To identify and interpret different animal tracks you don’t have be a professional animal tracker. In fact, anybody can learn the skills of animal tracking quite easily. Having this skill will enable you to avoid predators and help you find prey if needed. It’s an essential survival skill that will keep you alive for either of these two reasons. Here are a few tips that will teach you how to be a good animal tracker.
The best time of the day to track animals is either early in the morning or the evening. The reason for this is that it’s harder to spot the tracks when the sun is out, but when the light is dimmer, they can be spotted more easily. Also, animals usually tend to rest under shade and cover during the day and are more active in the mornings and evenings. Therefore, the tracks that you find during the morning and evenings are more likely to be fresh.
In the wild, there are many places where you have a greater chance of finding animal tracks. The most common are the game trails and trails that lead to water. When you walk on a game trail, make sure you look for additional signs, like flat vegetation, droppings, signs of feeding, and any smells from scent markings. If you cannot find a game trail, look for areas where tracks would be more visible, like in the mud or snow.
Knowing when and where to track, you should probably have a high chance of being able to locate the tracks. Once you’ve located them, it’s time to read the tracks and determine the type and the number of animals that are around, in which direction are they headed, and how fresh the tracks are.
With the help of these tips, you’ll be able to categorize the animal by the weight, size, and the direction it’s traveling in. In the wild, tracks are everywhere around, and we step over them without realizing. When you’re in the wilderness, knowing how to read tracks is crucial to your survival. They can help you stay away from a predator, and lead you towards prey. Good luck.
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