How many of you carry NVG? I have an elcheapo ($150) Russian IR telescope. Its a lot of fun to look at the stars in really dark places, like mountain tops and high camp sites, but its also fun and informative to watch the animal life around you. What is the rustling sound over there? Have a look see, there's an IR laser built in to illuminate things.

Observations: Many animals have reflective layers in the backs of their eyes to reflect light back through the nerve cells giving them twice as much signal to send to their brain, but if affects their fine focus ability. Night animals consequently have eyes that glow. Most NVG has some magnification and the first time you look out to see what the noise was and you see the magnified glowing eyes of a deer, well I screamed and turned to run for it... It looked like an alien. Its good to see the skunks before you throw a rock. BUT let me tell you this, especially if you have a campfire, every animal for 5 miles down wind will come to the proximity of your camp. You won't normally see them but they are there. Also if you are in lion country, they will come to watch the other animals. When that fire burns down they aren't frightened of the flames any more and you may unwittingly attracted all of the animals that you wished to repel with the fire. I am always a bit spooked after dousing the fire. Then if you look around with NVG you may see some big animals just 40 -60 feet away.
Jim