Iowa waterfowl hunting is done for the year. The late archery season for deer and turkeys ended January 10. Ditto for pheasants. Time has arrived for hunters to clean the shotgun and stow the rifle. Or has it? For those willing to pursue a somewhat less glamourous species, Iowa’s squirrel hunt is still on -- runs
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The final segment of this year's deer season presented hunters with a brutal variety of environmental challenges. With scant exception, Iowa's late December/early January weather scene was dominated by below zero temps, minus double digit wind chills, and relentless winds. But that wasn't the real issue. Even with minus twenty-degree or colder wind chills, you
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  Turkey & dressing. The words go together like a hand and glove. Although normally associated with Thanksgiving, turkey & dressing is a great stick to your ribs taste treat anytime you can get it. At our home, roast turkey has become a New Year’s Day tradition. The feast has only two hard and fast requirements.
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Turkey Hollow – Late last week: The arrow was launched and my New Year’s Day turkey dinner was in the bag. In prime condition, I was amazed – as always -- at just how much fat the winter turkey was carrying. The bird’s gizzard, for example, was completely engulfed in a thick layer of bright
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  Procuring the perfect Christmas goose is an annual priority of my winter agenda. This year’s honored entree arrived during a cold and blustery afternoon when nearly two dozen hog fat Canada geese decided to investigate my decoys. With the beautiful Christmas goose plucked and on ice; there only remained a single uncompleted item on my
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A spectacular winter storm system is currently careening across the upper mid-west – including Clear Lake – today.  Snow is coming down in huge clumps of clean white flakes; 3 to 5 additional inches is expected.  This photo includes two of my favorite subjects – new snow & Canada geese.  I think this one comes
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  Notes on Goldeneyes – Shotguns – and Eagles For Iowa duck hunters, the appearance of migrating goldeneyes is a bittersweet moment. Although a prime goldeneye drake is regarded as a waterfowling trophy, the species’ arrival signals the beginning of the end. Make no mistake. Open water has been officially put on notice. Freeze-up is at hand.
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  By the second week of December, there remained little question that winter had arrived. In northern Iowa, marshlands were frozen solid. At Clear Lake [where I live] more than 3,600 acres of open water had been reduced to two small air holes. But although local weather conditions had turned frigid, the late season bird show was
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     Swift of wing and unique in profile, the regal canvasback is duck hunting‘s greatest treasure. No species is more thrilling to observe. No species is more thrilling to hunt. No species provides finer dining. It’s little wonder that the mighty ‘can has enjoyed a long term standing as the King of Ducks.                          Long Live The
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Winter bird feeding brings countless hours of pleasure to thousands of Iowans statewide. Observing our backyard visitors becomes even more interesting whenever a rare or unusual species makes a surprise appearance. The red-breasted nuthatch is a species currently filling that bill. A resident of northern and western mountain pine forests, the red-breasted nuthatch is an energetic,
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November is the month deer hunters live for. And for those who thrill to the sight of wide beamed heavy antlered bucks, November is the gateway to all things good. For Iowa’s 60,000 archery hunting enthusiasts, the time to be in the woods is now. The annual rut is swinging into overdrive and heavy tined
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The annual fall rut is picking up steam across the state and with mild weather and colorful fall foliage living on borrowed time, there’s no better time to begin hunting Iowa white-tails.  But although bow hunters will be seeing a good number of deer when they take to the early woodlands,  most will be reluctant
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