2008 Tours

Exploring Wildlife in Mexican Gray Wolf Country

Join Wild By Nature for an outdoor adventure into the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico and experience our country’s first designated wilderness by learning about the natural history of the animals that make this area home. Our goal is to help you learn to spot wildlife
in their habitat, recognize their tracks and sign, and understand their role in the ecosystem.

Wildlife such as black bear, puma, elk, deer, pronghorn and bighorn sheep inhabit the forest, as well as a wealth of bird species.
At least four packs of restored Mexican gray wolves occupy territories in the Gila National Forest. We’ll explore areas where updated information on pack locations suggests that wolves may have traveled and document any tracks and sign we find, listen for howls and learn more about lobos in the wild.

Three major airports offer flight services into the area: El Paso, TX, Albuquerque, NM and Tucson, AZ; with some type of transportation service  then available into Silver City, NM. Wild By Nature is available to assist in making arrangements for your transportation and/or accommodation needs prior to your arrival into Silver City; however, the cost of these arrangements is not included in the price of your tour package.

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Girls in the Wild or Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend

Bring your spirit of adventure and join us for a trip into the wild country of the Gila Wilderness. Wild By Nature ventures where few others take the time to explore, following the rhythms of nature and seeking out unique wild places. While almost any camping trip into Wilderness offers personal challenge, our trips are designed with a flexible itinerary to allow for a wide range of opportunities and abilities; some will climb to the top of every mountain while others may choose to sit beside a stream and read or soak in the hot springs. Our guides are experienced outdoorswomen who will mange the trip to match your particular needs and interests.

Ladies, if you have ever dreamed of riding into the remote backcountry, learning to camp with horses and mules, packing your own gear and navigating the country, then this is the trip for you. Bring your own animals or use ours, but come meet us in the mountains for the wilderness trip of a lifetime.

Instruction on the trip includes horsemanship, safety considerations, emergency backcountry equine care and of course, riding and packing lessons. We will cover several packers’ hitches like the double diamond, box and single diamond; learn how to move and safely operate around the animals; and discuss good backcountry gear and how to choose it.

For those who feel that they may need to refresh their horse skills or want extra instruction before heading into the woods, front country seminars will be offered prior to each trip to ensure that each woman feels prepared for the backcountry.

Birding the Upper Gila in New Mexico

The upper reaches of the Gila River and its tributaries in New Mexico is one of the most ornithological neglected areas in the southwestern United States.  And yet, it is home to a wealth of birds and incredible scenery providing many birding opportunities for the avian enthusiast of every level.  From the desert influence of the lower elevations, to lush cottonwood/willow riparian valleys, to the cool sycamore-lined canyons, to the highland oak-juniper hillsides and the Ponderosa Pine forests of the mountains, there is a unique and remarkable beauty created from these rich and diverse habitats.  Equally remarkable is the richness and diversity of the bird life in the area.

With almost 350 species of birds having been observed and documented, there are lots of birds to find!!  At the lower elevations we'll look for such regular desert specialties as Black-throated Sparrow, Cactus Wren and Lucy's Warbler.  The riparian zones hold flycatchers, kingbirds, swallows, tanagers, orioles, waterfowl, warblers and numerous woodpecker species, including the Gila and Acorn Woodpecker.  We'll search for these birds as well as riparian obligates such as Bell's Vireo, Common Black-Hawk and the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.  We'll have a chance at four different jay species, thrashers, sparrows, vireos, warblers and Montezuma Quail in the oak-juniper habitat.  In the pine forests of the Mogollon Mountains, we'll seek Painted Redstart, Olive and Red-faced Warbler, Greater Pewee, Bridled Titmouse and three species of nuthatches.  If observing owls is on your wish list, this area offers the chance at several species including Western Screech-Owl, Barn, Owl, Long-eared owl, Spotted Owl, Flammulated Owl and our smallest species, the Elf Owl. 

Mother Nature’s Storybook:  Finding and Interpreting Animal Tracks and Sign

For additional information contact Cynthia Wolf at (307) 272-5916