Tracking Game: Tips and Tricks
Do you have a craving for the great outdoors? It’s about time you get some fresh air after all the noise, bustle and hustle of the city life. Even if it’s your first time, the rules are very simple and only require common sense. If tracking big game is your passion, you surely could use a few tips and tricks to stay safe and have a great time. Here’s your guide to the wilderness.
Basic Guidelines
Initially, you can explore the wilderness and try to observe the different types of terrain. Different kinds of animal species dwell, hunt or pass by a variety of landscapes. Notice the differences in terms of markings and smell between rocks, sand, mud, clay and grassy areas. Try to find a set of tracks and once you do, stop, look, listen and smell for other hints.
Check your surroundings before you start following the tracks. The animal may be the only creature nearby or there might be other people or predators searching for it too. You primarily have to stay safe and secure at all times from the beginning to the end of your journey regardless of whether you find your target or not. Start following the direction where the track leads. Never skip a track or you risk going nowhere or following a different animal instead. Always scan a few meters ahead of you before moving along to ensure that the terrain is stable and clear.
Ideally, beginners should have at least one experienced tracking or hunting guide around to show them an initial set of tracks. Starters should first learn how to look, listen, feel and smell the surroundings to increase their awareness and tracking skills. The condition of the track will determine its freshness. On most occasions, fresher tracks indicate that the animal is just a few minutes away. You should also learn how to find other markings and hints, like claw scratches on tree barks, urine pools and manure. These will probably help you identify the type of animal.
Track Stories
Each track can tell you a story, especially if the terrain is rather soft like snow or mud. You may find two sets of different tracks indicating a prey with a predator on the chase. Upturned tracks are usually indicative of running animals while well-used trails may mean that the same animal passes by that path fairly frequently. Some will show what times of day the animal stays around. There are also more distinct tracks, like tail tracks by the water indicative of a beaver or small hoof-like prints measuring several feet in between indicative of a flying squirrel. An experienced hunting outfitter or tracker should tell you which tracks are dangerous to follow.
If you find yourself at a dead end after several minutes of tracking, stop, look, listen, smell and feel again. Check the surroundings on where the animal might have gone next. Observe the trees for markings since the animal might have climbed its way up. Broken branches, crushed down foliage and scuffled bushes are also signs. If you find shrubs or trees shaking, the animal might already be there.
Learning some animal habits will also help you stay ahead or cut them midway. A lot of species follow circuitous paths and they are usually sensitive to human scent so it’s only normal that they keep moving or hiding. Do not ruin the trail with your own footprints. Stay at one side throughout the journey so you don’t get lost or keep running in circles.
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