A SOURCE FOR MANTRACKING INFORMATION FOR MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

TACTICAL TRACKER ARCHIVE

 

JUNGLE TRACKING POINTS

Visual tracking is following the paths of men or animals by the signs they leave, primarily on the ground or vegetation. Scent tracking is following men or animals by the odors they leave.

Practice in tracking is required to achieve and maintain a high standard of skill. Because of the excellent natural concealment the jungle offers, all soldiers should be familiar with the general techniques of visual tracking to enable them to detect the presence of a concealed enemy, to follow the enemy, to locate and avoid mines or boobytraps, and to give early warning of ambush.

Tracking is important in counterguerrills operations where it is often difficult to locate the enemy. Guerrillas who conduct raids and ambushes will normally return to their bases as quickly as possible. Well-developed tracking skills will help units to maintain contact with the enemy.

SIGNS

Men or animals moving through jungle areas leave signs of their passage. Some examples of these signs are listed below.

DECEPTION

The enemy may use any of the following methods to deceive or discourage trackers. They may, at times, mislead an experienced tracker.

These deceptions include:

  • Walking backwards. The heel mark tends to be deeper than that of the ball of the foot. The pace is shorter.
  • More than one person stepping in the same tracks.
  • Walking in streams.
  • Splitting up into small groups.
  • Walking along fallen trees or stepping from rock to rock.
  • Covering tracks with leaves.

 

WARNING:

A TRACKER SHOULD ALWAYS BE ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENEMY IS LEAVING FALSE SIGNS TO LEAD THE UNIT INTO AN AMBUSH.