I love watching them all but the elk is my favorite to watch. I was watching a couger watch elk one day. He or she sat down on its haunches and just watched them for about thirty minutes. A young cow walked within 15 feet of that big cat and the elk never saw or smelled the cat and the cat never flinched a muscle or attacked.
I was expecting to see something few people ever see, a couger kill in the wild but it never happend. What I did see probably was even more outstanding. A couger doing exactly what I was doing. Just watching the elk.

As I was writing this I realize that I have to add Eagles. I love watching eagles. There is something so majestic and free and wild about them.

I heard a scream one day and looked up from where I was waiting for three bucks to come down across an open area where I was waiting in ambush. I had been walking down an old log road when I spotted these bucks and since there was a trail coming down a bank about 40 feet from where I was at I figured I would just back up a bit , find a place to hide and wait for them.

Anyway when I heard this scream I looked up and I see this eagle with his wings set coming like a jet fighter toward the deer. The deer turned to run toward me and before they got to the bank the Golden hit a three point in the back and just sent him rolling down onto the road in front of me. Both I and the deer were to mesmerised and shocked to do anything except the deer scrambled to his feet and bolted into the brush. The eagle just set his wings and sailed out over the valley and did not come back while I was there. I think he timed it all perfect and hoped to permanently disable the buck so he could come back and eat him. He might have too . But he sent him over that bank and no doubt did it on purpose. I think that I saw a once in a lifetime deal. I told the Biologist about that and they said eagles do not prey on grown deer. Grin. I now know better.

As I write this I have to add coyotes. But thats going to be another story. I love watching them mouse. God Bless you all and enjoy and be thankful for what God has allowed us to see and enjoy. Steve

Well I guess I would have to say that I enjoy watching foxes the most - however I don't get much opportunity these days...

Dang, Tommy, that's beautiful, poetic!
Atrocious grammar and spelling, but quite captivating.

Who'da thunk it?      

Big Mule Deer!  

For me, it`s whitetails.

Watching a group of deer navigate through an area as they feed simply amazes me. I am convinced they have a sixth sense, and can communicate in ways we cannot understand.

I have killed my fair share of whitetails, and could not complain if I were never "given" another for the larder. I will scream to hell and back if I am not allowed to watch them.

The white man`s version of the afterlife, is heaven, but I hope it is indeed the happy hunting grounds.

I cant believe no one else picked my favorite. it almost seems un-american not to. I gotta go with the Thunder Beast. The Buffalo.just the immense power and man what i wouldnt give to go back in time and see the plains when the buffalo were at there peak in history.that had to be a site

red tailed hawk

Bobcats and coyotes....I love the predators.

Thank you Illbeer.

i love to watch all animals.they make more sense than most people i have to deal with.good luck this season everyone,steve

All wild critters, from the birds at the feeder to bears on bait, but if I had to pick just one it would be the whitetail deer.
Dan

I Love to watch any animal, wild or not, my wife and I raise Reindeer and Bactrian camels, and they are awesome to watch. My favorite animal to hunt would have to be Elk, maybe because I don't get to do it often and they are not out my back door although I have been lucky enough to be on quite a few Elk hunts, I don't have to take an Elk to have a great time on an Elk hunt, for me there is nothing else like getting into a herd of Elk! DK.

Ruffed Grouse the Thunder chicken of all Thunder chickens    

Coyotes.Dogs, calfs, fawns, and kids thr goat kind . The other little kids are fun to watch also.

Pika

Thera's so many to stop you and make you look. Like Ken, watching the Redtail hawk soar until you see that red tail is always a thrill. Finding a red tail feather is a real treasure. I have one and am always on the lookout.

Just about any wild animal, although if I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be antelope.  When working in Wyoming, they fascinated me.  Their speed, vision, and they are high strung like a piano wire.  Fun to watch when they don't know you are around.  It was really cool when doing antelope surveys that often an antelope would race me in my truck.  This would sometimes involve a 1/2 mile run along the two track I was on.  They could peel off any time, but seemed to enjoy racing me.

1st would be my wife she's a real looker and fun to watch,2nd would be my kids they are always doing something I scratch my head at,3rd would be my wife's cat(note my wife's)when they stalk something it is amazing,4th would be the squirrel it moves with purpose and is attentive to everything around them but a moving car.

There's nothing better or more sereal than watching a Redtailed hawk sore through blue sky.

Another favorite - watching Peregrine falcons.


Most know Peregrines have made a comeback nationwide and since the late 80's have done remarkably well here in NE Ohio. This year there were 35 known active nest sites statewide, and for the past 10 or 15 years, every time I happen to get downtown Akron, Canton or Cleveland have always tried to make it a point of checking out some of the active nest sites during season.


The past 20 years or so most of these sites have been of big city canyons of concrete until last year and again this summer, a pair took up residency on a high span interstate bridge over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The nest site is just a short 4 miles distance from my work place. I get to watch them during my lunch breaks... It's pretty cool.