The 9 Best Animal track Identification Guides (2023 reviews)

James Kavanagh line of guide come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. This fold-out will make you want to live outdoors and track things all day long. Here is the perfect folding tip sheet for identifying animal footprints, profiles, appearance and scat. It is small, lite and easy to read. It is fun and educational, too. You can buy larger books on tracks but this is just as good, and convenient to carry.

This guide allows you to quickly identify the tracks and signs of common mammals and birds. It is easy to back pack or even carry in a fanny pack. It is easy for them to carry. It is easy to understand and is a great resource for a beginner.

Why We Like This:

Laminated to not get damaged on a hike
Laminated for water resistant use and fits in a map pocket
Great for backpack and easy to

Best For beginner: Mark Elbroch Animal track Identification Guide

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Next on the list, we've got yet another guide that manages to win our hearts. It's the mark elbroch animal track identification guide and it's widely considered as one of the best convenient guide you can buy. It is one of the most useful mammal tracking books available. This book is amazingly detailed, with consistently-organized accounts for each North American mammal. It has illustrations to help you grasp the salient features of tracks, but also photos that help you see how tracks and trails differ in different substrates. This allows the authors to pack even more information into the book, which is awesome.

The track illustrations now include arrows pointing to key features of interest, and even lines to help one visualize the orientation of the toes. These are hidden and you have to click to open a little window and read your notes.

Why We Like This:

Easy to read, lots of pictures
Has generalized explanations of track patterns, gaits, etc
Nicely organized and easy to use
Very thorough with lots of photos and illustrations

Best Field Guide: Margaret Elizabeth Murie Animal track Identification Guide

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Compared with other guide in this category, the margaret elizabeth murie animal track identification guide has a convenient design. The original Peterson's Field Guide to Animal Tracks by Olaus Murie has been an inspiration to generations of trackers, naturalists, and wildlife enthusiasts. It allows someone to quickly and easily identify tracks observed in the field. It is a book of letters, in different fonts. It is one of the best to take into the bush and also as a great guide to studying the language of the track.

This continues Peterson's effective, useful format for information on the out-of-doors that allows someone to quickly and easily identify tracks observed in the field. The book is compact (although heavy) so it can be carried in the field and this is most likely the reason it lacks animal photos. This is a very interesting book very informative and expertly done.

Why We Like This:

Tracking and the art of seeing
Fills a different set of gaps in tracking books
Good more advanced book for tracking
Contains animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects

Best For critters: James Halfpenny Animal track Identification Guide

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate guide. The james halfpenny animal track identification guide is exactly that - it's a simple guide that hits all the right notes. This book has excellent drawings of tracks, scats, bird pellets and sometimes nests. It is pocket sized and covers not only mammals but also reptiles, amphibians and birds. It is used for a boy scout eagle project. It is for adults who want a more extensive guide, try mammal tracks and sign by mark elbroch or tracking and the art of seeing by paul rezendes.

This is a valuable book for beginners. It is handy and very informative. If you are looking for a book that tells you about the habits and / or life style of the subject this is not the book to fill that need.

Why We Like This:

Love comparing drawings with tracks in the mud, sand, and snow
Covers gait, and other more complex bits
One of the new comers and featured product

Best For trail craft: Ellsworth Jaeger Animal track Identification Guide

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The ellsworth jaeger animal track identification guide's material feels more premium than its price would suggest.

Why We Like This:

Very informative on all types of animals
Delivers what they promise

Best For Some fun discussions: James Halfpenny Great Book

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Best part: james halfpenny great book costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. This is a great book on the basics of tracking and scat. The descriptions are thorough including the length of the animal's stride. The book is nice, small and light for carrying along on hiking trips.

Why We Like This:

Great book and easy to read
Small, easily fits in your daypack
Informative with great written text and illustrations

Best Guide: Poppele Animal track Identification Guide

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Best part: poppele animal track identification guide costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. This book offers descriptions and explanations of track patterns and gaits that both complement and improve upon some of the other main tracking books out there. It measures about 8" – 9" in diameter and is usually marked with a fan of excavated earth. It makes cross-referencing so much easier than carrying all the books around. It is easy to use to identify minnesota wildlife in the snow. Each animal account includes the tracks illustrated to life size, a super handy size range reference next to the track pictures, and a textual account about the animal’s life history and associated signs a tracker may find.

The size of this book makes it very easy to carry in a pocket or a backpack so you will be more likely to have it with you in the field. The track descriptions are succinct and easy to understand. It is a easy read with great illustrations and descriptions and the track drawings are very representative with the stipple method providing the illusion of a 3d perspective for easier identification.

Why We Like This:

Fantastic illustrations and great description of track patterns
You also get extra info like tree rubbish from deer and bear scratching
Excellent book for the midwest region and beyond

Best little Guide: James Kavanagh Animal track Identification Guide

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate guide. The james kavanagh animal track identification guide is exactly that - it's a simple guide that hits all the right notes. In addition to six pages of tracks, this booklet has a page each of scat, feeding signs, nesting sites, and "other" signs, so it adds a little more than just tracks, which adds interest for younger trackers. These are lightweight and handy to have on your person. Track drawings also illustrate walk and gallop/trot, which is pretty ambitious for a little pocket guide. It folds up nicely to fit a jacket pocket. This is actually useful in the field and also back at home when comparing against pictures of prints seen outside.

Why We Like This:

A waterproof folding guide to animal tracking and behavior
Will last a long time with reasonable care
Good brand reputation

Best Book: Hello Wild Animal track Identification Guide

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The hello wild animal track identification guide is suitable and reliable and fits well with your daily usage. It is the perfect starting point for anyone, young or old, interested in identifying animal tracks.

Why We Like This:

Really helpful informative book for interaction
Good brand reputation