Why Learn Tracking?

   There are many advantages to learning the art of tracking. The most basic reason to study tracking is the enjoyment of seeing what comes around your local area. Through tracking, you can learn a lot about wildlife. You can see who is around, what they are eating, the routes that they travel and the time they come by.

   Tracks are the individual notes that animals leave as they write their symphonies each day. By reading each of these notes and how the notes correspond with the surrounding landscape, you can begin to see how the landscape acts on the animal, why the individual chooses to travel the way that they do and why they choose the pathways that they walk.
   Tracking enables you to look into the secret life of nature. By following the trail left by animals we can see where they go, what they do, and what they eat. We can peak inside their lives even though they have long since left the area.
   There is also a profound level of awareness that develops as you begin to spend time tracking in nature. When you track you use more of your brain than normal day to day activities. This turns on parts of your brain that don't normally get used. This enhances the awareness of your surroundings and your ability to pick up minute details that the animal left behind.
   As a tracker you have the ability to see things that most people miss. When you are trained to see the tiny impressions within the heelpad of an animal you transfer this skill into other aspects of your life. This gives you uncanny attention to details. You will be a present day Sherlock Holms. If you think of Mr. Holmes' abilities to find obscure clues, you will understand similar aspects of finding clues within each animal track that you find.

   There are other aspects of learning to track animals that will benefit the bushcrafter or anyone wishing to live off of the land. With tracking, you can find where the food is, how many animals are coming through the area, and more importantly have the ability to see which animal is lame or wounded and will not make it through the winter. This is the individual that you will want to hunt. By taking this animal you are actually enhancing the entire herd. That lame animal would slow down the herd and make it harder for the rest to make it through the winter.

   Here in Ireland, it is a little more difficult to learn the art of tracking. Historically, most of the world's best trackers come from areas of sandy ground. They have the substrate that allows them to spend a lot of their childhood tracking. We don't have that option here in South Kerry or most other parts of Ireland. For our tracking classes we take the students to the local beach where we have dogs, cats, foxes, birds and rabbits to learn from.
   Out on the bog it is much harder to see the tracks. You would already have to be an excellent tracker to even see some of the signs of the passing animals.
   I would suggest to anyone who would like to learn how to track to go to their local beach or stream bed and find a plot of sandy ground. Spend some time each week looking at the prints in the sand and get to know the overall shape of each animal. If you have the option I would suggest that you find a hidden spot to sit and watch this tracking area during dawn and dusk. That is when most of the animals will be most active. See who made the track then go look at what tracks they left.
   I would also suggest that people start tracking dogs and cats. By following a dog track you have the option to actually watch the dog make the track. That confirms your hypothesis of what that track is telling you.

   Tracking is a rewarding skill to have. You will see much more on your walks in the woods. You will have a tool that can be used to excite your kids about the outdoors. But most importantly is your own passions about nature and what you can explore and discover on your adventure into the wild.