This year we are headed to Norway for two weeks and the trip planning is done except for flights. Now I'm itchy to start next year's planning. One of our main interests when we travel is wildlife photography. We will be flying, so distance is not an issue. We've been to Olympic, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Waterton, Banff, Jasper, Badlands, Saguaro, Fundy, Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountain and Acadia national parks, Custer State Park, most of New England, all over the Canadian Maritimes, Alaska, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Hawaii, St. John (USVI), Denmark and Iceland. All thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Preference is North America (US, Canada). Along with the wildlife photography we like hiking, fishing, canoeing, scenery, puttering around shops, museums, history, and just general exploring. Willing to revisit any of the above places if there are places that are not normally visited. Feel free to think outside the box. Thanks!

Here in Colorado, I take photos around my home of deer, elk, black bear, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and occasionally a cougar. Small game and birds often offer the most unusual or comical photos.

Southeast GA has lots of places that are popular for wildlife photography. You could base camp on Jekyll Island, which has miles of bike and walking trails on pavement and through the woods. Jekyll Island is a state park, hunting is not allowed. You can get within 5 feet of white tail deer and they won't flinch. You can also get within a few feet of Alligators, that also won't flinch, but you might :). I've seen shark, dolphin and rays while standing on the Clam Creek Fishing Pier (across from the campground). Jekyll's Driftwood Beach was once voted one of America's most beautiful beaches.Within an hour of Jekyll Island is the Okefenokee Swamp. The Okefenokee has Deer, Alligator, Black Bear, Bobcat and countless species of birds. It doesn't sound like it, but Swamps are beautiful in their own right. You can take day and overnight canoe trips through the swamps. On the Folkston side of the swamp is the Chesser Homestead. There are many miles of hiking trails through the swamp.-Michael

You mentioned Alaska, but not the Yukon, specifically. Saw more wildlife there than in AK! ST

We have reservations at Paynes Prairie State Park which is near Gainsville Fl. over spring break. I'm into photography as well, and plan on taking my new Cannon digital SLR.We plan on hiking, and doing some horseback riding,on the trails there. If your into biking, the 16 mile long, paved Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail is not far away.

Do you want animals that are accustomed to human presence or harder to access? Custer, Yellowstone, and Smokies were my first thoughts but you've visited those. For something different, the Achafalaya Basin in Louisiana or Everglades would offer something completely different.

Where to go for wildlife photography? | Good Sam Community

wanderingdawgs
Explorer
Feb 01, 2017
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in south Georgia (also Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge for alligators and nesting birds in the spring), Everglades National Park, and Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for Elk.
NanciL
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2017
My wife and I plan and do our own canoe and kayak trips into the wilderness, and one place that we would love to get to would be the Galapagos.
It is on our bucket list, and you might want to do that, or a trip down the Amazon, or The Great Barrier Reef in Australia

If you want wildlife, check out the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades National Park.

jack L
Crowe
Explorer
Feb 01, 2017
Teddy Roosevelt NP is a surprise sleeper

I knew I forgot somewhere! :) Yes, TRNP is indeed a sleeper!

Sounds like a trip south might be in order. Will have to go earlier in the year to avoid the heat. Don't mind having to look for it-seems a bit more rewarding that way.

Love the comment about spring break!
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2017
Ready?

My friend Liam was telling me that he and DW were bird watching in west Texas and he actually got a road runner and a coyote in the same shot. When he realized it, they both split for the coach because they didn't know where the anvil would be coming from.

Matt
Crowe
Explorer
Feb 01, 2017
My friend Liam was telling me that he and DW were bird watching in west Texas and he actually got a road runner and a coyote in the same shot. When he realized it, they both split for the coach because they didn't know where the anvil would be coming from.

LOL!
RedRocket204
Explorer
Feb 01, 2017
Jerseydevil wrote:
Yellowstone/Teton area is hard to beat, but you said you've been there. Last year we saw moose, elk, deer, marmot, black bear, bison, fox, coyote, eagles, pronghorn, etc... the list can go on and on. If you find a better place, let me know!

That's actually pretty common for many areas within the Rocky Mountains. Heck, I live about 30 minutes west and 2500' above Denver and we get elk, deer, black bear, fox, coyote, cougar and eagles wandering through our yard with elk and deer about every week. Haven't personally seen a moose here although they are pretty commonly seen and of course I see bison almost every day I head down the hill to Denver. Not to far from here are bighorns and many other wildlife.

Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and up into Canada are all going to have similar experiences with the variance and consistency of seeing wildlife. Part of the problem for many is just slowing down your life enough to spot them.
Roy_Lynne
Explorer
Feb 01, 2017
Check out National Wildlife refuges and they are your best best The best site we have been for variety was a Swamp tour in Louisiana.
Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2017
How about Florida? I hear that The Villages can get pretty wild. Until the sun goes down, that is. ;)
huachuca
Explorer
Feb 02, 2017
Big Bend National Park, TX

Deer, Javelina and numerous birds/reptiles/rodents are common. We've also seen Aoudad and ringtails

Bear and Mountain Lion sightings

You'll need to be a member here to view the photo section but worth it in my opinion Big Bend Chat
Crowe
Explorer
Feb 02, 2017
Big Bend National Park, TX

Are you telepathic? I JUST and I mean JUST looked up Big Bend last night! On the suggestion of others I was looking at W. Texas and saw Big Bend. Thanks for the sightings link-that's very helpful.

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