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Local Events

Jun

4 Decorah Farmers Market

3:00 PM

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Jun

7 Riceville Farmers Market

9:00 AM

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Jun

13 New Hampton Heartland Days

6:00 PM

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Cresco Spring Activities

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The Difference between an Archery Coach and Instructor

Archery is a sport that nearly knows no age. You can enjoy shooting a bow from childhood through your senior years. The archer skill-set is…

To Stabilize or Not to Stabilize?

When you’re first starting archery, you’re bound to notice the many different accessories being used by the experienced archers at your range and the…

How to Prepare for a Canoe Camping Trip

Canoe camping transforms a regular old camping trip into a more adventurous excursion, but it's pivotal to take the steps to properly prepare. You…

5 Sneaky Ways To Fool Pressured Gobblers

Most turkey hunters will openly admit that every male turkey they encounter in spring is different. Just as no two hunts are the same, no two…

This Year’s Best Turkey Loads for Spring Gobblers

Time was that hunters went after gobblers with No. 2 lead shot and whatever shotgun they owned. And for those just getting in to turkey hunting,…

Turkey Hunting—How to Get Started The Easy Way

Wild turkeys can be alternately the easiest and most available game animals to hunt and also the most elusive and diabolically maddening. They live…

Bowhunting Turkeys: 6 Smart Ways to Prep Right Now

Last year’s turkey season treated me very well, with four longbeards falling to my arrows in three different states. A bit of luck certainly…

5 Great Early-Spring Camping Destinations

Spring may be just around the corner, but many parts of the country are only now starting to thaw out from a long, cold winter. If you’re…

Camping—5 Amazing Destinations To Try Right Now

Now that spring is in the air and warmer temperatures are nearly upon us, it’s time to start thinking about that first camping excursion of the…

How To Tap Into The Pre-Spawn Bass Bonanza

Catching bass is never an easy proposition. As winter gradually morphs into early spring, however, it becomes less of a challenge. Dynamic changes…

Antler Hikes—A Fun, New Way to Day Hike with Kids

Taking your family on an antler hike puts a new twist on spring day hikes and sharpens everyone’s abilities to observe what’s around them…

4 new ways to tag public-land turkeys right now

Hunters who consistently kill turkeys on public land each year have adapted their own set of tactics through trial and error. After five years of…

Best Tips for Catching Spring Bass Right Now!

Bass are America’s favorite sportfish and also the most accessible. Whether they’re the largemouth, spotted or smallmouth variety, bass…

Hiking—The 10 Best New Pieces of Gear for Spring Treks

Spring is finally here, which means sunshine and warmer temperatures aren’t far behind. But before you hit the trail for your first hike,…

5 Energizing Hikes in Iowa

Nature’s best endorphins come from great hikes, and if you are looking for a little pick-me-up activity in Iowa, you don’t have to look…

10 Tips for Safely Riding ATVs

ATVs—shorthand for “all terrain vehicles”—are one way to explore areas of land that you might not otherwise be able to…

How to Charge Your Gadgets While Camping and Hiking

There once was a time when carrying electronic devices with us into the great outdoors was pretty much unthinkable. Fragile and expensive, such…

Pack Your Backpack the Right Way in 5 Easy Steps

Learning how to properly pack a backpack is a true art form that every outdoor enthusiast should master. Whether you’re heading into the…

SPOTLIGHT: Things to Do in and Around Stone State Park

Featuring a wide variety of trails, dense woodland, and scenic options for overnight adventures, Stone State Park is a western Iowa jewel of a…

10 Tips For Going Ultralight on the Trail

One of the hottest trends in hiking and backpacking over the past few years has been the shift toward going ultralight on the trail. Typically, this…

5 Beautiful Scenic Hikes in Iowa

Every season in Iowa caters towards a scenic hike or two. During the summer months, the blazing sun overhead provides bountiful landscapes of green.…

5 Best Dirt Motorcycle Trails in Iowa

Whether it’s your first time hitting the trails or you’re a seasoned pro, the state of Iowa caters towards every level of action with its…

Taking Your Dog on a Fishing Trip

It’s nice to have company along when you’re heading out for a day or two of fishing, and is there any better companionship than your dog?…

The Essential Gear You Need When Riding ATVs

ATVs are off-road vehicles, designed to allow access to trails and other hard-to-reach areas. The earliest designs from the 1970s were three-wheeled.…

5 Great Hiking Trails in Iowa

No matter the time of year, Iowa has many great hiking trails waiting to be explored. Traverse through the woods or follow a route along a scenic…

Treestand Safety for Young Hunters

Treestands are one of the most popular and effective methods of deer hunting throughout the eastern half of our country. Being perched high in a tree…

How Five Top Archers Got Their Start

Have you ever watched a professional archer shoot a brilliant set of arrows, and wondered how they did it? We asked five top archers how they started…

5 Awesome Trail Running Spots in Iowa

While running is a great exercise, as you circle the block for the umpteenth time, the monotony of the sport may get to you. To spice things up a bit…

Top 10 Tips for Camping Beginners

Here’s the picture: you’re sitting around a campfire, roasting weenies and telling ghost stories as the night closes in around you.…

10 Best Dog-Friendly Hiking Trails in Iowa!

Iowa has a ton to offer when it comes to exploring the great outdoors with your furry friend. From scenic bluffs and creek vistas to wildlife-filled…

5 Best Birdwatching Hikes in Iowa

An essential aspect of any nature hike is the familiar chirp of birds nearby, coupled with the sight of these incredible creatures soaring by.…

10 Essential Camping Skills

Do you know these 10 essential camping skills? Learn them and they are bound to improve all your…

5 Easy Ways to Save Money on Gas This Summer

Fuel prices are a lot like the weather: Lots of folks talk about them, but there’s not much you can do about them. The price at the pump…

How to Catch Really Big Fish With Kids

When it comes to fishing with kids, conventional wisdom says to find a place where they can catch any fish with a high level of frequency and…

10 Best Hunting Cartridges for Whitetail Deer

Choosing a list of top 10 favorite deer hunting cartridges is no easy task, particularly since there are so many suitable cartridges that could make…

How to Catch Bass on Summer’s Hottest Days

It’s hot, it’s humid and the dog days of summer are living up to their billing. But bass don’t stop biting just because the heat…

4 Easy Ways To Enjoy Mountain Biking On Your Vacation

If you’ve been on a vacation to an outdoor destination in the past few years, you’ve likely noticed a new phenomenon: cycle paths, single…

How to Choose the Best Times to Fish

The best time to go fishing is whenever you can. While that old maxim has merit and speaks to the value of fishing just for the fun of it, there are…

This Year’s Best Luxury Camping Items for Spring and Summer

Picture this camping scene: you wake up from a night sleeping peacefully under the stars and reach for a cup of joe, but instead of cowboy coffee,…

Choosing the right hunting knife

Hunting knives come in a mind-boggling array of shapes and sizes. New hunters often think a 10-inch Bowie-style survival knife is all they need to…

Camping Gear—10 Best New Products for Summer

There is nothing quite like a spring or summer camping trip to help us reconnect with nature and recharge our batteries. The warmer weather is a…

Best New Hiking Products for Late Summer and Early Fall

There is no better time to hit the trail than late summer/early fall. Trails really open up once the kids head back to school, leaving trails…

Why You Need To Be Hunting Squirrels Right Now

What if I told you about a hunting opportunity that’s happening right now, which offers abundant access to productive land, requires a minimum…

10 Best Bass Waters Off The Beaten Path

The names of some bass fisheries resonate with anglers on a national scale: Okeechobee, Kentucky Lake, Guntersville, Havasu, Clear Lake, Lake Fork,…

Setting up your campsite: Understanding the basics

The end of the trail is near, at least for today. As you walk into your campsite and remove your pack from your back, the breeze feels good after a…

How To Tap Local Fishing Communities For The Best Angling

There are a lot of fishing opportunities out there that may seem exotic or hard to come by at first. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll…

10 Awesome Vacations Your Fishing Family Will Love

Fishing with the family is always funs, but not everybody who lives under your roof may like to fish 24/7. And if you have teens, they might…

10 EASY FISHING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

For most of us, fishing conjures up images of a lazy day on the water, occasionally reeling in some finned beauties which are then proudly displayed…

Gear Up To Become A Master Outdoor Chef

There was a time when camp food for a weekend overnight revolved around hot dogs, canned goods, and tasteless dehydrated dinners. Fortunately, those…

Hiking—Never Get Blisters Again

Years ago, our Scout troop headed out on a weekend backpacking trip. And while the troop leaders warned the boys (and their parents) not to wear…