Each time I head out into the field to photograph my favorite subject - wildlife - I make a plan for what I want to see. Sometimes it works out and I come home with a great set of photos. Other days I bomb out completely without any seeing any critters. And most days I come home with a mix of subjects I wanted to photograph and some unanticipated subjects.

For example, I write on my calendar for each month of the year what are the best wildlife subjects for that month, such as photographing bighorn rams during the rut in November and December. So I plan my days late in the year to go to those locations where I most anticipate seeing these majestic animals that are the state mammal for Colorado. Does that mean I wouldn't want to see a pine marten, mountain lion or elk on those outings? Absolutely not, and I would certainly stop to take their picture if the situation was photo worthy. And vice versa is the same; I would photograph bighorn rams in other months of the year.

But I would become very overwhelmed if I was looking for all the critters I might see in an area in one day. Plus my eyes get programmed to look for the signs of bighorn sheep, which makes my success rate for seeing them increase - they blend in incredibly well on the rocky mountainsides.

So set your goals and watch your success rate increase.