I spend a lot of time outdoors. While hunting and scouting account for much of my time outside, I also walk, run, hike, and yes, enjoy outdoor photography. Whatever the case, my Phone Skope adapter, smartphone, and various other types of digiscoping gear is along on the trip.
There are so many places ripe for digiscoping. However, many of us wait for vacations and other special excursions to enjoy them. Many hunters digiscope only when scouting or killing time on stand. In this case, it’s a means to an end.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
For some, even the backyard can be an option, as interesting birds and other animals sometimes make cameo appearances.
The problem is that we, at times, can get a little bored with the same landscapes. Plus, for most, vacations come few and far between. The fact is, there are new sights in new outdoor spaces to enjoy digiscoping—and photography in general—and they’re cheap, if not free. Here are just a few digiscoping spots at the ready and usually close by.
City parks like Butler Park in Austin, Texas offer a lot of great photo opportunities, including nature and even cityscapes.
Public Parks
Barbeques, family reunions, and kids’ birthday parties are commonly associated with parks located in cities and towns. These are hotspots for digiscope photography outings. For one, parks serve as a sanctuary for a variety of wildlife, including small mammals and birds. Usually maintained at some level, they often offer trails and more manicured areas for easy access. Perhaps the best part is that some have small greenbelts a little off the beaten path, ripe for capturing nature and wildlife.
State Parks
Ah, the American state park. Whether fifty, hundreds, or thousands of acres, state park access is extremely inexpensive, and these state-run retreats are usually chock-full of woodlots, paths, and even bodies of water, such as lakes, ponds, and creeks. Combined with a camping trip or simply enjoyed for a couple of hours at a time, these areas are home to all kinds of great subjects for photography. Note that in a diverse state like Texas, state parks offer differing terrain, forest types, and animals. From the piney woods to the dense hill country; the desert plains to the coastal bend.
National Parks and Forests
Like state parks, federal parks offer a lot of variety in terms of nature, wildlife, and terrain. They’re usually bigger in size, which often leads to more visual opportunities if you’re willing to hoof it. If you’re lucky to live within a reasonable driving distance, take advantage of these photography-rich honey holes.
Commercial Greenbelts
Many commercial properties are ideal for capturing nature via photography
We all see them. Whether behind a strip mall or on land in the pre-construction phase of development, many commercial fields and woodlots are suitable for outdoor photography. These diamonds in the rough can be found everywhere, from areas of suburban sprawl to small rural roadside businesses. The key here is to ask permission. Vacant commercial tracts usually have a contact number on the signage. If not, county tax records can likely provide clues as to who to contact. If you want fresh digiscoping grounds, consider these common gems.
Public Hunting Land
While often not only used solely for hunting, popular public hunting land offers diverse habitats for wildlife. Depending on the region, this can include deer, elk, and antelope, just to name a few. Digiscopers can set up much like mobile hunters during fall and winter and see myriad wildlife and nature. The spring opens up even more opportunities, as there are fewer hunters and an onslaught of colorful spring growth.
You don’t need a 4-hour plane flight to your next vacation destination to keep your digiscoping game fresh and interesting. There are opportunities all around you—ones that offer a short commute of a few hours if not minutes.
Do a little research and plan your next photography trek in a more local setting. Carefully pack your digiscoping gear, put on good walking shoes or boots, and hit the trail. Nature is calling.
