Tracking, Trails, and the 6S's

Many people think that tracking involves finding a pristine print in mud and immediately identifying the animal. That's fine if you want to do that but there's much, much more.

This time of year is great for tracking because the foliage is low enough to identify runs and trails through the woodland. You can identify which animals uses the trails usually by any scat laying along the trail. Most animals will leave a territorial marker and feeding signs along the way. Even if you don't identify an individual print on the trail itself, you might be able to identify the animal from the width of the trail, how it meanders (or not) through the woodland and what obstacles it goes through or under. Stating the obvious as an example; if the trail runs under a low lying branch, it's unlikely to be used by fallow deer... unless they've perfected the limbo! Look out for hairs, nibbled plant stems, debris from feeding and scat.

This picture shows a fallen branch with bark stripped by deer and their feeding marks.

Invariably you might be able to follow the trail to a feeding area or even the animal's home. It might be a good idea to mark or map these trails and homes for future reference. Once the foliage springs up, they are pretty difficult to find again.

Trails, feeding areas and homes are the best areas to observe animals. But you have to be reasonably good at fieldcraft if you're going to be successful. One of the most difficult animals to observe are badgers. Their trails and runs, which are about the size of a single width human path may lead you directly to a sett. The sett is an easily identifiable D shape (rotated 90 degrees anticlockwise) and looks like it's been dug out by a bulldozer. At this time of year there should be stacks of spoil and bedding outside of some entrances. If it's a large sett, look for an entrance that is obviously being used but without much bedding outside. This will most probably be the most active entrance.

When watching any wildlife, especially badgers, the 6 S's may help you remember the fundamentals of fieldcraft. I've adapted this from army fieldcraft (I expect others may have a similar system).

Shape - Disguise your shape as much as possible especially the head area by using nets or natural camouflage. Try to break up the outline of your body. Wear dark clothing at least or bits of cammo clothing.

Shine - Cover stuff that glitters in the sun. A shiny face and hands are a dead giveaway even during the day but especially at dusk and at night. Wear gloves and a face veil or face covering or use mud or charcoal from the fire (don't use wet ash as it stings.)

Silhouette - Avoid being silhouetted against the skyline, on hills, embankments or against paths and open fields. Make sure there's something behind you like a bank or a tree or failing that lay down.

 
Scent - Avoid washing that day. Do not clean teeth or chew gum (spearmint is the worst lingering scent). Consider a smoke bath if you're serious and a second set of clothes which are rarely washed. Washing powder also contains UV which visually stands out to some animals like deer. You'll never disguise all your scent but by doing the above and additionally staying downwind, it will help.

Silence - Generally keep quiet although some sounds are acceptable and animals will get used to certain sounds. Scratching at your own clothes sounds like a scratching badger. They will only scratch when at ease with the world.

Still - The biggest give away is movement. Above all else... keep still!

I was out last night and again tonight and tomorrow watching my local badgers putting this into practice. See how I get on in a later post.

For more tips on badger watching, go to the excellent badgerwatcher.com.

Cheers,

Pablo.

Tracking, Trails, and the 6S's

Many people think that tracking involves finding a pristine print in mud and immediately identifying the animal. That's fine if you want to do that but there's much, much more.

This time of year is great for tracking because the foliage is low enough to identify runs and trails through the woodland. You can identify which animals uses the trails usually by any scat laying along the trail. Most animals will leave a territorial marker and feeding signs along the way. Even if you don't identify an individual print on the trail itself, you might be able to identify the animal from the width of the trail, how it meanders (or not) through the woodland and what obstacles it goes through or under. Stating the obvious as an example; if the trail runs under a low lying branch, it's unlikely to be used by fallow deer... unless they've perfected the limbo! Look out for hairs, nibbled plant stems, debris from feeding and scat.

This picture shows a fallen branch with bark stripped by deer and their feeding marks.

Invariably you might be able to follow the trail to a feeding area or even the animal's home. It might be a good idea to mark or map these trails and homes for future reference. Once the foliage springs up, they are pretty difficult to find again.

Trails, feeding areas and homes are the best areas to observe animals. But you have to be reasonably good at fieldcraft if you're going to be successful. One of the most difficult animals to observe are badgers. Their trails and runs, which are about the size of a single width human path may lead you directly to a sett. The sett is an easily identifiable D shape (rotated 90 degrees anticlockwise) and looks like it's been dug out by a bulldozer. At this time of year there should be stacks of spoil and bedding outside of some entrances. If it's a large sett, look for an entrance that is obviously being used but without much bedding outside. This will most probably be the most active entrance.

When watching any wildlife, especially badgers, the 6 S's may help you remember the fundamentals of fieldcraft. I've adapted this from army fieldcraft (I expect others may have a similar system).

Shape - Disguise your shape as much as possible especially the head area by using nets or natural camouflage. Try to break up the outline of your body. Wear dark clothing at least or bits of cammo clothing.

Shine - Cover stuff that glitters in the sun. A shiny face and hands are a dead giveaway even during the day but especially at dusk and at night. Wear gloves and a face veil or face covering or use mud or charcoal from the fire (don't use wet ash as it stings.)

Silhouette - Avoid being silhouetted against the skyline, on hills, embankments or against paths and open fields. Make sure there's something behind you like a bank or a tree or failing that lay down.

 
Scent - Avoid washing that day. Do not clean teeth or chew gum (spearmint is the worst lingering scent). Consider a smoke bath if you're serious and a second set of clothes which are rarely washed. Washing powder also contains UV which visually stands out to some animals like deer. You'll never disguise all your scent but by doing the above and additionally staying downwind, it will help.

Silence - Generally keep quiet although some sounds are acceptable and animals will get used to certain sounds. Scratching at your own clothes sounds like a scratching badger. They will only scratch when at ease with the world.

Still - The biggest give away is movement. Above all else... keep still!

I was out last night and again tonight and tomorrow watching my local badgers putting this into practice. See how I get on in a later post.

For more tips on badger watching, go to the excellent badgerwatcher.com.

Cheers,

Pablo.

Too Much Going On

There's just too much going on at the moment. It's difficult to keep up with it all. I spent hours in Broaks wood just wandering along slowly trying to take everything in.

Greater Stitchwort.

Speckled wood butterfly. I also saw small cabbage whites, brimstones and orange tips.

The ponds are busy as well.

I think this is a recently hatched small red damselfly

I haven't seen yellow archangel for a long time. 

The show of bluebells never disappoint

It's an iconic British woodland scene 

Why not show them off?

Wood avens or Herb Bennet, Wild strawberry, Bugle, Gorse, Herb Robert were all there as well.

Bird life was a little more difficult to see although I did catch a glimpse at a Nuthatch and I even saw a Swallow fly over.

My super-hearing detected a sound of movement in the leaf litter as I was watching the newts in a pond and I just managed to see a dark brown shape of a vole.

I also caught a glimpse of a Muntjac.

I followed the tracks and crotties for a while but lost them in amongst the undergrowth. There were some tiny tracks amongst them; most probably young, but I didn't see any. 

Rain is forecast all next week. Who cares when the weekend is like this?

Thanks for the visit.  

Too Much Going On

There's just too much going on at the moment. It's difficult to keep up with it all. I spent hours in Broaks wood just wandering along slowly trying to take everything in.

Greater Stitchwort.

Speckled wood butterfly. I also saw small cabbage whites, brimstones and orange tips.

The ponds are busy as well.

I think this is a recently hatched small red damselfly

I haven't seen yellow archangel for a long time. 

The show of bluebells never disappoint

It's an iconic British woodland scene 

Why not show them off?

Wood avens or Herb Bennet, Wild strawberry, Bugle, Gorse, Herb Robert were all there as well.

Bird life was a little more difficult to see although I did catch a glimpse at a Nuthatch and I even saw a Swallow fly over.

My super-hearing detected a sound of movement in the leaf litter as I was watching the newts in a pond and I just managed to see a dark brown shape of a vole.

I also caught a glimpse of a Muntjac.

I followed the tracks and crotties for a while but lost them in amongst the undergrowth. There were some tiny tracks amongst them; most probably young, but I didn't see any. 

Rain is forecast all next week. Who cares when the weekend is like this?

Thanks for the visit.  

In Touch With My Primitive Side

Last weekend was spent in Mark's wood learning how to knap flint. There's only one person who can teach this and that is the eminent and legendary flint knapper, John Lord (or perhaps his son, Will).

We were all spell-bound as he tucked a huge rock under his arm, balanced it on his thigh and proceeded to break off chunks of flint. None of it was random. Every strike with the hard hammer (stone) or soft hammer(antler) was deliberate and followed the natural contours of the flint.

Very little material was wasted as sharp flakes became cutting tools and arrow heads and larger pieces were formed into hand axes.  John knew which way the flint would break before he hit it and knew exactly for what purpose it would be used for. The flint did exactly as it was bade.

After watching John demonstrate the craft, we were gently and kindly guided and encouraged into either creating large pieces for hand axes or spear heads or for the more opportunistic (and less confident) like me, we grubbed around the floor for suitable pieces to finish into small hand tools or arrow heads using the rather more delicate pressure flaking technique.

Whatever the style, for two days, all you could hear reverberating throughout the wood was the eery chipping of stone-on-stone and antler-on-stone as ancient tools and artifacts began to take shape under modern hands probably more used to using computers. Dog walkers craned their necks until comically, they looked like giraffes trying to see what was going on. No-one came over.

The picture above is a flint core that the knapper would take with him in a pouch to quickly knap more razor sharp flakes.

 

Although I probably didn't take to this as readily as leather-working I certainly appreciated what I was doing and appreciated the beauty of the material. I even managed to make a couple of bits. This was a knife I made. The glue is pine resin and the binding is flax made into cordage. It's sharp enough to cut leather.

On the second day, I was even remembering some of the complicated theory of percussion cones, facets, platform preparation and percussion techniques and I started to look a little more deeply into what the "flint was telling me".  The picture above is my leaf-shaped arrow head made out of a lovely brown flint that will be made into a necklace.

On more than one occasion I had the strangest of feelings (quite emotive even) that what I was doing was indeed one of the most primitive of skills. I connected this with tracking and from then on in my mind the two were firmly cemented together as the earliest trade and earliest science. Together they addressed man's earliest requirement; the need to hunt.

Perhaps I was consciously connecting with my primitive side, although it's got to be said that in the prehistoric tool making factory I was probably the one who was given the task of sticking on the "Made in UK" label!

It was a great few days in the woods helped along by good weather and great company as usual. A personal thanks to John Lord and his wife Val (who taught us a splendid way to make cordage) and everyone else who came, especially Mark who organised the event.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

In Touch With My Primitive Side

Last weekend was spent in Mark's wood learning how to knap flint. There's only one person who can teach this and that is the eminent and legendary flint knapper, John Lord (or perhaps his son, Will).

We were all spell-bound as he tucked a huge rock under his arm, balanced it on his thigh and proceeded to break off chunks of flint. None of it was random. Every strike with the hard hammer (stone) or soft hammer(antler) was deliberate and followed the natural contours of the flint.

Very little material was wasted as sharp flakes became cutting tools and arrow heads and larger pieces were formed into hand axes.  John knew which way the flint would break before he hit it and knew exactly for what purpose it would be used for. The flint did exactly as it was bade.

After watching John demonstrate the craft, we were gently and kindly guided and encouraged into either creating large pieces for hand axes or spear heads or for the more opportunistic (and less confident) like me, we grubbed around the floor for suitable pieces to finish into small hand tools or arrow heads using the rather more delicate pressure flaking technique.

Whatever the style, for two days, all you could hear reverberating throughout the wood was the eery chipping of stone-on-stone and antler-on-stone as ancient tools and artifacts began to take shape under modern hands probably more used to using computers. Dog walkers craned their necks until comically, they looked like giraffes trying to see what was going on. No-one came over.

The picture above is a flint core that the knapper would take with him in a pouch to quickly knap more razor sharp flakes.

 

Although I probably didn't take to this as readily as leather-working I certainly appreciated what I was doing and appreciated the beauty of the material. I even managed to make a couple of bits. This was a knife I made. The glue is pine resin and the binding is flax made into cordage. It's sharp enough to cut leather.

On the second day, I was even remembering some of the complicated theory of percussion cones, facets, platform preparation and percussion techniques and I started to look a little more deeply into what the "flint was telling me".  The picture above is my leaf-shaped arrow head made out of a lovely brown flint that will be made into a necklace.

On more than one occasion I had the strangest of feelings (quite emotive even) that what I was doing was indeed one of the most primitive of skills. I connected this with tracking and from then on in my mind the two were firmly cemented together as the earliest trade and earliest science. Together they addressed man's earliest requirement; the need to hunt.

Perhaps I was consciously connecting with my primitive side, although it's got to be said that in the prehistoric tool making factory I was probably the one who was given the task of sticking on the "Made in UK" label!

It was a great few days in the woods helped along by good weather and great company as usual. A personal thanks to John Lord and his wife Val (who taught us a splendid way to make cordage) and everyone else who came, especially Mark who organised the event.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

Back on Form

Easter Monday

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the lens of my glasses came away from the frame. I'd forgotten my hearing aids and my Aircast was getting rapidly clogged up with mud. I shook my head and pondered on my outdoor situation over the last few months. I hadn't started the new year too well and it was hardly a success a story. I started to feel sorry for myself. This was rather unlike me. The leather working projects had gone well but I felt I just needed a boost to get motivated again.

I looked about for something to fix my specs. A nettle fibre or strand of paracord would do it but I opted for some fishing line I carry in my possible's pouch. It been in there for years and I've never used it until now. Just goes to show you.

I'd brought along my home made possible's pouch and was pleased with the extra space it provided. I designed it not only to hold normal possible's stuff but other bits I come across.

I was able to fit in this jaw bone. I'm pretty sure it's from a fox.

With the specs fixed I continued my trip spotting early spring flowers like this Cuckoo flower or Lady's smock (young leaves are tasty)

... Ground Ivy

... Celandine

... Primrose (leaves and petals are tasty)

During lunch I spotted 3 fallow does browsing along the hedgerow. They were about 30 yards away and the closest I'd got to them this year. The recent cull had made them more alert so this was a good sighting. Things were beginning to look up...

...and, in fact, on looking up, I saw this chap.. a male Greater-spotted woodpecker.

Suddenly it was all happening for me and I felt as though I was getting back on form. No sooner had I had that thought when I saw a movement to my front and to the left.

It was a fox about 50 yards away. I put the camera on video mode and called him in with a squeak. To my delight, he turned towards me and came trotting up stopping about 10 yards away and stared straight at me. I was relaxed and zoned-in enough not to appear as a threat. He then turned to the left and was probably going to circle where he thought the squeak originated but my own movement as I turned the camera spooked him and he was off in the direction he came.

It's encounters like this that make it all worth it for me and the earlier melancholy moments faded away.

Below are some moving pictures. They are only a couple of minutes long.

Greater-spotted woodpecker (male)

Calling in a Fox

This weekend I'm going flint-knapping with John Lord.  Thanks for the visit.