Tracking

Pablo's got an interesting post on tracking and the use of the tracking stick HERE.

I really like the way he's carved the notches into his stick to measure stride length and/or tread width and length. My setup uses two elastic hair bands (rubber bands) which I can slide up and down the entire length of the stick and, should I fall asleep like Rip Van Winkle, be used to tie my hair and beard into ponytails.

Tracking sounds like a simple process but, in reality, it is anything but. Following the tracks of a single animal (or human) gets you into the mind of that animal/person. Knowing some things about the habits of your prey allows you to better understand why it stopped or didn't stop, what it looked at, what it ate, etc. You can begin to make some mental leaps that will help you to complete your pursuit.

What is the ultimate goal of a tracker? Is it to encounter the creature leaving the tracks or is it simply to better understand the story written on the surfaces of the outdoors? That answer, I'm afraid, is left solely to the tracker.

Thanks for reading,

B