Tips and resources for viewing wildlife

Wildlife is all around us, from your backyard to Utah's most remote places

Knowing more about where to look, how to look and what you are looking for can help make your wildlife watching experience a successful one.

Learn more about where to see Utah's fish and wildlife year-round — and how to do so safely!

Where to look for wildlife

Where and when to spot more birds, mammals, reptiles and more!

How to look for wildlife

Wildlife viewing safety, ethics, equipment and photography tips

Be aware

• Always view wildlife from a safe distance.
• Move slowly and quietly.
• Keep your dog leashed or leave pets at home.
• Don't feed wildlife — human food is harmful to many species!
• Maintain a safe distance and don't touch or pick up wildlife, especially baby animals.
• Keep your eyes on the road! Slow down and find a safe spot to pull over before viewing or photographing wildlife.
• Let animals move freely — never chase, follow or corner wildlife in pursuit of a photo.
• Watch your step! Use caution in steep, slippery or rocky areas.

Pro tip:

"Be patient. Allow wildlife to 'do their thing.' The best photographers are always willing to wait for the right shot."

— Phil Tuttle, award-winning DWR videographer

Be ethical

• Protect young animals by avoiding nests or dens.
• Take nothing but pictures — leave what you find for others to enjoy.
• Use all your senses to find birds and wildlife. Do not use recorded calls.
• Protect plants and wildlife — stay on established routes and trails, park only in designated areas and respect closures.
• Do not trespass on private property.
• Avoid flying drones near wildlife, especially animals that are nesting, raising young or breeding.
• Pack out all your food and trash.

Pro tip:

"When you share pictures, use very general descriptions. Don't geotag nests, dens or sighting locations."

— Alyssa Hoeskstra, DWR Native Herpetology Program Coordinator

Be prepared

• Use binoculars or a spotting scope for a closer view.
• Use a telephoto lens for your camera, or boost your phone's camera by capturing images through a spotting scope.
• Avoid using a flash, which can disturb or startle animals — use infrared lighting for low-light conditions.
• Viewing platforms, blinds and pull-outs often provide great places to photograph wildlife.
• Identify what you are seeing using a field guide or download an ID app.
• Be aware of laws for operating drones — it is illegal to fly drones in wilderness areas, national parks and many other public lands.
• During hunting season, wear hunter orange and be aware of your surroundings.

Pro tip:

"Learn more about the species you want to watch. Understanding wildlife behavior and habitat increases the chance you'll spot them in the wild."

— Ashley Kijowski, DWR Coordinator, Eccles Wildlife Education Center

Listen to DWR WILD podcast episodes:

• Episode 19: Birdwatching at the wildlife center

• Episode 49: Wildlife photography

Learn more at Wild Aware Utah: danger-free encounters

What am I looking at?!

Fish and wildlife viewing events, species identification, resources and tools

Safe wildlife viewing distances

Not sure how far away you should be? Use this helpful infographic:

Accessibility

• Viewing for people with disabilities

• Utah State Parks list of accessibility features for specific parks
• Birdability

Interact with Utah's wildlife-watching community

• Utah's Hogle Zoo, community science opportunities
• Sageland Collaborative projects and volunteer opportunities
• Tracy Aviary, community scientist portal
• Natural History Museum of Utah, citizen science projects
  • Six Ways to Be a Citizen Scientist in Utah
• Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter
• Utah Education Network, citizen science
• Add your sightings to iNaturalist and eBird
• Coexist safely with wildlife at Wild Aware Utah (a DWR partnership with Utah's Hogle Zoo)
• Herps of Utah iNaturalist group
• Listen to the DWR WILD podcast
• Subscribe to our newsletter and get updates about wildlife viewing opportunities and events!

We work with many partners and outdoors enthusiasts — like you — to ensure we will have healthy habitat and wildlife for generations to come.

Donate

• Support Utah wildlife license plates

Volunteer

• DWR Eccles Wildlife Education Center (Farmington Bay)
• DWR habitat and conservation projects statewide
• Join the DWR Dedicated Hunter Program
• Utah's Hogle Zoo community science opportunities
  • Help DWR biologists with toad surveys
• Sageland Collaborative projects and volunteer opportunities
  • Help DWR biologists: western toads, riverscape restoration, rosy-finch conservation, migratory shorebird survey
• Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter volunteer projects
• Tracy Aviary conservation and volunteer projects
• Are you an educator? Become a Project WILD certified instructor!

How to e-tag harvested wildlife

Try the new e-tagging feature in the Utah Hunting & Fishing app

Warning: The following steps should not be taken unless you are standing next to your harvested animal. Submitting an e-tag is the same as detaching and notching a paper kill tag. You may no longer hunt once your e-tag is submitted.

Although you may have both a paper and electronic copy of your permit, you may only harvest one animal.

To e-tag your harvest

Before your hunt

Download your permit to the Utah Hunting & Fishing mobile app. You must have Wi-Fi or cellular service to download your permit. Tap the license icon below to get started; you will need your customer ID and date of birth.

During your hunt

You must carry your digital permit or your paper permit with you while hunting. It is your responsibility to ensure your device has sufficient power to display the permit if a conservation officer asks to see it.

After you harvest

Once you have successfully harvested, open the Utah Hunting & Fishing app and tap on the permit. Scroll down and then tap the SUBMIT E-TAG button.

Follow the prompts to complete the e-tagging process. Depending on the type of permit you have, you may be asked additional harvest questions. Once you have completed the questionnaire, tap Submit. You have successfully e-tagged your harvest!

Note: If you attempt to submit an e-tag and you do not have network service, your survey will be saved on the device and re-submitted the next time the app is opened.

Important information regarding e-tagged wildlife

If you are using the electronic permit and tag exclusively while in the field, you must carry your device with the permit downloaded on it. It is your responsibility to ensure that the device has sufficient power to display the permit upon request of a conservation officer.

You may not continue to hunt on a permit that has been e-tagged, even if you still have an un-notched paper copy of your permit/tag.

Anyone who is transporting e-tagged wildlife for another person must also have evidence that the animal was legally harvested. This may be accomplished by using at least one of the following methods:

• Taking and sharing a screenshot of the e-tagged permit that clearly shows the security code. (The person transporting the animal must have that screenshot.)
• Using another mobile device to download the Utah Hunting & Fishing app, log in with the hunter’s information and then download the used permit to that mobile device. (The person transporting the animal must be in possession of a device that can display the used permit.)
• Obtaining written permission from the permit holder that includes the permit holder’s full name, their contact information and their permit number — all information should be clearly readable. (The person transporting the animal must be in possession of this written permission.)