tracking

[drewdunnrespect]

dear all you expert trackers out there

3 questions

first one

can you use the red laggy bands from the royal mail as tracking rings if not what do you use

second one any good books for begginers that i should read cos would like to get in to tracking but wouldnt no one track from another if they hit me in the face so bare in mind i am a no nothing on subject newbie to this art.

third question is how is best to get started in such a subject

cheers for the help in advance

drew

 

[Pierr]

Hi,

I'm also new to the topic. Please bear in mind.

I found "Animal Tracks ID and Techniques" by Ian Maxwell simple and no-nonsense. It is very basic (100 pages, mostly pictures of the prints and of their pressure marks) but I doubt any book can really do more on the matter. It is very lightweight which is a plus to me. It did help me spot and id some tracks in the woods (but I completely fail at following a track).

But of course a book will only be a basic help. I decided to follow the course by the same Ian Maxwell, happening in around 3 weeks in Dartmoor. I will report how it went.

 

[JonathanD]

I think alot of people use the red docking bands for sheep. Docking bands? I can't think of the right words, help me out guys, castration bands?

 

[bikething]

I think alot of people use the red docking bands for sheep. Docking bands? I can't think of the right words, help me out guys, castration bands?

"castration rings" I believe is what you want <crosses legs>

 

[Spaniel man]

In answer to your questions:


1. PM me your address, and I'll send you a load of castration rings.They work well.

2. Max's book is quite good, but the Preben Bang book (isbn 0-19-850796-8) offers a bit more detail, and they are both 'pocket sized'. There is a lot of reading out there, look up tracking on Amazon. Tom Brown has a big following, and is interesting reading.

3. Get yourself on a course if possible. And keep you eyes open whenever you are out, and spend the time to investigate things that you see. LOOK CLOSELY AT STUFF!

Hope that helps a bit!
SM

 

[preacherman]

I am going on a tracking course next month and the instuctor recommended this book http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Tracking-Basics-Jon-Young/dp/0811733262

I have it and it gives alot of excercises to help with tracking. I will say though that this book is written to guide you into tracking. You would need to be willing to put time into learning it. Being a competent tracker takes years of "dirt time" and constant practice.

Hope this helps

 

[Pablo]

I Recommend going on a course. I spent years trying to learn from a book but a 4 day course put it all in perpective for me. Try Shadowhawk. It's an eye-opener.

You can use anything on your tracking stick including lacky bands. Castration or docking rings are perhaps the favourite.

Good luck.

Pablo.

 

[Chris G]

Drew, I went on Rob's Wilderness121 tracking course with Geoff being the trainer. OMG! forget books I have learnt so much in 48hours not to mention the nature awareness part of the course (which I was blind to before the course) and the energy tracking.

I have only been on one tracking course to date but I will be going back to more courses with Geoff as the instructor - can't say fairer than that!

Laccy bands - yes, or use hair bobbles.
Books - Download "Training in Tracking" (rated 3/5), buy Bob Carrs SAS guide to tracking (4/4), Preben et al (4.5/5), Hamlyn Animal Tracks and Signs (4.5/5).

Chris

 

[Bushwhacker]

Chris G,

What's 'energy tracking'? I've never heard of it.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

yes if i had the funds i have had a look at the shadowhawk course and would love to do it but cant aford it.

this is why i am going to try and learn so much out of a book first

spaniel man cheers for your offer but i am going to use laggy bands for now and also i will have a look at all the books mentioned

and any other advice you may have is well appreciated.

 

[Justin Time]

There's books that can help you identify various tracks and signs, and there're books that can help you learn to track (techniques, skills etc), I've yet to find one book which does both of those things well enough for a european environment. I don't mind, I like books...

IMHO you need at least one of each kind of book, and the time (dirt time)to get that database of tracks and signs into your head, and the ability to recognise what are often only partial glimpses and hints. It's not always the case that your animal will stand in a nice muddy patch for you to give you a perfect track, and of course even that one perfect pawprint is just a small part of a much longer trail. I guess that's where tracking comes into play, courses offer a great way to learn ( and I wish I could afford to do more) but you'll be surprised how much you can learn from your own back garden, local park, dog walking area, the beach etc. I used to see lots of evidence of fox, rabbits etc in the grounds of a hospital I worked in.

 

[Chris G]

Chris G,

What's 'energy tracking'? I've never heard of it.

If you find it in the interweb, let me know! Without giving too much away (Rob and Geoffrey are both members on here and earn a living from teaching this stuff) the training involved something like "spot the ball" but we were also ... I hesitate to say taught... encouraged/released to be able to feel the emotion/feelings laid down in the track that you can't yet see.

It may sound like BS but the group got a 100&#37; success rate, even when the suggested emotion/thought for the track was changed mid way through it being laid.

At this point I'll mention that 1) BCUK members get a discount, and 2) Rob and Geoffrey will bring the course up to the Northwest if 6 people (or more) are interested in having the course held up here, and 3) what we did was level 1 of 3.

Frankly I was (to use someone elses expression) blown away by the course and will be doing levels 2 and 3 with Rob and Geoff as soon as I can.

How did I rate the course; 10/10 doesn't do it justice.

Chris

 

[Bushwhacker]

we were also ... I hesitate to say taught... encouraged/released to be able to feel the emotion/feelings laid down in the track that you can't yet see.


Chris

Sounds like a Tom Brown course.

I agree that you can (sometimes) tell the emotion of animal through physical sign, but energy? No.
The pace spacing can vary between walking normally and when they're aggravated or scared, but this knowledge, I think, is pretty useless.

 

[Chris G]

Bushwhacker, I have not been on any other tracking courses and I have no knowledge of the courses you have been on. I can only go on what I witnessed and experienced during the course. I stand by what I said.

 

[cappi]

dear all you expert trackers out there

3 questions

first one

can you use the red laggy bands from the royal mail as tracking rings if not what do you use

second one any good books for begginers that i should read cos would like to get in to tracking but wouldnt no one track from another if they hit me in the face so bare in mind i am a no nothing on subject newbie to this art.

third question is how is best to get started in such a subject

cheers for the help in advance

drew

drew man i`ve done this most of my life,if you want to learn,the WAY FORWARD is one at a time,choose for example ROE deer,find how the animal moves first,it will feed in a certain direction to wind ,habitats where it is resting,and how it moves slow ,fast,down hill up hill,then look at track patterns,all you should find on the net master one, move on,.after a little time you will see from a track which direction it went in big volume.After you a cool move on to yhe next,if all fails and does not work fly top france and i help.cappi
castration rings it is, world wide web,or cappi`s pad france

 

[drewdunnrespect]

cheers cappi i will follow your advice or i will be round thanks drew