Tracking can be explained as interpreting an animal or human presence or passage upon the landscape. Tracking is known as the Art of Seeing. Animal and Man Tracking is an ancient survival skill that never goes out of style.
Animal & Man Tracking - Oregon
Two-day - Intro Animal Tracking Course
Emphasis for this 2-Day intro animal tracking class. Is building a solid foundation in animal tracking and the ‘art of seeing’. And how it relates to tracking wildlife and wilderness survival. This course is composed of lectures and field studies. Recognizing, and interpreting wildlife tracks, and sign. Tracking is a core survival skill.
DETAILS
Field Course
Dates: one-on-one or group training is available
Location: Oregon
Tuition: contact Mark for details
READ: Registration Policies before purchasing. Buy by check
Advanced Animal Tracking
Field Course
Prerequisite: intro-animal tracking
Details: one-on-one or group training is available
Location: Oregon
Tuition: contact Mark for details
Register by check.
Animal tracking skills for hunting and survival
Our survival depends on locating water, 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 someone has recently walked here. Using other senses such as our sense of hearing or smell can lead us to water. Tracking uses all of our senses and is a core survival skill you need to develop.
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 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.
"Getting down on the ground low, turn off the "noise", and really just look hard. It's a wonderful world down there and just one story after another in very minute forms. Thanks, Mark, for making me continue to search for one track after another. Had a blast, I will be back again." ~Roberta Kellis
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!
MAN TRACKING COURSE
Emphasis is on Visual Man-Tracking techniques with lecture and field study.
Prerequisite: advanced animal tracking students or active SAR members
Details
Location: Oregon
Tuition: contact Mark for details
Contact Mark for individual or group training. Intro to Man-Tracking & Advanced Man-Tracking - to be announced Prerequisite: Intro Animal- Advanced Animal Tracking.
Registration Information
- 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
The Oregon Survival School operates out of two primary privately owned locations.
Check under DETAILS at the top of the page for class locations.
- Coast Camp: is near Florence in an old-growth Sitka Spruce forest with wetland and lake habitat.
- Cascade Camp: near Oakridge is a mixed conifer Douglas Fir forest with streamside, wetland, and meadow habitats.
Coast Camp
Welcome to Coast Camp! It is located approximately one hour's drive west of Eugene. Camping is not available on-site. Please see area accommodations for the closest camping including Honeyman Memorial State Park, Lagoon Campground, and Darlings Marina & RV Resort. There are hotel accommodations in and around Florence OR., 97439, and in Dune City.
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 Oakridge, OR. 97463