Jonathan Poppele is a North American wildlife tracker, writer and educator based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of over a dozen nature guidebooks including "Animal Tracks of the Midwest" and the "Bird Tracks QuickGuide." Jon is the founder of the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project and is currently completing his training as a CyberTracker Track & Sign Evaluator. He has a particular interest in animal locomotion and has spent the past several years studying the track patterns of North American mammals. Jon is also the head instructor of the Minnesota Ki Society where he teaches meditation, mindfulness, and the peaceful Japanese martial art of Ki-Aikido.

Jon's Free Clinic: 
Put A Foot In It!

An Exploration Of
Animal Locomotion
And Track Patterns

Friday evening Sept 11   6pm  The Lodge

As wildlife trackers, we study track patterns to interpret animal behavior. To help us communicate about track patterns and animal movement, trackers have adopted some common language around gaits. While defining and naming animal gaits can be helpful at times, it can also get in the way of our understanding how an animal is actually using its body. In this session, we will set aside our definitions and practice connecting the footfalls of moving animals directly to patterns of tracks on the ground. Please bring a notebook and a pencil.

JON'S WORKSHOP 

Animal Locomotion and Track Patterns

Friday  September 11   9am -  1pm 

Take a deep dive into animal locomotion through study of track patterns in the field. In this workshop, we will go beyond standard gait labels and use patterns of tracks on the ground to build a rich understanding of animal locomotion. We will explore how the relative positions of tracks gives us a window into the rhythms of an animal's movement, the ways it coordinates its limbs, and even how it supports and propels its center of mass.

Through this, we will build an understanding of what the animal's movement looked like, what it sounded like, and what it felt like. We will develop our abilities to not only visualize an animal making tracks, but also to "become the animal" and feel it moving inside of us. Jumping around on all fours is not required, but bringing an open mind and a vivid imagination is.

Workshop Tuition: 

There is no upfront registration fee for Jon's workshop. Upon completing the workshop, participants are invited to contribute directly to Jon an amount that reflects the value of their experience.

Workshop Reservations: There will be a signup sheet posted in The Lodge.

Maximum Participants: 8.  First come, first served.