> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://hiking-ohio.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Field Notes: Wildlife, Crooked Trees and Night Skies in Ohio - URL: https://hiking-ohio.com/ohio-trail-field-notes/ - Published: 2026-10-30T17:53:04.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-30T17:53:04.000Z - Description: Field notes from our Ohio trails: field-camera wildlife, deer by the bridge, a Hocking Hills night-sky time lapse, and our favorite crooked trees. - Author: Ryan Jordan - Tags: wildlife, Hocking Hills State Park These are the small things we see around the trails that never needed a whole post of their own: animals on the field camera, deer by the bridge, a night of time-lapse sky at the campground, and the crooked trees we can't walk past. ## Animals on the Field Camera We set up the field camera in the field behind our son's house. The dates on the pictures and times are incorrect. I did not see a reason to spend the time to correct all the dates. The only important thing is the pictures. It was really interesting to see coyotes. I have heard coyotes before but had not seen any. It is a little disconcerting that Rob and I camped there a couple of years ago. We did not see any coyotes then. Whew! It is nice to see the different animals on the field camera. Many of the animals are nocturnal so we would not be able to seem them during the day. We have pictures below of skunks, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs, and possums. ![Cartoon coyote sitting with a red bandana on a transparent background](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2025/07/1752951596339-free-coyote-clip-art-8.jpg) ![Trail camera photo of a coyote walking left across a green field toward a wooden bridge in summer](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-01.webp) ![Trail camera photo of a coyote standing in tall grass near a wooden footbridge](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-02.webp) ![Trail camera photo of a coyote walking right past a wooden bridge in a leafy green clearing](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-03.webp) ![Trail camera photo of an empty green field and wooden bridge with no animal visible](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-04.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote walking away into leaf litter under bare trees](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-05.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote walking left through a dark winter woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-06.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote walking right across the forest floor at night](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-07.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of dense bare trees and leaf litter with no clear animal in frame](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-08.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote body close to the camera in dark woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-09.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote partially filling the frame among bare trees](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-10.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote close-up walking through leaf litter](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-11.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote rear half and tail moving through dark woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-12.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote mid-frame walking through bare winter trees](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-13.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote head and shoulders among dark tree trunks](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-14.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote standing alert facing the camera in leaf litter](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-15.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote walking left in profile under bare trees](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-16.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote rear view walking away into the woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-17.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote rear and tail as it walks away from the camera](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-18.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote standing among trees looking to the right](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-19.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a coyote standing near a tree trunk facing right](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-20.webp) ![Small color photo of a groundhog sitting on green grass](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2025/07/1753111347053-IMG_20250720_125619.jpg) *This is the groundhog that lives in our neighborhood, we call him/her Flower because we first saw her in a flowerpot. Picture below.* ![Cartoon groundhog popping out of a mound of dirt, smiling](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-21.webp) ![Trail camera daytime photo of a groundhog in a leaf-covered field near a fence line](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-22.webp) ![Trail camera daytime photo of a groundhog farther back in a leaf-strewn field](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-23.webp) ![Trail camera daytime photo of a groundhog near the right edge of a field by brush](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-24.webp) ![Color photo of a young groundhog sitting in a flower pot on a patio](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-25.webp) groundhog ![Cartoon opossum sitting with hands clasped and a long pink tail](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2025/07/1753110571155-clipart-opossum-13.jpg) ![Night trail camera photo of an opossum near the left edge of a dark wooded frame](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-26.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of an opossum walking left through leaf litter at night](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-27.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of an opossum on the left side of a bare winter woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-28.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of an opossum walking right across the forest floor](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-29.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a small bright eye-shine deep in dark brush](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-30.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a small bright animal eye-shine in dark woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-31.webp) opossum ![Cartoon gray rabbit with blue eyes sitting and smiling](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2025/07/1753110739775-Bunny-free-rabbits-clipart-free-clipart-graphics-images-and-photos-2.jpg) ![Night trail camera photo of a rabbit low in brush on the forest floor](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-32.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a rabbit sitting among leaf litter in dark woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-33.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a rabbit near the right side of a wooded clearing](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-34.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a rabbit small in the frame among bare trees](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-35.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a rabbit on a leaf-covered slope in the woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-36.webp) ![Daytime trail camera photo of a rabbit on a leaf-covered path in a winter woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-37.webp) rabbit ![Cartoon raccoon sitting with large blue eyes and a striped tail](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2025/07/1753111019979-bef849b88b50101aec1023c8460abc41.jpg) ![Night trail camera photo of a raccoon foraging in a leaf-covered clearing](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-38.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a raccoon walking through leaf litter at night](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-39.webp) raccoon ![Night trail camera photo of a skunk near a tree trunk in leaf litter](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-40.webp) ![Night trail camera photo of a skunk walking left past a tree in the woods](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-41.webp) ![Cartoon skunk standing with a raised bushy black-and-white tail](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2025/07/1753110780339-9-wild-skunk-cartoon-clipart.jpg) skunk --- **Conclusion:** Field cameras are an easy way to capture animals in their own environment. It is amazing to see the variety of animals in such a small area. ## Oh Deer: A Doe, Her Fawn and the Bridge ![Doe and her spotted fawn walking along a paved trail beside green plants](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-42.webp) ![Doe and her spotted fawn standing on an empty paved path beside a green forest edge](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-43.webp) ![Doe leading her fawn down a shaded asphalt road lined with evergreens and grass](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-44.webp) Above a deer and her fawn taking a walk. At night the deer come to eat by the bridge we built. What is better than watching deer eat at night! ## Night Sky at the Hocking County Campground It was in early May of 2025 that my husband and I planned a camping trip and hiking in the Hocking Hills. Unfortunately, about 3 days before our trip, I fell in our garage. My right knee went one way; the kneecap went the other way with my body. I was able to crawl into my house...cursing my stupidity all the way. We decided to go ahead with the camping trip. Instead of hiking (I could barely make it to the bathroom.) We hung out in the tent and set up our Go-Pro camera for on top of the car for a time lapse video. My husband had to go out twice to change the battery. If we do this again, I think we will use an external battery charger, so the battery won't need changed. Anyway, I loved the results, and I wanted to share them so here we go...... ![Night Sky Hocking County Campground - Hiking Ohio photo](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-45.webp) ![Night Sky Hocking County Campground - Hiking Ohio photo](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2026/10/ohio-trail-field-notes-46.webp) I was really bummed about my knee, but I did decide to go ahead and have it replaced. It was really so hard to be in an area for hiking and not be able to hike. Enjoy! ## Crooked Trees We love crooked trees! Finding the trees next to trails is really fun. ![Crooked tree trunk bending through dense green summer woods near an Ohio hiking trail](https://cdn.hiking-ohio.com/blog-hiking/2025/03/1740933758638-20210626_073933.jpg) ## Butterflies and Bugs We have done a lot of hiking. We love to take pictures. ## Nearby Trails and Related Guides - [Hocking Hills trails ranked](https://hiking-ohio.com/hocking-hills-state-park-every-trail-ranked/) - [Hiking in Ohio overview](https://hiking-ohio.com/hiking-in-ohio/)