You have studied the anatomy of a track and learned how to sift through the initial sign and know what a pressure release is and if you have started Tom Browns book im sure your eyes are opening to what you can read in tracks. If you have not go back and read through the series up to this point first.
Now, we move to a more difficult aspect of tracking: psychology. Tracks are not just impressions in the dirt; they are frozen moments of decision. Every track tells a story about how the maker was feeling, what they were thinking, and what they intended to do next.
Predator vs. Prey
In the wild, behavior is usually dictated by the energy equation. Every animal balances caloric intake against caloric burn. Their movement patterns will reveal whether they are hunting, hiding. Most wildlife is at least in part nocturnal. Most of their behaviors and movements happen at night or during dawn and dusk. That’s when they are moving to and from bedding spots and when the predators are out stalking.
