conditions. For example, catfish tend to move upstream during the pre-spawn before moving back downstream and spreading out to go on the nest. After the spawn the catfish will take up residence in sections of river with all structural and current situations required for feeding and resting. In early fall another upstream migration TheIowaSportsman.com
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4 KEYS TO BEING A GOOD RIVER ANGLER
can begin if current conditions are right. Of course, walleyes, bass and other fish you may target work in a very similar fashion depending on what that fish desires at certain times of the season. • Pay Attention to SurroundingsAll good river anglers know to watch the surroundings. This means two things. Pay attention to what the trees and other growth on the bank is doing. There are changes in plants and surroundings that can point to a pattern of fish. What this tells us is changes in season in one place can also determine changes of season in another. A perfect example of this is in the spring when the lilacs are blooming the river temperature is in the low to mid 60s which is prime time for the pre spawn bite. Another one is if your river has cottonwood trees when the cotton is falling the catfish are generally on the nest spawning. These two seasons fish totally different and what these trees are doing can be an indicator of what pattern to fish. The second thing in surroundings to look at is what the water looks like when you catch fish. Is the current running a certain way? Is there a snag or some
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other structure holding those fish? By paying attention to this you can look for like conditions and replicate the pattern more quickly when you make a move. This is basic patterning but in rivers one little thing can make the difference in replicating the pattern or missing the boat. • Match Your Bait- Bait is a long discussed topic. Match the hatch we always hear. This is a key more in rivers than lakes because certain baits move and migrate just like any other fish and become the key for your targeted fish. It is a big deal to hit the right bait for the right time of year and put it in the right spot. If you learn these four keys you will be a better catfish angler. If you learn how to adjust to the conditions and time of year on the fly you will be more successful more of the time. Rivers are amazing fisheries that can be intimidating when you first try to fish them but once you get a feel for it they are so much more rewarding. Don’t forget to take in everything else that rivers have to offer. Watch the wildlife along the banks, pay attention to the peacefulness of the flowing water or enjoy a great sunset. Don’t forget to enjoy those around you too.
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TROPHY ROOM
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS!
TROPHYROOM EVELYN FRITZ
BRET HEILESON
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YOU’RE SCRAMBLING TO find new land and realize that no matter where you end up, you will essentially be going in blind. There’s no time to run pre-season trail cameras and no time to do any type of thorough pre-season scouting. You’re going to be hard pressed to get stands hung, and probably won’t hang as many as you’re used to having access to. Selecting good deep timber stand locations can be tough, as they are difficult to initially identify by reviewing aerial photographs. Unless you can pick out deep timber ‘Deer Highways’ from the aerial shots, properly selecting these usually requires physical scouting on your part. Aerial picture review can provide you with some good starting points for seeking out good deep timber stand locations as well. Recent high quality aerial shots, taken in the winter months, (preferably without leaves on the trees and ground vegetation), are preferred. Print out your maps and mark on them each of the spots that peak your interest. Initially you want to look for well used trails. If you can spot them from an unzoomed aerial shot with the naked eye, there’s a good chance that they are well and frequently used. From there, you want to look for thick patches, clearings and any possible water and food sources. (Note: If you can get your hands on a
August 2018
topography map of the area, this will come in handy as well. I’ll discuss how to use it later on.) Now that you’ve actually got boots on the ground, it’s time to check out the spots that you’ve marked on your maps. Trails – Sometimes trails are well used, but not necessarily by deer. Some small game trails can get a healthy
vegetation, acorn shells, etc.), rubs and scrapes. New deer sign is great for verifying recent activity in the area. Rubs and scrapes may get your blood pumping more than tracks and scat, but try to keep in mind that many of them are often created and refreshed at ZeroDark-Thirty. So, any new deer sign is a good indication of recent activity. Old deer sign usually consists of rub lines from previous years. Weathering is usually a characteristic of these old rub lines. Often, good rub lines are used year after year, so old rub lines can show both weathering and signs of new wear. Trails that have both new and old deer sign are fantastic locations to target
INNER TIMBER FOOD AND WATER SOURCES DON’T ALWAYS EXIST IN A CLEARING. FRESH WATER SPRINGS AND CREEKS CAN BE WELL HIDDEN BY THICK COVER AND THICK BLANKETS OF ACORNS CAN BE AS WELL. amount of traffic, and an escape bovine or two can trample a trail quicker than a whole herd of deer can. So, in short, verify that the trails that you initially identified are actually deer trails. Once confirmed, look for both new and old deer sign. New deer sign can consist of fresh tracks, scat, hair, beds, browse (e.g. nibbled off or thrashed
when setting your stands. These trails indicate that they consistently receive a high amount of deer traffic year after year. High trafficked trails usually lead to and from bedding areas, food and water. Catching deer on the move between these locations without spooking them on their beds, or while they’re eating or drinking, is a highly strategic ambush point.
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GEOGRAPHICAL WHITETAIL HIDEOUTS AND TRAVEL CORRIDORS (PART 2) Thick Patches – An aerial picture taken on June 1st can make a single maple tree look like the thickest patch in an area, all by itself. This is part of the reason why I say to try and work with winter time pics. Thick patches consist of thick ground cover, such as multiflora rose and honeysuckle, or clusters of small to medium sized coniferous trees such as spruce and pines, etc. These thick patches provide protection and bedding areas for deer. You may not want to set up stands very close to them, because it’s easy to get busted and spook deer setting up too close to bedding areas, but they are good to locate. Once located, inspect for deer beds, fresh scat, hair, along with tracks and trails leading into and out of. Sometimes deer avoid segments of thick cover for whatever reason, so identifying ones that aren’t used is just as important as identifying ones that are. If you find a hot bedding area, back off and look along the feeding trails for areas to set up your stands. Terrain, dominant prevailing wind, cover, tree quality, and plan of approach will help you determine just how far away you should set up. Rule of thumb: If you think you’re setting up too close to a bedding area, you probably are. Even if you decide not to set up in relation to a bedding area, since you’ve identified it, try to give it a wide berth on all sides when walking to and setting up other stands as well. Clearings – Obviously farm fields, large ponds, and creek bottoms are clearings but they’re not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about small openings deep within timbers; areas that sunlight actually reaches the ground, where it’s usually blocked elsewhere by tree canopy. Small centralized water or food sources can often be found here, such as a fresh water spring or ground foliage that doesn’t receive enough sun amongst the trees. Similar to inspecting thick patches, look for new deer sign leading to and from these clearings. If sign is present, this could be a good location for placing a stand or two. Unlike bedding areas, you can setup directly over these clearings, unless you happen to catch them on their feet. Just make sure you make it into your stand well before first light, or before they start moving in the afternoon. Inner timber food and water sources don’t always exist in a clearing. Fresh water springs and creeks can be well hidden by thick cover and thick blankets of acorns can be as well. If you come 48
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across any of these while scouting, they are worthy areas of taking into consideration for stand placement, if new deer sign is present. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on a topography map of your hunting area, the following is a good area to target for a deep timber stand location as well. The top edge or ridge line of a local high point can act as a natural funnel, (e.g. ravine lip, ridge backbone, or plateau shoulder). Sound from these points tends to reverberate more than normal, so rattling and calling will travel further, and because you’re on a high point, even a bad wind direction will carry your scent well over the top of any deer lower than the ridge line, making you undetectable. Now that you have located some areas that you would like to set your stands, it’s time to select your trees that you actually want to place your stands in. When choosing a tree, try to take all of the following into consideration for setting a stand: • Downwind or perpendicular to the deer’s expected travel route, based on predominant wind directions. • Offers non-detectible route to enter and exit without spooking deer. • At least 15 to 20 yards off of the deer’s expected travel route and best new deer sign. • Within a cluster of trees, not a solitary tree. If not possible, try and set up with at least one tree between you and the expected shooting spot. Or, large forks in the center of the tree can provide the same blind-spot qualities as several trees in a row. • Mature tree with octopus-like limbs and an umbrella-like canopy. • Large and branchy enough to conceal your silhouette. • 20 to 30 feet up. • Has relatively open view of the surrounding terrain and shooting lanes for taking high-odds shots. • Try not to over trim. Putting these recommendations into practice should save you some time in locating deer and provide you with a higher percentage of shot opportunities, than just blindly throwing up stands on new hunting properties that you’ve gained access to. Best of luck!
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THIS MONTH, I am responding to a question concerning dealing with neighbors LESSONS LEARNED and trying to set up a management program in the neighborhood. Brady from Davis county asks, “For several years now, I have been trying to get my neighbors to agree on a management strategy of shooting less smaller bucks. Many neighbors agree to pass up the little guys but some neighbors won’t. The problem is, the neighbors that are willing say they won’t participate until everyone does. I have only 90 acres myself. Do you have any ideas on how to make this work?” 50
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Many years ago, I had the exact same scenario as Brady does. My dad owned 120 acres in an area with high hunting pressure and very little interest in any other management concept other than maximum buck harvests. Successful seasons were measured solely on the number of buck tags filled. I was only a teenager at the time but wanted something more from my hunting. I was To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
not a trophy hunter by any means but at the same time I wanted a deer herd with older deer in it. As a very young hunter, I started the process of trying to convince my dad first and foremost of the concept…he was on board. Then, I literally went out door to door and started talking to my neighbors. My dad went along to some of them but not all. In most cases, they were willing to at least talk about the concept, but very few would actually buy in or commit. Once I had talked to most of the surrounding neighbors, I scheduled a local meeting and had members of the local QDMA come and talk. I sent out personal invites to all my neighbors and held the meeting at the Town Hall. The
IN MANY CASES, HUNTERS SHOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER SKIPPING THE GUN SEASONS ALL TOGETHER IF THEY ARE TRYING TO GIVE YOUNG BUCKS A CHANCE TO MAKE IT. QDMA leaders thought that a meeting in a structured setting with many of the neighbors present would help to get everyone on the same page. Turnout was ok, and there was some good discussion, but again, most neighbors walked away shaking their heads. Some neighbors “signed up” for the concept but most sat back to see what everyone else would do. To make a very long story short, the endeavor failed. Under the old concept of filling tags was everything, some hunting groups used the idea to fill more August 2018
tags on young bucks that neighbors were passing…which led to animosity between landowners. Some groups that said they would participate didn’t…adding proof to those who said it would never work that indeed it wouldn’t. There were the strong stubborn groups, like ours, that kept it up but it eventually faded until nobody talked about QDM or letting small bucks go. That was over 30 years ago. I bring all this up because I think had I known what I know today about whitetail management, I would have gone about the thing a whole different way…which leads me to Brady’s question.
START SMALL
30 years ago, I was convinced any sort of whitetail management had to consist of hundreds or even thousands of acres. This is why I set out to convince dozens of landowners and all their hunters that we needed to agree on a management method. Well, trying to get dozens of landowners to agree on anything is never going to be easy. Today, if I had to do it all over again, I would have concentrated on a few like minded groups and worked from there. 90 acres doesn’t sound like much at all, but with good habitat and hunting practices, Brady should be able to have some success just on his 90 acres. By creating the best habitat, providing some food, and putting as little pressure on the local deer as possible, he can actually have some decent success even on his parcel alone. From there, I would work with one more landowner/hunter you can count on. By finding at least one more farm that will practice some form of TheIowaSportsman.com
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WHITETAILS 365 quality management, you will be starting to expand your efforts and likely the quality of animals around you will start to get better. Unlike 30 years ago, most hunters today have been at least exposed to the idea of managing for a more quality deer herd. So, the likelihood of at least one other landowner around you having the same thoughts as you are probably pretty high. Many of the hunters that will go along…but not unless everyone does simply don’t want to be taken advantage of. Or, they are simply using this all or nothing approach as a way of saying no (I’ll do it only if my neighbor does while knowing that the neighbor won’t). Either way, you should respect any landowner/hunters opinion and move on. Work with like minded landowners and do the best you can. In today’s world of whitetail hunting, quality management can become addictive. Sometimes no prodding at all is the best approach to neighbors that don’t want in!
BE THE GOOD NEIGHBOR
Nothing, NOTHING will get a neighbor more upset faster than telling them what they can or can’t do with their land…including how they should hunt. If a neighbor is not receptive to a discussion of quality management, then let it go. Continue to be a good neighbor and don’t let hunting ruin things in your neighborhood. Don’t be the guy that cuts down what they shoot or talks behind their back about how they hunt. By being the good neighbor, you are far more likely over time to have them
come your way in terms of letting small bucks walk than by trying to mandate to them how they should hunt. If they shoot a small buck and it runs on your land… instead of grumbling about it help them track it and drag it out. Being friends to your neighbors is a far better strategy of winning them over than being the jerk that they resent. In my hunting life since that experience 30 years ago, I find this is
90 ACRES DOESN’T SOUND LIKE MUCH AT ALL, BUT WITH GOOD HABITAT AND HUNTING PRACTICES, BRADY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME SUCCESS JUST ON HIS 90 ACRES. a much better strategy than trying to talk them into something. Share your hunting pictures with them and congratulate them on deer they shoot even if it was one you would pass. Sooner or later, if you are friendly neighbors, they will come around…right? Stick to your goals and objectives, hunt the way you want to hunt, but don’t dictate to them. Another great way to become a good neighbor and hopefully foster a like minded approach to deer management is by helping them out with their land. This sounds counterintuitive but keep your eye on the long term. By this I mean if you have the means and capability to put in food plots, offer to put one in for them. Help them hang a stand
* Continued on page 54
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WHITETAILS 365 or two. While you work together the conversation will undoubtedly turn to hunting when you can talk about what you want to accomplish on your farm. Sound goofy? This stuff works! If they begin to show interest in managing the herd…even if it only first starts with a food plot…over time they will begin to enjoy the hunt more than just the kill and the pressure to pull the trigger on all those small bucks will decrease. Take a positive accommodating approach to your neighbors; especially the ones that you want to win over. I had a neighbor once that owned a bunch of land around a hunting group I was in. He refused to hunt mornings or ever walk into the timber for fear he would bump one of “his” bucks onto a neighboring property. His obsession with trying to control the local deer herd or “his deer” was ruining his hunt. He refused to assist neighboring hunters retrieve deer…even making it purposely more difficult as a neighbor. Not only did his obsession hurt relationships in the area, it actually backfired as many neighbors would purposely practice poor management practices just to spite him. Don’t be that guy.
CHANGING THE WAY YOU HUNT
By changing the way you hunt it can go a long way toward helping a management effort in your area. In some areas, driving or pushing deer is a popular gun hunting method that has been practiced as long as I can remember. If you are trying to get more mature deer by protecting younger ones driving deer can be one of the worst ways of helping your efforts along. Along with that, putting pressure on the deer that call your farm home during the gun season can get them to hop the fence to a less choosy neighbor. By eliminating any pressure
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on the deer herd during and around the gun seasons a hunter/landowner with very little acreage can actually protect a surprising number of young bucks. The absolute key here is no pressure at all and making sure there is security cover and food available. In many cases, hunters should at least consider skipping the gun seasons all together if they are trying to give young bucks a chance to make it. I never encourage less participation in the hunting seasons but this could be one exception. Maybe an alternative to this would be to hunt but not enter the
timber at all. Maybe only hunt evenings when you can get to your spots without bumping any deer. The point is, put little to no pressure on your farm and more of those young bucks will stay. Don’t however, take this so far that the enjoyment you get from hunting goes down or you prevent others in your hunting party from enjoying their own hunting. Make sure to send in any questions or ideas for an article you would like written for the Whitetails 365 column to tapeppy@gmail.com. Thank you.
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R & R Sports 3250 Fields Drive Bettendorf, IA 52722 563-243-4696 www.randrsportsinc.com Fin & Feather 125 Hwy 1 W Iowa City, IA 52246 319-354-2200 www.finfeather.com Palo Outdoors 1204 1st Street Palo, IA 52324 319-851-5290 www.palo-outdoors.com 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 August 2018
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THE ROOSTED GOBBLER startled Josh Herman; it was the first gobble of the morning, and Josh had never heard such a sound. He came to full alert as his guide and friend made the first call of the morning. Josh was experiencing his first turkey hunt while bound to his wheelchair and rigged with a specially made shooting mechanism that allowed him to pull the trigger if and when the gobbler came into range. “As the morning progressed, I reflected on my journey. Just two years before, I was hospitalized with a brain tumor. After the operation, I needed a wheelchair to move around. Never, ever did I expect I would have the opportunity to go back into the woods and hunt while dependent on my wheelchair,” says Herman, the 26-year-old Iowa City native. “Before my surgery, I loved to shoot and be outdoors,” Herman states. “The surgery left me with some challenges. When I met the representatives of Serving Youth Challenges (SYC), I found a group of men who helped me by providing the mechanism and the opportunity for me to go on my first turkey hunt. I saw and heard lots of birds and even got a shot but missed; I have gone on two hunts with SYC, and I hope to do it again!” SYC is not alone. All over Iowa and throughout the United States, organizations have emerged to meet the special needs of soldiers, firefighters, children, and youth with special challenges in their life; whether from an accident, combat, illness or birth. Sportsmen are generous; both with their time and their money. Present a story August 2018
and a giving opportunity to a sportsman and the checkbook is pulled out. Give a sportsman an invitation to assist and teach someone younger, and he will line up to be a guide and helper. Phil Driver, a co-founder and board member of SYC in Iowa states, “I have hunted all my life, but I would rather give up hunting than stop serving with SYC;
and enjoy shooting sports in God’s great outdoors. SYC provides training and other necessary aides to help the hunters achieve this goal at no cost to them. There are three events held each year; a turkey hunt in the spring, a fundraiser in August, and a deer hunt in September. According to Dennis Somers, a co-founding board member of SYC, “Our mission is to empower physically challenged youth to enjoy hunting and the shooting sports by helping them overcome barriers found in the outdoors. We overcome the barriers through the use of special methods, equipment, and assistance from volunteers who desire to share their passion for shooting and
HOPE FOR HEROES (HFH) IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT COMBINES A DEEP LOVE AND PASSION FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WITH EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALING FOR MILITARY, FIRE, POLICE, AND EMS PERSONNEL, WHO’VE EXPERIENCED LIFE-ALTERING DISABILITIES WHILE IN THE LINE OF DUTY. I receive so much joy from seeing young people with challenges in their lives being able to hunt. We are constantly looking to serve more and more youth; please contact us if you know of someone who we can serve.” Special Youth Challenge (SYC) of Iowa is a nonprofit Christian based ministry designed to teach and assist youth with special challenges to participate in
hunting. SYC hunters have a physical challenge, special need or have (had) a life-threatening disease or injury.” Somers continues, “We have purchased land in northwest Iowa, developed facilities, and have relationships with landowners that allows us to bring in 25 to 30 young people each spring and fall for an outdoors experience. In addition to our young people, we also host four TheIowaSportsman.com
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PROVIDING HOPE THROUGH THE OUTDOORS wounded veterans on deer and turkey hunts each year. We rely on volunteers to assist, and we rely on the generosity of others to provide the funds that enable us to accomplish our mission.” To find additional information go to www. syciowa.org or call 866-SYC-IOWA. When a child is born, all parents want to be able to declare “perfect baby.” Each child is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” by the Creator. Whenever a child is born with physical or mental challenges, parenting gets tougher. Have a child with autism, and the young parents are worn to a frazzle keeping the child safe and directed. Retrieving Freedoms, located in Waverly Iowa, is a non-profit organization dedicated to training service dogs to help people. Their three primary focuses are training dogs to serve the needs of veterans, children with autism and individuals living with diabetes. They breed and train chosen dogs that exhibit specific traits necessary to perform tasks to help these individuals, and they believe in matching the dog to the recipient. According to Jolene Philo, an expert on children with special needs and author of A Different Dream for My Child and other books, “Families need others to assist their loved ones
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Josh Herman sitting in the turkey blind with the specially made shooting mechanism that allows him to pull the trigger.
with special challenges with experiences that make life richer and fuller. Special needs and disabilities often lead to isolation for the affected person and the caregiver. Organizations like Retrieving Freedoms break through that barrier by providing opportunities to create both experiences for those with disabilities and relationships with the volunteers who assist them.” Retrieving Freedoms states, “Our
training program isn’t designed to train each dog to follow a certain program. Instead, dogs are trained to meet the needs of their specific recipient. The dogs go through more than two years of training to meet our strict standards for a successful placement.” For information about how you can be involved with Retrieving Freedoms go to www.retrievingfreedom. org Our freedoms as Americans are the result of those who have served our country in the past and continue to serve today. In America, our constitution states we have the freedom and the right to bear arms. Without those who serve faithfully in our armed forces, we could have followed the European model of tight gun control and non-existent opportunities for the common man to own a gun or to hunt. War, emergencies, and confrontation with unlawful people have left our men and women in uniform with physical challenges of their own. Wounded Warriors, a national organization, with an Iowa chapter provides opportunities for men and women to continue experiencing the outdoors by providing equipment and opportunities to hunt and fish. A fall deer hunt takes place in the Iowa Ammunition Plant in Middletown, Iowa. Wounded Warriors and the Iowa DNR combine their efforts to provide quality hunts for wounded veterans. More information about Wounded Warriors can be found at www.woundedwarriorproject.org. Catch-A-Dream is a national nonprofit foundation which provides oncein-a-lifetime dream hunting and fishing trips to children across the United States and Canada, age 18 and younger, who suffer from life-threatening illnesses. Through these adventures, and exposure to outdoors-minded people who care, To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
someone who faces life-challenges. Find an organization that fits you, whether faith-based or others. Each organization relies on volunteer and donations for these hunts and fishing outings to become successful. Your hearts and minds will melt as you watch and assist young people and adults overcome their challenges with your assistance. Giving hope to others provides fulfillment and personal satisfaction that outshines hunting by yourself.
5 WAYS TO BE INVOLVED
the program instills in these children a message of encouragement at a time when they need to know that hope does, indeed, exist. But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) According to Catch-A-Dream’s website, “It is this very message of hope, as promised in Isaiah 40:31, that we seek to instill in these children and their families. We use hunting and fishing as opportune tools to expose them to the ‘wonders of God’ that await them as they spend time in the outdoors, away from the bleak and sterile world of medical facilities, treatments, and hospital gowns, but in the presence of The Creator who is the Author of real hope.” You can find out more at www.catchadream.org. Hope for Heroes (HFH) is a nonprofit organization that combines a deep love and passion for outdoor activities with emotional and spiritual healing for military, fire, police, and EMS personnel, who’ve experienced life-altering disabilities while in the line of duty. HFH was founded by retired Westchester County K9 Police Officer and US Army 101st Airborne Scout Sniper, Mitch Serlin. After a personal battle with PTSD, Serlin learned he was not alone. Fellow officers and friends were also suffering from similar (and worse circumstances) and felt their lives were cut short and feared never being able to return doing the things they loved. HFH changes that mindset by creating experiences that are physically and emotionally possible for all heroes - Serlin calls it “camouflage therapy.” August 2018
More information may be found at www.heroeshope.org It is easy to become so focused on harvesting the next big deer or to add another long beard to the collection, that we often don’t realize the importance to rising above the hunt and to assist someone who is in need of a guide, a friend, and a supplier of equipment and time to give to
• Communicate to families with special needs children about these organizations. Be the driving force to help a child hunt with SYC. Make the phone call to SYC to suggest a potential hunter. • Volunteer your time. Retrieving Freedom uses adopted families to help train their special dogs. • Attend fund raisers and write a generous check. • Educate yourself about how you can come alongside of families with special needs children. Read one of Jolene Philo’s books about the struggles and challenges parents face. (her books are available through Amazon) • Show kindness to families with special need family members; offer hope to those who face physical challenges and needs. Include them in your outdoor adventures.
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IOWA NEWS
THE FOUR YEAR LEGACY By Jamie Cook from Pheasants Forever
Today as I
watched my three girls run around our yard, the thought hit me; “These kids are my legacy...I hope I don’t screw up!”. I think most parents have uttered those words to themselves. Especially newer parents whose kids haven’t crossed the teenage threshold of all “knowing-ness” yet. Even if you’re not a parent, as humans, we dream about the future, worry about our problems, and ponder the legacies we will one day leave behind. This attention to legacies can center around financial gifts to descendants, land to be set aside, belongings, but most importantly, it is our relationships that should be the recipient of such attention. As sportsmen and women, we pride ourselves on the way that the outdoors can shape our relationships with others and help create a love of nature in our children and grandchildren. For many of us, we want to protect the future of our freedom to hunt, fish and shoot archery or firearms. What about ensuring the ability to simply see a deer in the morning or a turkey in full strut? What about protecting the vital habitats where those and many other animals and
fish live? Yeah, we tell ourselves, we want to protect all of that. In case you didn’t know, those animals and habitats are managed by state fish and wildlife agencies who depend on hunting license sales to fund their work and those funds are in jeopardy. You see, 70% of wildlife conservation is funded through the federal aid provided by the Pittman Roberston (PR) Act of 1937. PR funding allows states to receive federal reimbursement
for eligible wildlife conservation and education programs by reallocating tax monies on firearms, ammo, archery equipment, and handguns. This federal aid is granted to a state based on the number of hunting licenses sold in that state. However, since 1982 hunting participation has been on the decline and it continues to spiral downward taking with it the much-needed federal aid that enables states to conduct vital wildlife programs and services. Fewer licenses, * Continued on page 62
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IOWA NEWS
means fewer dollars, and fewer dollars means wildlife conservation suffers. Why the decline? We’re getting older... One third of hunters in the states are baby boomers. When most of these hunters reach their mid-seventies, they’ll stop hunting because they simply can’t do it anymore. Unfortunately, there won’t be enough new hunters to replace them when this happens and funding for wildlife conservation could be left hanging in the balance. Models suggest that this cliff in hunting participation is about 10 years away. Ominous right? What if I told you there was an easy solution? A solution that would take each of us about 4 years to fix and result in a legacy that would long outlive us all. A legacy our kids and grandkids could benefit from. If every hunter recruited a new hunter, we’d return to 1982 levels in a year. That’s right! If every hunter recruited a new hunter, we’d fix the problem! Now, here’s where the four year legacy comes in. The same researchers that predict this cliff also suggest that it takes about two to four years to create a hunter. So, if we invest our time, our extra gear, our knowledge, and our love of the outdoors with a new hunter for up to four years, we’ll avoid the cliff altogether. So what’s the catch? No catch, but there are suggestions for making it the best impact 62
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and use of your time. Here are two major ones: • Recruit someone who doesn’t look like you. Most hunters are white, middle aged men. We need to recruit people of color and more women to the hunting ranks if we’re to succeed. This will become more and more important as the number or Caucasians begin to sink into a minority in the U.S., which is predicted to be the situation by 2044. • Recruit more adults. Studies show that kids are difficult to recruit because they lack transportation and expendable income to truly adopt hunting. Plus, they will have to “figure out who they are” anyway. However, many young adults didn’t have a parent or grandparent to take them hunting and more of them are concerned with where they’re food comes from. Take advantage of this. Many adults want to hunt for their food, but don’t have a clue how. They need mentors! Four years. That’s it! Four years to leave a legacy that will outlive us all. Let’s commit to recruiting adults that don’t look like us and commit to mentoring them for up to four years. If we do that, then we’ll be ensuring that my young daughters, your kids and grandkids, we’ll be able to enjoy the outdoors just the way we have.
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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
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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 Energy Wise Outdoor Furnaces Paullina, Iowa 712 949 2386 Backyard Depot, LLC 17218 Kelp Ave Bloomfield, IA 52537 641-722-3641 Dovel Refrigeration 1600 N Broadway Red Oak, IA 51566 712-623-9614 www.dovelappliance.com August 2018
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GUNDOG CORNER
THE VIZSLA By Jacob Schaben
HISTORY OF THE BREED
Vizslas are a breed that has been recognized and celebrated as a dog of royalty in the country of Hungary, where they originated. Most of the known early roots of this breed are traced back to families of the upper class. Its high status among society meant the dog was looked upon as a prized possession by its owner. The breed nearly disappeared after World War II but was fortunately revived and has become known as one of the most revered breeds of sporting dogs in the country in recent years. Most owners will boast about the close connection that they are able to make to their Vizsla. This is a breed that really loves people and will stop at nothing to get the approval of their owner. This is why Vizslas can be very flexible to many different lifestyles.
WIRED VS. SMOOTH DIFFERENCES
Most of the Vizslas that you will see while you are out and about will be of the smoothhaired appearance. The smooth texture has become popular due to the low amount of shedding that you will have from the fur. Most owners will tell you that their dog rarely leaves hair on the furniture and requires minimal brushing. The short coat of this breed means that the undercoat is absent on these dogs. This means that your dog may have a tough time staying warm on cold winter days if it is not being active. The short coat and close relationship developed with owners makes this dog an excellent housedog. The Wirehaired Vizsla is recognized as a separate breed. The biggest difference between the two breeds is the length of their hair. Most all other traits are the same. Wire-haired Vizslas were bred to be able to withstand colder temperatures and thus have longer, coarse hair. The hair of the Wirehaired Vizsla will help keep them warmer when the weather turns cold.
ACCEPTABLE TRAITS/STANDARDS
The distinguishing Rust-colored coat of the Vizsla is one of the main features that will catch your eye. This is the only acceptable coat color for the breed. Few other breeds have a coat that is as uniform throughout the body. Noses, eyes, and toenails will also have this same color. Small white patches on the chest and feet are fairly common and also acceptable under breed standards. Typical weights will range from 40-65 lbs. Healthy 68
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Vizslas will maintain a lean, muscular look with muscles easily visible. Breeders should dock the tails of Vizslas when they are born and remove dewclaws.
TRAINING TIPS FOR BREED
Vizslas are natural-born pointers. You will notice that even untrained dogs will point things like butterflies, songbirds, and the occasional squirrel in your yard just for fun. Most anything else that you want the dog to do must be taught. Fortunately, Vizslas are very quick learners. As stated before, this is a breed that strives to gain the approval of its owner. A dog in training can pick up new things quickly if the owner can effectively show approval for a job well done. Things like potty training generally can be done in a short period of time. If you are willing to put in the time to make the dog understand what you want it to do then most likely it will be able to be taught new things quickly.
DAILY NEEDS REQUIREMENTS
Vizslas prefer to have lots of exercise. Anything from short walks around town to long days in the field are greatly appreciated and will lead to a better relationship between owner/dog. This is not a breed that will do well being kept in confined spaces for long periods of time. This is a breed that prefers to have a close relationship with its owner. Many Vizslas prefer to be near their owner and will definitely find their way into your personal space. Many families with children bring Vizslas into their homes, as they are companions that show love through playfulness and tenderness. We often joke about the fact that our dog must truly thinks that she is a human because she is always wanting to do whatever it is that we are doing, not even stopping short of sitting in a human-like position in a chair.
FAMILY OR OUTSIDE
Iowa winters can be a very harsh time of year for all animals including Vizslas. The shorter coat of this breed provides some protection from the elements but may not be enough to keep them warm on very cold nights. If you do not plan to keep your dog inside then you will need to find some sort of way to help provide heat to your dog. Heat lamps, heat pads, and an enclosed form of shelter are usually enough to keep them happy. However, you will notice that they prefer to be indoors with you so that they
can hang out and bug you for attention.
HUNTING STYLE
Vizslas are a pointing breed. This is a trait that does not need to be taught to them but may require practice in order to perfect. Young dogs may need a few practice runs with you in the field before they are ready to take command and sniff out everything they find. It won’t take them long to discover what you are there to do. In my personal opinion, it is always a good idea to expose an inexperienced dog to hunting in a one-on-one setting. This way you can express to the dog what they are doing well along with correct undesired habits with all of your attention. One thing that I have noticed about well-trained Vizslas is that they want to hunt for their owners and will be constantly watching you to make sure that their effort is coordinated with where you desire to go. All too many times I have seen undisciplined dogs of many breeds put their nose down only to lose sight of where they are going and jump the birds up too far ahead to get a good shot. They are known for their keen nose and good endurance while searching for game and have the ability to cover lots of ground in a short period of time. This means that they do well in large fields of grass, food plots, or filter strip habitats. Game retrieval is also a gift that many well-trained Vizslas have. Those of us whom need the occasional assistance with finding a winged bird dug deep underneath the brush will appreciate the tracking ability that is bestowed to these dogs once they find the trail.
PURCHASING TIPS
Doing your homework when looking for your puppy is always a good thing. A reputable breeder should be someone that you feel comfortable communicating with. If something doesn’t feel right then ask about it. If a breeder is hard to communicate with or unwilling to allow you to see the puppies/mother then it would probably be wise to widen your search. Vizslas have increased in popularity over the last couple decades, which means there is a good chance that you will see owners at parks, hunting areas, or event in large cities willing to give you insight into where they got their dog. There are even social media pages made specifically for Vizslas owners and enthusiasts. Visiting one of these pages and getting acquainted with the community is a good place to start to hopefully point you in the right direction! To Subscribe CALL 877-424-4594
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IOWA SPORTSMAN COOKBOOK
RHUBARB CAKE AND LEMON SAUCE INGREDIENTS
• 2 Tablespoons butter • 1 cup white sugar • 1 egg • 3/4 cup milk • 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour • 3 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves • 2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces • 2 cups white sugar • 4 Tablespoons cornstarch • 2 1/2 cups water
• 4 Tablespoons butter • 2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice • 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (optional) • 1 drop yellow food coloring (optional)
DIRECTIONS • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan. • Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside. • In a large bowl, cream together 2 Tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the chopped rhubarb. Pour batter into prepared pan. • Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center
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of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing. • To make the Lemon Sauce: In a saucepan, mix together 2 cups sugar and 4 Tablespoons cornstarch. Stir in the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 4 Tablespoons butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and extract (if desired). Stir in 1 or 2 drops yellow food coloring, if using. • Serve slices of cake with the warm lemon sauce.
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VENISON CUBED STEAK ROLL UPS INGREDIENTS • 2 packs of venison cube steak • 2 packs of bacon
• 8 oz block of cream cheese • 1 jar of jalapeno strips
DIRECTIONS • Spread a layer of cream cheese on the piece of steak. • Place jalapenos slices onto covered meat making sure each bite will have a pepper in it. • Roll the meat up and wrap in 2 pieces of
bacon and secure with toothpicks. • Place on charcoal or gas grill until meat is cooked and bacon is crisp. • Remove from grill and cut into slices and enjoy!
CHOPPED ASPARAGUS SALAD INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 pound trimmed asparagus • 15 ounce can chickpeas (or other bean) well rinsed and drained • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped • 5 radishes, trimmed and cut into wedges or chunks • 1 cucumber, chopped • 1/2 cup chopped red onion • 1/2 cup cherry tomato halves (cut in wedg-
es if they are larger) • 1/2 cup colorful bell peppers, chopped • 1/2 cup black olives • 1/4 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar) chopped • Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese • Fresh thyme
DRESSING • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil • 1/8 cup champagne vinegar (or your favorite) • Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme • Pinch of salt and pepper
DRESSING • First I blanch the asparagus ever so briefly to take the raw edge off. Bring a pan of water to a boil, plunge the asparagus in, and remove it in exactly 60 seconds. Set the timer and don’t leave it in the water any longer than that. (The only exception is if your asparagus stalks are very thick.) • Rinse in cold water, or drop the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the color. Once completely cold, dry on a clean towel. Slice the stalks into 2 inch pieces, on the diagonal.
• Add the asparagus, chickpeas, carrots, radishes, cukes, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and olives to a large mixing bowl. • Toss with enough dressing to thoroughly moisten, and season with salt and pepper to taste. • Let the salad chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve, give it at least an hour. • Toss the salad and add more dressing if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the feta cheese and fresh thyme. • To make the dressing: Whisk together the ingredients and taste to adjust any of them.
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
WHY AND HOW TO NET YOUR FISH By Bob Jensen
For many fisher-people, netting the fish on the end of their line is about the last thing they think of: There are so many other things that we need to do to get to that point. First you’ve got to find where the fish are. Then you’ve got to select the proper bait that will get them on the end of your line. After that happens and the hook is set, you have to play the fish properly. You’ve got to have a good knot and strong line, and you’ve got to have your drag set properly so it will give a little but not too much when the fish wants to run. Then, once you’ve got it tired out, you need to land it. You can swing it into the boat or onto the shore, you can grab it with your hand, or you can net it. Many, many fish are lost when the angler tries to land it. If you want to increase your odds of landing that fish on the end of your line, you need to net it. Here’s why. Swinging a fish into the boat or onto the bank usually isn’t a good option, although lots of people do it. Sometimes when we’re fighting the fish we underestimate its size. When you try to swing a too-big fish into the boat, lines and rods break. Even if the fish is of swinging size, frequently the hook pops out. Sometimes the fish lands in the boat, but it’s flopping around on the floor. That’s not good for the fish. And, when the hook pops out, sometimes it slingshots into one of your body parts. That’s not good for you. Sometimes the fish lands on the deck of the boat or on the shoreline and flops back
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into the water. If you were going to release the fish, that’s no big deal, but if you were going to include him in your supper, you’re out of luck. Swinging a fish into the boat is not the best idea. Landing the fish by hand works ok for some species, but you’re increasing the odds of getting a hook in your hand, and again, that’s not much fun. Also if you land a fish by hand, you’ve got to really play the fish out, and that decreases its chance for survival if you release it. The best way to land a fish is with a net. So, now you’ve got that fish within netting distance. Don’t reach or over-extend to land it. You want to get it coming in your direction, and you want it to go into the net nose first. Never try to land a fish tail first: Fish can swim faster than you can move the net. If you try to net it tail first, it will swim out of the net. If you’ve got someone who’s new to netting, show them how it’s done on the first
fish, then have them net every fish that comes into the boat that isn’t on their line. It’s good practice, and it keeps them interested even when they aren’t catching the fish. It’s usually a good idea for the netter to reel their line in when they’re netting. This prevents rods from going over the side of the boat and tangles. Beckman Nets have been around for a long time, and almost anyone who has tried a Beckman has liked it. The fish like them also, as the bag of the net is easy on the fish’s eyes and skin, which greatly increases their odds for survival if they’re released. Best of all, Beckman nets are fishermanfriendly. They can be stored out of the way until needed, but when needed, they can be snapped into a landing position quickly. When you’re on the water this year, net your fish. You’ll end up catching more fish with less damage to the fish and to your hands.
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Lake Vermilion
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Lake of the Woods
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Resorts
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Marketplace
4TH ANNUAL
2-DAY EVENT
On Friday, August 17th from 4pm-10pm
In downtown Osceola, we will have the Bacon & Bluegrass Festival. This will include the BBQ contest (including chicken and pork), community sampling with purchase of wristband, and live music.
On Saturday, August 18th Lakeside Casino
Is hosting the 4th Annual Car Show at 777 Casino Drive. Registration will be at 8am-11am; Show will be from 11am-2pm; and the awards will be at 4pm. This will include food & vendors on site, Dash Plaques, Goodie bags, Door Prizes, and specialty awards. Pre-registration will be $15 until July 27, 2018 and $20 the day of the show.
Contact Derek Lumsden | 641-342-4200 | ocms@iowatelecom.net
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Marketplace
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Marketplace
Adel & Winterset TV & Appliance Co. 916 Main St. Adel, Iowa 50003 515-993-4287 tammy@adelwintersettv.com www.adelwintersettv.com https://www.facebook.com/adtv4287/
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Marketplace
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Marketplace
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Marketplace
Southern Minnesota Northeast Minnesota Central Minnesota
1886 Hwy 20 • Lawton, IA 51030 712-944-5751 • www.ssequip.com August 2018
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Classifieds
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
GUNS & ACCESSORIES
Jet’s Meat Processing Open M - F: 8 to 5 & Sat: 8-1. Special Hours for Opening Shotgun Season. HUSH Program Participant 10-9th St. NW - Waukon, IA. 563-568-2403
FIREARMS DEALERS
HUGE 3 - DAY SALE
Guns & Ammo Auction Along with Western memorabilia, Indian artifacts, antique sporting goods and much more August 23-25 2018 300+ Guns Held at Lolli Bros. Macon, Mo. - 660-385-2516 www.eastforkguns.com
RESORTS
OUTFITTERS
Daryl’s Gun Shop 1267A 240th St. State Center, IA 50247 641-483-2656 darylsguns.com
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GUN SHOW
GUN SHOWS Davenport, IA • October 5-8th Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds
Guided Northern Minnesota Black Bear Hunts
Nestled only a stones throw away from the Canadian border
Dubuque, IA • October 19-21st Dubuque County Fairgrounds Maquoketa, IA • December 21-23rd Jackson County Fairgrounds
TAXIDERMY
REAL ESTATE
We help you make your dreams come true! Small classes and dedicated to bringing out your full creative potential with the latest and best techniques.
Davenport, IA • January 11-13th Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds
Hutton Valley School of Taxidermy, 2514 Victory Ln, St Charles, IA 50240. (641) 396-2760 huttontx@netins.net www.huttontaxidermy.com
Dubuque, IA • January 18-21st Dubuque County Fairgrounds Maquoketa, IA • February 15-17th Jackson County Fairgrounds Davenport, IA • March 1-3rd Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds
www.bigboreenterprise.com
Admission is free to veterans
Public Land & Water Auction
Buffalo, MN
763-682-2953
Your one stop shop for Fish House supplies since 2003! All Parts in Stock! Order online Today!
www.fishhousesupply.com
America’s first and largest on-line store for all your fish house parts and accessories!!!
Thu, July 19th, 2018 @ 5:00pm Ethel City Lake 108 East Main St. Ethel, MO Selling 27+/- acres in two tracts
To view property or more information:
573-356-4405
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Sugar Creek Log Lodge,
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Rush Creek Realty De Soto, WI 888-942-6644 www.rushcreekrealty.com
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POND MANAGEMENT
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