BASIC TERMS

 

Action Indicator - Displaced soil around a track which indicates movement other than a simple forward step

 

Active Trail – A track with the appropriate age congruent with a circumstance that indicates the track maker is still actively laying down spoor linked to the observed last known track.

 

Advanced Footprint Specification Sheet – The Uniform Scale Format for the precise and detailed collection of trail evidence.

 

Aging - Process of determining time lapse since spoor was made, considering vegetation damage, rain, new snow cover, sun, other human or animal passage, and other natural elements; Using a combination of visual and tactile methods to assess when a spoor was made; The act of determining how long ago spoor was made.

 

Angle of vision - Act of getting lower to the ground or rising higher in an attempt to obtain a better view of spoor.

 

Arch - The bottom part of a shoe last from heel to width.

 

Attunement - Shutting down the society induced internal dialog, discarding mental baggage and connecting with the surrounding environment in order to blend in and totally concentrate on the task at hand.

 

Back Track - To follow a trail back to its origin.

 

Back Trailing Method – Also known as back tracking. Following the trail in reverse back to the start point.

 

Ball - Fleshy part of the foot just back of the toes.

 

Baseline Establishment - The basis from which you judge everything else, the undisturbed area from which you operate to find disturbances within. Nature will continue to establish and alter baselines. Also known as the TLE.

 

Bottom Spoor/Ground Spoor - Any imprints, mark, indentations, transfers or vegetative damage found on the ground which can be positively identified as a disturbance left by the quarry you are tracking. Also known as ground spoor.

 

Bound Trailing Method – The deliberate movement of progress on the trail from one possible track trap to another within the line of sign. This method is used in conjunction to the Deliberate Trailing Method to move the trail along. This process is usually conducted by the scout observers of a tracking team.

 

Bracketing - The act of maintaining continuity of sign by skipping the next spoor in line to a spoor in front of the last known track, then using it to find the one skipped.

 

Broken Twigs - Small particles of vegetation or twigs, broken in such a way as to indicate damage from human footwear.

 

Bruising - Damage to vegetation by someone stepping on it.

 

Brushing Out - Using a branch, grass, or clothing article in an attempt to brush or erase spoor from an area. A common method of soft counter tracking.

 

Camouflaging- The concealment of the quarry and trail by means of making it appear to be part of the natural surroundings. One of the seven main indicators of scout tracking.

 

Clue- A piece of evidence that may or may not contribute to the interpretation process of understanding the trail of your quarry.

 

Color - Refers to wavelengths of light as seen by the eye and interpreted by the brain. Valuable in differentiating one object from another, In nature color tends to be muted and less vivid.

 

Color change - A difference of color, value or texture from the area that surrounds it.

 

Command and Control (CC) - The Command and Control of a tracking team is normally static and is the higher formation to which a tracking team reports. It follows the progress of a tracking operation, deploys other teams and assets according to the developing situation, liaisons with other organizations, arranges resupply to the tracking teams but does NOT, repeat NOT interfere with the conduct of the teams on the ground. Also known as Incident Command (IC).

 

Communicating- The exchange of information gleaned from the trailing mission with others that need to know. One of the main indicators of Scout Tracking.

 

Compressed Areas - 1. Areas of ground surface compressed in a manner which indicates humans as the cause; 2. Area of soil or vegetation where the surface is compressed into/onto the apparent ‘lay of the land”. Giving the appearance of a depression or compaction of the ground surface by footfall.

 

Contamination - Other spoor from civilians, family members, other trackers, other emergency personnel, and animals that obscures or completely obliterates the quarry’s spoor.

 

Contrast - Refers to any difference in color, shape, texture, or composition between something and its surroundings. Examples include transfer, shine, and disturbance of ground vegetation. The greater the contrast, the more compelling the cue. Contrast is used extensively in spoor aging, by making a fresh reproduction of the disturbance and comparing the contrasts of the existing disturbance.

 

Converge- To approach a common point from different directions.

 

Counter tracking (Hard) - The process and art of stopping or slowing a scouts efforts to track you.

 

Counter Tracking (Soft) - The act of camouflaging or otherwise hiding your spoor. Also known as Anti-tracking.

 

Crawl- The slow walk in humans and animals where three or four feet are on the ground at the same time.

 

Crease - Sign, usually left on soft leaves or other vegetation, which resembles a straight fold on paper.

 

Crying - The natural weeping of vegetation fluids resulting from footfall damage, body passage, and deliberate breaking of twigs and branches.

 

Cutter - A person attempting to intercept spoor. Also known as Sign Cutter

 

Cutting - Once the tracking operation is underway an attempt to intercept the trail is re­employed to speedily advance the spoor great distances; An operation used principally along natural barriers to locate spoor; Method used to locate a lost trail by moving ahead in the direction of travel and attempting to relocate the track by walking diagonally to the previous route. Also known as Sign Cutting.

 

Cut Trailing - The process of locating spoor by intersecting or “cutting” a line of sign. Sign cutting differs from “tracking” in that teams operate from a condition of not having an identified line of sign from which to begin. Sign cutting teams may work in conjunction with a tracking team by moving parallel or perpendicular to a known tine of sign, or along natural barriers such as roads and drainages; Looking for sign in order to establish a starting point from which to begin tracking. Walking a path that would intersect the path of your subject at approximately right angles is sign cutting; The skill of locating, following and identifying evidence of quarry presence or passage; A planned and systematic search for tracks, either at the commencement of a follow-up or when tracks are lost and cannot be found by a standard lost trail procedures. Also known as sign cutting.

 

Cut Trailing Method – The method of finding the trail of a quarry by traveling perpendicular to the suspected travel route of the quarry.

 

Decay Pit- An area of close examination of track deterioration in a controlled environment of study. This area is used by the tracker to watch the aging of spoor on various surface soils and vegetation.

 

Deception - The attempt to confuse, disguise, or conceal spoor by ; walking backwards (backing), brushing out, laying false trails, or other means, to deceive or confuse direction of travel, number of persons, or presence of spoor.

 

Deliberate Trailing Method – The slow, methodical precise accumulation of all trail evidence, overlooking nothing on the trail.

 

Direction of Travel – The navigational direction of the forward movement of the trail. Usually a North, South, East, West or by the degree of compass heading.

 

Discardables - Littering, primarily of the “garbage” variety. Examples include candy wrappers, beer cans, and spent shotgun shells.

 

Displacing- The change from one place to another. One of the seven main indicators of scout tracking.

 

Disturbance - Any evidence of recent change or rearrangement

 

Drag Team - This is a group of individuals who accompany a tracking team, always in the rear and in radio contact, to provide additional fire power to the tracking team if required. Also known as tactical support Group.

 

Dynamic Trailing Method –The explosive trailing method that decreases the Time Distance Interval between the tracker and quarry. Also known as tactical tracking or combat tracking.

 

Essential Elements of Terrain Information – A template of terrain elements needed to access environmental factors the affect the trail, quarry, tracker, and scout team.

 

Essential Elements of Trail Information – A template of trail elements needed to access and progress the trail forward.

 

Evidence - Something legally acceptable before a court; Facts or knowledge that will prove or disprove an allegation; An object or witness that bears on or establishes an issue.

 

False Trails - Leaving a good trail or spoor into a poor spoor area, then departing on another route. Method of soft counter tracking.

 

Flagged - Leaves or grass turned in the direction of travel, showing their underside surfaces. Also known as Flagging.

 

Flat - Footgear with no discernible heel, i.e., the shoe tread is flat across its entire length. Used to communicate track characteristics via phone or radio.

 

Flattening - The leveling of soil, pebbles, twigs, rocks or other substances into the ground which alters the texture of the surface producing a flattened area, which may create a shine by reflecting more light than the surrounding area. Caused by the flat sole of a shoe compacting the ground under a person’s weight.

 

Flex Point- The point within the foot roll application where the foot flexes at its maximum and/or minimum points and transfers this to the foot registration in the soil and vegetation.

 

Focus lock - Getting “caught up” in one aspect of tracking and not paying attention to your surroundings. You should always; look twice, vary your vision by looking from different angles and alternate from looking at minute detail in and around the track to reviewing the overall situation, your location, direction of travel and look for your quarry.

 

Foot Axis- Imaginary line down the center of the foot.

 

Foot Measurement Analysis – The cross-point sectioning of the bottom of the foot to the ground impression; thus, puzzling the foot together to form a match to a known print.

 

Footprint - Visible evidences that a paw, hoof, or foot has contacted a surface.

 

Footprint Classification – The foot analysis by category to establish expected quarry.

 

Foot Roll Analysis - The application of foot movement as weight is placed during motion. The heel to toe motion and side-to-side motion for stabilization and progression. This contains the impact point, flex point, pivot point, and terminal point of foot motion.

 

Gathering (Information)- The complete ongoing process of collection of trailing information. One of the main indicators of Scout Tracking.

 

General Condition - The overall state or general amount of wear on a shoe.

 

General Course of Action – The overall what must get done. This is in terms of the tracker, team, as well as the quarry.

 

Grass Trail -The bending and intertwining of grass or brush indicating quarry passage.

 

Ground Hardness Type – The medium of surface soil giving the tracker a mental picture of how the foot would interact with gravity and age.

 

Ground Vegetation Type – The extended vegetation from the medium of surface soil varies in length while living and covers the ground naturally when dead. The decay is noticeable in classification when dead and while living will interact in predictable ways with human and animal movement, gravity, and age.

 

Healing - The process with live vegetation in which damage is naturally repaired. Used to age sign.

 

Heel - Footgear with a clearly discernible heel, such as a boot or low-quarter dress shoe.

 

Heel Marks - The curved mark or depression on the ground surface made by the walking motion of the heel part of human footwear.

 

Hunting- The killing of highly mobile prey with the use of weapons, traps, vehicles or domesticated animals. Hunting involves cultural adaptations that give the hunter an advantage over prey.

 

Impression - A three-dimensional print in some soft material, that displays the size, design and wear features present on the outsole of an item of footwear.

 

Inactive Trail - A track with an age incongruent with a circumstance that indicates the track maker is still actively laying down spoor linked to the observed last known track.

 

Indexing - The comparison of the known spoor(represented either by ‘foot or ‘thumb indexing) and comparing this to the surrounding area and the questioned spoor.

 

Initial Commencement Point - The place where you actually begin the tracking operation.

 

Initial Trail Assessment – The cursory collection of trail data to establish the generals of the quarry trail.

 

Intelligence Preparation of the Trail – The complete ongoing collection of trailing information that prepares the tracker for the trailing mission.

 

Inventing Spoor - A condition, usually caused by fatigue, where the scout “sees” spoor that isn’t there. To fabricate spoor in the mind’s eye (operating from preconception not perception).

 

Irregularity - A disturbance which disrupts baselines or templates.

 

Jump Trailing - A form of tracking that involves finding an obvious spoor, then proceeding along the assumed direction of travel until another obvious spoor is found. A highly risky endeavor that may result in contamination of the area and ultimate destruction and loss of the line of sign. Also known as jump tracking.

 

Last Known Point - The most recent location the subject can conclusively be said to have been, based on all available evidence, including human sign, eyewitnesses, vehicles or personal gear, sign-in or summit logs, etc. Differs from Point Last Seen (PLS) in that a PLS requires the seeing of the subject by another human. In a typical wilderness tracking operation, the PLS will stay the same, while the LKP changes as new spoor and evidence is uncovered.

 

Last Known Spoor – The last piece of human evidence observed, which may include the LKT, but needs to be classified in terms of human behavior on its own merit.

 

Last Known Track – The last observable track in the line of succession of followed spoor that has been analyzed for classification and interpretation.

 

Left Right Analysis – The system of calculating the foot placement in soil and reference it to said placement to trail particulars.

 

Length of the Track- From heel to end of toe in humans. From interdigital pads to end of toe pads in other mammals but does not include dew claws. From convergent point to end of claws in birds.

 

Lighting - Use the correct angle of the primary light source in order to ensure optimum visual inspection capabilities. Light can be altered and improvised. Objects will absorb and reflect light in differing degrees.

 

Limp - When one foot consistently takes a shorter stride than the other.

 

Line of Sign - The continuity of spoor evidencing the passage of your quarry.

 

Litter - Any unnatural debris, garbage, cigarette butts, paper, etc. which may indicate human passage. (Litter may or may not be related to the quarry you are tracking}. Littering is one of the seven main indicators of scout tracking.

 

Location, Habitat, Season – Three factors that must be considered when estimating quarry and tracker interaction with the environment.

 

Lost Trail Procedures - A systematic approach to finding the sign when it is no longer immediately available. Also known as lost spoor procedures.

 

Mark(ing) - Highlighting the presence of a line of sign utilizing a standard system of scuff marks, engineer tape,

colored strips on wire, or wooden pickets, so you or others can find it again.

 

Mechanical Stride Zero – The experienced average of stride of all trailing operations for a particular Target Quarry Reference TQR.

 

Milling- A static position where the quarry moves about in place.

 

Milling Pad- The worn-down piece of substrate from the process of milling.

 

Natural Barriers - Areas such as streams, banks, roads, railroad grades, etc., which generally interrupt a quarries passage and show sign well.

 

Non-visible sign Information you can acquire by smelling, hearing and touching.

 

Normal Walking Gait- The common movement application of some animals and humans.

 

On-Trail - The physical act of a tactically trained scout or tracking team, following a set of tracks on the ground made by a quarry. Also known as a Follow-up.

 

Outline - The edge of an object, it marks the boundary or perimeter line of a shape. Outline items may be a small line or a complete track. Examples include heel curves, heel shape, or toe shape.

 

Pace - 1. Measurement from a point in a given footstep to the next time that same point occurs, e.g., from the tip of the toe on the right foot to the next tip of the toe on the right foot; 2. A single step measured from the heel of one foot to the heel of the next foot; 3. An animal gait where by lateral feet, one fore and one hind, move together.

 

Pattern - The spatial arrangements of the spoor.

 

Pigeon Toed - A quarry that walks with their toes pointed inwards.

 

Place Last Seen - Place where witness or evidence indicates the subject was last seen; The most recent location where the subject was known to have been seen by another human. Differs from Last Known Position (LKP) in that LKP may be concluded based on physical evidence or sign, whereas PLS requires that the subject be seen by someone.

 

Perimeters Cut - A cut trailing method of limiting a search area or locating spoor along natural barriers. Usually a natural boundary is used perpendicular as possible to the line of travel.

 

Physical Environmental Restrictions – The natural terrain topography and weather that influences the tracker and quarry.

 

Pitch - The distance the front of the print deviates inwards or outwards from the line of travel. Also known as Angle of Track.

 

Pivot Point- The point within the foot roll application where the foot pivots at its maximum and/or minimum points for direction change and transfers this to the foot registration in the soil and vegetation.

 

Post Trailing Checklist – The trailing list to verify actions on the trail.

 

Predation- The killing of highly mobile prey without the use of weapons or other cultural means. To overcome prey the predator relies solely on the biological adapted abilities of stealth, speed, endurance, strength, or superior numbers.

 

Pre-Trailing Checklist – The trailing list to thoroughly prepare the tracker for the trailing mission.

 

Print - The imprint left on the ground by a single foot.

 

Quarry - 1. The person, animal or object being pursued; 2. An alternative to enemy, fugitive, subject, party, target or “the pursued.”

 

Registering - When the front foot track is covered, or partly covered, by the hind foot track. Called direct registering or indirect registering.

 

Regularity - An effect caused by straight lines, circles, or other geometric shapes pressed into the ground leaving marks that are not normally found in nature.

 

Rhythm - Movement or variation characterized by the regular occurrence or alternation of different qualities or conditions. A regular or harmonious pattern created by lines, shapes, colors, values and textures.

 

Role playing - Pretend you are the quarry you are tracking. Examine the landscape, where would you go? What knowledge does the subject have of this environment? What is your quarries objective?

 

Route Influencers - Things that will induce a quarry to walk a certain route.

 

Running - Generic for expedient movement. It contains longer strides and is implemented by only two legs.

 

Sand Trap - Dirt areas, occurring naturally or manmade which by their own nature show sign well. Also known as track trap.

 

Scout – A trained tactical observer who knows stealth movement in/and around hostile environments. Highly trained gatherer of environmental intelligence and human intelligence (Humint).

 

Scout Observers - In tracking the SCTOB position may vary in accordance with the terrain (terrain always dictates). Their primary position is one positioned on each side and slightly

ahead or behind that of the tracker. Their primary function is to protect the tracker and slack from ambush and to assist in the search for lost spoor. They must remain in visual contact with the slack at all times unless deployed on wide 360 searches or recon tasks. SCTOB’s should be used aggressively when possible. Also known as flankers.

 

Scout Team – The team designated to find the quarry and gather intel. The smallest scout element is two, the largest is six. The goal of the scout team is to not make contact. They are to ghost the quarry.

 

Scout Team Leader - The person who controls the trailing mission and is responsible for its tactical decisions, movement, formations and the general conduct of the team. He moves behind, but always in visual contact with the tracker and provides the tracker with close in defense and protection.

 

Scuff Mark - The mark or sign caused by footgear contacting the ground surface. Can also be the transference of sole material onto a surface.

 

Shadow- An area that is not or partially illuminated due to blockage of the light source.

 

Shape - 1. Refers to anything unusual to a given environment that corroborates spoor. Examples include (larger than a nickel.) areas of flattening, and curves that don’t correspond to animal tracks (such as a heel curve or edge of a sole); 2. The form of an object, important element for recognizing a track (compressions).

 

Shine - Light reflecting off the ground surface where foot compression has created a flatter surface. That area will

reflect more light than the surrounding area. Shine is unique in that it is one item of spoor that is often best seen from a distance, and is invisible when viewed close up.

 

Sideheading - Lowering the head to the ground so that your eyes are vertical, closing your highest eye and observing detail from an oblique angle.

 

Sign - Evidence of a person or animals passage; Any evidence of change from the natural state that is inflicted on an area by the passing of a person, animal or object; Non-conclusive evidence of passage or movement of a person, animal or object; Other indicators of a quarry’s passage that does not fall into the categories of bottom or top spoor.

 

Signature Track - A single footprint or piece of evidence that clearly displays unique characteristics so as to be unmistakably identifiable.

 

Silhouette- The outline of an object that appears dark against a light background.

 

Slack- The scout observer designated to provide close protection for the tracker.

 

Sole- The whole bottom of the foot, to include hair, no hair, and pads.

 

Spacing- The result of arranging by intervals.

 

Splay Footed - Subjects who walk with their toes pointed outwards.

 

Spoor - 1. A set of tracks laid upon the ground and visible to the tracker. Spoor is totally interchangeable with the words “tracks,” “trail,” or “set of prints.” 2. The collective amount of evidence left by human passage, including tracks, scent, litter, body fluids and substances, and human witnesses; The track or trail of a wild animal.

 

Spoor Conscious- To understand and appreciate that when any animal, including human, moves on the surface substrate they leave evidence of their passage.

 

Spoor Interpretation- To understand and comprehend the meaning of what the tracker sees on the ground. To understand the story written on the ground. The interaction between the tracker and the trail.

 

Spoor Pit- An area of close examination of track and pattern in a controlled environment of study. This area is used by the tracker to tune the eyes up and the create controlled stories of animal and human movement.

 

Staining- The discoloring or tainting of a substance. Like water of a rock or mud on leaves, etc. One of the seven main indicators of scout tracking.

 

Stalking - The art of moving up on a quarry without the quarry being aware of your approach.

 

Stick Measuring Device- Known as “smiddy.” This tool is valuable in keeping measurements of the trail. Also known as a tracking stick. This tool is only used on a non-tactical or non-dangerous trail of the quarry. See Tracking Quirt.

 

Straddle - Measurement taken of the undisturbed area between the opposite feet at the Innermost points, could be a negative or positive measurement. (Decreases with speed.) The distance between an animals feet on either side; Distance between opposite feet, measured from the center of each foot; Measurement taken perpendicular to the line of travel at the widest point of a trail or group pattern. Includes width of the tracks (trail width).

 

Straddle, Pitch, Trough – Three factors that assist in understanding quarry movement on the ground.

 

Stride (Inner) - Measurement from the tip of the toe to the back of the heel on the next step. Stride increases with speed.

 

Stride (Outer) - The measurement taken from the heel of one foot impression to the heel of the next foot impression on people. Toe to toe on animals. (Heels tend to be the most visible disturbance found when tracking people. Toes and hoof points on animals are more prominent.) The distance one foot travels in a single step, measured from the same point on each print.

 

Stride (other) - Measurement between individual tracks. Measured Heel to heel on paws.

 

Subject - Another name for the person or animal being followed or tracked.

 

Suddenness- Movement that is quick, abrupt, and hasty.

 

Sun Light Angle – The angle of the sun in relation to the trail.

 

Tactical Tracking  - A disciplined tracking procedure consisting of a team of cross-trained trackers used to recover armed, dangerous fugitives, enemy, and dangerous animal. Also known as dynamic trailing method.

 

Tactile  - Using the sense of touch to aid in assessing information, usually the age of spoor.

 

Target Quarry Reference – The suspected quarry, either man or animal.

 

Texture - 1. Refers to the consistency or smoothness of a surface; 2. The relative roughness or smoothness of an object in relation to its surrounding.

 

Three Sixty(360) - When involved in lost trail procedures, trackers move around in a circle or box in an attempt to locate the lost trail.

 

Time Distance Interval – The analysis of time in reference to projected quarry placement within the track line from the current location of the tracker. Both the distance and interval are in numerical time based on the track aging process. From the calculated time, based on the variable trail pattern, a tracker can calculate the distance in miles.

 

Time Shadow Effect - The time of day in relation to the cast of shadow on the foot impression.

 

Toe Dig - The indented mark or sign left in a single print from a normal walking motion when the foot propels the body forward.

 

Toe Drag - When the toe drags soil up onto the horizon of the track.

 

Top Spoor/Aerial Spoor - Any visible disturbance to vegetation above ground level which indicates the passing of the quarry you are following. Aerial sign often needs to be verified by ground spoor. Also known as aerial spoor.

 

Track - 1. (n) An impression left from the passage of a person or animal; 2. (V) To follow a subject by locating and proceeding along its line of sign; 3. A mark or succession of marks left by something that has passed; 4. awareness of something occurring or passing; 5. Conclusive evidence of your quarry’s passage; 6. The imprint left on the ground from a single foot. Also known as spoor.

 

Tracker - 1. The member of a tracking team who is physically looking for and following spoor; 2. A person with the ability to follow spoor.

 

Tracking - 1. Following a line of sign; 2. Following someone or something by stringing together a continuous chain of their spoor; 3. Finding, identifying, interpreting and following spoor of man, animal or some other quarry; 4. The science of following a line of spoor and sign that were left sometime in the past.

 

Track Erosion Computation – Also known as aging. The evaluation of time to spoor or disturbance placement in soil or vegetation.

 

Track Pattern - A distinctive arrangement of spoor.

 

Track Trap - 1. A dirt area, either naturally occurring or constructed by the scout, composed of soft earth that will readily display spoor and signal human passage; Places that are outstanding to check for spoor because of the ease of which tracks can be seen.

 

Tracking Team - 1. A specified number of scouts, each which specific function, who follows a line of sign; 2. A tracking team consists of a tracker, three scout observers, a slack, and a team leader. It is a trained, self-contained, tactical unit. which provides its own protection, moves in various formations according to the situation, terrain or vegetation conditions. It is capable of confronting and overcoming most tactical problems it may face while it is deployed on a trail.

 

Tracking Quirt- A piece of thin rope tied to the wrist of the non-shooting hand for tactical operators. This tool is used for keeping measurements of the trail without hindering the quick application and employment of a firearm.

 

Trail - 1. A series of footprints, tracks, or spoor; 2. A line of prints, sign, or spoor left by man or animal.

 

Trailing - 1. The following of a trail; 2. Following the general route of the quarry without proceeding along the actual line of sign.

 

Trail Confirmation Standard – The systematic way to verify the ITA and alter changes as necessary.

 

Trails Leading Edge - Also known as baseline. The edge of the trail next to the tracker. This is the Last Known Track.

 

Trail width - Total width of the entire spoor group, measured from the outer most edge of the left foot to the outermost edge of the right foot. Also known as trough.

 

Transfer - The evidence of a substance - dirt, mud, debris - being carried by feet from one surface and being redeposited on succeeding footfalls. Also known as staining.

 

Uniform Scale Format – Also called AFSS.

 

Urination- This is a spoor sign that can give clues to the sex of the quarry.

 

Value - Contrast, relative lightness or darkness, if an object is lighter or darker than its surrounding then it is more likely to be discovered.

 

Variable Trail Patterns – The different and varying ways man and animal can move, thus establishing patterns that can be calculated.

 

Varied vision - To look up often, look for patterns, alternate from looking for tracks, to scanning ahead, looking to the sides and behind and establishing the TLE. Going from parts to whole, from large too small.

 

Vegetation Healing Process – The processes of healing that vegetation goes through to repair itself based on sustained damage through natural, human, and animal movement.

 

Visual Search Patterns – Methods of systematic seeing to enhance visual capture of bottom and top spoor.

 

Walk – To move each foot independently of the other. Indicated by two parallel rows of alternating evenly spaced prints. The slowest movement application in animals and human. This may not equate to most common, however. The walk consists of slow, normal, and fast. In animals the slow is a crawl (three or four feet on ground at same time) and the fast is the amble (two feet are on the ground at the same time).

 

Weathering- The mechanical chemical process of track and sign returning to its natural place. The effects of weather on quarry sign over time. One of the seven main indicators of scout tracking.

 

Width of the Track- the greatest distance from right side to left of the foot, either over the toes or sole.

 

Zone of Entry/Exit – The area geographically that the quarry is known to have entered.