Tracking and the Art of Seeing: How to Read Animal Tracks and Sign | 
 enlarge | Author: Paul Rezendes
Publisher: Collins
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy Used: $9.35
You Save: $15.65 (63%)
New (28) Used (33) from $9.35
Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 106515
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2 Sub
Pages: 336
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 10 x 6.9 x 0.6
ISBN: 0062735241
Dewey Decimal Number: 599
EAN: 9780062735249
ASIN: 0062735241
Publication Date: April 1, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
A good observer of nature, walking, say, in an oak forest, may discern that some of the acorns on which he or she is treading are broken into little bits. After reading wildlife interpreter and photographer Paul Rezendes's guidebook to animal signs, that same observer will be able to tell which of those acorns have been split by human footsteps and deer hooves and which have been gnawed apart by squirrels--and by what species of squirrel. A wonderfully thorough, well-illustrated compendium, Rezendes's text covers a wide range of North American animal species, including rodents, hoofed animals, bears, raccoons, opossums, and members of the weasel, rabbit, dog, and cat families. He describes not only the signs these animals leave but also their ways of life throughout the year, and with an appropriately environmentalist purpose. "Ultimately," Rezendes writes, "tracking an animal makes us sensitive to it--a bond is formed, an intimacy develops. We begin to realize that what is happening to the animals and to the planet is actually happening to us." He's right, of course, but one need not take such a macrocosmic view of nature to take pleasure in, and learn from, this fine book. --Gregory McNamee
Product Description
In this newly revised and updated edition of his highly acclaimed field guide, renowned nature photographer and tracking expert Paul Rezendes brings the fields and forests to life with his unique observations on North American wildlife and their tracks and sign. Illustrated with hundreds of his original photographs, Tracking & the Art of Seeing provides complete information on the behavior and habitat of over 50 animal species and shows you how to identify animals by their tracks, tail patterns, droppings, dens, scratches and other signs.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 21
The best photography June 14, 2009
Naturalist
Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Tracking Guide
There are many different tracking books, each with their own benefits. In Tracking and the Art of Seeing the photographs make the book. They are very high quality and extensive in breadth.
Paul's book is easy to grasp and the stories he tells really add to the homey feeling of the book.
Paul is a real character and you can read about his motorcycle days in the Wild Within. Check out his photography on line, too.
Excellent animal track and sign guide March 17, 2009
J. Jose (Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have used a copy of the original edition of this book for several years, first in VT and more recently in NE Penna, and I've found it to be so useful that I've never felt a need to purchase another animal tracking guide. What makes this publication so effective is that it goes far beyond simple drawings of individual tracks of animals, which historically was the focus of most other tracking guides that predated this one.
Although the book does have excellent drawings and photos of individual animal tracks, very importantly it also includes illustrations and photos of the track patterns of the different mammals featured, and understanding these patterns is essential to really enjoying and being successful in ID'ing animals through tracking (learning these patterns will be most relevant and useful to those living in regions of the U.S. where there is snowfall in winter).
Complimenting the track patterns are measurements (in inches) of many different important parameters, including the size of individual tracks and lengths of stride and straddle, etc. Mr. Rezendez has obtained these through painstaking measurements in the field so that he could arrive at a max., min. and average that you can expect to encounter for the different species of mammals covered.
Also very useful is coverage of the many often subtle, yet important differences and similarities that exist between animal tracks and track patterns among mammals, both within the same and between the different families (weasels, cats, dogs, etc.).
Although the idea may put some people off, there are also measurements, notes and photos differentiating different types of mammal scat - this is also very useful info in ID'ing animals by the sign they leave behind and can be particularly helpful for the more serious tracker.
Finally, the book includes some natural history info on each animal featured, including where they build lodges and locate dens, sign they leave when feeding and during the mating season, and how to differentiate between herbivores based on the evidence they leave from browsing on vegetation.
Although I consider myself to be fairly accomplished at ID'ing animals by the sign they leave, particularly when I have a layer of snow to work with, I would not be anywhere near as advanced as I am in the art and science of tracking without this book to guide me.
The only potential drawback to Tracking and the Art of Seeing is the book's relatively large size ("7 X 10") for a field guide. That minor issue aside, whatever your interest, whether it be learning the tracks of animals in a suburban backyard or making a hobby or even a vocational pursuit of the wonderful world of animal tracking, this book is a very worthwhile investment you will enjoy and benefit from for years to come.
Amazing. February 20, 2008
Jason C. Lohmeier (Phoenix, AZ)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I usually check out tracking and reading sign books from the library because I would rather spend my hard cash on backpacking gear, fuel, and tires to get up and down those rocky roads, but this book was one that I had to buy. Most tracking guides have sketches and if they have photos they usually are not very good quality. This book has amazing photos that will aid you in scat and sign identifying. It is a great book for begginers and just a pleasant read. I would have to agree with another reviewer that he does tend to focus on northern or eastern animals. Learning about Mule Deer sign would be more pertinent than learning how to read Moose sign. There is also another book on Amazon that is PACKED with photos and has more photos of dens, tracks and sign. I would have to rate that book higher than this one, if I had to choose one, but this book definately earns 5 STARS!
 Great information. Heads up on its delivery style October 24, 2007
PK (Midwest)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As everyone has stated, this is a good book with lots of good information. One thing to know about it, however is that the information is presented more in a 'conversational' style than an 'encylopedia' style. If you are looking for a traditional 'field guide' type style with color-coded cross-references and the like, you may want to look elsewhere. However, if you don't mind a more casual presentation of the information - and it is that way in this book - then this one is for you. In other words, you'd be more inclined to pick up this book for some casual reading than you would a traditional field guide.
Tracking and the Art of Seeing May 30, 2007
Ann Kramer
I live in southeast Alaska and this is the book I have been looking for years. I love it! It goes into such depth, but it is simple to understand.
I enjoy hiking and like being more informed of who/what has also pased this way before me. Great Resource for anybody who enjoys hiking. The photo's are excellent.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 21
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