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Wildlife Tracker Mentoring

How To Master The Skills of Wildlife Tracking With The Help of A Mentor…

Deer Tracks Mud

​Have you been hitting roadblocks while trying to learn the art and science of wildlife tracking?

Here are some common issues that hold people back:

  • Maybe there are no good instructors near where you live
  • Maybe you don’t know any good tracking locations
  • Maybe you wouldn’t know how to practice even if you had the perfect location!
  • Maybe you’re overwhelmed by information in field guides
  • Maybe you don’t have tons of time to get outside and practice

​Do you have any of these blocks? They’re pretty common, especially at beginner & intermediate stages of learning.

But does that mean you can’t learn tracking?

Unfortunately, if you’re trying to do it alone… these blocks are usually enough to completely stop people in their tracks (no pun intended).

However…

I’d like to explain how with good mentoring I believe you can and will get past any tracking blocks that might be stopping you.

​Ready?

Allow Me To Illustrate How A Mentor Can Help You Learn The Art of Tracking
Porcupine Chew On Hemlock
​
​Here’s a common tracking scenario…

Let’s say that you’re struggling to master your ID skills because you don’t know any good tracking spots near where you live.

Let’s also say…

​You only have an hour per week at most to go tracking.

And…

That one hour usually ends up feeling like a waste because the only tracks you find are dogs and other people.

Pretty tough, right?

This is a common scenario that usually ends when the tracker gives up and says, “maybe someday I’ll get back into it.”

Yet this is also the point where a tracking mentor can offer specific tools & suggestions that work better for your situation.

Here’s the key…

A tracking mentor sees the problem differently.

The thing that doesn’t occur to most people is that this isn’t just one problem. There are actually two very different problems here:

  1. No good location
  2. Can’t ID tracks

These two problems have two very different solutions that enable you to maximize your time and success.

So here’s what most people do in that situation…

They use their one hour per week to try and find tracks so they can improve their ID skills.

Seems pretty logical right?

But that usually doesn’t work because they don’t have any good locations. It doesn’t take many wasted hours before they get discouraged and give up.

So here’s what I might suggest if I were mentoring the person in our tracking scenario.

If you don’t yet have a good location… don’t try to learn track ID in the field.

​Here’s what you should do instead:

#1 Start practicing track ID at home by sketching life-size tracks on file cards.

Until you find a good location, there are journaling techniques that you can do at home in as little as 5 minutes per day.

This requires very little effort and will bring much faster results than being frustrated in the field.

Plus… after a few days of sketching practice you also have flashcards to work with.

And you still have that one hour of field time per week…

#2 Use your one hour of field time to practice scouting techniques until you start finding good locations.

​This is the counter intuitive part that simply doesn’t occur to most people. There’s a whole art and science to finding good tracking spots.

And in many cases the ability to scout locations is going to be much more important than ID skills…

…and it’s necessary to build your scouting abilities BEFORE you’re able to build your track ID skills in the field.

That’s why having a mentor is such a strong (even essential) asset if you want to build tracking skills with the least amount of frustration.

Tracking roadblocks emerge because your focus is on the wrong skills, routines, and exercises for your current level.

​Here’s the golden rule…

A Tracking Mentor Keeps You Focused On The Right Steps And Activities…

Coyote Scat Berries
So You Make The Fastest Progress And Don’t Waste Your Time/Energy

Now remember…

​The scenario above is just one type of tracking problem.

There are way too many possible scenarios to list them all here. And the reality is that your situation is probably unique!

That’s exactly why live mentoring makes such a big difference.

It gives you personalized direction for whatever kinds of problems or questions you encounter.

Your personal goals and challenges probably require unique ways of crafting your skills & field time in order to find the answer.

Even really specific questions like…

I really want to find a coyote but I just don’t know how.”

(That is actually a really fun question to work on!)

So here’s the deal.

If you’re someone who is excited about getting on the fast track with your tracking skills then I’d really love to help you out.

Here’s some of what we can work on together:

  • Where to focus your energy in order to avoid frustration and move towards your tracking goals much more quickly
  • Help you problem solve any blocks or specific challenges that prevent you from putting in effective dirt time
  • Give you simple and practical exercises/missions that build your foundations in track ID, interpretation, trailing, etc
  • Discuss tracking mysteries and animal behaviour so you can start thinking like a tracker

Do You Want A Wildlife Tracking Mentor?

If you’d like to work with me on your tracking skills… just send me a message and let me know what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details!

Filed Under: Animal Tracking, Articles, Mentoring

Are You Ready For More?

If you’re seeking age-old tools & techniques to go deep with knowledge of plants, trees, birds and energize your natural instincts… you’ve come to the right place!

Whenever you’re ready… here are 4 ways I can help you connect deeply with nature in your local environment:

1. Try My Free Lessons & Guides

I always recommend new visitors start by watching my free training video ‘How To Read The Secrets of A Forest‘. This video shares lessons that will forever change the way you look at trees & forests. You can also download a free copy of my Ebook – ‘The Wild Observer’. It’s all about how to make amazing observations in nature.

2. Master Real Nature Awareness Skills

If you’re looking for the easiest way to start really honing your outdoor instincts and nature observation skills… try the Nature Memory Journal Program.

All the home learning products in my online store come with a money-back guarantee and cover unique aspects of the holistic deep nature connection journey from bird language & naturalist intelligence to mindfulness & goal-setting.

3. Join My Instincts Mentoring Program

Every month I gather on the phone with like-minded nature geeks, trackers, bird language & nature awareness enthusiasts to support my students on their journey with nature skills & awareness.

Would you like to join us? Click here to get a sneak peak at my instincts mentoring program.

4. Work With Me One-On-One

And if you’d like to work with me one-on-one… just send me a message and tell me what you’d like to work on together… and I’ll get you all the details!

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How To Read The Secrets of a Forest

Hi, My Name Is Brian Mertins…

Brian Mertins

When I was 15 years old I had an experience of sudden lucid clarity while hiking in the woods. Since then I’ve been passionately seeking tools for helping modern humans develop razor sharp natural instincts. I’m the author of multiple courses & ebooks about bird language, naturalist training, observation skills & outdoor mindfulness. My goal is to share these life changing skills with YOU! Continue reading

Related Posts

  1. Introduction To Animal Tracking: an Ancient Skill for Reading the Stories of Wildlife
  2. How To See Animals: Easy Wildlife Viewing Techniques
  3. Bird Language Mentoring
  4. How Questions Make You A Better Tracker…
  5. How To Learn About Local Deer With Tracking
  6. What Do Raccoon Tracks Look Like? (Photos & ID vs Look-Alikes)
  7. Beginner’s Guide: The Art of Mentoring With Nature
  8. Where To Find Animal Tracks: 7 Practical Tips & Tricks
  9. How To Be A Good Mentor: Mentoring Strategies
  10. Part 2: Storytelling And Mentoring

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