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      Tracker Louis Liebenberg taking measurements to create an accurate, life-sized rendition of wolf tracks in central Idaho.

      When drawing tracks, do not be daunted by the unknown. Often scrutinizing prints and investigating details with poignant questions will lead to tracks revealing themselves. Even when they do not, it is still valuable to draw the track and revisit your journal at later times.

      In the field you need a sketchbook or clipboard, pencils or markers, and a measuring device (ruler or calipers). Begin by finding four to six clear prints that you believe belong to the same animal, and choose a single track to draw. Make sure that the track is between you and the light source. Treat the track and the area around the tracks with deference. This preserves the features of the track as well as the story around the tracks.

      An effective track journal includes the date, time, weather, habitat, substrate, and wildlife and human activity in the surrounding area. Draw the track, showing the features of the toes and heel pad or claw marks. With a measuring device, note the track's length and width. The most important thing to remember is to be consistent in your practice. For example, when measuring a track, always include the claws in your measurements. In addition, record whether the track is from a front or hind foot, which side of body, and the direction in which the animal was traveling.

      Many folks new to sketching in general are unsure how to use shading to convey light or depth. The choice is ultimately up to you. First, try using shading to relay light—how the sun is falling over and/or across the footprint. Second, use shading to relay depth, meaning that you would shade the deepest parts of the footprint the darkest and the shallowest portions the lightest. We would, however, recommend the second method, because shadows created by light sources can distort one's perception of tracks, as we discuss under notes on photography.

      An excerpt from Mike Kresky's journals.

      Once you have finished drawing the track, step away from it. This gives you a broader perspective, allowing you to see the line of tracks and perhaps discern the gait the animal was using. This perspective offers more information about the interpretation of this animal's behavior. You may notice that the animal was walking, dust bathing, or foraging. After you have drawn an individual track, draw the line of tracks. Measure the distance between the footfalls, again making sure that you are consistent. Although track journaling is a highly focused activity, remind yourself to pay attention to bird song and other animal behaviors. You may be surprised to find that you are near to the animal you are journaling.

      Here Mike Kresky has drawn an area map to accompany his journals of individual tracks and trails.

      Maps in Your Track Journaling

      It is essential to be familiar with the topography where you track. Topographical maps teach us the salient features of the landscape. Specific maps, such as geological, hydrological, or vegetative, provide different perspectives on the natural history of an area. An awareness of topographical information and patterns in your immediate landscape is invaluable for locating ecotones, corridors, and the animals themselves.

      In addition to referencing published maps, create your own maps to hone your tracking skills. Start with a map with a one- or two-mile diameter. Then create a map that covers only several hundred feet. Center this map around your set of tracks. Once the tracks have been drawn, fill in the rest of the map

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