Animal & Man Tracking – Oregon

Animal tracking skills for hunting and survival

Our survival depends on locating water, locating animals to hunt, and finding a safe place to camp for the night. Tracking is an important survival tool that helps us to meet our core needs. When we track, we may find tracks left by wildlife, and bruised leaves may show us an animal has recently walked through.

Using other senses, such as our sense of hearing and smell, as an example can lead us to water. The Art of Tracking uses all of our senses and is a core survival skill.

What is animal tracking?

Tracking, in the simplest of terms, is acknowledging and following a disturbance. What Trackers define as Sign. A Tracker can glean specific information from a track, sign, or disturbance made by an animal or man. Sign is found on the landscape. For instance, a raccoon leaves or registers its prints in the soft sand along the shore of a lake. What is the Raccoon up to?

A freshly browsed shrub with shiny, clipped stems may tell us how recently a deer fed.

Practical application

Practical tracking has many uses, from discovering what animals visit your yard to wildlife observation. Of course, tracking can be a great skill to develop for hunting success. Trackers are found in the military, law enforcement, and search and rescue.

Interpreting tracks and sign

In this video, I interpret Cougar Sign. Sometimes, an animal's tracks can be difficult to see. But using our knowledge of "Sign", we can "know" of the animal's presence.  Watch on YouTube as I interpret Mountain Lion scat with some exciting twists!

Registration Information

• Prerequisite: None
• Driving directions, gear list, start time, and forms specific to your class are provided upon registration
• No smoking
• No dogs or pets allowed on camp premises or in vehicles
• Leave No Trace: pack it in and pack it out

Location and Accommodations

Cascade Camp

Welcome to Cascade Camp! Tent and car camping are available onsite at Cascade Camp. We are located approximately one hour's drive east of Eugene, near the community of McKenzie Bridge, OR. 97413.