As a deer hunter, I tend to pay attention to tracks in the snow. Trails left behind by animals can tell you a story if you choose to interpret them. Hunters and non-hunters alike can enjoy identifying and following tracks in the snow.

It's no secret that hunters and trappers use footprints in the snow to get a better idea of what local animal populations are up to. Tracking is likely minutes older than hunting in that an animal must first be found before it can be hunted. Our ancestors were likely driven by the signs left behind in the snow. Native people are known to have tracked animals in nearly any condition. With the addition of snow, the task was likely reduced to child’s play, for such skilled trackers. There is much you can learn from a set of tracks. Following them will take you on an adventure that could end up paying off for the hunter, trapper, animal lover, and photographer.