FOREST TRACKSMEN. 103 



experience of a regular hunter to be able to interpret 

 intelligently. 



Upon first attempting to hunt an unknown section of 

 country a day will therefore generally be well spent 

 in first making a careful examination of these "sign," 

 as they are called in America, so as to be able to form 

 some idea of the nature and quantity of the game that 

 it contains. This will be very necessary if a man is 

 thinking of spending a short time in the neighbourhood, 

 as he will thus be able to get a fair idea of how far 

 the reports that have reached him from natives or 

 local hunters are to be depended upon. The prin- 

 cipal " sign " that will help him to form an opinion, 

 will be footprints and droppings. It requires a certain 

 amount of experience to be able to tell whether the 

 former are recent or the reverse ; and it would not be 

 possible to describe on paper the precise differences 

 between old and new sign of this sort; but habits of 

 observation and a man's own common sense will soon 

 lead him to form fairly accurate estimates upon such 

 matters, though a tyro will do well to get all the hints 

 he can from a hunter of known experience and respect- 

 ability. 



Ask him: How long is it since these marks were 

 made ? and ask him his reasons for coming to the con- 

 clusions conveyed in his answer. 



For instance, if it is a footprint, was it made before, 

 or since the morning dews have fallen? If there has 

 been recent rain, was it before or since the rain? A 

 skilled hunter, if he is an intelligent man, and if he 

 chooses to do it, can generally indicate a number of 

 little circumstances which when pointed out make it 

 pretty clear whether he is making a correct diagnosis 



