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Outdoor Vancouver, 10 best iPhone Android Apps for the Outdoors

March 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

10 Best iPhone and Android Apps for the Outdoors

Filed in Deals, Products and Companies by on March 16, 2014 • 1 Comment
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Sometimes the best part of getting outside is turning off your smartphone and getting away from technology. But there are definitely times where your iPhone or Android can open up new activities, or put needed information at your fingertips. Here are the 10 best smartphone apps for getting outdoors.

SIDENOTE: You do NOT want to rely on your phone’s GPS for backcountry navigation, with very few exceptions. Why not? There is a detailed list of reasons in this article.

 

10. Strava

Strava Top Ten Apps Smartphone Strava quickly became my favorite web-app for tracking all my running training. The website is very clean, provides great reports, and let’s you follow your friend’s training (and comment and leave ‘kudos’ on their workouts). Perhaps, the coolest feature of Strava is the ‘segments’.

Segments are user-created, user-edited, and designate a portion of route where users can compete for time. You can use segments to compare your own times, or to compare with other user’s times who have also completed the segment. Segments are a great way to see who is in your area, and to link to the type of routes other users are riding or running.

Best of all, after you upload your GPS file to the website, it will automatically see if you ran any segments and show you your overall standings in the leaderboard for that segment. The smartphone app for Strava let’s you record your run or cycle using your phone’s GPS and directly uploads the file to your account after the workout is complete. The app also lets you see your activity feed, your profile, and explore new segments. If you use Strava you can follow me here.

Strava App: iPhone | Android | Website Cost: Free (there is a premium upgrade to unlock extra features on the website).

9. iBird

For anyone who is a birder, and tech savy, this is a no-brainer compared to flipping though a book out of your backpack. But even if you’re not a birder, I can see where this app comes in handy. There’s been several times where I’ve been out hiking or trail running and have come across owls, which I think are amazing animals. But its frustrating if you don’t know the species. Having this app on your phone is the answer.

iBird App: iPhone | Android | Website Cost: Lite version is free, or $10 for pro on Android and $20 on iOS Also slated for release in 2014 is a Google Glass version.

8. Everytrail

Everytrail App

Everytrail is another website I use a lot. It is similar to Strava above, but geared towards hiking and walking, instead of cycling and running. The website allows you to comb through hundreds of thousands of user-generated trail guides. Each guide will allow you to view the GPS tracks on  a map, download the tracks, view the elevation profile, and most have accompanying pictures and or even video. (You can see the trip reports I have created here). A few features of the app:

  • Track your route with your phone’s GPS capability – see your route map drawn while you move
  • Listen to awesome audio guides that give you hands free info at key POIs along the way
  • Plot pictures taken with your phone’s camera on your map instantly
  • Download maps to use offline when data connection is spotty or to avoid pricey roaming charges (Pro Version only)
  • View stats while tracking (distance, speed, elevation and more)

Everytrail App: iPhone | Android | Website Cost: Free for lite version, or $4 for Pro version (needed to unlock maps for offline use, and to remove ads)

7. What Knot To Do

What Knot To Do iPhone

“What Knot to Do (in the Greater Outdoors) is your pocket guide to 70 must know knots in six categories. With this App you’ll always have just the right knot at the ready, with clear step-by-step tying instructions to meet any and every outdoor need”. There are quite a few knot apps out there but What Knot To Do rises to the top.  The knots are easy to find within their categories of bends, hitches, loops, bindings, stoppers, and specials. Each knot has some background detail about the knot, and explains when and where you’d most likely need to use it. Then there a several graphics that break out the process of how to actually tie the knot. A few features:

  • Glossary of terms with over 70 entries
  • Illustrated terminology examples
  • Introduction to knots, cordage and knot tying
  • Easy to follow step-by-step tying instructions

What Know To Do App: iPhone | Website Cost: Free Android Alternative: Knots Guide (Free)

6. Google SkyMap

With SkyMap you can point your phone into the night sky to identify stars, planets, constellations, and even meteor showers. The app uses your phones GPS and compass data to identify the stars you are looking at. Or, if you want to find a particular star or planet, you can do a search for it, and SkyMap will show you where to move your phone to locate it. Pretty cool stuff!

What Know To Do App: Android | Website Cost: Free iPhone Alternative: Star Chart

5. Learn to Camp

Learn to Camp App

Learn to Camp is an app developed by Parks Canada, and its surprisingly well done. It has four basic main areas; Camping Basics, Camping Checklist, Recipes and Cooking, and Find a Park. There is plenty of simple and basic information under the Camping Basics section. This information is not very detailed, but would be useful for newbie campers. The Camping Checklist lets you create a list of items you’ll need for your trip, which are added from pre-populated categories in the app. You can then cross them off as you’ve collected the items.

The app also shows you all the National Parks and general details about each site. This app is very handy. I wish they would team up with the Provincial Parks to add those parks into the app as well.

What Know To Do App: iPhone | Android | Website Cost: Free

4. The Backpacker Checklist

Backpacker Checklist App

The title of the app says it all. If you’re looking for a checklist that is more robust than the checklist built unto Learn To Camp (app #, above), then this is the one you want.

The Backpacker Checklist will help you:

  • Plan ahead for what to bring
  • Locate where to get your gear
  • Calculate how much your pack will weigh
  • Assist in eliminating stuff you don’t want/need to carry

What Know To Do App: iPhone | Website Cost: Free Android Alternative: Backpack Planner ($1)

3. GPS Essentials

Although you should not rely on your phone’s GPS (see side-note at the top of this post) for backcountry navigation, if you do want to record your tracks with your phone or otherwise use its GPS, GPS Essentials is hands-down the most feature-rich GPS app out there. The above video has  a nice review of the app. A few of the features:

  • Navigate, manage waypoints, tracks, routes, build your own dashboard from 45 widgets.
  • Shows navigation values such as: Accuracy, Altitude, Speed, Battery, Bearing, Climb, Course, Date, Declination, Distance, ETA, Latitude, Longitude, Max Speed, Min Speed, Actual Speed, True Speed, Sunrise, Sunset, Moonset, Moonrise, Moon Phase, Target, Time, TTG, Turn.
  • Show the orientation of the earth’s magnetic field, shows an arbitrary tracking angle and the current target. Also a marine orienteering compass.
  • Record tracks and view them on map. Export KML files and import into Google Maps, Google Earth and others.
  • Manage routes and view them on map. Import KML files from Google Maps, Google Earth and others. Create turn-by-turn instructions between waypoints.

GPS Essentials App: Android | Website Cost: Free iPhone Alternative: MotionX-GPS ($2.99)

2. My Nature Animal Tracks

It can be exciting when you discover animal tracks out in the woods. But if you haven’t studied tracks before, you’re left to guessing what tracks you are looking at. (This happened to me last year when I saw some cougar tracks in the snow).

The My Nature Animal Tracks let’s you easily identify the tracks you’ve found.  ”Search by track size and shape in seven different illustrated categories to identify over 46 animals across North America. View actual tracks in the wild, reference illustrated gait patterns, range maps, digital images of animals and listen to each animals vocalazation”.

My Nature Animal Tracks App: iPhone | Android | Website Cost: $5 Android, $7 iPhone

1. Geocaching

Geocaching is a really fun activity I’ve posted about before. The concept is very simple. You load the GPS coordinates for a ‘cache’ onto your handheld GPS or smartphone, use the provided hints, and go and try and find the cache, usually hidden in the woods or on a trail. There are different types of geocaches ranging in difficulty, but its the perfect way to have some leisurely fun in the outdoors, especially with kids.

Geocaching.com is the de-facto place to post and find new geocaches, and the smartphone app allows you to find nearby caches using your phone’s GPS. You can view hints, record your activity history, and more.

Geocaching App: iPhone | Android | Website Cost: $9.99 Android Alternative (Free): C:Geo

http://www.outdoorvancouver.ca/best-iphone-android-apps-outdoors/#comment-23504

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A nice mention from the National Wildlife Federation.

January 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

14 Apps That Will Revolutionize Your Walk in the Woods

from Wildlife Promise

iPhone in NatureMany argue that smartphones are keeping kids out of the woods and locked up behind their screens. However, these devices and the new mobile apps they put at our fingertips assist us in a lot of different ways, even when you’re out of the house and in the wilderness. You can read some thoughts around NWF’s findings in the report Friending Fresh Air: Balancing Nature and Technology.

While exploring nature is often regarded as a tech-free activity, it’s great to know that in the 21st century there are tech-savvy tools that help can us enjoy nature and wildlife in a whole new way.

Here are 14 apps that will turn even the most urban person into a naturalist in no time.

 

trailhead1. The North Face Trailhead App

The outdoor apparel retailer The North Face has launched an exploratory trail-finding app for iPhone. Its function is to help users find and share the best paths and routes for hikers, skiers, fly fishermen, and others who don’t want to get lost when they head for the hills. The free app enables users to search by activity type and distance, proximity (either from your current location using GPS or by zip code), and user ratings. The database of routes is pulled from EveryTrail.com, a platform for swapping trails with fellow enthusiasts.

 

2. Florafolio

The ultimate native plant resource for nature enthusiasts is now available as an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Florafolio is an interactive guide that allows users to focus on the stunning variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns, vines, and grasses indigenous to Eastern Canada and the Northeastern region of the US. It’s an excellent directory for anyone who’s looking to identify native plant species in the wild.

 

Ibirdplus3. iBird Plus Guide to Birds

Designed for both iPhone and iPad, iBird Plus is one of the more pricier apps, at $14.99. However its database has a total of 938 species so it’s far more extensive than some of the other bird apps available today.

 

wildlab4. WildLab Bird

Not as extensive as the iBird Plus, WildLab Bird is a free app that can identify 200 species of birds. It engages learners with the basics of bird identification. Along with associated curricula and educational activities found on the WildLab.org Web site, WildLab Bird is a powerful way to see the environment in a whole new way.

 

LeafSnap5. Leafsnap

Leafsnap, free on iOS, is a comprehensive nature-guide app that features an extensive directory of North American plants. You can rifle through the directory manually, and filter the species by leaf shapes, flowers, fruit, and so on. Tapping an entry takes you to a photo-rich data page that displays examples of the plant’s bark and seeds. There is also a text description of habitats and bloom times.

 

MyNatureAnimalTracks6. MyNature Animal Tracks

Priced on upwards of $8 USD, according to naturalist D. Thomas this is “a must-have app for anyone outdoors.” MyNature Animal Tracks allows users to identify any animal track in your area when you reference this well-made guide. It is chock-full of great information and photos that are not just illustrations, but actual photographs of a wide variety of animal tracks.

 

inature7. iNaturalist

Explore! Learn! Record on Androids! iNaturalist allows you to record your observations from the natural world for free and contribute them to iNaturalist.org, a social network for naturalists. Users can get started quickly by reviewing the app’s guide. A recent update was added in June 2013.

 

projectnoah8. Project Noah

Free for iPhones and Androids, Project Noah is the best way to share your wildlife encounters and help document our planet’s biodiversity. Naturalists can upload their own wildlife photos or review those uploaded by others from across the globe.

 

trails9. Trails-GPS Tracker

Trails-GPS Tracker is the first GPS app that allows you to record, export, and import tracks directly on your iPhone! Prepare and review your outdoor adventures on the iPad as well, since there’s an easy exchange between iPhone and iPad. Priced at $3.99, Trails was first released five years ago, so it’s had several upgrades.

 

treebook10. TreeBook

TreeBook is the authoritative guide to 100 of the most common trees in North America. It was produced by veteran forester Steve Nix (of forestry.about.com fame), and developed by Ash Mishra (developer of the very popular CBC Hockey and CBC Radio apps). This free application’s easy, intuitive interface provides a way to determine the type of tree you’re looking at — with images, search, synonyms for trees, layman terms, and, for the more scientifically minded, detailed terminology.

 

wheresabear11. Where’s a Bear

Available for 99 cents, Google’s Android smartphone and their developers Blackbonnet have just launched an app called Where’s a Bear. It’s a great service for tourists who want to track wildlife sighting alerts for not only those big old scary grizzly bears, but any other species of your choice. Its intent is to allow users to maximize their Yellowstone vacation time by taking the guesswork out of finding the best places to see the park’s primary residents.

 

Yellowstone National Park The Official Guide on the App Store on iTunes12. Yellowstone Wildlife

The Yellowstone Wildlife app which doesn’t include the “finding the bear” feature (noted above) is now also available on iPhones and iPads as well as Androids. You can obtain real-time updates of Yellowstone wildlife sightings for free.

 

natgeobirdsicon13. National Geographic Birds

Now available for $9.99, National Geographic Birds was designed for iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch. It offers an innovative, beautiful, and interactive field guide to the birds of North America. Whether you’re new to bird watching or already an expert, this completely updated and redesigned app makes spotting, identifying, and understanding birds easier than ever.

 

Wildobs14. WildObs Observer

Check out more than 1,000 species of mammals, birds, snakes, bugs, worms, WildObs Observer. Designed by Neukadye, this free iPhone app lets you record wildlife and contribute them both to your database, and to National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Watch program. It’s a neat experience to learn what naturalists around you are seeing and uploading.

If you’ve never taken that walk in the woods prior to reading this blog, perhaps these innovative apps will motivate you to do so now. Whether you have a passion for flowers, trees, plants, mammals, birds reptiles, rocks, or anything in between, technology can be your friend when you take that next fork in the road.

Drew Hendricks

About the Author

This is a guest post by Drew Hendricks, an environmental and tech addict that has written for a variety of publications including Technorati, Forbes and Huffington Post.

 

 

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5 Best iPhone Apps for Hikers

October 26, 2013 by 2 Comments
We recently had the honor of being mentioned in an article by Jack Charles. Thanks Jack for the mention!
Published by on October 4, 2013  | 4 Responses

If you’re an Apple-loving hiker, you’ll love these iPhone apps for tracking your hikes and helping you in the great outdoors. From apps that tell you where you are in the world to apps that track your elevation, these five iPhone apps are the 21st century hiker’s best trail buddies.Best iphone Apps for Hiking

1. Gaia GPS by TrailBehind

One of the challenges well-known to hikers when it comes to using cell phone apps is the lack of cellular service in remote areas. For this reason, plenty of hikers eschew apps for hiking altogether. After all, what good is an app you can’t actually use when you’re in a remote wilderness area? Gaia GPS, however, allows users to download maps from all over the world onto their iPhones so that the map and its related information will be available in the middle of the hike, even when you’re in the middle of nowhere. With or without a cell phone signal, you’ll still be able to use the GPS function, which means that as long as the map has been downloaded ahead of time, Gaia GPS will be able to tell you where you’re at. Additionally, Gaia GPS will note points of interest on the map with detailed information about each spot.

There’s a free version of this app that’s ad-supported, or you can make an investment of $19.99 for the full version of the app. The full version also gives users access to special trail maps within a given area. A lot of fans of this app say that the hefty price tag is worth it.

2. Point de Vue by Sen:Te

Point de Vue was made specifically with mountain lovers in mind. For those hikers who like to know where and how high up the surrounding mountains are, Point de Vue will help. It provides detailed information about the elevation, distance and summit of all the mountain peaks within a 125-mile radius from where the hiker is standing. The great part about Point de Vue is that it works great even in cloudy weather.

Reviewers of this app state that its $1.99 price is a real bargain for the amount of information it provides.

3. U.S. Army Survival Guide by Double Dog Studios

If you get caught in a bad storm during your hike, do you know how to make an emergency shelter? Do you know how to find water? Can you tell the difference between a poisonous wild berry and a friendly one? With this app, you’ll have access to all of that information and much more. This app contains more than 1,400 pages from an actual military survival guide. App Store reviews give this $1.99 app almost universally high ratings.

4. GotoAID First Aid by Jargon Ltd.

The U.S. Army Survival Guide is a well-rounded guide with information to cover almost every situation. GotoAID is more specific, focusing just on first-aid for pets and humans, but it contains detailed, step-by-step instructions for nearly every emergency, complete with illustrations. GotoAID is especially useful for hikers who travel with their dogs as a large section of this first aid guide is devoted to animals. Furthermore, this is an app that might come in handy during a hike, but it’s also just as much use at home. It’s an all-purpose first-aid guide for humans, dogs and cats.

Start with the free version of this app. If you like what you see, you can upgrade to the full, award-winning version for $4.99.

5. MyNature Animal Tracks by MyNature Inc.

Did you see that paw print in the mud? Was that a mountain lion or just somebody’s big dog? Keeping MyNature Animal Tracks on your phone will help you to identify the scat, prints, sounds and glimpses of the wildlife around you on your hike. Billed as a nature guide that fits in the palm of your hand, the Animal Tracks is the latest of several great apps for outdoors-types by MyNature. Once you’ve identified the animal that you’ve seen evidence of, Animal Tracks will give you range maps, lifecycle information and other interesting tidbits about the animal you see.

A lot of reviewers object to this app’s $6.99 price. However, hikers and nature lovers will be more than happy to pay the price for this thorough app that’s perfect for wildlife watchers.

These five apps are some of the very best on the market for hikers. However, there are many other great apps for hikers out there. Do you know of some? Share your favorites in the comments section below.

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Wild Hogs

September 12, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Many animals have similar tracks,  Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Elk, Moose, Antelope to name a few.  Distinguishing between them can be difficult if your not aware of the size difference in their tracks or other minor differences. One track that greatly resembles those of the deer family is that of the Wild Hog. Wild Hogs are known by many names including, Feral Pig, Feral Swine, Wild Boars, Wild Pigs, Razorbacks and Javelina.   Javelina and Wild Pigs although similar are of  two separate families.

This track on the left is from a Wild Hog. Wild Hog tracks tracks measure approximately 2 to 2 1/2 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. They have a broad track and much more rounded than a typical deer track you would find.  Many times you may find the tracks with the dewclaws showing. The dewclaws are set back and further out to the side than those of deer.

This image below shows a good example of the position dewclaws  on a Wild Hog.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

It’s always a good idea to find what  animals are in the area you’ll be spending time  in.  If your interested in identifying their tracks once you know this information you can greatly narrow down which animals tracks you may have found.

Happy Tracking!

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This May Be the One!

August 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Received a new Binary on the Tree Guide this morning, so far so good.  I need to check one more thing on Thursday morning with the programmer and if all is well on that end we should be all set to resubmit to Apple.  I feel pretty good about this one but still keeping my fingers crossed.  I also heard that the Animal Track update is just about ready also. That’s going to be a great update and I’m sure you’ll love it.

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Tracking Tips

April 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

 One of the best places to spend some time outdoors looking for tracks is a Beaver pond. Actually an old beaver pond which the dam has broke and left a flow is even better. Dams represent the edge in the forest, an edge is where two different ecosystems meet.  Wildlife are naturally drawn to the edge of an ecosystem and spend time feeding, bedding and hunting these areas. These edges are where the majority of animal sign can be found if you take the time to look. Elevated areas like rocks and logs  in or near the waters edge are great places to find scat left by Mink, Muskrat and Otters.

This scat left by a Muskrat is a territorial marker. You can see that there is both new and old scat where he constanly freshens this scent post. You might also find a latrine area where there are piles of different aged scat, these are usually found near their core area where they spend the majority of their time.

Sign left on the trails leading to an Edge area like a Beaver Pond are also good indicators of what animals are using the area.

     This Bobcat scat on the left was found just a few feet away from the dam itself. 

This scat on the right was left on one of the trails leading to the pond by a Black Bear.

One of the best spots to look for tracks on a active beaver pond is right on the dam itself. Dams serve as a kind of natural bridge for animals to cross on. Many times the top of the dam  consists of mud placed there by beavers to reinforce the structure.  Bears, Deer, Coyotes, Fox will all utilize the top of the dam to get from one side of the pond to the other and leave their tracks there for your identification. 

Next time your on an outing try to  find the Edge whether a beaver pond, mountain meadow, stream or agricultural field and you should have no problem finding animal sign.

                                                          Happy Tracking !!

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What’s A Good Track App?

April 17, 2010 by 1 Comment

As the app market expands more and more Animal Track apps are coming out. The real question is are they any good and what should they contain for content that is useful. If you were to purchase one, what would you expect to get in return for your hard earned dollar. Lets start with the number of mammals to feature. The average person roaming the woods today is more interested in larger mammals, after all those are the tracks that are most noticeable when your hiking. A rough calculation of the larger mammals of North America bigger than a Weasel would be around 45 to 50 different species and family members.  These would be the most common animals to be seen or leave sign for which anyone would be interested in identifying.  Your outdoors for a reason, your either hiking, camping, hunting or fishing, heck you may even be on a golf coarse.  The point is when you finally find a track you are curious about identifying do you want to identify it and get on with your activity or do you want to spend extra time on your smart phone wading through numerous animals that the average person will rarely find a track of.  It’s sad that everyone is on the go and it’s a hurry up let’s get where were going society but that’s the reality of it and that’s one thing a track app should do, quickly identify what you found.  Apps loaded with Polar Bears are nice but how many of you will be looking for Muskox tracks in the arctic region? Would you really take the time to differentiate between a Meadow Mouse and a Deer Mouse or would you just be content to know it’s a mouse track.  An app that contains around 50 to 60 animals for all of North America is more than sufficient.

A good app should have a search feature broken into categories and then search again by track size leaving you with 2 or 3 results to further pick from rather than 7 or more.   The main thing especially for kids is for the app to hold your attention long enough to identify an animal. If there is to much time involved in searching then it becomes a job and we want this to be quick, fun and educational after all were outdoors for a reason and it’s not to spend additional time on our phone.

The bulk of any track app should also contain digital images of tracks and the animal itself and lets not forget sound files of the vocalization of each animal.  All these features should be self contained in the app, relying on a wireless connection to access these features leaves the app useless when the majority of outdoor adventures take place where there is a lack of wireless service. If you are thinking of getting a Animal Track app then make sure that it does not rely on cell service to use.  If it doesn’t have built in digital images of what a track looks like in the wild then what good is it?

Once your app ID’s an animal it should give you some basic information on habitat and life cycle, two paragraphs maximum. Remember were outdoors having fun, you can save all the heavy reading on the animal for later when your home if you want to learn more.

Throw in a ruler feature and you have a pretty concise app, one that is accurate, searches quickly and has the right amount of content all contained in one nice neat self stored package. Keep all these in mind when you decide to take the plunge into an Animal Track app and you’ll have a more rewarding and I hope educational experience on your next outing.

So all that said what’s new from us here at MyNature. Well, we have been working on an update for the past three months to our own track app. Once the new version is released (which will still be a while) we’ll have a searchable database for the addition of scat to the app. We’ll also have additional digital images of tracks, animal gaits and sign left by each animal. We redesigned the journal page to make it more functional and are also adding some social networking features for Twitter and Facebook.  There will also be the addition of the all to popular life list to keep track of your discoveries.  Were also going to have a web based site to post your identifications to as well as  images.  With your participation we should have a very complete database to refer to for animal sign, scat and tracks of North America. Some of the new features will need a wireless service to utilize but the app and all images will still be self contained as they are now.   Don’t worry you’ll hear when the update is done we won’t forget to tell you!!

Happy Tracking!

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Mink Tracks

March 27, 2010 by Leave a Comment

One of the best ways to narrow down what animal tracks you found is to study the gait pattern the animal used. Animals are categorized by Family and each family has it’s own preferred method of transportation.  Animals in the Weasel family use a bounding gait. A bound is a when the animal pushes off his hind feet and does a short leap landing on his front feet with the rear tracks registering just behind the front. All four feet are in a tight group resembling  a small rectangle.  The image of the  Mink’s gait at right shows just how this looks. 

 The members of the Weasel family that most commonly utilize this type of gait pattern are the Mink, Short-tailed Weasel, Long tailed Weasel,  Least Weasel, Otter, Fisher, Pine Marten and Badger.  Once you have identified the gait pattern you can measure the individual tracks to narrow down what animal tracks you found.  Paying attention to the habitat you found the tracks in is just as important as the tracks themselves. If you observed this type of gait pattern in the middle of a coniferous forest with no water nearby this would point more toward a Marten or a Fishers track.  Close to a stream bank or body of water would tend to be an Otter or Mink. The tracks above were following a stream bank and the individual size of the tracks gave this animal away as a Mink.

Of coarse it’s not always that easy is it?  As I mentioned members of the Weasel family prefer a bounding gait and use that most times to travel but they don’t always bound.  You may find tracks that resemble the gait of the Bear family as in the Otter image below. This Otter was utilizing the pacing gait where all four feet register separately not grouped as in a bound. Rest assured he eventually broke back into his bounding pattern a short distance away.

 If you follow a set of tracks far enough you may get a chance to see the various gait patterns used by each animal. Just remember that the most predominantly used gait will point you toward which Family the animal you found belongs to.

       Happy Tracking!!

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Animal Track App

March 7, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Were getting ready to update the MyNature Animal Track app in the next several weeks and we would like your input on what you would like to see this app do in the future. A few of the additions we’ll be making are;

  • More gait pattern images for each animal.
  • Additional individual track images
  • Images for sign made by animals.
  • A searchable database for animal scat.
  • Digital images of scat.
  • Social Network features so you can post directly to Face Book, Twitter or Flickr.
  • A life list of animal tracks.
  • An interactive web page for posting your track or scat finds to a database.
  • A new layout to the Mynature Journal page which includes a basic information layout form for time, temperature, location and weather conditions. A feature to save your entries individually and the ability to go back and edit your entries.
  • The ability to upload your own track or scat images directly into the app.

We invite you to leave your comments or suggestions on how to improve the the app and make your outdoor experience more rewarding. What would you like to see in future upgrades? Please let us know and we will take them into consideration. Together we can make this the best app on Animal Tracks out there.         Happy tracking!!

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The Elusive Moose Scat

March 1, 2010 by 2 Comments

Who would have thought it could be so hard to find Moose Scat. Of course you have to have Moose around and Moose tracks to follow in order to ever find any of those nice big piles of pellets. I haven’t given up my search quite yet and it may be possible for a short 3 day trip to Northern Maine to a place appropriately called Moosehead Lake. Ahhh, a fairy tale of a place where the Moose are as numerous as flies on a fresh scat pile, I remember it well. Moose around nearly every corner, tracks every which way, trails as wide as a country road and scat piles you dream about. Why didn’t I ever take pictures back then !!.

Moose scat in the winter resemble other deer scat but are much larger being up to 3/4 of an inch in diameter and 1 1/2 inches long. Their winter diet of Balsam and twigs leave there scat in the all to familar pellet form, much like the Whitetail scat in the picture below.  

Like Whitetail Deer Moose scat will often be dimpled at one end with a small tip at the other end or simply just in an oval shape. In the spring and summer months Moose scat as well as deer scat take on a whole different appearance when they browse on more succulent plants.   In the warmer months Moose scat may have a mushroom shape or resemble a set of dumbbells. Their scat may also just appear as a clumped mass of moist pellets compressed together.

There should never be any confusion as to whether you found the scat of a Moose as it is two to three times the size of a Whitetailed Deer. If you happen to live in an area where Elk are also roaming the woods you might get alittle confused but Elk scat are still smaller than Moose being  around 1/2 inch in diameter. If you can locate a track near the scat then identification between a Moose and an Elk will be that much easier.

Don’t forget! next time your in the woods, one mans scat is another mans treasure.  Happy Tracking !

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