Tracking books and other references

[Dhurtubise]

I'm hoping this can be a thread that highlights and discusses the various tracking references that are available to us.

I'll just start by naming a few that I'm personally aware of.

Books:
From the Benoit's:
1 Big Bucks The Benoit way. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/16345099 ... ref=plSrch
2. Benoit Bucks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/15107146 ... SY340_QL65
3. How to Bag the Biggest Buck of your life.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/14930063 ... ref=plSrch

Hal Blood
Hunting big woods bucks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/16160804 ... ref=plSrch
Hunting big woods bucks vol. 2. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/09820414 ... ref=plSrch


All time best tactical threads. On HB.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24471
Of relevance are:
1. The tracking threads
2. The transition thread.
3. Magicman's Bio

R. G. Bernier's Blog
https://bigwhitetail.wordpress.com/author/rgbernier/

Big buck registry podcast:
1. Interview with Lane Benoit. http://www.bigbuckregistry.com/post/873 ... er-tracker
2. Interview with the Salerno Brothers. http://www.bigbuckregistry.com/post/126 ... adirondack

Videos:
1. Hal blood. 2 videos found here: https://www.bigwoodsbucks.com/Products
2. Benoit's: five videos found here:http://www.morsesportinggoods.com/benoit_hunting_books_benoit_hunting_videos.htm


R. G. Berner has two books which I've never read: Deer tracker and On the Track:
https://www.amazon.com/R.-G.-Bernier/e/B001JS1UMO

Has anyone ever read one of the Bernier Books? I would like to know some opinions on it. Does it cover tracking much differently than the Benoit's or Hal Blood?

Post your references, comments and questions on this thread.

[Dhurtubise]

Two more podcasts here: (John Stallone)
https://interviewswiththemasters.podbean.com

1st is a very good interview with Hal Blood (Jan 2nd 2017)

2nd is an interview with the crew from the Big Buck Registry (Dec23-2016). I haven't listened to it yet. Jay Scott is interested in tracking and has conducted a few podcasts of his own on the subject but he's not considered an expert.

[cedarsavage]

I'll have to check out the podcasts. You covered all the books I know of. The biggest takeaway for me has been Hal Bloods chapter "still hunt at a variable pace." I read this years ago but didn't understand what he meant til I got my feet wet and started tracking. I think you just plain have to put in time to know when to push and when to back off. I've dabbled in snow tracking over the years and did it seriously this season, I'm starting to scratch the surface but have a long way to go. I can't think of a way I'd rather hunt than still hunting or snow tracking they seem like hunting in its purest form

[Dewey]

I have all of the Benoit books and videos. Also have some Hal Blood stuff and enjoy that as well. I'm only a few years into it and this info really helped by giving me the basics but there is no substitute to getting out there and actually tracking a mature buck. Let them teach you and pay attention to every single little detail. There is no better teacher than the buck himself. Making mistakes along the way is all part of the learning cycle. I am really getting hooked on tracking and wish I had started doing it many years ago instead of sitting on stand while gun hunting over the years.

[JoeRE]

Not specific to whitetails but if you want to understand how to take tracking to another level read The Tracker by Tom Brown Jr. I read that in my teens and its made me look at tracks differently ever since.

Also his Science and Art of Tracking.

Tom Brown has a lot of detractors, because he probably has too big of an ego, but I sure wouldn't want him on my trail.

Read those and apply that mindset to more whitetail specific books by the Benoits and Hal Blood.

[cedarsavage]

[quote="JoeRE"]Not specific to whitetails but if you want to understand how to take tracking to another level read The Tracker by Tom Brown Jr. I read that in my teens and its made me look at tracks differently ever since.

Also his Science and Art of Tracking.

Tom Brown has a lot of detractors, because he probably has too big of an ego, but I sure wouldn't want him on my trail.

Read those and apply that mindset to more whitetail specific books by the Benoits and Hal Blood.[/quote I'll have to reread that. I read it when I was a kid can't remember a ton about it

[cedarsavage]

Dhburtise, do you mind posting some details about the successful hunt you had? Specifically the pacing and how you know when to slow down. Biggest thing I learned is trusting my instinct on the track. I was on a buck this year and came to a protected bowl on a crappy weather day, and thought "I'll bet he's bedded at the bottom" took a quick look for him, and realized my only way down was to slide on my but, I got about halfway down the hill and saw big brown going up a very steep grade taking huge bounds. If I had glassed and snuck around the top I probably could have put a 50 yard shot on him. Instead I ended chasing him across a river, blowing him out of two beds and eventually losing him when he swam across a big river to private land

[mspaci]

Jim Masset & Joe Dinitto and a few others are coming out with a book about tracking in the Adirondacks shortly if it hasnt already. Mike

[mspaci]

On facebook look at Adk Trackers, Mike

[Dhurtubise]

Dhburtise, do you mind posting some details about the successful hunt you had? Specifically the pacing and how you know when to slow down. Biggest thing I learned is trusting my instinct on the track. I was on a buck this year and came to a protected bowl on a crappy weather day, and thought "I'll bet he's bedded at the bottom" took a quick look for him, and realized my only way down was to slide on my but, I got about halfway down the hill and saw big brown going up a very steep grade taking huge bounds. If I had glassed and snuck around the top I probably could have put a 50 yard shot on him. Instead I ended chasing him across a river, blowing him out of two beds and eventually losing him when he swam across a big river to private land

Sure. I had a reasonable degree of luck with my successful hunt.

I tracked about 6 different bucks this year with varying snow conditions and success levels.

I was successful on my first track and with better light conditions, I should have got the second one as well (maybe 10 minutes too late).

The buck in my avatar is the one I tracked. November 23rd. It was snowing lightly and conditions were close to perfect but there was a wet crunch of compacting snow underfoot. I picked up his track 11:30 and had him down by 1:30. The track looked to be 3-4 hours old and was reasonably snow covered but not so much I couldn't make out that it was a good buck. It was less than a 4 finger track but not by much. Before following the track I walked up about 3/4 mile North up the road to make sure he hadn't crossed it back. I had already walked the whole south edge (with a significant barrier) all the way from a medium sized river (about 3/4 mile). His track was heading back into that woodlot section and therefore I knew he was likely going to be within 3/4 by 3/4 mile section. As I followed I was able to cut off his track at least 3 times where he would go and check things out and come back on his track, gaining on him every time. The return track was always the same and fresher so it was easy (after getting caught in his loop a couple times) to stop following him through those. It really helped that he would come back on his track or within 10-15 yards so I could pick it up when I saw him changing course. I followed him through two groups of does and both times had to circle to catch his track on the other side. I could really keep an eye on the freshness of the track because of the constant light snow. At one point his track was becoming super fresh with very little snow in his more shallow tracks. I knew to slow down. I was walking in his tracks (snow was about 8 inches deep) to reduce walking noise. He had just changed course again and I had my rifle in hand and ready. I saw his track going towards a blow down, but straight to it, not circling or anything, so I didn't piece it together that he might be bedded on the other side of it. He didn't circle partly because the ravine he wanted to spy was stopping him from doing it. It was a bad choice on his part: he couldn't see his backtrack because he laid down on the opposite side the blow down. I heard an unmistakable HMFFFF, exertion noise less than 10 yards away and he went down a predetermined exit path that brought him about 7 yards in front of me - enough to know without a doubt he was a shooter. I yelled to stop him - but he was having none of it. Got him in my peep sight and shot him over another blow down when he leaped on the other side of it. He never realized I was on his track until I was almost walking on top of him. This helped me a lot. Had I bumped him previously, it would have been a different hunt.

What is interesting about this deer is that he was my target buck last year. I waited all year for good tracking conditions and had my pulse on his track right up to the last two days of the season when we finally got snow. But alas, in those last two days, I walked 10 miles each day trying to find his track but to no avail. I had a ton of pics of this buck last year, but none this year, in spite of having cameras in the same locations he was present last year. I actually had his picture mixed up with another print that was 1/2 inch larger than his, but less present than his. This year, I didn't even know he was still alive. Good fortunes.

[Dhurtubise]

On facebook look at Adk Trackers, Mike

Here is his book. It appears to be a collection of hunting stories.

http://adktrackers.com/

[Dhurtubise]

Another super good podcast with Jeremy Ballantine.

http://www.thewhitetailfaktor.com/twf-p ... ursuit-365

[Dhurtubise]

http://www.thewhitetailfaktor.com/twf-p ... dsbuckscom

Whitetail Faktor Podcast with Hal Blood

[Kokes]

Dhburtise, do you mind posting some details about the successful hunt you had? Specifically the pacing and how you know when to slow down. Biggest thing I learned is trusting my instinct on the track. I was on a buck this year and came to a protected bowl on a crappy weather day, and thought "I'll bet he's bedded at the bottom" took a quick look for him, and realized my only way down was to slide on my but, I got about halfway down the hill and saw big brown going up a very steep grade taking huge bounds. If I had glassed and snuck around the top I probably could have put a 50 yard shot on him. Instead I ended chasing him across a river, blowing him out of two beds and eventually losing him when he swam across a big river to private land

Sure. I had a reasonable degree of luck with my successful hunt.

I tracked about 6 different bucks this year with varying snow conditions and success levels.

I was successful on my first track and with better light conditions, I should have got the second one as well (maybe 10 minutes too late).

The buck in my avatar is the one I tracked. November 23rd. It was snowing lightly and conditions were close to perfect but there was a wet crunch of compacting snow underfoot. I picked up his track 11:30 and had him down by 1:30. The track looked to be 3-4 hours old and was reasonably snow covered but not so much I couldn't make out that it was a good buck. It was less than a 4 finger track but not by much. Before following the track I walked up about 3/4 mile North up the road to make sure he hadn't crossed it back. I had already walked the whole south edge (with a significant barrier) all the way from a medium sized river (about 3/4 mile). His track was heading back into that woodlot section and therefore I knew he was likely going to be within 3/4 by 3/4 mile section. As I followed I was able to cut off his track at least 3 times where he would go and check things out and come back on his track, gaining on him every time. The return track was always the same and fresher so it was easy (after getting caught in his loop a couple times) to stop following him through those. It really helped that he would come back on his track or within 10-15 yards so I could pick it up when I saw him changing course. I followed him through two groups of does and both times had to circle to catch his track on the other side. I could really keep an eye on the freshness of the track because of the constant light snow. At one point his track was becoming super fresh with very little snow in his more shallow tracks. I knew to slow down. I was walking in his tracks (snow was about 8 inches deep) to reduce walking noise. He had just changed course again and I had my rifle in hand and ready. I saw his track going towards a blow down, but straight to it, not circling or anything, so I didn't piece it together that he might be bedded on the other side of it. He didn't circle partly because the ravine he wanted to spy was stopping him from doing it. It was a bad choice on his part: he couldn't see his backtrack because he laid down on the opposite side the blow down. I heard an unmistakable HMFFFF, exertion noise less than 10 yards away and he went down a predetermined exit path that brought him about 7 yards in front of me - enough to know without a doubt he was a shooter. I yelled to stop him - but he was having none of it. Got him in my peep sight and shot him over another blow down when he leaped on the other side of it. He never realized I was on his track until I was almost walking on top of him. This helped me a lot. Had I bumped him previously, it would have been a different hunt.

What is interesting about this deer is that he was my target buck last year. I waited all year for good tracking conditions and had my pulse on his track right up to the last two days of the season when we finally got snow. But alas, in those last two days, I walked 10 miles each day trying to find his track but to no avail. I had a ton of pics of this buck last year, but none this year, in spite of having cameras in the same locations he was present last year. I actually had his picture mixed up with another print that was 1/2 inch larger than his, but less present than his. This year, I didn't even know he was still alive. Good fortunes.

awesome story dhurtubuise..so your tracking rifle is purposely without a scope I take it? so you can make these closer shots where you need quick target acquisition?
congrats on a dandy buck and fine track job,

[Dhurtubise]

No scope on my tracking rifle. Yes you are right. Most trackers prefer it that way. I personally chose a 303 British Lee Enfield mk 5 because it had the following three characteristics:

1. It is short and relatively light - 38 inches and 6.5 lbs.

2. It has a bolt action (I'm just more comfortable with this action personally)

3. It has a peep sight.

Some trackers use scopes but they are low powered like 1.25-6x for example. But I find scopes problematic for tracking. They get caught in brush constantly and it's difficult to keep in clear of snow, fog and other debris. Plus, it's harder to put the deer in the scope picture in a hurry. Impossible to do so when it's fogged up. Another thing is I don't want the extra weight to carry around.

A short carbine or scout type rifle is lovely to track with.

The peep sight is used by the Benoit's and I think Hal Blood too. I have been looking at the ghost sight on the Ruger Scout rifle. I really like that one too. I think it would be even faster.