Sunday, March 27, 2011
Third Tracking Experience
March 23, 2011
Today, Erica and I went out behind the college near the river and searched for tracks of any kind. All the snow was pretty much gone leaving behind mud. There were many white ash trees in the area. We found the most common of all tracks: domestic dog foot prints. By just looking at the tracks we could tell it belonged to a dog but we wanted to examine the tracks just to be sure.
Observations:
Today, Erica and I went out behind the college near the river and searched for tracks of any kind. All the snow was pretty much gone leaving behind mud. There were many white ash trees in the area. We found the most common of all tracks: domestic dog foot prints. By just looking at the tracks we could tell it belonged to a dog but we wanted to examine the tracks just to be sure.
Observations:
- We could draw an X through the front and rear tracks which meant that it was a dog
- Toes splay out
- Front track bigger than rear
- Plantar pad pointed with single lobe
- Oval shaped
Print: 4 inches wide, 4 inches long
Step: 7 inches wide, 36 inches long
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Second Tracking Experience
3/1/11
Went on the rail road tracks and spotted tracks coming from the side of the trail heading into the woods. Used the tracking key in the book Mammal Tracks and Sign of the North East to decipher what animal created the tracks.
Observations:
-(http://extension.unh.edu/Wildlife/Cottontails.htm)
-(http://nyfalls.com/wildlife/Wildlife-mammals-rabbits.html)
-VTracker
Went on the rail road tracks and spotted tracks coming from the side of the trail heading into the woods. Used the tracking key in the book Mammal Tracks and Sign of the North East to decipher what animal created the tracks.
Observations:
- 5 toes on the front track
- 4 toes on the rear track
- Less than 1/2 in. wide
- Tracks are oblong shaped
- Toes are tightly held together
- Tracks were located in swampy woods in areas of dense shrubbery
-(http://extension.unh.edu/Wildlife/Cottontails.htm)
-(http://nyfalls.com/wildlife/Wildlife-mammals-rabbits.html)
-VTracker
First Tracking Experience
2/21/11
Got all bundled up and headed to the College. Absolutely freezing outside! Slipped on snowshoes and started walking on a path towards the river until spotting tracks going into an open field. Followed the tracks and used a tracking key to identify the track's owner.
Got all bundled up and headed to the College. Absolutely freezing outside! Slipped on snowshoes and started walking on a path towards the river until spotting tracks going into an open field. Followed the tracks and used a tracking key to identify the track's owner.
Observations:
- Feet dragging
- Tracks located in a field with milkweed, dried grass, and golden rod
- Tall marks
- Plantar pad very distinct
- 4 toes
- Tracks rounded
- Less than 3 in. long
- Direct register trot (very narrow trail)
-(http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/red-fox)
-(http://kidoinfo.com/ri/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/January-Photo-Fox-Tracks.jpg)
-VTracker
-VTracker
Introduction
I created this blog to share with you my tracking experiences and personal research. I have taken an interest in tracking because I love nature and being outdoors. Through careful inspection one can uncover the story behind the tracks. By making hypotheses, I'm able to see what it's like to walk in the footsteps of another. I am no tracking expert but by using tracking keys, research, and critical thinking I am able to figure out many details about the animal lives we coexist with. For the next couple of months I will be exploring areas around Poultney and the Green Mountain College.
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