Tracking 101- Black Scout Tutorials

In this episode we cover some Tracking Basics.

Here are some links to tracking books I recommend:

Tom Brown Art of Tracking:

Tom Brown Nature and Observation:

Combat Tracking:

SAS Guide to Tracking:

Tracking Humans:

Twitter: @Black_Scout

Check out our friends at:

[misfitgypsy]

I go out with a couple of friends and we play tracking games. We give a half hour head start to the runner and then it's game on! We're getting better every time we go out and have fun practicing and learning tracking skills. I also tend to follow animal tracks and sign when I'm hiking alone. It's a lot of fun.

[wjf]

One thing I learned while tracking deer in northern Wisconsin, is that you don't have to see a print or anything like that, you just have to look and see what's different or out of place or maybe you don't even see that, but you learn to see what's the easiest path an animal would take if it's not running scared. If I don't find any sign, I start looking at the terrain and thinking which way would be easiest or lead to some where like food or water depending on the time of day. Good video. I'm looking forward to more on this subject.

[opxer]

This reminds me of an article or excerpt I read from Tom Brown Jr. once. About how every time he saw an animal, he would follow it after it acted naturally to record in his mind what the tracks looked like. I need to follow that idea, as it should increase the situational awareness that tracking can provide. (found a 4.5-5ft king snake today in my yard. I need to go back to where I saw it and see what tracks it may have left.)

[rynoshaun]

I am a security officer who works as a patrol officer who regularly does foot and bike patrols for a security company that renders farm protection, every day we work on vast landscapes and huge farms guarding, responding and conducting operations of many types in South Africa, its vital here, farms are a war zone here, these tracking tips will help me greatly, l I have learned a lot myself from just being observant and have figured out a lot but this video really gives me direction, thank you sir.

[akeeperofoddknowledge]

I've been spending this entire Sunday watching your videos back - to - back. Very interesting, very well done and I thank you for sharing!
Also, thank you for your service to our country!

[PREPFORIT]

Valuable info for finding game or a lost person
( and sometimes you don't wan to be found.)

[jordanquast]

best message from this is practice is always better than just reading about it. i practiced what id learned to find a missing pet once and it cut the search from the usual 4-6 hours down to maybe 10 minutes. that actually practicing it thing is no joke people.

[jasonmcdaniel]

Great tips! I actually prefer to be out and wilderness and learn it myself. I seem to pick it up better that way! To me going out there to learn it, is a better way to pick it up so you can make sense of it your way.

[livinright]

Excellent tutorial for someone like myself who has zero knowledge or training re: tracking. Excellent demonstration of finding prints, scat and such.thx 4 sharing, Lisa

[opalprestonshirley]

Good tips. Hard to beat dirt time. It is interesting learning tracking as you learn what to look for and what it means it helps you to be more difficult to track. Thanks. atb Opal

[Sirskibumsalot]

I first got interested in tracking people in the Sierra mountains while working as a ski patroller . people got lost all the time up there and while at work I would go find them, it was fun for me . not for them thou they we're usually scared . but now I live on some land and I'm always out tracking critters ....and there are lots of different species here . So I'm having fun with it ....thanks for the videos on this subject, I find it really interesting 👍

[kvhvtke]

I wouldn't say I'm the best tracker but I can track and the way I learned was being raised in the country and we had cows and horses and Hogs and they would get out and you'd have to track them down or a cow would hide her calf when she had a newborn and you'd have to trick her down she tried to leave you away but Hogs getting out of the pen you just had to track them and I just imagine anybody that was raised around farm animals his head to do this and it works when you're hunting too I like your video it is anything that's out of place

[PiperV]

Great video. I love the lessons I've learned while hunting, what direction animals are headed...how old or new scat is ..depth and freshness of tracks..are they running or just heavy etc
.. and of course following a blood trail its not always as easy as people seem to think. Thanks again!

[gabrieldekunto]

In the woods here in Yellowknife, our deer have hooves.

[thechugdude]

Your surroundings remind me of the Croatan forest which is around where I live in NC.

[MasochistMouse]

Thanks for these videos. I actually found this because im reading a book that has a QR code for this video for like kids/teens from the local library. Guides to Responsible Hunting: Tracking & Hunting Your Prey by Elizabeth Dee is the book.

I was thinking it might be a good read for tracking (prey animals) for photos-- I mean I wouldn't mind learning to hunt to be more self sufficient, but no teacher to learn from at the moment.


I also don't think predators are a smart option for tracking just for photos as a zoo would be safer, but might be good to get a better idea of what to look for to avoid confronting a predator in the woods as well. I grew up in the country, but wasn't taught how to hunt- I do believe in not being an idiot & looking for unnecessary trouble though (which crossing paths with a predator for fun would be pretty stupid if not prepared for such an encounter & not knowing what your doing). lol

I don't plan to be like that one guy that got too comfortable with bears, and got himself & his naive girlfriend ate alive.. 😞

[LearnTheLandScandinavia]

Jack, get your own survival show. You have the skills and the will

[mcdonnellshane]

Thank you so much your knowledge is greatly appreciated

[suburbandiyguy]

4:04 I have a very sensitive sense of smell. I often can smell game. Blows the mind of guys I've hunted with before.

[brianmiles]

"every action has a reaction" Issac Newtons third law of motion.