How to become a highly effective tracker

[Wworker]

I agree with those who have said there are a lot of good tips in this thread. Thanks for your insight.

My addition is to keep in mind that, while "most likely a wounded deer will ..." is very helpful, sometimes they do the opposite.

I spent hours looking in thick brush for a wounded buck because I "knew" he wouldn't have gone to the right, towards the open terrain I eventually found him in

 

[Pony Soldier]

Spend a lot of time tracking elk in the snow. It will help you learn characteristics and patterns. Learning how and why they travel will teach you how to read them. It will make you more effective when you start chasing a cripple.

 

[3325]

I think it would be great to get knowledge from everyone that could help people with the skill of tracking.

You have received some good advice in this thread. I have this to add for your consideration:

Among tracking practitioners, Border Patrol trackers are legendary. And among Border Patrol trackers, three names loom large as master trackers that have taught others: Ab Taylor, Joel Hardin, and Jack Kearney. These men were sure enough, bona fide, old school mantrackers. Get their books and learn from them.

Ab Taylor: https://www.amazon.com/dp/162914762...&pd_rd_r=e467ff05-7ed6-4f31-9ce9-bb32aaf16828

Joel Hardin: https://www.amazon.com/Tracker-Files-Adventures-Professional-Mantracker/dp/0975346008/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BMNB1QXYVZ3D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TNFOItIF9V_7VzTuqgOGYjT4_7C8VnGeHRGwIL4AOUyUygIDE6IRzNSEx7uHEyv8AcdTeIz2JBvNSFZv6RtyUybXPw5Rl9ReZItqI0BF7TDmSXExOnvNfE7-rjnfjFo8.7_bxLCjxOo9u7WFkL10f8kifG_1sZudx2QkytcDXDgw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Joel+Hardin&qid=1760756423&s=books&sprefix=joel+hardin,stripbooks,166&sr=1-1

Jack Kearney: https://www.amazon.com/Tracking-Blueprint-Learning-Jack-Kearney/dp/0965888118/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4NYDIFEOZ1LJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._S7yYx4rMAsQPFryfw4SOTYmoYIJJ6uP450ivKp6l3PGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.9xwAlwl9AGJCIdYq2w7ty90jPTf3qwuwBa4u7Ngm3jM&dib_tag=se&keywords=tracking+a+blueprint+for+learning+how&qid=1760756268&sprefix=Tracking+a+bluep,aps,174&sr=8-1

You won’t find better resources than the above books if you are attempting to self teach. If you are buying them one at a time, start with Jack Kearney’s book as your basic primer. While the emphasis in the above books is mantracking, the principals are solid and applicable to animal tracking. But if you want a reference that is animal specific, James Halfpenny is your man.

James Halfpenny: https://www.amazon.com/Mammal-Tracking-America-Halfpenny-Tracks/dp/1475233027/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2P8NDU0LFKY58&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ro9pI15LUeG7XmTN9lfag45Fo68hJNvbPqHn21yz_aiop8RbedAAKN2ABBPQUYhjNvsNeQd0_MZZGcPg2SX7gJ0pwA-3gMX37N56v3Ta24gduagN_3QzUlZ6g_u9ttK_EdZdgHi1QDcz4iHK9kI2FtsDVeyhG63sS2FzT7XbrkW5x7rzTjK6aNW0nVXh1vy-rD7PRn5S5Dr17iGPrmJjFmNAe0Kmjzpy4MVHSI73jnA.x3GGTZik3tHT8NNmQa_DDBuETqChMAz1kiNlh6A_AsA&dib_tag=se&keywords=James+halfpenny&qid=1760756725&s=books&sprefix=james+halffpenny,stripbooks,159&sr=1-2

There are other names and other books. The above are solid and will keep you busy for a while.

 

[Wolfshead]

Wow! 250 is a fair hike with a .50 cal hole thru the lungs and heart. Was the blood trail decent?

My BiL shot a doe in the heart with 30-30 & Barnes bullet, totally destroyed her heart. 1 speck of blood at impact - started following every deer trail from the point of impact into thick pines on hands and knees for 100-150 yards - took 6-8 diff trails until she was found. That was the only one I ever found without any blood. He said he heard her go down, so knew it was somewhere within earshot.

I was fortunate to see where he entered the woods and found a little blood there. There was blood into the swamp, but with all the water we really had to get a feel to where he was headed and check all the “dry” parts for blood.
It really was a surprise to see how far he went.

1. Should have used more gun. .50 caliber isn’t enough. We used .58 caliber muskets in the Civil War for a reason.

2. Should have made a better shot. A good marksman should be able to hit CNS, both lungs, heart, and both shoulders with the same shot. After all, a “mediocre shot” named Oswald did an amazing amount with an old Italian Carcano.

3. Should have put a quick second shot into him to make sure. A well-drilled infantryman can fire three rounds a minute with his rifled musket. What’s wrong with you?

That’s precisely the kind of “miraculously tough animal that defies biology” to which I referred above. I’m glad your tracking skills enabled you to recover him and that you didn’t let the swamp deter you.

I was lucky to have my Brother In-law to help me. A two person job made it all that much easier.
It always amazes me how tough the animals can be, and what they can do when they are, with all practicality, dead.