Ellensburg
Wildlife Trailing
Evaluation

Ellensburg Wildlife Trailing Evaluation

Fri/Sat May 21st & 22nd 8:00 - 4:30

Workshops on Sept 10th & 11th

Shrub-steppe is a very diverse ecosystem and has species found nowhere else in Washington!

East Cascades will be explored here too! As this region is where these biomes meet.

Shrub-steppe is a vital habitat for sage grouse, pygmy rabbits, mule deer, pronghorn antelope and dozens of other bird and animal species, the sagebrush sea is a sprawling shrub-steppe ecosystem stretching from the eastern flanks of the Rocky Mountains in Montana and Wyoming through the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah north to eastern Washington and Oregon. Core winter range for mule deer and home to endangered grouse, pronghorn. Shrub-Steppe description from Conservation Northwest. Because we sit on the edge of the East Cascades with ponderosa pine forest with cougars, bears and elk! East Cascades biodiversity includes white headed woodpeckers, golden eagles, Douglas Fir desert, big horned sheep and sage brush voles! This is a region we will explore during our trailing evaluation.

At a Trailing Evaluation, every participant takes a turn as lead tracker. The goal is to follow an animal’s fresh spoor (any presence of the animal) to locate it on the landscape, guide the group to approach and observe it, and, finally, to exit the area without alerting the animal to any human presence. Every tracking situation is different, so we are always in the position of having to “figure it out.” This uniqueness also results in variations to the exact experience of each participant, dictated by field conditions and animal behavior.

We teach participant how to follow spoor (any presence of the animal), recognize and interpret tracks & sign, anticipate where the trail is going, read the trail for danger, interpret the ecological context of the trail, and approach the animal, if the occasion arises.

We typically follow any of the ungulates, especially deer, elk, moose, feral hogs, javelina, and bighorn sheep; however, participants should be prepared to follow the trail of any animal large enough to leave sign, e.g., bears. To understand more and get a description of Trailing Evaluations click here. There is a great video here Dave & Casey did that explains what Trailing and animal means.

Basic Requirements Skill Sets

Trailing I Certificate: The candidate must be a fair systematic tracker and be able to track humans or large animals. He or she must have a fair ability to judge the age of spoor. To qualify for the Trailing I certificate the candidate must obtain 70% on the Trailing of a human or large mammal spoor.

Trailing II Certificate: The candidate must be a good systematic tracker and be able to track large animals. He or she must have a fair ability to judge the age of spoor. To qualify for the Trailing II certificate the candidate must obtain 80% for the Trailing of a large mammal spoor.

Trailing III:
The candidate must be a good systematic tracker and be able to track medium or large animals. He or she must have a fair ability to judge the age of spoor. To qualify for the Trailing III certificate the candidate must obtain 90% on the Trailing of a medium or large mammal spoor.

Your instructor Nate Harvey trains and certifies wildlife trackers for CyberTracker Conservation and its North American representative, Tracker Certification (TCNA). He evaluates trackers in both Track & Sign Identification and Trailing and has worked extensively in Europe as well. From his home in southern Vermont, Nate teaches trailing workshops, where his students include college professors, wildlife researchers, biologists, land trust managers, hunters and wilderness enthusiasts of all ages and all levels of skill from beginners to Specialists. Before becoming a professional tracker and teacher, Nate was an actor, playwright and theater producer in New York City where he co-founded The Barrow Group theater company (TBG) in 1986.

Full Refunds minus $50 processing fee given before 30 days of program after that I will honor a credit If I can fill your spot!

Please note these are small classes so a late cancel might mean you forfeit your payment but most importantly with a late cancel someone loses an opportunity to take the trailing evaluation.