Tracking 101

After a quick chat with Gill, Ian and Paul we reckon it's time to discuss that vital part of finding your chosen subject, tracking.

I personally started tracking way before getting a camera. Probably the way most people start, when they find some fox tracks in the snow and follow them for many miles and hours, seeing where the fox stopped to sniff something or check out a rabbit hole.
Since then I've learnt enough to sit in a field with Foxes around me happily looking for insects, following a mink hunting for frogs and getting within feet of some very wild Fallow Deer.

I've started to build a stock of images of animal tracks and wanted to see what other people have found and to hear any tips or advice that they have picked up along the way. If we get enough info together we could even get a book together, who knows!

Unless I stumble upon a track I find it best to start a walk looking at any good sized puddles or a pond to see what tracks are on the muddy edge as a huge number a species will share a water source or a regular track may cross a puddle. If there is a track leading into the wind then you've got a good start!

Right, so your sent is being blown away from you and your quarry so now you just have to disguise yourself from it's other senses.
Walking as quietly as possible, avoiding twigs and leaves sorts out being heard and some clothing the same colour as the surroundings will help against being spotted but I find the best technique is to get as much foliage or tree's between your body and the animal as possible. If this works for tigers I'm sure it works for me!!

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Permalink Reply by Ian Cook on October 30, 2010 at 19:59
Definitely a good related subject for filming and photography. Im hopeless at tracking lol but find other ways of getting the shots, will keep an eye out for any hints and tips though :)
Permalink Reply by James Amos on October 31, 2010 at 9:33
A good book to add to the Christmas list is "Animal Tracks and Signs" that is recommended by Ray Mears. The ISBN is 0-19-929997-8 (£14.99) and has to be the best book I've seen on the subject. Admittedly there aren't many tracking books out there but this covers British species as well as some of Europe.
Permalink Reply by Paul Gregory on November 3, 2010 at 23:36
And now for the Chris Packham moment... Water Vole
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Permalink Reply by James Amos on November 4, 2010 at 6:23
lol Why is Chris Packham not on here?! I saw some Pine Marten scat when I was last in the highlands but it was before I started to put tracking photo's together. Sadly I didn't get a good look at the actual animal though.
Permalink Reply by Paul Gregory on December 29, 2010 at 23:25

A slightly harder set of tracks to actually follow but very easy to see. These are Bitterns by the way.

 

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Permalink Reply by James Amos on December 30, 2010 at 6:45
Are these from this year? I have a load more pics to put on here so I shall try to upload them this week. The snow has been great for tracking!
Permalink Reply by Paul Gregory on December 30, 2010 at 10:02
These were taken a couple of weeks before christmas in west London.
Permalink Reply by James Amos on January 6, 2011 at 17:23
Got this Badger track the other day. The toes line up into a shallow curve and look like small bear prints! Also I have a Fallow Deer track, I only realised the other week that although I've tracked them for years I never took a picture of a track. These tracks have a more slender appearance than a sheep track but is easiest to spot it's Fallow Deer by the sharp point at the tip of the hoof.
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Cole on January 6, 2011 at 20:41

I've never seen badger prints before (not really looked if I'm honest) but the pictures you've posted really help and have made me want to go and find some round my way!

Permalink Reply by Dan Carrington on January 29, 2011 at 19:27

Great subject-without the use of tracking/fieldcraft we would not see half of what is around us in the countryside.I was fortunate to be taught a lot of fieldcraft by my Grandad who knew a thing or two.

Foxes and Badgers commonly walk under barb wire fences,sometimes using the same trail so their hair gets caught-a tip for differentiating between the 2 is by rolling the hair between your fingers:A foxes hair is smooth whereas a Badgers is rough and is squared off;which you can feel when rolling it.I know this won't get you to see the animal but it's a nice feeling when you know what you're tracking and is a step closer to finally tracking down your subject.

Will try and get together some photo's i've collected over the years of tracks and signs.

 

Permalink Reply by Cathy Dyason on January 29, 2011 at 20:40

This is a great idea for a thread. :D

 

I was wondering if anyone could help me by posting a really clear comparison between a dog print, fox print, otter print, and badger print please?

 

I keep seeing different sized prints on the ground but I am not sure if they are: big dog prints and little dog prints lol.  

Permalink Reply by Mike Mottram on January 30, 2011 at 17:03

Dogs and foxes have 4 toes and Otters have 5 but some cases not all 5 toes are imprinted on the ground.

DOG

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOX

 

 

 

 

 

OTTER

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