Jan 24, 2026 6:51 PM
Ever wonder how to see, interpret, and understand the hidden signs of wildlife that most people overlook? Enhance your skills in recognizing and deciphering the subtle clues left by wild animals by joining the Tracking Certification North America (TCNA) Wildlife Track and Sign workshops.
If you would like to develop the skills to recognize and interpret wild animal sign that is invisible to “normal people”, we invite you to participate in the Tracking Certification North America (TCNA) Wildlife Track and Sign workshops across North America.
TCNA training is designed to equip you with reliable field skills to identify obscure track and sign left behind our wild neighbors. Participation in a TCNA workshop/certification equips you with the skills to unlock the mysteries of wild animal behavior by reading their marks on the landscape – sign that was previously invisible to you. You’ll be able to interpret animal sign and behavior that – to other people – are nothing more than obscure marks on the landscape.
LEADER EMAIL AFTER THEY SIGN UP FOR LEADERSHIP
1. Put ads in ADCTT and OW. You are free to set any tuition refund policy you wish within limits. In my experience, after hosting more than 25 TCNA certifications and sponsoring more than 20 workshops or tracking programs, offering 100% refunds often leads to problems 30–60 days before the event because that's when people decide they’re too busy or for another activity and request their money back — leaving you to absorb the loss.
My recommendation is:
This keeps things simple and fair for everyone.
1. Make your reservation with the Workshop Leader.
2. When approved by the leader, make the donation as instructed below on this page.
3. When submitting your payment, be sure to include a note on PayPal or Venmo with your email address and specifying the purpose of the payment (e.g., “Tracker Gathering Day Use Fee – Sept 2-9 or “Tracker Gathering Workshop: Feather ID – Sept 10” or "Tracker Gathering Certification with Matt Nelson Sept 6-7").
By understanding the patterns of tracks left behind by animals moving in their baseline gaits, you will gain the skills to use gait to help discern between different species when the tracks themselves are difficult or impossible to ID. With that knowledge, you’ll be able to apply your understanding of baseline gaits to intuit how changes in track patterns help interpret changes in animal behavior—such as hunting, feeding, bedding, evasion, communication and territorial marking.
If you would like to develop the skills to recognize and interpret wild animal sign that is invisible to “normal people”, we invite you to participate in the Tracking Certification North America (TCNA) Wildlife Track and Sign workshops across North America.
The TCNA training is designed to equip you with reliable field skills to identify obscure track and sign left behind our wild neighbors. Participation in a TCNA workshop/certification equips you with the skills to unlock the mysteries of wild animal behavior by reading their marks on the landscape – sign that was previously invisible to you. You’ll be able to interpret animal sign and behavior that – to other people – are nothing more than obscure marks on the landscape.
Kim Cabrera, the owner of Animals Don't Cover Their Tracks Facebook group and producer of literally hundreds of tracking videos lives in a nearly mythical place called Red Valley, California, at the YMCA Camp Ravencliff.
The YMCA camp is very busy in June and July with three different long sessions for school-age children. By September, it is quiet. Nobody is there except the animals... and... in September 2026, trackers.
Kim has invited all of us to Ravencliff for an extended Labor Day week from Sept 4 - 13, a week of tracking, track & sign training, workshops for all levels of tracker and two track and sign certifications.
VENMO: William-Hunefeld (Last 4 digits of my phone are 3453)
PAYPAL: WTHunefeld
ZELLE: thunefeld@gmail.com
ABSOLUTELY JOIN THE WAIT LIST Should the event you wish to join is sold out, please contact Terry and request to be placed on the waiting list. If you're on the wait list and we have a cancellation, we will contact you (there is no obligation or cost to be on the wait list). Every certification I've hosted has had cancellations. Don't pass up the possibility of being a part of this one-of-a-kind tracking training.
REFUND AND CANCEL POLICY First, PLEASE read the next section about trip insurance. It's inexpensive and saves you the sting of an emergency cancellation. We urge you to obtain trip insurance (see below).
CANCEL POLICY 90+ days before your event: 100% refund less a $75 cancel fee IF you or we find a replacement. We will maintain a waiting list. No refunds less than 90 days before the event.
Cash refunds or credits are given only if you or we find someone to take your place. In the highly unlikely event of program cancelation, 100% of your deposit will be refunded.
TRIP INSURANCE $23.04 We urge you to obtain trip insurance to avoid the sting of losing your tuition fees in the event "life comes up" and you must cancel. Finding trip insurance is simple on the internet - there are many excellent companies. A good site recommended by Forbes offers you multiple options: Forbes Insurance Recommendations. A search in September 2025 resulted in $500 of coverage for only $23.00. Should you choose not to be protected by trip insurance, please ensure you understand our cancel policy.
TRACKER CERTIFICATION NORTH AMERICA (TCNA) TRACK & SIGN TRAINING was the cover story in SMTHSONIAN MAGAZINE -- if you've never participated in a Track & Sign certification before, we recommend you read the fascinating Smithsonian story written by an actual participant. Also, to get a feel for the Certification process, check out the TCNA Certification page - also an excellent glimpse into TCNA.
TO REGISTER
STEP ONE: First, contact us to ensure availability. Leave your name, city of residence, phone and the date of the event you wish to attend and we'll respond - usually within 3 hours - but certainly within 20 hours.
STEP TWO: When you receive a response from our workshop coordinator clearing you to register, you will register by paying the applicable tuition via Venmo or PayPal (see below).
STEP THREE: After paying by Venmo or PayPal, please email a copy of your payment receipt to thunefeld@gmail.com.
STEP FOUR: Stand by for confirmation that you are officially registered, paid and enrolled - usually in less than 6 hours. We will then follow up with more information as the event draws nearer. Meanwhile, feel free to submit any questions
Leader Day Off—a special ~6-hour outing reserved for workshop leaders and specialist & professional-certified trackers. After a full week of guiding clinics, certifications, and hands-on tracking in redwood forests, river mudflats, dusty roads, and meadows, this exclusive outing lets us step away as peers to explore somewhere truly remarkable.
We may venture into one of Humboldt's hidden gems, chosen spontaneously based on the week's discoveries and shared excitement. Perhaps it's a quiet stretch of the Eel River's banks, where fresh tracks emerge on low-water sandbars, or a nearby redwood grove. Perhaps we'll carpool offsite. We will know before the day we begin.
This isn't a structured workshop—it's pure, collaborative fun. Join us for this celebratory escape: a rewarding close to the Gathering. No cost.
The Calendar is the heart of the site. Everything happening is there... workshops, certifications, leader bios, free evening clinics or presentations... in short, EVERYTHING
The FAQs contain critical information for your stay and are a MUST read. When we receive questions from prospective participants, we add that question to the FAQ. It's chock full of information that just doesn't fit anywhere else. Updated regularly.