Scouting, Volume 15, Number 7-8, July-August 1927, [Part 1] Page: 8
16 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Page 8
Scouting
July-August 1927
TRACKS AND TRACKING
BY LEONARD ROSSELL
OT long ago some naturalists who were search-
ing along the Hermit Trail of the Grand Canyon
for valuable material relating to ancient life, came
across some recently made tracks of a wild cat in
the dust on a layer of rock. While scanning these, one
of them blew away the dust and was astonished to
see other unknown tracks beneath, hardened in the
stone. Here was the crossing of two trails, both
clear and unmistakable, one of a few hours old, the
other, belonging to a time so remote that the human
mind could hardly grasp the magnitude of the inter-
vening ages.
In tracking, the fascination lies not so much in the
finding of the trail as in the sidelights it flashes on
life and habits of the animal who made it. What
made the trail ? How came it here ? Where does
it lead? All one's powers of observation, deduction
and knowledge of the ways of the wild life are
brought into play in answering these questions.
Where Tracks Are Found
THE muddy banks of streams running through
woods or forests are excellent places to find tracks.
These are the haunts of muskrat, beaver and turtle.
Here the inhabitants of the woods, animals and birds,
come to slake their thirst or take a bath. The tracks
of fox and pheasant, mink and crow cross one another.
The shores of a pond or lake will draw heron, water-
fowl and sandpiper. The sands of the seashore are
frequented by thousands of plover, seagulls, etc.
Every place where tracks are found has its own
peculiar attraction for wild life. There is a reason
for most things out doors.
I X'
Identifying A Trail
'EARLY all animals and birds have some charac-
teristics or habits which make their tracks distin-
guishable from those of others. The otter's trail for
instance, will not be far from water. The track is
round, and when the animal walks it shows a drag
of the tail. The badger lives in burrows, so Nature
has endowed him with powerful claws which he uses
to dig out his home. The clearly defined claw marks
are the most distinguishing feature in his track and
the ball of his foot, being oblong, leaves an impression
quite different from that of any other animal.
Tracks of rabbits are easily distinguished. The crea-
ture's hind legs are powerful and long, and as
he hops along he lands on his feet so disposed that the hind paws
are in front and the smaller fore paws behind. The marks of the
hind feet are side by side in front.
Set \ Those of the fore feet are in a line
^ one behind the other. Squirrel tracks
though somewhat smaller
are similar except that the
fore feet like the hind feet
are in pairs
side by side.
This would
seem to indi-
cate the abil-
ity of the
squirrel to
climb. Its
tracks generally begin and end at the foot of a tree.
Muskrat tracks when seen in soft mud or sand can
\ L be easily recognized by the central groove made by
the tail and by the webbed footprints. The hind
feet are much larger than the fore feet. The beaver's
tail makes a groove on the outside of his foot prints.
A beaten track from a tree stump (with chips of
wood lying around) to the water's edge is a rather
sure indication of the presence of a beaver.
When the trail is indistinct it is very difficult to
distinguish between the track of a dog, fox, and cat.
A large cat may make a track as big as a small dog
or fox.
" * * The fox depends for his food upon his careful
stalking, and often upon his cunning, to save his life.
His tracks show how alert he is to every scent and
sound. When on the prowl he never trots but walks
and leaves a trail in a straight line. The dog, on
the contrary, rarely walks but trots and is generally
careless about where he goes. His tracks seldom
register.
I None of the cat tribe show claw marks in their
f tracks, while in the trail of the wolf, dog, and fox
it is a conspicuous feature.
The trail of the bear is often marked by bits of
hair caught on bramble bushes from which he may
gili have been making a meal, being very fond of small
9 fruits. His track is very similar to a porcupine's but
of course, larger, Both animals walk on the soles of
their feet like humans.
In observing the tracks of animals and birds one
cannot help admiring how their feet are adapted to
best meet the conditions under which they live. The
snowshoe rabbit of the north derives its name from the
great size of its spreading feet which enable it to attain
speed over soft snow and so escape from its many
enemies. The jack rabbit of the plain, although a much
larger animal, makes a track considerably smaller than
its cousin, the snowshoe rabbit. The heron has enor-
mous feet in proportion to its size. These enable it
to walk on soft mud or swampy ground without sink-
ing.
Ducks and other water birds have webs on their
feet which serve the same purpose and also act as
paddles while swimming. Land birds such as phea-
sants and partridges have small compact feet best
adapted to walking on firm soil.
A
#
V F
■V ?
/
♦
Trail of
Pheasant and,
Fox
Recording Tracks
THERE are several methods of recording tracks
but track sketching has perhaps the most to com-
mend it. One not only obtains a valuable collection,
but one cannot do much sketching without learning at
the same time a considerable amount concerning the
interesting ways of wild folk. In sketching the tracks
one also improves his talent for drawing. To obtain the
most accurate results
the recorder will
carry a tape measure
with him so as to
mark the size of the
footprint and the
length of the stride,
etc., on his drawing.
The subject opens up
a fascinating field of
study and one that
will bring with it a
growing interest in
all wild Nature.
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 15, Number 7-8, July-August 1927, [Part 1], periodical, July 1927; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth310842/m1/8/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.