Nov 27, 2013
The sound had an immediate and paralyzing effect. A sound that could be fairly described as a roar, or perhaps a noise more akin to that of a huge and heavy canvas being rent in twain by some unseen force of nature. As it turned out, the latter would be a more apt description with the sky providing the ‘canvas’ and the ’unseen force of nature’...
Nov 23, 2013
A couple more steps, and I would have had this six-pointer inside the blind with me. I’m experimenting with a new deer call. I switched to a Primos last week, and have been having some really good responses from smaller bucks. [I’d love try it out on some big bucks too, but can’t seem to locate one!] Anyway, the Primos call has...
Nov 19, 2013
Food For Thought — A native of Joice, Iowa, Ben Anderson grew up hunting the woodlands and fields surrounding Worth County’s Rice Lake. Currently serving as a pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, Ben has lived in The South for more than a decade now. Recently on vacation, Ben made a return visit to Northern Iowa last week to enjoy four days of...
Nov 14, 2013
Armistice Day Snowstorm – Nov. 11, 2013 It may not have been the storm of the century, but the Armistice Day snowstorm of 2013 will certainly do until a better one comes along. The weather predictions for November 11 called for 25 mph NNW winds, steadily falling temperatures throughout the day, and a good chance of some light snow...
Nov 6, 2013
For Iowa archery enthusiasts, November is a time like no other. For the hunter, the season’s finest opportunities are at hand. For white-tailed deer, the annual rut is gaining momentum. Restless, edgy and itching for a scrap, mature bucks are on the prowl. The same giant stags that have remained totally nocturnal, and therefore invisible, for...
Born in North Central Iowa, Lowell Washburn has enjoyed a lifelong interest in the out of doors. He began photographing wild birds at age 10, and outdoor photography soon became his passion and eventually a career. Washburn is best known for images that portray migratory waterfowl and other wetland wildlife in their natural habitats. His best photographs are often obtained after spending hours floating amid natural marshlands, half submerged within the dark confines of a floating muskrat house blind.
Upon completing military service as a sergeant with the Fourth Infantry Division in the central highlands of South Vietnam, Washburn returned to Iowa in 1970. His wildlife photos began appearing in Iowa newspapers in 1971 and he began authoring outdoor news columns in 1978. Today, his photos and writing have appeared in over 50 national and international magazines including Outdoor Life, International Wildlife, Field&Stream, Ducks Unlimited, Pointing Dog Journal, the NAFA Journal, and others.
After working as a naturalist for Iowa’s county conservation board system, Washburn was recruited by the Department of Natural Resources in 1984. His primary duties included statewide communication with Iowa newspaper, television, and radio news agencies with a primary goal of increasing the level of public awareness and appreciation for Iowa's natural resources. During his tenure he also served as staff member for the Iowa Conservationist Magazine and for the DNR’s Iowa Outdoors Magazine. Washburn retired from the DNR in 2010.
In addition to wildlife photography, his ongoing outdoor passions include falconry, traditional bow hunting, waterfowling, spending time with hunting dogs of all types, and herpetology.