3. OBJECTIVES: To understand and determines the different signs.
To apply the different methods of deception.
Have the ability on how to counter the method of deception.

4. SCOPE OF PRESENTATION: 1. DEFINITION OF TERMS:
VISUAL TRACKING – is an art of being able to follow a man or group of men using the sign they have left.
SIGNS – are marks on the ground and disturbance of vegetation left by a man or animal passing through the area.
GROUNDS SIGNS – a sign left by a man or animal on the ground.
TOP SIGN – signs above ankle level.
JUNGLE - is a feature of impenetrable growth of vegetation forbidding in appearance and filed with wild life.
ROCKY COUNTRY - the most difficult terrain to track.

5. 2. TYPES OF SIGNS
GROUND SIGNS – is a sign that could be found on the ground which includes the following:
a. Foots or boots marked
b. Broken twigs (small branches)
c. Disturbance of vegetation
d. Mud deposit water
e. Debris-broken on something left or dropped beside
f. Sap latex (plant liquid)

6. FOOT OR BOOTS MARKS
NOTE THE LUG PATTERN FROM HEEL TO TOE. THIS IS A VERY GOOD PRINT IN MUD.

7. NOTE THE DAMAGE TO THE VEGETATION, BROKEN STICKS AND TWIGS.
BROKEN TWIGS (SMALL BRANCHES)
NOTE THE DAMAGE TO THE VEGETATION, BROKEN STICKS AND TWIGS.

8. DISTURBANCE OF VEGETATIONS
NOTE THE CRUSHED VEGETATION AREA.
THE BLADES OF GRASS ARE POINTING AWAY FROM THE HEEL.
Photo by Ted Fisher

9. MUD DEPOSIT ON WATER
NOTE THAT YOU CAN STILL SEE THE HEEL MARK AND SOME CLOUDINESS OF THE WATER, GOOD SIGN OF AGE OF THE TRACK.
Photo by Ted Fisher

10. DEBRIS-BROKEN OR SOMETHING LEFT OR DROPPED BESIDE

11. SAP LATEX (PLANT LIQUID)

12. B. TOP SIGNS b. Scratches on trees c. Bruises moss on trees
a. Direct sunlight
b. Scratches on trees
c. Bruises moss on trees
d. Hand hold marked on trees
e. Changes of color, position of vegetation.

13. DIRECT SUNLIGHT – IT ADVERSELY AFFECTS SIGNS BY DRYING OUT GROUND SIGNS.

14. DIRECT SUNLIGHT – IT PROVIDES THE NATURAL ELEMENT TO BRING VEGETATION BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION

15. SCRATCHES ON TREES

16. BRUISED MOSS ON TREES

17. HAND HOLD MARKS ON TREES

18. FACTORS WHICH ADVERSELY AFFECT TRACKING
Direct sunlight
Strong wind – covers the tracks with dirt and obstacle
Heavy rains – erases the track
Time – affect the time of the length the track faded

19. DIRECT SUNLIGHT – IT PROVIDES THE NATURAL ELEMENT TO BRING VEGETATION BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION

20. STRONG WINDS

21. HEAVY RAINS

22. T I M E THE OLDER THE TRACK THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS TO FOLLOW .
IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR OF ALL IN VISUAL TRACKING

23.    HOW TO FOLLOW A TRACK

24. MARK THE SIGN AND DO NOT FIDDLE WITH IT.

25. 2. PUT A COMPETENT TRACKER UNTO IT

26. 3. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FOLLOW IT BY YOURSELF UNLESS YOU ARE A COMPETENT TRACKER

27. 4. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO SEARCH AROUND THE AREA UNTIL THE TRACKER ARRIVED .

28. METHODS OF DECEPTION Walking on the steam Scattered Fade out
Dead end of false trail

29. WALKING ON THE STREAM

30. Traveling on or in Waterways.
Look for disturbances
Look for transfer.
Look for where the subject left the water.

31. FADE OUT (JUMPING OFF TRACK) –
ACTION - THE TRACKER WILL LOOK AT THE SIDES OF THE LAST SPOT.
TRACKER
TRACKER
TRACKER

32. SCATTER – IF THE ENEMY SCATTER THE PROCEDURE IS TO FOLLOW THE LARGEST GROUP AND THE EASIEST TRACK.
TRACKER
TRACKER

33. DEAD END OR FALSE TRAIL – THE TRACKER HAD TO GO BACK AND SEARCH THE SIDES OF THE TRACK.

34. COUNTER METHOD OF DECEPTION
The tracker will concentrate himself on the last and search the area approximately about meters.
If is unsuccessful the tracker will search the side of the tracks.
If it is unsuccessful the trackers move approximately 50 meters of the last ground axis.
If it is unsuccessful he increases his search radius to approximately 25 meters.

35. 1. WHEN THE TRACKER IS LOST HE WILL CONCENTRATE HIMSELF ON THE LAST VISIBLE SIGN AND SEARCHES THE AREA IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION FOR A RADIUS OF APPROXIMATELY METERS.
10 – 15 mtrs
LAST VISIBLE SIGN
TRACKER

36. 2. IF UNSUCCESSFUL THE TRACKER WILL SEARCH THE SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

37. 3. IF UNSUCCESSFUL THE TRACKER MOVE 50 METERS FROM THE LAST GROUND OF AXIS.
50 MTRS
TRACKER
TRACKER

38. 4. IF IT IS UNSUCCESSFUL ANOTHER 25 METERS.
25 MTRS
TRACKER

39. PLACES WHERE SIGNS WILL BE MOST OBVIOUS
Bank of a river stream
Muddy and sandy patches
Top kill side
Edges of clearing or plantation
High grasses or thick undergrowth with obstacles have to be crossed and canalize the route

40. TYPE OF TERRAIN THAT PRODUCES DIFFERENT SIGNS
A. JUNGLE
1. disturbance of leaves and stones
2. broken twigs or branches both green and dried
3. vegetation passed aside will be unnatural position and probably show the light on the other side
4. boots impression on soft ground

41. B. ROCKY COUNTRY
Smaller stones will be knocked off from their resting place of rest into the ground.
Nailed boots will leave scratches and rubber boots will leave blank marks on the ground.
Moss growing on the rocks will be disturbed.
Insect hiding inside the stone maybe disturbed or seen.
Signs may be found in the area of soft ground near the stone.

42. INFORMATION FROM A TRACK
Direction of enemy movements
Number of person making a track
Age of sign
Loading
Sex-under favorable condition
Speed
Time

43. THANK YOU AND GOOD DAY…
RANGERS LEAD THE WAY