Wildlife Hides
If you are serious about watching wildlife, you might also consider taking a portable wildlife hide on your holiday. Portable wildlife hides vary in size, shape, fabric, quality, weight, colour and pattern of camouflage, as well as the number and distribution of viewing portal. Some models offer head height viewing, some are of a much more compact style and some come with inbuilt seating. Hides also vary in the degree of waterproofing offered. All hides tend to be fairly lightweight and packable, but with some being more easily packed away than others. You can also add camo-scrim netting to your hide to further enhance the camouflage effect.
Before purchasing a wildlife hide, you would do well to reflect on your intended the purpose and the frequency of use of your hide. There is often a compromise to be made between the size, shape, comfort and features of the hide and its weight; the latter is an important consideration if you need to undertake a prolonged trek to your chosen location or plan on multiple and frequent moves.
A wildlife hide is a great option if you want to spend time observing and photographing wildlife in a particular location, whether it is coastal otters, soaring eagles, nesting passerines, feeding pine martens or playful red squirrels.
The Simon King Ultimate Wildlife Hide
If you interested in a hide offering good viewing and comfort, you might like to consider the Simon King Ultimate Wildlife Hide.
This pop up hide is spacious with good camouflage and offers an excellent range of viewing portals ideal for static and panning photography. It is designed by Simon King with the needs of the wildlife photographer in mind and includes both ground level and high level viewing. All still ports have scrim netting, a good option for effective camouflage and if midges are out and about. The Simon King Ultimate wildlife hide can accommodate one or two people comfortably, either standing or sitting. The hide is supported by poles, guy lines, pegs and flaps and can be used on a variety of substrates. The hide is easy to assemble and, once you have mastered the technique (see video), easy to put back into its backpack.
The Simon King Ultimate Wildlife Hide is an excellent choice if you want to watch wildlife in comfort and style, whilst maximising your wildlife viewing opportunities. It has alos received many good reviews. However, it only offers shower proof protection from the elements and some may find it a little bulky.
Nitehawk Pop-Up Hunting Camouflage Hide
Another hide worth considering is Nitehawk Pop-Up Camouflage Tent Hide which is designed for the needs of both hunters and photographers alike. It is similar in size the Simon King wildlife hide with a back pack design but is slightly heavier. It is made of polyester and is fairly easy to erect with poles and guy lines for support. The viewing ports are large but relatively few in number. The attractive feature of this hide is it price and it has received many good reviews on Amazon.
Nitehawk Pop-Up Hunting Hide with Chair
For those looking for an all in one solution, you might also consider the Nitehawk pop up tent hide with one person chair. This hide has the advantage of ease of assembly and comes with a foldable chair inside. Entry is through the large zipped step-in opening at the front of the hide . There are also some zipped windows on the side and ventilation holes. The dimensions of the hide are 116cm x 140cm x 132cm, with a weight of 6.4kg; it comes in holdall.
The attractive feature of this hide is the design and the price for its intended purpose. This hide is a good choice if you are planning to sit for an extended period in a single location.
Other models of hides with fitted seats include the BushWear Bush Chair Hide and the BushWear Double Bush Hide (for two persons).