Interpreting Tracks

THE UNINITIATED OFTEN stand amazed when observing a skilled tracker at work. For some, the amount of information that can be gleaned from a bent grass stalk, a drop of blood or a broken leaf, may even evoke a measure of scepticism. This is understandable, for the untrained observer has not been taught to see through the eyes of a tracker or to use the senses to the same degree as someone who was raised in, or has lived long in the bush under the tutorship of a master.

To some, a good tracker’s ability to interpret spoor may appear almost magical. Of course, extensive experience in tracking animals plays