Animal Tracks of the Midwest: An Easy-to-Use Guide

Animal Tracks of the Midwest is a field guide to Midwestern animal tracks of more than 95 mammal species, plus common birds and reptiles, designed for quick and easy identification.

You’ve seen animal tracks while hiking, camping, or even in your backyard. Now learn what made them. Animal Tracks of the Midwest Field Guide by expert tracker Jonathan Poppele features the tracks of mammals found in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. This new edition spotlights more species―including common birds and reptiles―as well as updated track illustrations, photographs, and information. 

Book Features

• Animals of the Midwest: More than 95 mammal species, plus common birds and reptiles
• Designed for your success: Realistic track illustrations and quick identification tips
• Fact-filled information: Scat photos and descriptions of other signs that animals leave behind
• Accessible and informative: Easy enough for beginners yet detailed enough for experienced trackers
• Gait illustrations: Depictions and descriptions for each animal, from walking to trotting and hopping to bounding

Species are organized into groups, based on similarities in track appearance and then by track size. So it’s easy to find the tracks in the book once you see them in nature. Bring this handy guide on your next outing, and leave a book at the cabin. You’ll be surprised how often you encounter animal tracks―and how much you can learn from them!

About the author: Jonathan Poppele is a naturalist, author, and educator who works to help people connect more deeply to themselves, to others, and to the natural world. He earned a master’s degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota and taught at the U of M for many years before leaving to focus on his own projects. An avid outdoorsman and student of natural history, Jon is the founder and director of the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project. Jon is also Head Instructor of the Center for Mind-Body Oneness in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he teaches meditation, mindfulness, and the peaceful martial art of Ki-Aikido.

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