Black River Area Wildlife Tracking Two Day

This will be an immersive and educational tracking workshop focused on the diverse opportunities of the Black River area. More typically northern species like wolves, bears, bobcats, fisher, ravens, elk, and porcupines are prevalent here, as well as a host of southern Wisconsin representatives like raccoons, deer, turkeys, cranes, opossums, songbirds, and small rodents. This array, combined with the sandy soils and the diverse, mixed forests of this relatively wild area make it a great destination for seeking, finding, learning from, and following tracks and signs of these dinezens of the wild. 

We will spend the first day traveling and tracking the sand roads and walking the woods and trails of the state forest learning foot morphology, the gaits by which these animals move, their habits and their interconnections with each other and the land here. On the second day we will get on the Black River on a lower stretch where there are super sandbars filled with tracks of semiaquatic mammals, turtles, raptors (last year I saw more owl tracks than I could count!), amphibians, shorebirds, and more of the aforementioned wildlife. This workshop is designed to get participants immersed in the world of tracking and observing the great diversity of wildlife that inhabits the upper Midwest. It is intended for both those new to wildlife tracking and looking to build a foundation of knowledge, and those who are on this journey already but are looking to observe and absorb a greater diversity of wildlife that are not as easily encountered. 

Accomodations and meals will be the responsibility of participants but there may be camping secured for participants at a state forest campground on the East Fork of the Black River for group camping. Carpooling will be encouraged for our forays and we will be able to rent canoes locally if needed for our second day. Paddling will be dependent on water conditions to some degree but this is generally a good time of year.

Please email Nicholas at wildroots.handcrafts@gmail.com for further details, with questions, or to register. Cost of the workshop is set at $180. If this presents financial challenges there will be scholarships available contingent upon adequate sign up. Please inquire at the listed email or make a note of this when registering.