Here are two useful gadgets to help you practice your tracking skills. Work with friends either during the day or at night.
Whifflepoof
You will need:
-a small log
-some big nails
-a hammer
-a piece of cord or thick string, about 9 feet long
Ask someone to hold the log down firmly on its side for you. Hammer nails all around it. Hammer each one about half-way in. Hammer two more nails almost right into one end of the log, one on each side. Tie one end of the cord around each of these nails.
Tracking Stick
You will need:
-a tin lid with a rim
-an old broom handle or thick walking stick
-a nail, and a screw about 1-2 inch long
-hammer and screwdriver
-pliers
Grip the lid with the pliers and twist them to make a kink in the rim, bending the rim into a wavy shape.
Hammer the nail into the lid to make a hole. Then use it to start a hole in the stick. Get someone to hold the stick while you screw on the lid.
Drag the Whifflepoof by the string. It works well on grass. Make a continuous track or it will be difficult to follow. The tracks show up well at night. If you shine a flashlight along them, you can see which way they go. They will look darker than the rest of the grass when they are coming towards you and lighter going away.
Use the Tracking Stick like a walking stick. Make a track every few steps on soft, wet ground or on wet sand.