THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO TRACKING SKILLS: HOW TO TRACK ANIMALS AND HUMANS BY USING ALL THE SENSES AND LOGICAL REASONING. By Cleve Cheney.

(2013) ND paperback reprint. Large 4to paperback (216 x 280mm). Ppviii,374. Colour photographs and illustrations throughout.

"Tracking is an art form as well as a skill - just ask any hunter who has seen African trackers at work. But it is an art that can be taught and a skill that can be acquired. All mammals, including humans, have behavior patterns that can be learned and even anticipated. Cleve Cheney, a master at tracking both animals and humans, defines tracking as 'learning to use all your senses to monitor your surroundings and to make logical and realistic deductions from what you have learned.' The author will show you how - by using hundred of photos and drawings to describe the numerous variables involved. He has brought together a massive amount of information on the how, when and where of tracking. This fascinating and useful book - by far the best on the subject - will turn a neophyte into a person with a basic understanding of the skills of tracking. For those who want to learn more than the basics, this book is a treasure trove of tracking information, insights, methods, and knowledge. While huge, this book is divided into logical sections that make learning the skills easier to comprehend. These skills include teaching yourself to track; understanding wildlife behavior; identifying tracks and signs; recognizing gait patterns and pressure releases; following blood trails; tracking specific animals; understanding how to track, stalk, and approach; recognizing bird, reptiles, and invertebrate signs; tracking humans; and understanding the dangers of the bush. Nothing is left uncovered - this is the bible for trackers and tracking!"