Tracks Unknown - Goodwin State Forest

TEMJ 20364 - Wildlife Tracking, Tracks and Signs, Beaver Tracks, Turkey Tracks, Outdoor Education, Field Guides, Wildlife Encounters, Trail Adventures, White-Tailed Deer, Fisher, Red Fox, Larch

Greetings Fellow Earthmonks,

This journal entry is about a Fellowship of Earthmonks and our journey to Goodwin State Forest. Here at Goodwin State Forest we conducted a wildlife tracking event, in the snow, on a frosty and windy February morning.

Within the sacred pages of the Earthmonk Journal, the ethereal dance of nature unfolds, and from time to time the journal shall unveil enchanting stories of wildlife tracking and the art of deciphering tracks and signs. This exclusive series, aptly named ‘Tracks Unknown,' will serve as a chronicle of the Fellowship of Earthmonks and their encounters with enigmatic tracks and mysterious signs scattered across the untamed landscapes they tread. Brace yourself for narratives that weave together the poetry of the wild and the profound wisdom hidden within the footprints of creatures unknown.

In the heart of the Goodwin State Forest, where the forest floor becomes a canvas for nature's artistry.  Wildlife tracking, akin to reading poetry etched in snow, soil and leaves, unveils the intricate tales of the wild. Each track, each indentation, each piece of scat, whispers stories of survival, perseverance, and the timeless dance of predator and prey. Some of the greatest stories ever written lie in a hidden language waiting to be deciphered.

Tracking For the Beginner

Let’s discuss what it means to have a ‘trackers mind’. What do good trackers think about?  There is a great deal of shared knowledge and approach that both trackers and naturalists share. However, what if you are neither a naturalist nor a tracker, what should you consider whenever you go a field?  When a tracker steps into nature, they walk away from their busy life and leave it all behind. Tracking is about slowing down and it has nothing to do with the concept of hiking.

Tracking is about paying attention to the smallest details.