Customer Reviews

Animal Tracks: An Introduction to the Tracks & Signs of Familiar North American Species (North American Nature Guides)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This field guide is not a book. It is a laminated, 1 piece, 6-fold brochure. There are 54 mammal tracks and pictures (including a Virginia opossum and a nine-banded armadillo), 18 bird tracks (no pictures here), 10 diagrams of sign (like a beaver cutting), and 11 diagrams of scat (you know what I mean). The lack of pictures of the birds is puzzling, as you are much more likely to see a pigeon or a dark-eyed junco than a mountain lion.

The mix of species is eclectic. I mean, when will you need to know the tracks of a mountain goat at the same time as an eastern mole, or a grizzly bear and a roadrunner? The quality is good, but the track drawings are very small. Most mammal track drawings are about 1/2 inch in length.

This seems very expensive at $5.95. I'd say a more appropriate price is $1.95. Consider putting additional money into obtaining a copy of A Field Guide to Animal Tracks (Peterson Field Guides), or a Field Guide to Mammal Tracking in North America by James C. Halfpenny. On the other hand, Animal Tracks is very light. If weight and space are considerations, the cost may be worth it.

To the authors, I'd recommend one panel being made clear or white, so tracings can be made right on this pamphlet with a wax pencil or dry erase marker. The alternative for the user is to put some post-it note pages inside. They stick very well.

For the schoolteacher, try to buy these in bulk. They would be very nice to hand out to a class of 20-30 students on a hike, and afterwards would be easy to clean and store in the classroom. If you can't find any tracks, have a track-making contest!

Now onward to the trail!

This is sold in our Cub Scout store and on the official scout website. It is a basic beginner's guide. It is great for a broad range of animals in a variety of camping/hiking areas. it is laminated AND thin so that it is easy to back pack or even carry in a fanny pack. This was never meant to be the perfect solution for identifying everything (we don't have Coati here)...there are much thicker and less protected (read as paper)books for that (look at Peterson's if you want something more detailed, but not worth using on a hiking trip with cub scouts or younger youth-family).

I have most of these laminated sheets as I am a den leader and we are on the move in the "wilderness" a lot. I also camp with my children and it is perfect for them to use also AND I don't have to worry about muddy, wet hands destroying the page. No, the tracks on the guide are not large, but we are not experts here and aren't looking for a dissertation on its lope.

I recommend most of these for families with children who are interested in identifying that track they saw on their walk.

This pocket guide is OK for showing you what the tracks look like; however, it doesn't differentiate between walkers, bounders, wide walkers/waddlers and leapers. Nor does it tell you what the stride or straddle is, which is a very important aspect. I instead opted for the Mammal Tracker pocket laminated card from Interpretive Wildlife Programs and blew it up a bit (it's kinda small otherwise) and bring a plastic ruler with me. For decent tracking you need to know 1) how big the prints are, 2) the formation they're in, 3) the length of the stride and 4) the width of the straddle. Of course, a basic understanding of the habits and habitat of the mammals you are tracking goes a long way to narrowing things down. If you aren't sure, lay your ruler down next to the prints and take a picture; then you can study it when you get home. Above all...have fun! Try tracking one set of prints as far as they go; you might get lucky and find a den, lay or the animal itself!

I love the 12-fold, laminated format. It's light and waterproof, which I found helpful when I took it to ID tracks in the snow. Tracks are represented in solid black, and while other guides will use shading to show more detail, they usually do so with klugey line or stipple ink drawings, which in my opinion tend to be a barrier when interpreting from book to tracks. Descriptions are simple; this is about tracks and scats, period. However, sadly omitted were track patterns (there are often vast differences between walking, loping and running). Additionally, more exotic species (take the coati, for instance) won't be found here. However, this is a good "starter guide" and I'd agree with another reviewer who said it'd be ideal for kids and groups, due to its simplicity, durability and affordability.

I use these cards when hiking with my Cub Scouts. I have about a dozen different ones. When we see something on from the trail we stop and rather than telling the boys about I hand them a card and let them try to look it up and discuss it.

It has worked out great for us.

This is a good purchase. Of course you can buy larger books on tracks but this is just as good, and convenient to carry. You will find it all, well almost. this fold-out will make you want to live outdoors and track things all day long! so quit your job now, and get started, Pepe'!

Read the description carefully before you purchase. This is NOT a book or paperback. It is a 12 page foldout (including the front cover) .... not exactly what I expected.