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!

Plenty to Harvest in the Snow at Lookout Mountain

The Roosevelt Elk Calves arrived to Lookout Mountain on a snowy Saturday. With plenty of energy buzzing around the group as they hurled snowballs at one another it was difficult for the mentors to gather enough focus on developing a game plan for the day. After some time the group’s energy settled down and we decided to hike back in to check on our old debris shelter, continue developing our definition of what harvest means, learn some new harvesting techniques, and maybe even play a game or two!

Gathering snow for a snowball

  Hitting the trail we hiked by snow covered Sword Ferns appreciating the peacefulness the white blanket brought to the forest. Passing by a familiar location the boys remembered jumping down a hillside on their last outing and just had to do it again. While letting the boys play for a bit, the mentors paused the game and had everyone take note of the impact they were leaving on the hillside. Lucky for us we were off the trail, not near a stream or water source that could be further impacted by erosion, and the impact we had wasn’t going to damage any of the trees or plants nearby. That being said, we made sure to take note of what sort of impact a group of Explorers can truly leave, and decided to be more mindful in the future before getting lost in play and disregarding the trace we may be leaving.

Hope you brought your boots!

Heading deeper into the woods we stopped to look at an old deer skeleton the mentors knew had been decaying just off trail for the past few months, then set off for the location of our old debris shelter. Once we arrived we settled in and began exploring, playing games with friends, and working on the debris shelter. But before we got too lost in what we were doing we gathered up for a decision making circle where after ten minutes of goofing around, the mentors really called upon the boys to tap into their ability to focus and make a decision. The Explorers were reminded that one day they would be grown up and in charge of making the big decisions that impact our society and environment. With the pep talk out of the way the group got it together and we were off onto the rest of our outing.

What remains of a young deer. Chewed off ribs and nose of skull suggests feeding by coyotes.

Working on the debris shelter

 After romping around a bit more through exploration and free play, the outing naturally transitioned to learning about harvesting fire materials. First the Roosevelt Elk Calves learned what Western Hemlock was and how to identify it. Next we found where we could find dry, dead hemlock branches for our kindling. Finally, we found a small, dead tree still standing and well off the damp ground to saw into smaller chunks and then baton with our knives into manageable firewood. This all took up the rest of our outing and with a quick closing circle where we gave some thanks and ate some apples we were finished for the day. Hiking out the mentors appreciated the way this group rallied to focus and make the most of our time together. They transitioned seamlessly from play to focused learning and skills building and demonstrated an ability to get it together when asked of them. We will make sure to remember this for the future as this group continues to dig into the Art of Harvest and what harvest, and our relationship to the natural world, means to them. 

Learning how to use a limbing saw to cut up sections of the dead tree

Full bundle of Western Hemlock branches for kindling

 For more photos form our outing check out the photo album!

Roosevelt Elk Calves Play All Day at Padden

The Roosevelt Elk Calves arrived at Lake Padden thankful that the massive downpour the day before had subsided and the sun was coming out just in time for some forest exploration. Gathering together we decided to hike out past the dog park in search of a place to play games like Hungry Hungry Martin, Eagle Eye, Fire Keeper, and of course Spider’s Web (ask your Explorer about these games if you don’t know them already!). Because we did such a great job working on debris shelters and honing our skills on our last outing, the mentors felt like this group deserved a game day. Getting together in circle we made a “game plan” for how we wanted to spend our day. Kicking things off we played a more exciting, explosive game of Hungry Hungry Martin that requires some sneaking and camouflage followed by explosive bursts of running to make it to safety before getting eaten by the Martin. After a few rounds we took a half an hour to explore, eat lunch, and catch up with friends. 

Gathering up at our base camp for the day to eat lunch and catch up with friends

Preparing for some epic games of Hungry Hungry Martin!

Gathering back together we decided we wanted some more free time to goof off, finish up our mini-shelters we worked on, and even have some extra time to get to know a salamander we found in an old rotting log! With that out of our system we joined back together and shifted gears to play a stealth game called Fire Keeper where someone sits blindfolded in the middle of a circle guarding a set of keys or other noisy item. Everyone on the outside of the circle takes turns trying to sneak in undetected and snatch the keys. The Fire Keeper points to any noise he detects and if you get detected you have to go back out of the circle and let someone else try. You win by successfully retrieving the keys without the Fire Keeper hearing you! This is a great game that got us calmed and quiet, tuning into every minute sound, though this didn’t deter some of us from trying to snack while it wasn’t our turn!

Discovering a salamander while exploring our surroundings

Honing shelter building skills using small scale designs

Learning how to move silently during a game of Fire Keeper

Finally, we wrapped up our day with a game of Eagle Eye and a quick game of Spider’s Web. Utilizing our freshly tuned sneaking skills we picked our way through the foliage trying to remain undetected as we played our games. During our time we heard a Pileated Woodpecker and many other native birds, had numerous friendly canines run over greet our group, and of course got lost in play for hours at a time. With the end of our outing drawing near it was hard for the mentors to call the group in, not because they were acting out, but because we were just having too much fun and didn’t want to be the ones who put an end to the playful joy that everyone was reveling in. But alas, we had to go. With a closing circle of gratitude we had an overwhelming genuineness and sincerity that warmed the mentor’s hearts. There is nothing quite like taking a day to play games and explore the forest. The Roosevelt Elk Calves proved again that they are a tightly knit group that knows how to get lost in play and exploration while exemplifying how a bunch of awesomely unique personalities can unite as a one. We played, we explored, shared some laughs, and even found a salamander! I’d call that a successful outing.

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