Saturday, October 26, 2013 along the Teanaway River near Cle Elum, WA
Prerequisite: Previous Wildlife Tracking Workshop, Camp or Expedition
Join us at our next Wolf Trackers Training Workshop in the territory of the wolf pack nearest to Seattle. Prerequisite: Previous Wildlife Tracking Workshop, Camp or Expedition with us. See below for workshop goals and activities.
Background on Wolf Trackers:
Wolf Trackers is a project of the Wolf College with a goal to gather hunters and sportsmen, ranchers and farmers, wildlife scientists and conservationists, dog lovers and animal rights activists among others, and bringing them together to increase knowledge about wolves in hopes of helping to balance wolf ecology policies in North America.
During workshops we review recent changes to wolf politics and ecology, review wildlife tracking methods, and then caravan to our tracking sites where we will focus on seeing all aspects “sign” important to wolf tracking. In this regard, we will prepare ourselves for upcoming actions to support wolves and educate our fellow citizens. We also assess agreements for our group, share resources, and prioritize tasks that need to be addressed between trainings.
Our current focus is to • develop wolf tracking skills, • educate ourselves with facts, • clarify goals and strategies, • train ourselves to develop conflict resolution skills for internal group function and for dealing with the public, • educate our constituencies, the public and politicians with facts about wolf ecology and mythology, • develop standard operating procedures for volunteer work, • volunteer services when requested, such as acting as citizen volunteers for wolf monitoring programs, • consider requests from hunting guides, ecotourist and environmental organizations, government agencies, shepherds and cattlemen who would like assistance for on-the-ground wildlife assessments in their areas of concern.
Participation agreements: • Animal lovers in the group agree to bring compassion for those who fear wolves, and we understand that like wolves, sportsmen bring balance to wildlife, and have been some of the most successful conservationists in American history. In addition to wolves, sheep and cattle also need to be protected, especially on private lands. • Sportsmen in the group agree to continue a rich tradition of conservation, supporting scientific wildlife management, and we consider wolves who prey on healthy large game populations as a good challenge rather than an impediment to hunting. • Ranchers and shepherds in the group agree to bring pride for the hard work it takes to make modifications allowing for wolves on the edges of rural areas, and also come willing to discuss the impact of public land grazing on our shared natural resources including wildlife. • Everyone who attends a Wolf Trackers Training can express his or her opinion, while also respecting the opinions of others. No matter your background – wildlife photographer, fisherman, hunting guide, cattleman, sheep producer, hiker, backpacker or animal rights activist – we welcome your input.
Cost Levels:
• $65 general.
• $60 for a second friend/family member, or if you attended one of our introductory afternoon or evening wildlife classes, or if you have earned a Level I Cybertracker Certificate, or if you are a local property owner in the area where we are running the workshop, or if you are part of a current conservation project.
• $55 for a third friend/family member, or if you attended a previous wildlife tracking workshops with us, , or if you have earned a Level II Cybertracker Certificate, or if you have a Master Hunters License.
• $50 for a fourth friend/family member, or if you attended two previous wildlife tracking workshops with us, or if you have earned a Level III Cybertracker Certificate, or if you have a current SAR ID Card & JHPTS Basic Tracking Certificate.
• $45 per additional friend/family member, or if you covered this subject at one of our camps/expeditions, or attended three previous wildlife tracking workshops with us.
Registration Options:
Check/Mail Registration Option: Send payment in full or a minimum $45 per person check deposit payable to the Wolf College, 1026 14th St. SW, Puyallup WA 98371 along with a completed registration form. Balances will be due upon arrival at the workshop.
Credit/Debit Card Registration Option: Just call us at 253-604-4681 or 425-248-0253 and we will run your card securely over the phone.
Our refund policy is that deposits are not refundable unless your registration is not accepted. If you cancel after making additional payment, you may receive a credit for a future program, minus a 25% administration fee of total payments made, in case of emergency. You will receive a full refund if your program is canceled and not rescheduled at a time that you can attend. No refund (and not necessarily any credit) is given if a participant is inappropriate at the program and asked to leave.
Other Upcoming Animal Tracking Workshops
• Sunday, September 22, 2013: Animal Tracks & Sign – No Prerequisite with Level I Cybertracker Certificate Evaluation along the Nooksack River near Bellingham WA. Please click on Cybertracker Level I Evaluation for more details and to register. Just $95 if registered by June 5, $115 by Sept 10, or $135 thereafter for 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Saturday, September 28, 2013: Trailing Elk, Deer & More – No Prerequsite along the Nisqually River near Elbe WA. Whether you hunt with a camera, bow or gun, or if you just love our hooved animals, you are welcome you to join us for a special day of tracking along the wild and scenic Nisqually River at the gates to Mt. Rainier Nat’l Park. Learn specialized trailing skills as we venture to get close to elk, deer, and other animals. 10:00-4:00 at cost schedule described above.
• Saturday, May 3, 2014: Tracking Cougars and Their Prey – No Prerequisite along the Skykomish River near Sultan WA. Whether you are a researcher, conservationist, hunter or lover of our regional mega-fauna, you are welcome to join us for a great day tracking along the wild Skykomish River where cougars follow elk and deer, bears harvest fish from creeks, and other animals, like us, remain alert to their presence. 12:00-6:00 at cost schedule described above.
• Sunday, May 4, 2014: Trailing Bears from Their Dens – Prerequisite Required near Sultan WA. Previous wildlife tracking workshop, camp or expedition with us is required. Have you ever been to a bear den? Check out some of the most classic examples of bears denning in hollow, burned-out, old-growth tree snags where mother bears recently emerged with their cubs, then pick up the freshest sign and follow it in hopes of catching a glimpse of bears in what may be the area with most dense bear population in the region. 10:00-4:00 at cost schedule described above.
Is this workshop appropriate for kids?
Thanks for asking. Youth are welcome at all of our weekend workshops as long as they are either 1) accompanied by their parents, or 2) have attended a prior program so we know whether they are ready for the adult-oriented workshop.