Novice tracking book please

[bilko]

Hi Guys, i'm after a recommendation or two for a novice tracking book specific to britain please.
Something small to carry in the field so i can learn deer, squirrel, fox, badger, maybe even a big cat lol.
Nothing too complicated but it must be clear and concise with loads of pictures for id. I don't need to know what the animal was doing just yet. One step at a time ( forgive the pun).

Are there any recognized 'MUST' books for novices? Also i don't need gazelle, antelope or rhino etc. If i ever get good enough to be in a place to spot their sign, i'll be buying more specific books lol.

I did a search but a lot of the recommendations appear to be intermediate upwards.
Thanks

 

[Kerne]

If you mean absolutely basic then try:

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/list/mammals/footprints

not a book but a useful place to start.

Or this:

http://www.nhbs.com/a_guide_to_british_mammal_tracks_and_signs_tefno_119464.html&tab_tag=album
easy to photocopy and take with you.

 

[bilko]

Great Kerne, i'll check it out, thanks.

 

[Snowfire]

The Field Studies Council do a series of laminated fold out charts including "A Guide to British mammal tracks and signs" - see http://www.field-studies-council.org/publications/bycategory/birds.aspx for details.

Nice and clear and simple, also easy to slip into a rucksac.

Hope that helps.

 

[bilko]

Thanks snow fire.
Hmm, i am starting to wonder if i am selling myself short here though.
Put it this way, is there an absolute must, a founding stone of a book that every one interested in tracking should own?
Flipcharts and photocopies are great but i do have a budget albeit not huge lol.
Sorry to be so vague before.

 

[preacherman]

I have a few tracking books but the ideal one for shoving in a pack or jacket pocket is Ian Maxwells Animal Tracks ID and Techniques. I got mine at Bison Bushcraft. No connection etc etc...

http://www.bisonbushcraft.co.uk/page15/page15.html

Scroll down the page to near the end.

Andrew

 

[MrEd]

i just recently brought Bang and Dahlstroms's animals tracks and sign book

its really good, it contains tracks, feeding sign, scat, and nesting etc sign

its got a good lot of info in it, was about 8 quid from amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animal-Trac...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272543480&sr=8-1

 

[Leigh Robinson]

Bang and Dahlstroms's animals tracks and sign book is excellent.
Tom brown's books are quite good on tracking although there are only illustrations which aren't great.

What I would recommend is that you buy decent books on the animals you want to study. For example, I have a particular interest in fallow deer so I read Donald and Norma Chapman's books and also richard prior's. These are authorities on deer.

I also go to deer parks and watch the deer, studying their behaviours and patterns. This way you get a fuller understanding of the animal than you cuold ever get from a simple tracks and signs books.

 

[Fruit Loop]

I have found Animal Tracks and Signs by Preben Bang and Preben Dalhstrom a very good book and introduction to tracking and not too large that it couldn't be used out in the field.

Tracking and the art of seeing. how to read animal tracks and signs by Paul Rezendes is also a good book. It covers animals from Northern America but we seem to have a lot of animals in common.

 

[Pablo]

Bilko,

I would go for Ian Maxwell's book Animal Tracks ID and Techniques. It's small enough to stick in your pocket but will give you enough information (including big cats) to get you started.

Pablo.

 

[Lincs Bushman]

Don't know if this has already been mentioned, but this is a good little book, and focuses mainly on British Nature.....http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animals-Tra...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272702640&sr=1-1

 

[JeroenK]

The Bang and Dahlstroms's animals tracks and sign book as recommended by several others before is the book to get IMHO. Besides the signs and tracks etc it also goes ina little deeper.

Its the book I recommend to everyone if they just want to get 1 book (or their first book).

 

[bigant]

again another one voting for http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animal-Trac...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272543480&sr=8-1
great little book... also hasn't ray done another tracking book to go with his latest tv stuff? might be worth a look see.

 

[superc0ntra]

Bang and Dahlstroms's animals tracks and sign book is excellent.
Tom brown's books are quite good on tracking although there are only illustrations which aren't great.

I second both recommendations

 

[JeroenK]

again another one voting for http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animal-Trac...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272543480&sr=8-1
great little book... also hasn't ray done another tracking book to go with his latest tv stuff? might be worth a look see.

That is the same as the Preben Bang and Preben Dahlstrom book, just with a foreword by Ray Mears if I'm not mistaken...

Just so to prevent that anyone orders both ...

 

[Bushwhacker]

Have a look at this one before buying a book, it's got some good info on it.

http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/nature/tracking.shtml

 

[paolo]

Here there is a nice selection of pictures of mammal tracks. Unfortunately the site is only in Italian, if anyone needs an help to translate, I'm here.
Bye
Paolo

 

[ocean1975]

I am also new to tracking and have just got the book Animal tracks id and techniques.By Ian maxwell and think it is a good starting off book.

 

[JeroenK]

Its not a bad book but imho its focusing a bit too much on prints alone. Although most people will think thats the most sign of wild you'll see out there its actually the least. And following tracks without clear prints for a beginner is quite hard. Other sign such as scat, feeding, sleeping, territory markings etc are generally easier to find and should also be part of the knowledge of a tracker. Preben/Bang's book has excellent search sheets which further reference to texts that go deeper into the other sign.

That said, the book by Maxwell has some good basic pointers on tracking, as we all know he's an expert tracker.

Anyway, if you are serious into tracking eventually I suggest you get multiple books/video's/courses/seminars. Rezendes' "Tracking & the art of seeing" is also a must have, as is Tom Brown's "Field Guide to Nature Observation and Tracking" (skip "The Science and Art of Tracking"). If money is a problem, by amazon you can also buy second hand. Often just for a few $ or €.

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day Bilko

Without wanting to sound like a smart ar$$e, can I suggest a different approach?

Take a camera out into the bush & photograph any track / spoor you see, taking note of their location (including specifics such as location, distance between tracks, nail indents, depth of pad indentation etc, etc, etc, etc).

Then learn as much as you can about the animals that are likely in be in your area first.

Only then/B] look up what the track is likely to be.

Personally, I reckon you'll learn more about the animal & the type of track /spoor they leave by learning more about the animal & type of indication they leave before identifying it, then you will by learning the "classic track" of animal.

Bear in mind as always, others mileage may vary



Kind regards
Mick