How can I, as a civilian, track wild animals to study them?

Get a book displaying various wild animal tracks. Find a place where deer live in your area. If you have never tracked anything before start in an area with fresh snow or mud (along a stream, river, pond, etc). Try to follow the tracks for as long as you can. Go slow, picture what the deer was doing as it was there, (what it was eating, drinking water, etc). Keep an eye out for buck rubs, It's the scraped up tree in the picture. Bucks make these earlier in the season to remove velvet from their antlers. Basically the best way to learn to track other than having someone show you is to research the animal, where it lives and it's habits. Just remember there is no subsitute for spending time in the woods.

Tracking is permissible with out a hunting permit. However to benefit the states wildlife you can still support the cause by purchasing a fishing permit ad assorted wildlife stamps. You also may need one to access some wildlife areas.

Visit sporting goods stores and state wildlife protection

to understand the seasonal risk to yourself and wildlife.

Eagles, for example, have breeding periods than may

be disturbed by your presence.

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kill them