For many people, discovering fresh deer tracks marks the beginning of a life-long journey towards deeper understanding of deer and their environment. If you’ve ever stumbled across these two toed hoof prints in the mud, then you know the feeling of intrigue and curiosity as you realize that not too long ago, a wild animal was standing right here: Is this a deer track?How long ago was it … [Read more...] about Deer Tracks And What They Tell You (ID, Speed, Direction, etc)
Learn Animal Tracking
This page is all about animal tracking. The ability to track animals is a really fun skill to develop that teaches us to pay close attention to nature.
Nature Mapping: An Intuitive Way To Learn Your Land & Predict Animal Behavior
Today's podcast talks about nature mapping as a learning tool to promote deeper awareness of the land & how animals are using your local environment. I'm excited to share the story of how mapping helped me trail a mother cougar with her sub-adult family through the Pacific Northwest rainforest. I actually got to see these animals up close and personal, but the really cool thing is how … [Read more...] about Nature Mapping: An Intuitive Way To Learn Your Land & Predict Animal Behavior
A Story About Squirrel Families & Being A Natural Mystery Detective…
Today's podcast shares a fun story about squirrels that also contains some great lessons for exploring natural mysteries... Just click play to listen! (or download to your device) This is one of my personal "teaching stories" and it's a perfect example of how nature based mentoring connects us to a living oral tradition. On one level, it's just a fun story about an experience I had one … [Read more...] about A Story About Squirrel Families & Being A Natural Mystery Detective…
Online Guide To Animal Tracks: 6 track families & how to identify with confidence
What animal left this track? I still remember the first time one of my tracking mentors showed me the trail of an animal that was completely unknown to me. Like many nature lovers, I had some basic experience with dog and cat tracks… but these bizarre impressions in the mud were completely unlike anything I had ever seen before. Eventually with a bit of study and plenty of dirt time in … [Read more...] about Online Guide To Animal Tracks: 6 track families & how to identify with confidence
Why Do Squirrels Chatter Like Maniacs? A Quick Guide To Squirrel Calls & Sounds
Have you ever encountered a squirrel chattering like crazy in the forest and wondered why they act this way? A very common experience for beginners of nature observation is when you step outside for a bit of relaxing time in the woods, only to have the local squirrel scream and chatter the whole time like their life depends on it. If you don’t know much about animals noises, you might at … [Read more...] about Why Do Squirrels Chatter Like Maniacs? A Quick Guide To Squirrel Calls & Sounds
When Do Raccoons Have Their Babies? (Seasonal clues & den behaviors)
Young raccoons are very playful animals. I once snuck up on a pair of baby raccoons wrestling & tumbling at the edge of a forest. At first I just heard the alarm calls of some song sparrows and wanted to find out what was happening in the bushes. It was so magical & hilarious to see those two little fur-balls tumble into view and realize they were the source of the sparrow’s … [Read more...] about When Do Raccoons Have Their Babies? (Seasonal clues & den behaviors)
What Do Raccoons Eat? (9 favorite foods & hunting vs. foraging)
It's easy to think of raccoons as little bandits stalking through the neighborhood looking for their next meal. They're often notable for knocking over trashcans and gorging themselves on your unwanted leftovers in the dead of night. But scavenging the edges of human settlements is really only one facet of their diet. One of the first things I learned in my training to be a wildlife tracker … [Read more...] about What Do Raccoons Eat? (9 favorite foods & hunting vs. foraging)
How To Track Deer And Find Them In All Seasons
Deer tracking is one of the great thrills of exploring the outdoors for many nature lovers like myself. The ability to find deer on a landscape and get close without scaring them is enough of a challenge to require excellent strategy & awareness, but not so challenging that it’s impossible. It's one of the best ways to test your outdoor skills in a high stakes awareness game that … [Read more...] about How To Track Deer And Find Them In All Seasons
Beginner’s Guide To Bird Language: How to know what birds say in the wild
Imagine you’re walking in the forest when suddenly you hear a bird making a loud & repeating call in the distant woods. Do you know what that bird is saying?Would you know how to interpret that bird’s language? For most modern humans, the vocal expressions of bird songs, calls & other distant sounds appear like a random jumble of noise & information. But to the trained … [Read more...] about Beginner’s Guide To Bird Language: How to know what birds say in the wild
Pheasant Territorial Behavior: Video with pheasant calls explained
If you've ever heard ring-necked pheasants calling during early spring, you might have been hearing their territorial behavior. Male pheasants are quite territorial during the breeding season. They will climb up on rocks or leaf piles to crow at regular intervals. These calls are made to defend territories, and also to attract females. This video is a perfect example of the body … [Read more...] about Pheasant Territorial Behavior: Video with pheasant calls explained