Fowl Water Outdoors: Retriever Training

Fowl Water Outdoors operates as a full-service retriever training kennel and hunting lease management company serving central Iowa. Owner Brodie Wubben built this operation on one core belief: hunting is a way of life, not a hobby.

The company manages over 200 farms across eight counties (Polk, Marion, Dallas, Hamilton, Clarke, Warren, Madison, and expanding), with 60+ active hunting leases available. They also run a structured retriever training program focused on producing dogs that actually hunt—not just obey commands in a yard.

Their training approach breaks into two distinct phases:

• •Drill Work — Repetitive conditioning with three formal phases:
• •Obedience: Lead work, heel, sit, come (on-lead, then off-lead)
• •Collar Conditioning: E-collar introduction using avoidance-to-obedience progression
• •Force-Fetch: Teaching hold and reach-and-fetch on table, then ground, then with e-collar

• •Fieldwork — Real-world hunting scenarios:
• •Introductions to Hunting: Gunfire exposure, bird introduction, blind entry, water comfort
• •Marking: Teaching the dog to use eyes to locate fallen birds, with increasing distance and difficulty across varied terrain

Every dog starts with an evaluation. All enter basics (unless they've completed it elsewhere). Once obedience, collar conditioning, and force-fetch are solid, dogs move to transition work—learning to run blinds, handle via whistle and hand signals, and work multiple birds at distance.

The training emphasizes working at the dog's pace. Trainers push development through different scenarios, marks on land and water, and repetition to prepare dogs for their first hunting season.

Fowl Water Outdoors manages hunting ground in eight counties with a specific focus on proximity to Des Moines—close enough for after-work hunts, far enough to hold game.

What They Handle For You: - Pay for and post signs - Monitor property for trespassers - Maintain open communication with farmers - Install and manage food plots - Pull trail camera cards - Secure crop-in requests with farmers

The company has built relationships with landowners and farming families. This means hunters can request specific crops be left standing, and farmers often open additional ground to a management company that handles the liability and logistics.

Lease Details: - Available for deer, waterfowl (duck/goose), turkey, and pheasant hunting - Sizes range from bow-hunting parcels in city limits to 400+ acre southern Iowa leases - First right of refusal on previously leased properties - Renewal deadline: March of following year - Contract and payment due: May 1st - 3% annual price increase to account for inflation - Fowl Water Outdoors holds hunter liability insurance for all lessees

County Coverage: - Dallas County: 13 properties (known for monster bucks) - Polk County: Multiple leases - Warren County: Available ground - Marion County: Available ground - Plus: Hamilton, Clarke, Madison counties

Brodie Wubben — Owner, runs dog placement, business development, and real estate. Recently launched Land & Development Group under RE/MAX Precision specializing in recreational hunting acreage. His family dogs (Rip, Sunny, Riot—all Labs) reflect the company's commitment to the breed.

Brodie's side work in real estate actually strengthens Fowl Water Outdoors: he's built a network of trainers and kennels across the country and knows which facilities specialize in high-drive dogs, stubborn dogs, and dogs with specific training needs.

"Successful hunts are the result of dedicated scouting and a thorough understanding of your land. Trail cams and food plots give you access, but these things take time and effort."

Fowl Water Outdoors absorbs that effort. They're not a broker matching buyers to landlords—they actively manage properties, maintain farmer relationships, handle trespass issues, and work food plots. For hunters who actually want to hunt rather than manage real estate, this is the difference between success and frustration.

Their retriever training philosophy mirrors this: dogs aren't trained to pass tests. They're trained to work the field, mark multiple birds, handle at distance, and do the job they're bred for.

Fowl Water Outdoors Des Moines, IA (515) 462-0876 [email protected]