Track & Sign Evaluation

Cybertracker Track & Sign Evaluation
with John Rhyder

LOCATION

Pitlochry

PLACES

10 Total

2025 DATES

26 - 27 July

PRICE

£220

BOOK

via 'Woodcraft School'

a group of people learning about wildlife track and sign in the woodland

a group of people looking at an animal track in the mud

a bushcraft instructor showing a group of people a deer track in the mud

Field vole feeding sign on soft rush plant

Great diving beetle impaled on soft rush - bird tracks and signs

a group of people looking for animal tracks on a tracking course

a group of people looking at deer sign in the woods on a wildlife tracking course

Taking a Cybertracker Track & Sign Evaluation is the best way to personally evaluate your own current skill level, but it's also an excellent way to learn! Most people who take an evaluation for the first time are surprised just how effective and rewarding an evaluation really can be.

This Track & Sign Evaluation will be led by John Rhyder - currently the highest qualified tracker in Europe. John is a Senior Tracker, Evaluator and very experienced outdoor educator. John has written the best two tracking books for the UK in our opinion ('Track & Sign' and 'Bird Tracks') and joining this 2-day evaluation is a rare chance to learn from an excellent tracker and further your own skills.

We have scheduled our own 5 DAY TRACKING COURSE immediately before this evaluation as taking this course is excellent preparation for an evaluation. Leading this course is Cybertracker Track & Specialist Steven Hanton who achieved 100% in Track & Sign in 2012. By signing up to both our tracking course and this evaluation, you will have an excellent 7 full days of tracking immersion. You can sign up for either course individually too.

How a Cybertracker Track & Sign Evaluation Works?

Each of the two days the group sets out to various locations where John will ask questions based on what he finds. During a Track & Sign Evaluation (as opposed to a Trailing Evaluation), these questions will focus on things like individual print analysis and gait patterns, as well as signs such as feeding, behavioural, homes and scat. Mammals, birds, invertebrates and Herptiles are all fair game.
After questions have been answered, John will give his interpretation of what he believes to be the answer and this is where the real learning happens! The discussion that takes place really encapsulates the magic of the evaluation system and the immense value that it has for the learner. It really is a great learning tool.
Each question is assigned a level (easy, med, difficult) and a points system gives the candidate a score by the time the 2-days are completed. This scoring system is quite complicated but you don't need to know that! The system is designed very cleverly to give you a final score which is an accurate reflection of you current level.
Participants achieving greater than 69% will have their skill level recognised in the form a certificate with the level achieved on it.
In our experience the evaluations are a learning opportunity first and a 'test' second. Please don't be put off by the formal connotations of a 'test' - its a supportive, educational environment and also a lot of fun!!
For greater detail on the Cybertracker Tracker Evaluation system see - European Wildlife Tracking or Cybertracker.org