Laughing Coyote: Flood Tracking

In Boulder County, we have had an incredible natural event, floods unlike anything we have experienced in the area. The destruction is mind-blowing, and many places I know well are permanently changed by the waters. We have been thinking about all of the people affected by the deluge, and our hearts go out to them. It is a beautiful thing to see community come together in challenging times.

For a tracker, the floods brought in a unexpected element: mud, silt and sand everywhere! In our area, clear tracks are limited to small areas, but suddenly tracks are everywhere. I encourage anyone in the Boulder area to look up from the chaos for a moment, and look at the signs of life everywhere. In downtown Boulder, I saw raccoon tracks everywhere there was mud. (In Behavior of North American Mammals, by Elbroch and Rinehart, they state that suburban and urban raccoon population densities can reach 120-250 animals per square mile. Up until now I found that hard to believe.) At our Primitive Camp, we came across bear tracks and perfect woodrats. While scouting out a hunting location, I saw bear, coyote, wild turkey, raccoon and deer. Some of my favorites are toad and salamander tracks that appeared in the moist conditions. I wish there were more pictures, but I am a little camera-challenged, so they did not all come out. Enjoy some of the pictures, and good luck to everyone on the raod to recovery.

~Neal