AY Honors/Animal Tracking/Answer Key
1. Know ten kinds of tracks, including two kinds of bird tracks. Make plaster casts of five.
To do this, you will need to bring dry plaster of Paris, water, a mixing container, a mixing stick (a paint stirrer will do nicely), and something to make rings out of. Plaster of Paris can be bought either dry, or ready-mixed. It is probably better to get the dry type so that you can mix it on site. It will need to be soupy to make a detailed cast. When you find a suitable track, place a ring around it. The ring can be made from almost anything - a tin can with the bottom cut out, a paper cup with the bottom removed, a strip of poster board 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and taped together at the ends to form a circle, etc. Make sure the ring is larger than the track. You can also make the cast without a ring, but it is much better if you use one. Once the ring is in place, mix just enough plaster and water to fill the ring up to one inch (2.5 cm) deep. It sets quickly, so you will not want to mix up too much at a time. Mix water with the dry plaster and stir it until it is smooth. It should be about the same consitency as pancake batter or apple sauce. Pour it into the ring. Once this is done, you can set out in search of more tracks, or you can wait until the plaster sets. If you set out for more, be sure to come back to collect your cast.
One good way to complete this requirement is by heading to a river right after flooding has receded. There will likely be plenty of easily identifiable kinds of tracks, and the smooth mud makes for excellent casting.
2. Name at least three things that tracks tell us.
Animal tracks can tell us many things about the animal that made them, including:
- The species
- Its direction of travel
- How fast it was going
- How large it was
- How long ago the animal made the tracks.
- Sometimes tracks can tell the gender of the animal
- Sometimes tracks can tell us the animal's age.
3. Trail some animal tracks, identify the animal if possible, and tell whether it was running or walking. Measure between the tracks of one animal when running and walking.
4. Maintain a tracking station for at least three days by doing the following:
a. Select a flat open space in some quiet place near your camp or home.
b. Smooth out ground, mud, sand, etc.
c. Place food out for wildlife.
d. Check each day for tracks and replenish food when necessary.
5. Name two animals for each tracking group.
a. Flatfoots
b. Toe walkers
c. Toenail walkers
d. Bounders or long hindleggers
6. Name four signs of the presence of mammals.
Animals leave many indications that they were present. These are collectively called sign. Sign includes:
- Tracks
- Not only footprints, but marks left on the ground by the tail or by other body parts (think snakes).
- Scat
- Scat is another word for animal droppings or manure.
- Fur, skin, feathers, and antlers
- Animals may leave bits of fur behind if it gets caught in a tree's bark, or in thorns. Snakes and other reptiles shed their skin and leave it behind. Birds drop feathers and in the fall deer drop antlers.
- Cuttings
- Cuttings are things such as acorn shells which have been nibbled on. Deer and squirrel often leave them behind.
- Scratches on trees
- Bears, members of the cat family, and other predators will sharpen their claws on tree trunks. Sometimes they will do this to mark their territory.
- Scent Posts
- Many animals mark their territory by urinating on trees or other prominent items. If you are walking through the woods and smell a strong musky odor, look around — you may find other sign.
- Carcasses
- Once a predator has had its fill of a kill, it will leave the carcass. Some animals will guard their carcasses though so they can feed on them again after they've digested some of the previous meal, so be careful if you find one.
