Coyote, rabbit and mouse tracks all in the same photo!All around us, a complex drama of survival plays out in the natural world, whether we are aware of it or not. In the wildlife's wake of moving to obtain a resource, attract a mate or avoid being consumed, subtle concentric rings of disturbance to the flow of life are left behind.
On this adventure, you will be piecing together those disturbances and traces of wildlife activity in the form of tracks and sign, to attempt to call in and/or get close enough by stalking, to actually touch a wild animal! Observe wildlife behavior up close and really feel the intensity of life!
Wildlife Behavior: Learn what species of animals to expect to see in a northern hardwood forest and open farmland environment. Learn to use the habits of wildlife and transition areas with a good supply of water, food and cover to locate the greatest concentration of animal life.
Wyoming red squirrel track in snow.Basic Tracking: Quickly go over track classifications (for walking gaits) and patterns for various families of animals.
Chokecherries in Colorado.Interpreting Animal Sign: Learn to recognize the various signs of an animal's passage including well-traveled trails, runs, pushdowns, beds, lays, rubs and nicks, scratchings, gnawings, hair or fur, feathers, bones, bloodtrails and animal droppings (scat). 
Black bear scat full of chokecherry seeds.Examine a great scat collection of many animals to see what you can learn about their lives and the environment in which they lived; what season was it? what did they eat? what other species are in the area?
The black bear that deposited the scat.
Stalking and Movement: Learn how to move stealthily through the environment undetected, understand how "concentric rings" and "alarm calls" work and to use wide angle vision to detect movement on the landscape. *Participate in: Blindfold Exercise & Sit Area Exercise
Camouflage using materials found in the environment.Camouflage and Cover: Learn the art of invisibility; breaking up your outline and blending in with your surroundings, to use mud as insect repellent, sunscreen and camouflage, de-scenting your body, staying downwind and using shadows to conceal your presence. *Participate in: Camouflage Skill Test Exercise
Observing whitetail deer from a blind.Wildlife Observation: Build a natural blind to observe wildlife habits and to call in predators.
Track Preservation: Take plaster casts of tracks to preserve them for future study and confirmation of species.
In the act of stalking wildlife.Putting Your Skills to Work: There will be an evening and early morning stalk (an attempt to sneak up to wildlife), taking full advantage of the high animal activity during those times. You might also do some animal trailing during the day, depending on what opportunities show up. *Participate in: Night Campfire Stalking Exercise
This course includes digital photos and videos of your wilderness adventure experience on CD, mailed to YOU!
Note: This is a highly interactive course, requiring you to get up early before dawn on the second morning, getting dirty and a whole lot of patience (while out stalking)!