The Complete Tracker The Tracks, Signs and Habits of North American Wildlife

Few experiences in the wild are as satisfying as tracking down an animal on its own terms on its own turf. Whether hunting, seeking to capture an animal's image on film or video, or simply as a wilderness experience, successful tracking is a valuable skill. The goal of this book is to make anyone, no matter how experienced they are in the wild, better versed in the fine points of tracking North American wildlife and in the modern tools that can make tracking easier. Animals covered are deer (including white-tailed and mule deer, elk, caribou, and moose), swine, pigs and antelope, bears, wolves and foxes, wild cats, weasels, raccoon, opossum, beaver, porcupine, hares and rabbits, squirrels, and rats and mice. Each animal is detailed, including their habitat and range; foods; mating and seasonal habits; tracks; scat (feces); signs; and vocalizations. Well illustrated with black-and-white photos, track examples, and maps.

The Complete Tracker is a concise, thorough guide to the tracks, signs, and habits of North America's most popular species of wildlife. Readers learn the secrets of a master tracker, assembling a clear picture from tracks, scat, and other signs. Was it a dog or a wolf? Fox or coyote? Did it pass by yesterday or an hour ago? The Complete Tracker also teaches how to get close to animals - everything from bobcats to beavers, marmots to moose - by knowing the details of their habits and a master-tracker's tips on avoiding detection. Over eighty line drawings show tracks of forty-five different species of wildlife under a great variety of terrain conditions. (4 1/2 X 8, 288 pages, b&w photos, maps, illustrations, diagrams, charts)