Tracking Books

[Pandabean]

Can anyone here recommend a good book that talks about the basics of tracking and what to look for?


Andy

 

[Marts]

Basics of SAR tracking or animal tracking?

 

[dommyracer]

For animal tracking:-

"Animal Tracks and Signs" by Preben Bang and Preben Dahlstrohm is a good one.

Oxford Univ. Press - ISBN 0199299978

It covers feeding signs, scat, pellets etc as well as tracks, gaits etc. Its well organised as a field guide and has excellent illustrations, diagrams and photos. While it comes from the perspective Northern Europe its very relevant. They added a foreword by Ray Mears in the reprint as well.

I've also been told that "Tom Brown's Field Guide - Nature Observation and Tracking" is a good one.but I've not checked it out myself.

 

[Wolfie]

Try any of these;

Mammal detective by Rob Strachan, ISBN 1-873580-20-7

Tactical tracking operations by David Scott-Donelan, ISBN 1-58160-003-8

Tracks & Signs of the birds of Britain & Europe. ISBN 0-7136-5208-X

Animals Tracks, trails & signs ISBN 0-7537-0955-4

The complete guide to tracking by Bob Carrs, ISBN 0-094-79560-6

The art of tracking, the origin of science, by Louis Liebenberg ISBN 0-86486-293-8

You should be able to find all but the last one on Amazon.

 

[w00dsmoke]

For animal tracking:-

"Animal Tracks and Signs" by Preben Bang and Preben Dahlstrohm is a good one.

Oxford Univ. Press - ISBN 0199299978

It covers feeding signs, scat, pellets etc as well as tracks, gaits etc. Its well organised as a field guide and has excellent illustrations, diagrams and photos. While it comes from the perspective Northern Europe its very relevant. QUOTE]

I've taught tracking for many years and this is the standard text book for Europe (buy it now if you can as they only runa few hundred print copies during every reprint and they can become very scarece!)although you ought to familiarise yourself with tracking humans first and then transfer it over...top n bottom sign etc... for this you need to look at some of the military manuals and practice on humans before you go near any animal track.

If you can't track two feet how r u gonna track 4? ;-)

 

[Pandabean]

Thanks guys. I have ordered Tom Brown's Field Guide - Nature Observation and Tracking. I may also purchase the Animal Tracks and Signs book that you mention.

Woodsmoke - where can I get one of those manuals?


Thanks.

 

[Voivode]

I have the Tom Brown book; It's not so much a field guide of tracks (there are far better for that) as it is a manual for getting yourself in the observation mind; he advocates achieving a meditative awareness of your state within your environment as being essential for tracking. Being of the "the universe flows through and with me" mind, I found it a good read. YMMV, as many people have a low tolerance for his, er, claims and that clouds their opinion of his work.

 

[Pandabean]

I did order the book "Animal tracks and Signs" but it had Ray Mears on the front. Is this the correct one?

Andy

 

[dommyracer]

Yup, that's the one.
They added a foreword by Ray and stuck his pic on the front - makes it more marketable I guess, and also shows up in searches for books by Ray Mears.

 

[Beer Monster]

Wasn't Max from Shadowhawk going to produce a book ........ or was that just a figment of my imagination?

……. actually just had a look at their webpage …… and it says Max was to launch at the 2006 Wilderness Gathering ……… did anyone see it?

For ease of use and portability I’d also recommend the Field Studies Council “A Guide to British Mammal Tracks and Signs”. It’s a fold out laminated chart that is quite good for quick reference ……. and only costs about £3.50 from UKSafari.

 

[Beer Monster]

........... was also wondering if anyone has got or read The Mammal Society book "How to Find and Identify Mammals" by Gillie Sargent & Pat Morris?

Its on their website but I've also noticed it on Amazon and at the NHBS.

The NHBS says:-

"Revised second edition. Spiral bound.
Illustrations by G Troughton. Very much designed with conservation in mind (mammals account for a tiny proportion of UK biological records - only 0.5%) this manual contains tips on identifying mammals by their signs, sounds, and even smells, lists easy ways to distinguish species that look similar, and details live trapping methods. Further useful information such as recording forms, addresses of county mammal recorders, a mammal skull key, and a publications list is supplied in the appendices."

 

[amott69]

i did a tracking course with max in november and was told it would be out in december.I'll e-mail shadowhawk and find out if it is out yet.I was hoping to get hold of a copy myself.

 

[Pandabean]

Lol, almost bought two of them thinking that they were different.

Yup, that's the one.
They added a foreword by Ray and stuck his pic on the front - makes it more marketable I guess, and also shows up in searches for books by Ray Mears.

 

[Rhoda]

Max's book is available now. Get in touch with me via the shadowhawk website if you want one, the first 100 will be signed copies so be quick!!!!

 

[hammock monkey]

the bob carss book is really good, i think its the best i've read so far.
together with 'Animal tracks and signs' you'll have a load of info to absorb

 

[Steve K]

Has anyone read both of the Bob Carss books? Is there much differnce between them?

Cheers

 

[maverick moocher]

Hi, you guys are probably aware by now but Max's book is very good and more pocket freindly.The Bang/Dahlstrom is also good although the error on page 21 has still not been corrected? Pointed this out to Rhoda at the outdoorshow.Hope I never meet a Muntjac with feet this big whilst 'mooching' in Rockingham Forest!!

Regards
Mooch

 

[hammock monkey]

Has anyone read both of the Bob Carss books? Is there much differnce between them?

Cheers

there's only one that i know of, i think its probably been tarted up and new names added. the difference between it and most of the other books available is that it actually teaches tracking, not just recognising sign. both are obviously important, to me tracking is the extension of finding sign.
dont get the sas tracking and navigation book tho, its poor, not a patch on Carss.

I'd be interested to get any new publications by Carss if any knows of any?

 

[Wolfie]

The following book is well worth adding to your collection if you get the chance - Animal Tracking Basics by John Young and Tiffany Morgan

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animal-Trac...4015107?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179398641&sr=1-2