Returning in 2023
Learn the skills of the wildlife tracker and conservation specialist as you follow clues and solve mysteries by interpreting live evidence. Animals reveal themselves to those who can read their stories in the earth. As you will see, tracks can tell us about the size, health, history and intentions of animals. You will also leave with a new understanding of the relationships between predator and prey.
Few people can understand the language of the birds and follow tracks that animals leave behind. After this week, you will have joined that elite group. In order to truly understand the animals we hope to observe, we must adopt their behaviors and embrace their customs. Finally, you will learn how to effectively trail animals, navigating the wilderness without getting lost, and document your findings for use in conservation projects.
Course Goal & Skills Covered:
The goal of the this course is to help you learn our regional ecology and its zoology through the skills of tracking. Skills covered during this camp session include, but are not limited to:
- Wildlife Tracking & Birding
- Sensory Awareness & Stealthy Movement
- Understanding Birds & Mammals of the Pacific Coast
- Understanding Insects, Beetles, Arachnids, Anthropods, Reptiles & Amphibians
- Understanding specific ways that animals depend on certain plant communities for their survival
- Mimicking at least 10 birds, including their language of songs, alarm calls, companion calls, and aggression calls
- Articulating the needs of animals, both in writing and public speaking, especially regarding the endangered species of your region
- Managing a survey of animals to learn how many are in an area
- Camouflaging yourself and your documenting gear in any environment
- Finding lost people and the art of human tracking.
- Communicating clearly and working well with tracking/research teams
- Drawing & Naturalist Journaling of Wildlife
- Camping & Hiking
- Orienteering with Map/Compass, and Natural Navigation
Click Tracking Wolf Country Adult Expedition Sample Itinerary for a detailed sample weekly itinerary.
Availability:
Open and geared for young adults with no prerequisite, although we recommend attending at least one of our weekend workshops or other camps and expeditions in the past for greatest success in the course. Youth may attend the Wildlife Safari – Tracking & Photography camp running simultaneously.
Course Instructors:
Patrick Wiley, M.A. will be assisted by directors Kim & Chris Chisholm and other professionally-trained instructors who make up our hallmark 6-1 average student-instructor ratio critical for high-level outdoor educational programs. Read our FAQ’s for more details and check out our testimonials and dating back to 1997!
Directions & Transportation Options:
Sunday 5-6 PM Starting Point: Twentynine Pines Campground, North Fork Teanaway Road, Cle Elum, WA 98922 with additional transportation options from North Bend 3:00, Bellevue College 2:30, Seattle Ferry/Bus/Train 2:00, SeaTac Airport 1;30, and the Puyallup Wolf Campus 1:00-1:30.
Friday Ending Points: 4 PM Sahara Creek DNR Horse Camp, 262nd Ave E., Ashford WA 98304 with additional pick-up options in Puyallup at 8 p.m. and SeaTac on Saturday.
Tuition:
Training Camps & Expeditions are $795. To reserve your spot, make a $200 deposit per camper/week and your balance will be due upon arrival. Cost includes everything except transportation from Sunday-Friday including field guide. The only additional expenses you may incur for our courses are for travel and specific gear, although we have extras in case you can’t acquire something. You will also need to show you have health insurance, or check with us for recommendations on inexpensive temporary insurance if necessary.
Registration:
Credit/Debit Card Registration Option: Just call us at 425-248-0253 and we will take your registration securely over the phone.
Check/Mail/Email Registration Option: Download our Microsoft Word or PDF Registration Form to your computer, fill out one per participant for whom we do not yet have a registration form on file (so not needed for returning campers) and send or email back to us. We also have a Bilingual Chinese-English Registration Form PDF or Word Doc. You can also send a check deposit payable to Wolf Camp, 1026 14th St. SW, Puyallup WA 98371 or fill out the registration form and pay deposits by calling with a credit card, or using paypal as described below.
Or Use PayPal to register online securely with a credit/debit card or via direct withdrawal from your bank account. Use the link below (might not be visible if you are using “reader view” on your phone or other device) or sign into paypal.com and “send money” to our email address: (we’ll get back to you with any additional information we may need)
Or email us to be put on our our list for this program in the future. We always keep your information absolutely private, and will never share it. You can also like our facebook page to keep in better touch, and once you’ve attended a program, please review us on our Better Business Bureau, Yelp & Google pages.
Refund Policy: Payments are not refundable unless we don’t accept your application. If you cancel in advance of the program start time for any reason, you may receive a full credit good through the following calendar year on appropriate and available programs listed on our schedule, although an additional deposit may be required to secure your spot in the future program. If a program you sign up for is canceled and not rescheduled at a time you can attend, you may receive a full refund except in case of natural (weather, geologic, etc) disasters, government shutdowns, conflicts or curfews, or other unforeseen emergencies making it impossible for staff and/or attendees to reach or use program locations, in which case all payments made will be held by us without expiration date for your future use in appropriate/available programs of your choice. No refund, nor credit, is given if a participant is asked to leave a program for inappropriateness as determined by our kids, youth and adult agreements for participation.
Course Preparation: Agreements, Packing List and FAQs
Click here for our Expedition Agreements