Channel Button

There are 4 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #1 by Helium's members.

Sports & Recreation   >

Outdoors & Sportsman (Other)

Get a Widget for this title

The philosophy of tracking

Tracking is not simply for hunters and trappers, but for anyone with a serious interest in the outdoors. Tracking skills are useful for finding your way through deep woods in the early morning mist in order to capture that perfect nature or outdoors photograph. Additionally, tracking skills are used for searching the wilderness for signs of endangered species in order to learn how to help preserve their numbers. The learning of these tracking skills does not just involve studying facts and procedures, but it should involve developing ourselves, training our outward senses and cultivating a philosophy about nature and the wilderness into which we will be venturing.

HUNTER-GATHERERS

Man' s tracking skills date far back in our history, at least to our hunter-gatherer stage of development. Hunter-gatherer cultures throughout history have been characterized by high levels of awareness and uncanny abilities of perception and adaptability. Honing these skills allowed them to interpret the subtlest of clues left by the animals that they fed on, even in some of the most hostile and unforgiving regions of the globe. It meant that even with all the inherent threats in nature, they could carve out a subsistence.

HONING SENSES

The development and honing of all five of your senses can seem to lead to the development of a sixth sense, the general awareness of the presence of life all around you. Learning the art tracking animals, reading movement in the soil are only parts of the whole philosophy of tracking. Tracking philosophy also includes meditation techniques for quieting the hectic mind so as to flow in tune with the rhythm of nature.

THE WILDERNESS MIND

One common idea among many expert trackers is a philosophy they call the Wilderness Mind. Wilderness Mind refers to the ancient way of living in harmony with the Earth, of Man being part of Nature, of being one with our environment. Tracking philosophy is therefore an approach to life that sees humans as being one with the Earth, rather than separate, apart from, or better than the Earth.

According to wilderness expert Tom Brown Jr., it does not matter whether one lives in the country or the city or whether they work outdoors or in a factory or hospital, its one's mentality that defines one as having a "Wilderness Mind". Such a mindset helps us to be unconstrained by our immediate surroundings and be constantly aware of the breadth and beauty of nature.

It is also this Wilderness Mind that can help us to become a much more 'green' society as we decide to develop technology and manufacturing with the idea that mankind is only a part of the complete landscape of the earth and we must act accordingly.

REFERENCES:

The Quest by Tom Brown Tom Brown's Field Guide: Nature Observation & Tracking, Tom Brown, Jr. with Brandt Morgan http://www.wildwoodsurvival.co m/wildernessmind/abb01.html (Wilderness Mind by Allan "Bow" Beauchamp) http://www.pastskills.com/ http://www.windwalker.ca/aware ness/

Learn more about this author, I. Michael Akbar.
Contact this writer Click here to send this author comments or questions.


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

The philosophy of tracking

  • 1 of 4

    by I. Michael Akbar

    Tracking is not simply for hunters and trappers, but for anyone with a serious interest in the outdoors. Tracking skills

    read more

  • 2 of 4

    by Michael Easter

    The simple word that describes the philosophy of tracking is "awareness". Attention to detail is all it takes for a woodsman

    read more

  • 3 of 4

    by Morgan Carlson

    Tracking as a whole is all about forming an identity to the inhabitants of a forest largely left unseen and invisible to

    read more

  • 4 of 4

    by Vicky Ann Smith

    When we track animals, follow their prints across the land we must mould ourselves to the animal. We become aware of how

    read more

Add your voice

Know something about The philosophy of tracking?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Which is better for deer hunting: Morning hunt or evening hunt?

Click for your side.

175066

Featured Partner

Needful Provision Inc.

Needful Provision's mission is to research, develop, demonstrate, and teach innovative self-help technologies to assi...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA