H.A.C. -Tracking Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Please write your experience in the log book, other that signing
and dating it only. That's what it's for.
The trail begins in a wooded pasture, but after a short walk, the
trail crosses the edge of the pasture and enters a mature
commercial forest. Your first stop is right next to the parking
area. Here you will be looking for a micro that holds the cords for
the final stage. The final is a round lock and lock container. This
area is closed during deer shotgun season. Stay on the trail till
you area about 50 feet from the final. There's no need to stray
along the way.
First offered in 1911—discontinued in 1952
A hundred years ago, being able to track animals was
very important in order to put food on the table.
How many animals will you be able to follow?
Think of how many animals you will see.
These are the original requirements as written in 1911. Think about
how times have changed as you complete the requirements a Scout
your age would have done a hundred years ago. In 1910 many boys
probably had farm animals or lived close to farm animals so they
frequently saw tracks. Also, many people hunted for food and
trapped for extra income. Can you imagine running a trap-line
before going to school?
NOTE:
This merit badge was originally entitled Stalking. Because of what
the term stalking means in today’s language, the original
name has been changed to Tracking. However, the ability to find a
person is a very important skill still used by Search and Rescue
teams all over the United States. At the start of Scouting, Baden
Powell wrote about the importance of the skill of tracking. He
invented many games to help boys learn this skill. In general,
these games consisted of a Scout leaving tracks, signs, and other
objects that other boys would try to follow. Sometimes the person
setting the trail went to such detail as to create shoes that make
animal tracks. What kind of games can you invent to help others in
your patrol learn the skill of tracking?
For this requirement it is really good to have an expert as a
counselor. There is nothing better than having someone who knows
how to identify tracks teach you how to do this.
Merit Badge Requirements:
To obtain a Merit Badge for [Tracking], a Scout must:
1. Demonstrate by means of a [tracking] game or otherwise, ability
to [track] skillfully in shelter and wind, etc., showing how to
proceed noiselessly and “freeze” when occasion
demands.
2. Know and recognize the tracks of ten different kinds of animals
or birds in his vicinity, three of which may be domestic.
3. Submit satisfactory evidence that he has trailed two different
kinds of wild animals or birds on ordinary ground far enough to
determine the direction in which they were going, and their gait or
speed. Give the names of animals or birds trailed, their direction
of travel, and describe gait and speed; or submit satisfactory
evidence that he has trailed six different kinds of wild animal or
birds in snow, sand, dust, or mud, far enough to determine the
direction they were going and their gait or speed. Give names of
animals or birds, their direction of travel, and describe gait and
speed.
4. Submit satisfactory evidence that he has tracked a human being
and deducted from the trail whether it was man or woman, young or
old, the gait or speed, and also give any other information
deduced.
5. Submit evidence that he has scored at least 30 points from the
following groups:
Group (f) and 4 of the 5 groups (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) must be
represented in the score of 30 and at least 7 points must be scored
from (a), (b), or (c). Make clear recognizable photographs of
1. Live bird away from nest - 4 points each
2. Live woodchuck or smaller wild animal - 3 points each
3. Live wild animal larger than woodchuck - 4 points each
4. Live bird on nest - 3 points each
5. Tracks of live wild animal or bird - 2 points each
AND
6. Make satisfactory plaster cast of wild animal or bird tracks
with identification imprint on back of cast - 2 points each
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Stage one: Donation
Stage two: Fallen tree