There are wonderful opportunities for wildlife photography at Muscatatuck throughout the year. Most photographers arrive early in the morning and drive the roads slowly watching for wildlife.The Auto Tour is an especially good place to find photos, and many photographers circle the tour route several times on their visit. Almost all refuge photographers use their vehicles as a blind and take photos out of car/truck windows. Refuge wildlife is familiar with vehicles driving slowly on roads and animals don't normally flush for a stopped vehicle. If you exit your vehicle, or make noise, animals usually leave the area.
Long camera lenses are helpful to bring far-away wildlife into sharp focus. Cell phone cameras can take great pictures of close-up subjects like dragonflies, butterflies, and flowers. Whatever type of equipment you have you will find excellent opportunities to capture nature with your camera at Muscatatuck.
Birds usually attract the most attention on the refuge and river otters are another popular subject. Wetland and marsh edges are prime places to look for wetland birds, and otters can be seen in wetlands, lakes, marshes, or creeks. Iced-over marshes are especially good places to find otters in the winter as the animals make holes in the ice to bring fish in and out. Other mammals often photographed are deer, raccoon, mink, muskrat, and occassionally beaver. If you would like some tips on locations to photograph a specific animal or plant contact refuge staff at Muscatatuck@fws.gov
