Taking The Next Step in Tracking at Stewart Mountain

Figuring out where to go for the day

 

The Roosevelt Elk Calves enjoyed the opportunity for back to back weekends of outings. After our fun day beginning the Art of Tracking at Clayton Beach, we were off to Stewart Mountain to take the next step towards understanding the basics of tracking. With a beautifully sunny day it was shaping up for a memorable outing.

After hiking up to the far side of the power line clearing we established a base camp and settled in for the day. Taking some time to explore the area the Roosevelt Elk Calves split their time roaming the forest for some natural history mysteries, building “modern” structures for their mascot Woodstock, and even finding some fat-wood (or pitch saturated wood preserved in rotting stumps) to harvest for fire starting materials. 

Hiking up through the power line clearing

Woodstock loving his new modern mountain top home

With the group settling into being in the forest we were ready to transition to our tracking lesson. However, as the mentors checked in with the group to see if they were ready, some group members voiced they needed a game to get some wiggles out before they would be able to focus. Unable to deny the restless energy of a Boys Explorers Club group we decided to play a round or two of “Hungry, Hungry Martin” before settling in for some more focused time. Having the self-awareness to set yourself up for success is a very important skill to have and hopefully the Roosevelt Elk Calves are able to carry this with them into the future.

With our wiggles out we jumped right into our lesson. The mentors had taken time during our earlier exploration to scout some “tracking stations” for us to check out. Our first station consisted of a game trail in the transitionary area between the powerlines and the forest. Looking at the size of the trail, obstacles along the trail, and other clues allowed us to take some guesses at what sort of animals might use this trail. Not only do the immediate clues help us figure this out, but a depth of knowledge of local fauna and their behaviors is key to understanding how to properly interpret the track and sign we discovered. 

Inspecting the small game trail

 

Our next station was a horizontally growing tree stump with a chunk of moss missing on it. Further investigation showed tiny nicks taken out from what one could guess was a tip of a hoof. Additionally the moss was only missing from one side and situated in line with our previously studied game trail. Putting the pieces together we decided this was likely a route used by deer who traveled primarily in one direction, clipping their hooves on the mossy tree trunk as they stepped over it. 

Puzzling out the clues left behind by those who we share the forest with

Finally we inspected a large Western Red Cedar at the edge of the forest/power-line clearing. Looking closely we found gashes in the tree that exposed the reddish inner bark and beads of sap that had formed where the lacerations were left. Due to the location, size, and height of the scratches on the tree our first guess was a black bear. As we inspected the tree a few other members of the group discovered a broken branch on a young Western-Hemlock that also had a few tufts of black hair caught on it. Upon further inspection our suspicions of a black bear moving through the area were confirmed. 

Finding claw marks in the stringy bark of Western Red Cedar is no easy task

A tuft of Black Bear fur helped us make up our minds

With the strain of channeling our focus on minute details and minor disturbances of the forest stretching our edge it was time to transition to our much anticipated game of Spider’s Web. Having passed up our opportunity to play the previous week at Clayton Beach, everyone was excited to get playing. The mentors decided this group has enough experience by now to organize the game themselves. Stepping back and letting the group take charge of things the Roosevelt Elk Calves showed they were up to the task. Although there were a few early requests for assistance, the mentors knew they could do it and after realizing it wasn’t going to happen unless they did it, the group set up a course, picked a spider, and began the game. 

Sometimes you just get stuck on the web!

Not only did the Roosevelt Elk Calves demonstrate self-awareness and an ability to hold a high level of focus while learning complex material, but they showed off their growth as a group to organize a fairly complicated game on their own without any support from the mentors. Additionally this group had their traditional high energy and playfulness combined with eclectic personalities and interests. This is a very fun combination for a group and makes it a ton of fun whenever the mentors get the opportunity to work with this group. Although we will have to wait more than a week for our next outing this time, there is no doubt Explorer and Mentor alike are looking forward to our next adventure.

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from our outing here!