Winter Animal Tracking Adventure!

Even during the coldest, seemingly bleakest period of the year, the local woods are alive with animals, which are out and about looking for food and shelter to help them endure the frigid conditions.  Birds flit around looking for stray seeds and dormant insects, while squirrels and rabbits scamper around in search of nuts and buds, and  foxes and bobcats foray out to hunt rodents.   In order to learn more about them and some of the many other species of winter-active mammals, Hopkins Forest will host its annual animal tracking adventure on Saturday, February 8th.

Dan Yacobellis showing a track.The event will be guided by Naturalist Dan Yacobellis of Tamakoce Wilderness Adventures in Grafton, NY. Trained in the ancient art of tracking in South Dakota by the Lakota people, Dan has been an active tracker and instructor for 25 years, including teaching a regular Winter Study course in Hopkins Forest.  He is also a seasoned expert in other aspects of native life skills — such as brain tanning hides, hunting practices, bead and porcupine quillwork, and tool construction.

The February 8th program will offer two sessions:  10:00-12:30 and 1:00-3:30.  If space permits, participants will have the option to attend both.  Regardless, we ask potential participants to reserve a space by contacting the CES office ([email protected] or 413-597-2346).  Transportation to both sessions will be available from Campus.