How to Spot Wildlife While on a Hike

Video Transcript

"Hi! I’m Kate with Zoar Outdoor on behalf of expertvillage.com talking to you about hiking and backpacking. When you set your goals for the day on your hike, some of them might be wildlife watching or bird watching. There is so much more to see in the woods besides just the trail you’ve been walking on and the backs of the feet of the person in front of you. You really should try and keep your eyes peeled. You might not necessarily see actual wildlife but it is really easy to see signs of wildlife where they have been and what they have been doing. Over here as we’ve been walking around, we have been able to find some scat, obvious wildlife sign. Then there is possibly a place where an animal has laid down and the animal has obviously been scraping these trees or eating the bark. It is really important to keep your eyes peeled to find out about little hints the animals are there. If you are birdwatching, you should bring the binoculars and a field guide to make sure you are in a good area to see all kinds of different types of birds. You will see a lot of birds but it's a matter of figuring out which bird you found, which would really make your day great. So when you come out of hiking, keep your eyes open, ears open; you might hear stuff. Just look around you because there is way more than just a trail in front of you."