Monday, December 7, 2015

The Twelve Gifts of Tracking


Porcupine Mandibles
 The rolling hills and drumlins of the Bruce Trail inspired this seasonal story of the day:

On the 6th Day of December, my tracking friends shared with me…
Twelve apples cached by squirrels (munched on by rodents, rabbit, deer and grouse)
Eleven animal trails (some serious) made by deer, rabbit, porcupine and raccoons.
Ten deer beds, scrapes and antler rubs.
Nine piles of deer, coyote, raccoon, porcupine and squirrel scat.
Red Squirrel Cache
Eight animal homes lived in by fox, groundhog, red squirrel, porcupine and sparrows.
Seven raven calls above a coyote’s resting place by the creek.
Six pine grosbeaks.
Five mandibles (from porcupine, coyote and meadow vole)
Four gulleys (landforms* and one named Sue)
Three rodent-chewed deer bones
Two grouse exploding into flight (and two ginger chocolate squares)
…and a porcupine in a hemlock tree.

*a water-worn ravine


By Tamara Anderson - 2nd year Tracking Apprentice

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