HOW TO LOOK -- WHAT TO SEE

The more time you spend outdoors tracking, the better your observation skills will become. Take the habitat and season into consideration. Both affect what animals will be present and their behavior.

WHERE TO LOOK -- Find areas with soft terrain that will show tracks such as sand, dust or snow. Be aware that melting and freezing will distort tracks in snow. You may need to follow the trail into a sheltered area to find a clear print.
WHEN TO LOOK -- Go in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low. If you cannot wait for ideal lighting, use a mirror or strong flashlight to throw a low angle light across the trail.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR-- Check the list of sign on the Sign page, but don't stop there. Always look at the larger picture. Follow the trail and note the behavior it reveals. Was the animal cautious or bold? What does the gait reveal? Was the animal running? Take measurements.
WHAT TO MEASURE--To help determine the kind of animal that left a trail and to interpret the story revealed by that trail you should take at least four measurements: Straddle; Stride; Group; and InterGroup. These are illustrated below. Stride is the distance between the front or back of a print and the same place on the next print left by the same foot. Note that stride is measured differently in mantracking. Straddle is the distance between the outer edges of the trail. As an animal goes faster, the stride lengthens and the straddle decreases.