Although difficult to use in a moving raft, it can be set up at lunch stops or at camp for wildlife watching. Scan the shadows. Sometimes you'll catch wildlife out in the open, on a beach or hillside, but you'll increase your chances if you scan the less obvious places as well. Search the shadows for the outline of elk, deer, or moose antlers. Look under branches for a resting coyote.
Many species stay alive by being difficult for predators to spot.
Look, look, and look again. Think like an animal. Knowing an animal's habits and habitats will increase your chance of spotting wildlife. Look behind you. Wildlife may hide as they see you coming, and then, when you pass, slip back out to the beach or riverside to continue feeding or watering.