Where the wild things are.

There you go, heading off into the woods with camera loaded and field guide handy, ready for a close encounter with the natural world. Several hours pass, and you have only seen a handful of birds. Take heart. You're not alone. Many hikers hit the trail with similar expectations and come back scratching their heads and wondering: Where are all the animals?

They're out there, for sure, but most naturalists agree that the average hiker or cross-country skier isn't going to see wildlife without a little skill and a lot of patience.

"Most people don't see wildlife because they don't know how to look," says Paul Rezendes, a Massachusetts tracker, photographer and naturalist. "It's not that they're not looking in the right places. It's that they're just not looking." Rezendes, author of Tracking and The Art of Seeing--How to Read Animal Tracks and Signs, says that the key is to slow down or stop and sit by the trail for a while, be quiet and see what happens.

Outdoor recreationalists may also need to adjust their schedules to fit those of the wild animal they hope to see. "In general, mammals are primarily nocturnal or twilight dwellers--they're active just before dawn or at sunset and into the night," says Deborah Wade, chief interpreter at Acadia National Park in Maine.

Try to put yourself in wildlife habitat during these witching hours. Campers have a leg up on day hikers in this department. Crawl out of your sleeping bag early and take a walk before breakfast, or find a good viewing spot and sit there through the twilight hours and into the night. While staying in an alpine hut in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I watched a spruce grouse emerge from underbrush during an after-dinner walk.

Parents of young children may have an advantage in the early morning hours. Moose, elk and pine marten are some of the creatures my husband and I found during early morning hikes in Wyoming's Gran Tetons while our infant daughter--who was up at 5 a.m.--rode along in a backpack carrier.

Of course, crying babies or shouting children aren't going to lure any wildlife within view. In fact, if you know your group is going to be especially noisy, it's probably a good idea to avoid wildlife habitat during sensitive times of the year, such as the breeding season or during winter--because animals can't afford to expend extra energy running from humans.

"To me the most exciting thing about seeing wildlife is to see them very relaxed and see actual behavior, but you have to have patience," says Lesley Rouse, a U.S. Forest Service wildlife biologist in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire and Maine. "If you make a lot of noise you'll only see them being defensive or fleeing." Also discouraged is the use of artificial bird calls or tapes--naturalists consider the practice ill-mannered at best.

"Basically, you're pulling that wildlife out of its normal habitat or routine and disturbing it," says Wade, pointing out that artificial bird calls are banned in U.S. national park.

"A goal to strive for is observing wildlife without interaction."

If you have recorded bird songs, play them at home so you'll recognize them in the fields. Naturalists say this is a good idea, since most amateurs hear more birds than they see. Experts say it's also OK to "pish" in the woods. Here's how: In a loud whisper, repeat over and over "pish, pish, pish!" There is a good chance it will bring small songbirds such as chickadees, nuthatches and warblers flocking your way. No one is quite sure why it works, but one theory is that the sound mimics an alarm call used by several species and birds fly toward it in an attempt to "mob" a predator.

"Pishing makes birds curious," says Rouse. "They might come over and have a look at you, but it's not going to make them defend their territory." Another matter of etiquette: Never feed wild animals. It makes them associate humans with handouts and replaces more nourishing wild food sources.

Good places to watch wildlife include wetlands, lakes and streams, and the edges between two different types of habitat--a forest and a meadow, for example. Those areas often attract residents of both habitats. In winter, any open water will yield a bevy of wildlife for the patient viewer.

"If you really want to go bird watching in the winter time, going to the coast is fabulous," says Rouse, noting that many birds, including loons, eiders and snowy owls, winter along the shore.

"Winter has so many real opportunities to see wildlife that you normally don't see," Rezendes says. He recommends forest clearings and frozen lakes, where, at the right time of day, watchers might see coyotes crossing the ice or deer fleeing across frozen terrain to escape predators. Occasionally, he says, deer die on the ice and their carcasses attract eagles, bobcats, coyotes and fishers.

Soft, fluffy snow also makes human footsteps quieter--especially on snowshoes. And the combination of snow and bare trees makes the dark coats of many animals, such as mink and otter, easier to see.

Also more readily seen are the tracks left by animals in fresh snow. With a good field guide, hikers can become nature detectives, investigating the habits of creatures that crossed the trail before them. Besides Rezendes' book, try A Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior by Donald and Lillian Stokes.

The Backyard Observer

Songbirds may be scarce on the trail during cold weather, but the properly stocked backyard can make winter the best time of the year to see birds at home. Wildlife experts stress that if you start feeding birds in winter, there's a moral obligation to keep it up until spring, since avian visitors will become dependent on the food source.

In terms of what to offer, try to include as much natural fare as possible by way of fruit- and seed-bearing plants. Native plants will attract the most wildlife. Birdfeeders stocked with a variety of seeds and placed close to the bushes and other cover will reward birdwatchers with live entertainment all winter long.

Besides food, your backyard sanctuary should include a source of water for drinking and bathing. (In winter, you may need to consult a nature products store for devices that prevent the water from freezing.) With the approach of spring, try putting up birdhouses to attract new families to your yard. Be patient: My birdhouse was up for four years before a feathered pair took up residence. Consider leaving a decaying tree in the yard for hole-nesting species of birds and animals, too. Other forms of shelter include shrubs and stone walls--a favorite of chipmunks. Those serious about creating a homegrown refuge can apply to the National Wildlife Federation for certification under its Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. Applicants submit a plan of their yard and earn certification if it meets the federation's specification for adequate sources of food, water and shelter.

Whether you're cozy by the kitchen window with a cup of tea or gliding through a forest glen on skis, be ready for the unexpected. Sometimes we stumble upon wild creatures quite by accident. On the same trip to the Tetons that yielded the pine marten, my husband--sleeping baby on board--and I were hiking an isolated highland trail through thick woods. A large coyote crossed the trail a few yards in front of us and then vanished into the brush as mysteriously as it had appeared. We looked at each other in awe, aware that we had come closer to the wilderness in those few seconds than most people ever do.

Helpful Resources: Tracking and The Art of Seeing--How to Read Animal Tracks and Signs (distributed by Firefly Books); A Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior (Little, Brown and Company).

Contact: National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife Program, 1400 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-2266/[phone].

LISA CAPONE writes about environmental issues from her home in Melrose, Massachusetts. She is author of The Conservationworks Book (AMC Books).