EarthTracks

Just recently on the River Otter project I’m working in Missouri I was able to locate not one, but three different latrine in one day by using my sense of smell.  I wasn’t able to see because of the thick vegetation, until I moved to the river bank, but you could smell them.  I had learned the value of using smell when I attended Paul Renzedes winter tracking course.  We worked on smelling coyote, fox, bobcat and other urines and scats.  It was very interesting and started me paying more attention to smells.  I later attended a tracking course presented by Charles Worsham.  At the time it was one of my more difficult courses, but it had an incredible influence upon the way I track.  He had us smelling tracks, not just urine and scats, but actual tracks.  Try it, just close you eyes and smell the world around you.

I do the same basic demonstration that Charles did for us in my own tracking workshops.  I’ll make a track in pine needles, grass, leaves, dirt any substrate will do.  Then start by smelling the ground away from the track, and then slowly move toward it, until you are directly overhead.  Continue until you are past the track on the other side.  It is a simple, yet fun exercise to do.  Next blindfold yourself and repeat the drill. Can you find the track?

My friend Cordell and I were out tracking in the sandhills.  When we started to head back to camp we noticed fresh coyote tracks, so fresh that they were actually in one of Cordell’s boot prints from 30 minutes ago.  I wanted to see if I could smell the freshly disturbed soil.  I was surprised not only to be able to smell the track but to smell the coyote from the track that was just made.  I couldn’t believe it.

Smell ya later!

Late one evening I was sitting in the woods listening to the sounds of nature. The sun was starting to go down beyond the horizon, so I decided to head for home. On my way back I noticed a lot of bird activity and chatter coming from the tree line where an old fence used to be. I stopped and started to observe what was going on. I saw all these little brown birds (mixture of sparrows, etc) hooking up into the trees about 4 to 5 feet up off the ground. This started moving down the old fence line in a rhythmic manner. The little brown birds were hooking up and as others moved up into the trees the others would come back down. I thought for a second, What could be causing this to happen?  Then it dawned on me the gray fox that I had observed days before must be moving on the other side of the narrow tree line hunting. So I took off moving quicker now hoping to get a glimpse of the fox and see if I was right. I went through the opening where the old gate used to be and rounded the corner. Sure enough I came face to face with that fox. We were about 15 feet away from each other when I stopped dead in my tracks. This gray fox is the same fox that I’ve had several encounters with and was somewhat of a friend and teacher. I finally sat down and to my surprise the fox sat down and we just looked at each other. After sitting awhile I stood up, and so did the fox, I think my teacher was actually smiling, giving me some acknowledgement for paying attention to the birds. We both turned and went our separate ways. I was thankful for what I learned from the birds and the fox that evening.

Learning bird calls, songs, body posture and movement (bird language) can open your awareness to what’s happening in the woods that you may not be able to see. Try this sometime, go to a city park and watch the birds and how they react to people as they walk or jogs pass you.