Wildlife Watching in New Hampshire

Bring Binoculars

While binoculars are one of the most helpful wildlife watching tools, selecting a good pair can be difficult. An all-purpose pair may be 7 or 8 magnification and 35 or 40 lens diameter (7x35 or 8x40), which gather a lot of light for dawn or dusk wildlife viewing. Although there may be more powerful binoculars available, they will be considerably heavier and one must consider gear weight if hiking into a viewing area. A trick to using binoculars is find the animal with your naked eye first. Then, bring the binoculars to your eyes without shifting your gaze and focus.

Wear Appropriate Clothing Layers

Dressing in layers allows you to adjust to changing weather and temperature. The season and time of day will determine how many layers to bring. Think ahead and bring an extra layer if you’re going out in the evening. Also consider clothing color as birds can see color well. Keep hunting seasons in mind and wear bright orange when appropriate.

Use Field Guides

Using field guides, wildlife apps, and other resources can be used to identify wildlife, learn about their habitats, and enrich your viewing experience. These resources can also be used without cellular service in more remote locations.

Go Out When Wildlife Is Active

Wildlife activity depends on seasons and time of day. New Hampshire wildlife viewing peaks between April and June as well as September and October. Migratory birds are most active in these months and animals are raising young in spring or preparing for winter during autumn. Time of day can also impact your experience as the first and last hours of daylight are when wildlife is more active.

Be Patient, Still, and Silent

Slow down, take a few careful steps, stop, listen, and look. This may improve your chances at seeing wildlife. Pay attention to sounds and smells while looking for movement or changes in shapes. Avoid making noise, including stepping on brittle sticks and walk into the wind if you can. Allow yourself time as you probably won’t see a lot of wildlife as soon as you arrive at the viewing site. Sit motionless and try to blend in with your surroundings and wildlife will be more likely to go about their daily routines.

Use a Blind

If you can conceal yourself, you’ll increase your chances of having a successful viewing experience. Simply standing behind a tree or bush instead of out in the open can help. Cars, boats, and canoes make excellent viewing blinds. Animals are often used to seeing these things and may not feel threatened or disturbed unless your try to get out.

Prepare For Your Outing

Review the area you plan to visit before you set out as some are remote and without any facilities. Check for warnings about road conditions and weather. If you are hiking into a site, know where you’re headed and bring a map, water, proper footwear, food, and appropriate clothing. Expect to encounter and protect yourself against insects during spring and summer. Remember to protect yourself from sunburn by wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunblock.