Tracking on the beach.

[KIMBOKO]

I live barely fifty yards/metres from the beach. The beach is composed of sand and shingle and every day I take the dog out to the beach. I have read several tracking books in particular Tom Brown Jnrs offering and I am starting to follow the tracks on the beach I can follow dog tracks over the sand and shingle and up the concrete promenade and sometimes follow transfer tracks along the concrete, i'm getting the hang of different paces. But I dont feel that I am see as much information in the tracks as I might. What in particular should I be doing during these hours of dog walking/tracking sessions.

Please can someone advise.

 

[Ed]

But I dont feel that I am see as much information in the tracks as I might. What in particular should I be doing during these hours of dog walking/tracking sessions.

Think about how the animal behaves. If tracking dog for example try and spot where it sat down, dug its nose in the sand, dropped a stick/ball and picked it up again.... start to build up an overall picture..... look for when it is running and walking..... its relationship with its owners tracks etc....

Ed

 

[Kim]

If I'm repeating anything you know already, apologies, but check out how the light can change how the tracks look, from different angles, different times of day, how the weather might affect them that sort of thing. :?:

Obviously whilst trying not to lose sight of your dog!! ):

 

[Ed]

Take a note of the stradle/gait(width between tracks) of the animal... also the stride length... does it change... then ask yourself why ;-) ? Keeping note is a good thing, you can always look back on them and you will realise what the signs were.
Watch other people walk their dogs and then go and look at there tracks..... you saw what they did (did they throw a stick for the dog) and you can look at the track sign that was left.

Ed

 

[Paganwolf]

and if your dog is like mine you will be glad of tracking practice!! dont just look at the big stuff, insects and lizards make wonderfull tracks ive tracked many a lizard through a grasshopper hunt get down to the sand and check every movement sand is an amazing canvass for tracking art

 

[Rhoda]

The beach is the easiest place to track so you are luckier than most in that you don't need to make a sand pit in your garden!!! Look at the dog prints in the wet sand as you will be able to see more subtle differences in these clearer prints. Make a note of what you see and then try to apply what you learn to more difficult terrains. Watch how the dog behaves and then go over and look at how its behaviour changed its tracks. Doing this on a regular basis will teach you to imagine an animals behaviour just by seeing its tracks, it gets you practised at getting into the mindset of the animal. In this way we can begin to intuitively predict what an animal will do next, making following a trail easier and faster.

You should definately take a notebook and pen out with you and make drawings of the tracks you see as well as notes about anything that comes into your mind as you are tracking. If you have any specific questions feel free to pm me and I'll try to answer them for you!
Good luck

 

[ScottC]

 

[KIMBOKO]

Thank you all for the advice. Sorry I'm slow getting back but I wasn't at work at the w/e.

As the beach slopes towards the sea all tracks have pressure plates on the seaward side. There is also a great deal of inconsistency in the depth of sand under the surface. Every time I walk on the sand with the intention of checking what my own prints look like and trying to be as consistent as possible the tracks look totally inconsistent. The variation in depth of sand and hardness of it make one track 5 cms deep and the next only just visible. But I am enjoying the experience.
Thanks again ........Rhoda you may be hearing from me !.

 

[Richard]

Yes, beach tracking is a great way to learn.

I had a good afternoon the other day on a local beach and dune coastline. Saw human, fox, rabbit, dog, mouse, tree-perching bird, ground-dwelling bird and lizard tracks. All showed characteristic trail-patterns and prints in various states of weathering. The light was very good for photos too!