native trackers

[bruce]

this is for you guys that have been to africa.  i have been reading some stories of how good the trackers are in africa and was wondering is the tracking skill something that is being passed down to the younger generation? most of the pics i see of the trackers look like they are older fellows. is this maybe a skill that will be lost in the future generations.
thanks bruce

[stickandstring]

Bruce,
It seems to come naturally to the indigenous people, however, some are better trackers than others. In 1999, I hunted with a white guy from Zimbabwe, Rowan Swales, and he was every bit as good as the black guys at following spoor.
Nick H.

[bruce]

thanks nick

[Biggie Hoffman]

Our white PH was an excelent tracker too but the blacks would sit on the front bumper while riding and pickup a single track amoungst the hundreds in the sand and know which animal made it. Pretty impressive.

The way they track I don't know how you could ever lose an animal. That's not an excuse for making bad shots :-)