Jeff Vogelpohl has captured otters so often with his camera that he is known around the refuge as the Otter Whisperer. (Photo by Jeff Vogelpohl)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

In July, 2018, Jeff Vogelpohl was hiking through Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR) and snapped his very first photograph of an otter. There were at least six otters, actually. They were jumping in and out of the water, so it was difficult to keep track of how many were actually there.

“I saw heads swimming and thought they were muskrats, but then they climbed out of the water, and one was eating a fish,” Vogelpohl said.

Vogelpohl went home after that exciting day and didn’t see another otter for a year and a half.

Today, Vogelpohl is known at the refuge as the Otter Whisperer. After that year and a half lull, he began spotting them more and more.

“The past few years, I’ve seen them at least once a month, except in April and May. I think they are nesting then,” he said. “Even in winter, you can see their tracks in the snow. If there is ice on the water, you can see where they would run and slide.”

On Sunday, Oct. 20, Vogelpohl will host a public hike through ONWR, where he will lead the group to his favorite spots and share tips for viewing otters.

“It’s hard to say whether we’ll actually see any,” Vogelpohl said. “They never seem to be in the same place from one day to the next, but I’m hoping to see some.”

Jeff Vogelpohl will share tips on spotting otters during a guided hike at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge on Oct. 20. (Photo by Jeff Vogelpohl)

While there is no guarantee that otters will be spotted on the hike, participants are sure to see other highlights of the natural beauty of the refuge.

“We might see beaver, raccoons or white pelicans,” Vogelpohl said. “There will be bald eagles, of course, and we might see migrating birds or deer.”

Vogelpohl, of Elmore, has been photographing nature for years. The beauty of the refuge inspired him to become more serious about the hobby about 15 years ago. Otters have given him an intriguing subject to capture with his lens.

“Otters seem to be very inquisitive. A lot of the time, they will look right at me and not seem to care that I’m there,” Vogelpohl said. “Last week, I saw a group and followed them along the dike. Then they climbed out of the water and ate fish.”

He watched them for about a half hour.

“I stayed a while, and then they disappeared into the brush,” he said.

The Hike with Jeff Vogelpohl will be held on Sunday, Oct. 20, from 8 to 10 a.m. at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge at 14000 OH-2 in Oak Harbor. The two-hour hike will cover about three miles on gravel dike trails. Participants should meet near the restrooms at the Visitor Center Parking Lot shortly before 8 a.m. The hike is free and open to the public.