Ever go out hiking in your favorite open space hoping to see wildlife but finish without seeing a single animal.  Some mammals are secretive by nature or only active at night or early morning.  If we do not actually see an animal in the field, how do we know it exists in a specific location, know where and why it moves, and understand its behaviors?

Tracking provides us with answers.  Track and sign identification allows us to detect the presence of wildlife without relying on viewing the animal; it provides a different way to “see” animals.  By “see” we mean knowing and understanding them in relationship to their, and our, natural surroundings. 
 
The SDTT Tracker-Naturalist training is a three-part series of classes, offered twice a year, that teach the knowledge and skills needed to be a basic tracker and to inspire you to connect with nature in an exciting and different way.  Each class begins with a Wednesday evening Zoom discussion (7-9 PM) followed by a Saturday session in the field (8 AM – 3:30 PM) and is a prerequisite for the next class in the series.  You can find more information on our classes on our website at https://www.sdtt.org/tracker-training.html.

The first class in our fall series (Part I: Beginning Tracker-Naturalist) is offered on September 13 and 16, 2023.  It will to give the prospective tracker a solid base of tracking skills and strategies for discerning detail.  We introduce basic mammal track and sign identification to determine who made the track.  We include a discussion of track patterns and gaits as a means to interpret how an animal moved across the landscape.  Discussion and an exercise in sketching and field journaling reinforce learning objectives.  If you’ve already taken the SDTT Wildlife Survey Volunteer Training, this will be both a good refresher and more, as it presents additional material.

We welcome the participation of all people from our region who are interested in our mission: https://www.sdtt.org/mission-vision-diversity-strategies.html.

Classes are $50 each ($40 for SDTT members).  Register at https://www.sdtt.org/class-registration.html.  For questions or further information, please email sdttinfo@gmail.com.