What are the best ways to improve one's Knowledge checks?

[Paulcynic]

I have a level 1 character with 1 rank in Knowledge: Nature as a Class skill, and I want to use the Take 10 rule to achieve a result of at least 17, with the purpose of knowing which animals of CR 2 are in a particular region. What are the ways that I can fill that 3 point gap? And how high can we get this check with the various means at level 1?

A couple of ways that I have found are:

1. The Aid Other rule allows a fellow player or an NPC to grant a +2 untyped bonus.

2. Guidance, granting a +1 Competence bonus.

Though these are both common enough options, either might not be available to a particular group, and so more options should lead to a greater likelihood of obtaining that +3 total bonus.

[Renegadeshepherd]

If your wanting it at level 1 that's a little tricky but there are a few tricks.

1) bards get a +1 at level one with bardic knowledge.
2) skill focus and scholar feats add bonuses to knowledge. +3 to one and +2 to two of your choice respectively.
3) noble scion (knowledge) grants +1 to all knowledge skills.

Later on diletante is great for dips in knowledge.

[Blakmane]

It may be stating the obvious, but having an INT modifier of at least +3 is probably the easiest way.

If you can justify it to your DM (perhaps as a set of reference books?) a masterwork tool for 50 GP would give you another +1 bonus.

You could buy potions of guidance for 25 GP even if you didn't have an appropriate spellcaster.

If you have an oracle in your party, the spell embrace destiny can be used give you a much higher chance of a good roll: just keep casting it until you get a good number on the D20. No need to take 10.