BOOK TESTIMONIALS
SCOUT-TRACKER GUIDE Edition 1
A Professional Man-Hunters Guide to Tracking
Ty Cunningham has lived a storied life as a father, teacher and warrior. This is a man who has “seen that, done that” with close to 30-years (and I may be slightly off here) federal service with the U.S. Army and U.S. Marshals. Additionally, with close to as much time teaching the warrior arts (combatives, combat shooting, survival and tracking) to others, Ty has truly been a life learner and teacher. All this while raising 10 children, that alone speaks volumes of his dedication to his family and passion. I say all this just to illustrate that Ty is truly a subject matter expert with the operational and field experience to back up his work.
In his monumental (over 500 pages) book “Scout Tracker Guide: Basic Trailing and Surveillance Concepts for Modern Scouting in Law Enforcement” explains the interrelated fields of tactical tracking, observation and field tactics (surveillance, reconnaissance, survival and combatives) as it applies to aggressive man-hunting and personal recovery operations all interwoven into Ty’s Scout Tracker Virtues. He goes on to explain that the virtues are independent as well as collective and permeates all that the tracker does or fails to do in the successful pursuit of his quarry.
If you have read any of Ty’s work in ISPT Track & Sign Newsletter, Primitive Archer Magazine or Wilderness Way you may be familiar with some of Ty’s methodology. Unlike his various articles the book delves deep into his principles, tactics, techniques and procedures and with some dedicated dirt time you could become pretty proficient. The book details how to develop better concentration through building habits of doing things in the most efficient manner. He goes on to explain why learning and mastering bushcraft will enhance your comfort and survivability in the bush, which in turn again adds to your skills of observation.
In detail, Ty covers his eight rules of Tracking (T.R.A.C.K.I.N.G.) and the seven skill steps to successful tracking and follow-ups through his key word T.R.A.C.K.E.R; Think, Receive, Assess, Confirm, Know, Enlarge and Respond. This principle covers the heart of his tracking methodology and each key letter is superbly explained. The book goes on to explain the importance of reconnaissance, surveillance not usually covered in other tracking books. As well as tactics for working in limited visibility and employing hide sites for observation. Additionally, Ty covers survival skills as already mentioned and a chapter on scout combatives, which is a gem with a lot of great information. Some information that will make some tree-huggers cringe.
Finally, this book has something for all trackers; animal/wilderness trackers, search and rescue (SAR) trackers, but as the title suggests it is geared to law enforcement and military trackers. So just understand what you are getting when you purchase this book. I also recommend Ty’s book “ Forensic Spoorology: Seeing and Understanding Human Behavior through Observation, Classification and Interpretation of Spoor Evidence.”
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Ty Cunningham's Scout-Tracker Guide is chock full of relevant information about rural and remote long-term tactical tracking operations. With decades of combined Army Special Forces and US Marshal experience under his belt, Cunningham knows his subject matter and presents it clearly. Along with David Scott-Donelan's book, Tactical Tracking Operations, Cunningham's Scout Tracker Guide is on my "go-to" shelf on this subject. With over 500 pages to its credit, I doubt one can find a more comprehensive book on man-tracking for both military and law enforcement scouts and trackers. I also recommend Cunningham's other book, Forensic Spoorology. Both are worthy additions to any personal reference library on the subject of tracking.
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FORENSIC SPOOROLOGY
This is absolutely an eye opener into the science of man-tracking. It details how the mind controls the body as well as how external influences play on the decisions that the mind makes. If that isn't enough, this book goes into extreme detail of how the body mechanics and the mind work together during locomotion and being able to read the who, what, and why a person moved the way they did from the foot just contacting the ground. From psychomotor to locomotor this book gave me the ability to read and interpret human behavior just by "reading" the ground where a person has walked. As a man-tracker with around 25 years of experience, this has opened my eyes more than anything I have ever learned. I can say without a doubt whatsoever that anyone who is involved in SAR, Law Enforcement or military tracking would highly benefit from reading and studying forensic Spoorology.
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