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Become a Wildlife Tracking Expert

What You'll Learn

šŸ¾ Track Recognition:Ā Master the skill ofĀ identifying animal footprints by usingĀ proven methods to analyze the characteristics and unique features for anyĀ species.

šŸšø Animal Sign:Ā Discover how to find and read the evidence of an animal's presence in an areaĀ including feeding, resting, marking, nesting, rooting, scat, urine, and other sign.

šŸ» Wildlife Behavior:Ā Interpret what animal tracks, gaits, and other clues reveal about an individual's movements, intentions, and state of mind.

šŸŽÆ Advanced Skills:Ā Age tracks, follow trails, and analyze predation events with techniques used by scientists and professional trackers.


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Benefits

šŸ“ø Incredible Wildlife Moments:Ā Locate andĀ observe animals in close quartersĀ withoutĀ  creating disturbance or having them know you are there.

šŸŒæ Deepen Your Connection to Nature: Gain a profound appreciation for the intricate details of animal life, making every outing a meaningful experience.

šŸ§˜ā€ā™‚ļø Rejuvenate Your Mind and Spirit: Transform your time outdoors into a stress-relieving adventure that fosters inner peace and mindfulness.


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Why Choose Us?

šŸ§­ Expert Instruction: Our lectures and other course materials are the same as thoseĀ used in classes at elite universities to train professional biologists.

šŸŒŸ Proven Results:Ā Hundreds of students have enhanced their outdoor skills through our programsā€”many using their newfound expertise in wildlife jobs or conservation efforts.

šŸ“š Comprehensive Curriculum:Ā Includes video lectures, analysis exercises, quizzes, and flashcard examples giving you the all the tools needed to become a master tracker.

What Our Tracking Students Have To Say...

Adam BrightmanĀ ā­ā­ā­ā­ā­

"I am in law enforcement and did not realize how successful I became with the content of this course until I took one of my fellow environmental police officers with me. As I explained to him what I was looking at with the deer tracks, he simply looked at me in amazement and said 'Where did you learn all of this?' It was at this moment that I realized I had obtained a skillset that a senior game warden did not possess."

Alexis Tays ā­ā­ā­ā­ā­

"It is truly amazing how much you can experience in nature when you are fully aware of your surroundings and how that can change your entire experience of the great outdoors. This course turned my walks in the parks into scavenger hunts that made me feel like Sherlock Holmes; analyzing and speculating every track and sign I saw, trying to piece together the puzzle of what the wildlife was doing and why...it encouraged me to slowdown when outdoors and gave me a greater appreciation of the shared spaces we have with wildlife, even just in my backyard."

Savannah TroyĀ ā­ā­ā­ā­ā­

ā€œThe most fascinating part of becoming familiar with tracking skills has been realizing how much information about a landscape I was missing out on before I knew where and how to look for it. I had conducted research..and the areas where I was now finding tracks and sign are places I have spent dozens to hundreds of hours in and am intimately familiar with...despite this familiarity, I was still surprised and able to see each area with a new perspective...and it was fascinating to see places I know so well in a new light.ā€

Joel ConradĀ ā­ā­ā­ā­ā­

ā€œI work in conservation law enforcement and on multiple occasions in the past few months I have directly used knowledge gained in this class to some beneficial result in the field, catching things I would not have seen before. In one instance, I tracked an individual well over a mile into the woods and and charged him with federal and state violations for an unlawful killing of an animal."

Tim James ā­ā­ā­ā­ā­

ā€œMy favorite thing about this course is that it has made me slow down and notice so many animal signs when I am out hiking/running/fishing, etc. I feel like it has made me so much more aware, and enabled me to enjoy my outdoor outings much more!ā€

Get Our Comprehensive Product:

Wildlife Tracks & SignĀ Full Course

*Comprises all threeĀ component courses (basic, intermediate, and advanced).

TopicsĀ Covered:

šŸ¾ Identifying Wildlife Tracks
Learn to analyze andĀ identify the tracks forĀ over 60Ā speciesĀ of predators and prey, including theĀ majorĀ classesĀ of animal likeĀ mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

šŸšø Recognizing Animal Sign
DetermineĀ the species responsible for a wide variety of animal signĀ likeĀ feeding, bedding, denning, marking, scat/pellets, rooting, digging, predation remains,Ā and more.

ā³ Aging Tracks & Sign
MasterĀ the techniques required toĀ accurately age the tracks and sign of animals in order to understand when an animal was present in aĀ particular area.

šŸŽ Deciphering Animal Gaits
Discover the keys to identifying the movement patterns of animals and how that relates to their behavior and intentions at a given time/place and where they might be now.

šŸ‘£ Following Animal Trails
SpotĀ animal pathways andĀ learn to recognize fresh trails, staying on them until youĀ find the animal you are following.

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Or Choose a SmallerĀ Product:

Wildlife Tracks & SignĀ Individual Courses

Basic Course

Topics Covered:

šŸŒæ Introduction to Animal Sign: Learn to spot subtle clues animals leave behind.

šŸ” Tracking Morphology & Ecology: Understand the scienceĀ behind tracking.

šŸ• Canine Tracks: Identify wolves, coyotes, foxes, and domestic dogs.

šŸˆ Feline Tracks: Recognize lions, bobcats, and more.

šŸ¦Œ Ungulate Tracks: Master deer, elk, and wild boar tracking.

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IntermediateĀ Course

TopicsĀ Covered:

šŸ» Bears, Skunks, & Procyonidae: Distinguish these unique tracks in the wild.

šŸ¦Š Medium-Sized Mammals: Track otters, badgers, porcupines, and more.

šŸæļø Rodent Tracks: Identify over a dozen rodent species.

šŸ¦ Bird Tracks: Recognize the trails of songbirds, predators, and waterfowl.

šŸ¦Ž Reptile & Amphibian Tracks: Spot lizards, snakes, and frogs in any terrain.

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AdvancedĀ Course

TopicsĀ Covered:

šŸ’© Scat & Pellets: Analyze animal diets and health from their droppings.

šŸ¦¶ Other Animal Signs: Recognize feeding, nesting, and predation events.

ā³ Aging Tracks: Master techniques for estimating track timelines.

šŸƒ Animal Gaits: Understand movement patterns and behavioral clues.

šŸ‘£ Trailing Animals: Follow and observe wildlife without disturbing their habitats.

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Course Learning Materials

šŸ“‹Ā Detailed Lesson Outlines

Each topic comes with specific objectives and recommended tasks to help you stay on track, keep you organized, and help you retain what you learn.

šŸŽ„ In DepthĀ Video Lectures

Dive into hours of expert video lessons covering the fundamentals of wildlife tracking as well as the finer details of how to identify the tracks and sign of individual species.

āœ…Ā Interactive Quizzes

Test your knowledge of fundamental concepts in the video lectures withĀ questions that are designed to not only validate your grasp of broad concepts, but also reinforce important details.

šŸ”Ā Guided Tutorials

Strengthen your understanding with step-by-step exercises that break down and analyze key aspects of lesson objectives, allowing you to actually put into practice what you have learned.

šŸƒĀ Flashcard Exercises

Boost your engagement and long-term retention with flashcards thatĀ you canĀ review whenever you like, allowing you to continuallyĀ enhance your learning for as long as you want.

šŸ¤ Naturalist Speak

Share yourĀ tracking adventuresĀ by posting photos to the community, get help in identifying the tracks and animal sign you don't recognize, and engage in discussions.

We're so sure that you'll loveĀ Wildlife Tracks & Sign that we're offering an outrageous guarantee: You have 14 daysĀ after the course startsĀ to change your mind and ask for a refund. NoĀ hassle, no questions asked, no hard feelings!

Wildlife Tracks & SignĀ Courses

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Meet Your Instructor

Lee Burton

Known asĀ The Outside Professor,Ā LeeĀ  is the founder of Naturalist Studies and an adjunct instructor at the University of Florida and Texas A&M, where he teaches animal behavior courses.

He is certified in Wildlife Track and Sign by CyberTracker Conservation, is a Master Naturalist, and mentored under Jon Young, the founder of the Wilderness Awareness School. Lee is also recognized as a Bird Language Leaders Instructor.

HisĀ passion for wildlife ultimately led him to becomeĀ the director for Conservation Centers for Species Survival, where he wasĀ profiled on Steve Rinella's Meateater podcast for his role in reintroducing the Scimitar-horned OryxĀ to sub-Saharan Africa.

Lee grew up in a small town in Texas where easy access to nature led to a love of the outdoors, instilled in him by his father and other relatives who taught him how to hunt and fish. As he matured, his curiosity about the natural world deepened, leading him to study animals, plants, and ecology in some of the most remote places in Asia, Africa, and South America. While these experiences heightenedĀ his understanding of the world's fauna and flora, he yearned for a deeper connection with nature.

Upon returning to the United States, Lee delved into Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), learning ancient skills like animal tracking, bird language interpretation, and wilderness survival.Ā DevelopingĀ theseĀ skills wasĀ a game-changer, allowing him to see nature in a whole new light and realize that he was an integral part of the natural world, not just an observer.

Letā€™s hear it from Lee himself:

ā€œBefore learning wildlife tracking, IĀ had a wealth of scientific knowledge but struggled toĀ understand the wayĀ animals think. I couldnā€™t get inside their heads toĀ know where they would be, what their motivations were, or predict their movements. I felt like an outsider,Ā always on the edge of their world, but never truly part of it.

After learning tracking, I could step into any outdoor settingā€”whether it was my own property, a local park, or deep in the wildernessā€”and read the tracks and signs around me. I began to understand not just who was there, but why they were there, and what they were doing. Over time, I started being able to think like theĀ animals I was pursuing,Ā predicting their movements, and understanding their behavior. It was as if I had been welcomed into their private world, where all their secrets were laid bare. This not only made me a more capable hunter, but also aĀ better naturalist, and in the process transforming myĀ wildlife adventuresĀ whileĀ deepening my connection to nature.

A few years later, a biology professor friend of mine asked if I would teach animal tracking to her students. The course I created became an instant hit, with students describing it as their favorite class. This success led to the development of other courses and the founding of Naturalist Studies, where IĀ wanted to share this knowledge with a broader audience.

Now, Iā€™m thrilled to offer these same learning materials to others. Iā€™m deeply grateful for the opportunity to teach these skills and share this journey with you, asĀ I believe that this course will fundamentally change your outdoor experiences forever, helping you see the wild in a way you never have before.ā€

Frequently Asked Questions

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