A Tracking Tale

Earth Tracks Tracking Apprenticeship

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Algonquin Highlands, ON

 

At the edge of a Lake, within the Algonquin interior,

our story takes place, in the winter time of year.

Outside the cabins, many marten wandered near,

through the early hours before dawn appeared.

 

As I stood in the outhouse queue,

a small dark creature rushed into view.

Like a flash – it dashed into

forest shadows, leaving only clues.

 

A wandering light came soon to pass,

to shine upon the creatures tracks.

Three by four lope?, the question I ask

Boy, those mustelids can sure move fast.

 

A tricky rodent trail to pick our minds

which of the suspects, where these kind?

Following the trail we thought we’d find

evidence of which species to which this aligned.

 

Dirty prints the fresh snow,

little dark spots are starting to show.

They seem to be jumping around, to and fro,

those aren’t dirt, they’re snowfleas, you know.

 

Looking at many marten gaits,

for the plaster cast we began to wait,

wondering if we would be too late,

to catch up to that moose, would it be our fate?

 

Near the highway where it had been,

recent beds where there, easily seen,

all along the trail, many bud ends bit,

the signs were there, the profile fit.

 

Many fresh tracks in the snow,

a pile of scat, what do you know!

Ahead they signal to get down low,

two moose ahead, over the hill they go…

 

There we were, it was our chance,

our group trailed in for a little glance

The mama stood in her confident stance,

while we all watched in a bit of a trance.

 

When you look deep into the eye

of a wild creature, you feel it inside,

something moves you, do you know why?

An intensity of spirit, it magnifies.

 

Something in that deep connection,

I feel it now, in my reflection…

Written By: Lianna Vargas – 2nd Year Earth Tracks Tracking Apprentice1