Mammal Tracks and Sign: A Guide to North American Species

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 792 pages
• Published by: Stackpole Books
• Edition: 1st Edition September 2003
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0811726266
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0811726269
• Book Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Weighs: 2.8 pounds

Product Description
The most thorough treatment of the subject ever published, this amazing guide brings together clear track and trail illustrations, range maps, and full-colour photographs showing feeding signs, scat, tunnels, burrows, bedding areas, remains, and more, to give a wealth of information about hundreds of mammal species living in North America. How to find, identify, measure, and interpret the clues mammals leave behind -- explained and illustrated like never before. Includes essays that contextualise tracking as a developing science continually garnering more interest and participation; included also are instructive anecdotes from the author's work as a tracker and wildlife expert. An invaluable resource for beginning or professional trackers and wildlife enthusiasts in all North American locations.

About The Author
Mark Elbroch is the lead author of Bird Tracks & Sign (0811726967) and has written articles for periodicals and other publications on tracking. He has contributed to numerous research projects in North America, including the capturing and collaring of cougars and Glacier National Park's bear sign survey. He lives in Vermont.

Reader Reviews
Mark Elbroch's new book is a scientifically credible look at tracking The tracking world has once again gained a great resource in the new book by Mark Elbroch. "Mammal Tracks and Sign: A Guide to North American Species" fills a gap in the availability of good quality photographic guides to tracks and sign. This is a book for the serious tracker! At 784 pages, it is the most complete guide available today on the subject. The tracking world has long awaited a book to rival Olaus Murie's "A Field Guide to Animal Tracks," which has been the field standard for years. Elbroch's book covers some new ground, bringing together coverage of subjects that previously were found only in specialized, and not widely available, publications. These include: mammal remains, a large section of sign on vegetation, identification of kills, burrows/beds/lays/nests, and a big photographic section on scat and other secretions. The very complete section on gaits will help you identify those difficult trails. Photos, drawings, measurements, and range maps are included for each species. Throughout the text are sidebars with tips to distinguish between easily confused species. This is especially useful if you have ever found yourself struggling with an identification in the field. The appendices list other tracking resources for further study, including schools, books, web sites, tracking teachers, and more. The book is a little heavy to tote into the field, but it offers so much information that it may be prudent to buy two; one to haul into the field and bang around, and one to keep at home for reference. Its weight is compensated for by the fact that it has information you would find in many different field guides all in one book, so you can leave the others at home and bring this one along. It sets a new standard for tracking as a science and brings it new credibility that may help increase its use as a tool for wildlife management. The initial price may be discouraging to many trackers, but in the end, I think you will find it is money well spent. There are many books on tracking out there, quite a few with poor drawings, inaccuracies, or errors. Although those books are much less expensive, and are probably better "mass market" sellers, a tracker needs accurate information, and this book provides it. This book is destined to become one of my favorites, and one I will recommend when people ask me which book to purchase. I think you will agree that Mark's two new books are great additions to the tracking library, and offer the serious tracker valuable resources, although these are not books that will sit on the shelf and gather dust. They are the books that will become worn and dog-eared from being hauled into the field and used. I look forward to using them in years to come as I further my own knowledge of the unlimited field of tracking.