Wildlife Tracks and Sign (Waitlist Only)

Date: September 20

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Location: TBA

Cost: $25 MNHC members / $30 non-members. 

Scholarships are available! Please contact cmorris [at] montananaturalist.org for more information.

You can add an MNHC membership at checkout.

From footprints and feathers to skulls and scat, there is indirect evidence of life all across the landscape, and it’s changing all the time. We’re genetically wired to wonder about the lives of our fellow animals, and wildlife tracking is a practical skill that yields endless insights into anatomy, behavior, and ecology. This field-based class will equip you with techniques to identify and interpret the wildlife tracks and sign that you encounter. Whether these hints are large, small, clear, or subtle, each example we explore will connect us with the stories that our wild neighbors leave behind.

Instructor: Rob Rich is a naturalist. He conducts biological monitoring and conservation projects, and he teaches courses on wildlife tracking, birding, beaver ecology, and more. He has published writing and photography with outlets such as Audubon, High Country News, and Earth Island Journal, and he has worked with organizations including the Montana Natural History Center, National Wildlife Federation, and Swan Valley Connections.

What to Bring:

• snacks, water
• clothes for changing Montana weather conditions
• writing implement and journal (optional, though handy)

COVID Precautions: 

• small class limited to 12 students
• masks may be required or recommended indoors depending on CDC guidelines and Missoula numbers
• vaccinated MNHC staff and instructors

FAQ

What’s the refund policy?

The course fee is refundable if a cancellation is made up to 7 days before the event. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. In light of changes to programming due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Montana Natural History Center will make exceptions to its normal refund policy. These exceptions are as follows:

Any programs cancelled by the Montana Natural History Center are eligible for a full refund.

In the event a program fee can be rolled over to a following cycle or year, that offer will be made available to the paying program participant, and a spot will be reserved for the participant.

If a program is cancelled by a participant due to reasonable health and safety concerns from exposure risk to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Montana Natural History Center will issue a full refund.

If any participant experiences major illness, injury, or loss of a family member prior to the start of a registered program the participant is eligible for a full refund.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

Nope! We will have a list of all the attendees.