Tracks in the Snow

It was winter vacation and the Coleman family was taking a trip to visit Grandpa and Grandma Wilke and the cousins. “A whole week on the farm!” Daniel exclaimed, as he packed his bag. “Will there be snow? I can hardly remember the last time we went.”

“You were only four years old,” Chad said with a laugh. “I think they usually have snow about now. Perhaps we’ll go sledding on the hill.”

“Or tracking in the woods,” said Daniel. “I’m bringing my track guide. I’ve been studying about tracking because I want to be a forest ranger.”

“Well, you can practice,” Chad said, putting on his shoes. “Steve says there are lots of trails in the woods behind Grandpa’s place.”

It was snowing hard when the Coleman family drove up to the Wilke farm late that night. Daniel was glad to tumble out into the cold outdoors after being in the stuffy van so long. The air was filled with swirling snowflakes and happy shouts as everyone gathered around.

“I’m glad you came,” a voice said. Daniel looked up to see a tall boy smiling at him. “You must be Chad’s brother? I’m Stephen.”

Chad and the other boys joined them and soon they were all tramping into Grandma’s warm kitchen for hot cocoa.

“How much snow do you get out here?” said freckle-faced Jeremy, who was eleven.

“Bet it’ll snow three feet tonight!” Stephen’s younger brother, Alex, said. “We can make the biggest snow fort ever and have a grand battle tomorrow.”

“I want to go tracking,” put in Daniel. “Do you have wild animals in the woods?”

“Oh, sure,” Alex said. “Hundreds of deer, and Steve tracks wolves and cougar all the time.”

“Wow-wee! Don’t they kill people?” exclaimed Jeremy.

“Oh, no,” said Daniel, glad of a chance to say something. “Wolves go in packs and cougar hunt alone, but they don’t bother people. I’ve been studying about them.”

“Good for you,” said Stephen. “It should be clear tomorrow, and we’ll have lots of fun.”

Early the next morning, as soon as the wood box was filled, the boys began planning their day. Daniel puffed a cloud in the cold air and looked at the sparkling snow-covered forest. “Let’s make a scout team. I want to go tracking,” he suggested. But Jeremy only picked bark off his jacket and Billy was pulling out his sled.

“Oh, let’s make a fort!” Alex shouted, as he spun a cartwheel on the fresh snow.

“The snow is really too cold to stick,” Chad said, trying to pack a snowball. “How about sledding?”

Stephen had taken out the shovel and was clearing the walk. “That sounds like fun,” he agreed. “Where are the sledding tubes, Alex?”

The younger boy grinned. “They were full of holes so I used them for my go-cart.”

“That’s too bad,” Stephen said. “If you want, Billy, I can make a sledding track for you.”

“It won’t be any fun,” Billy said with a frown.

“Let’s go up to the old trapper’s cabin!” Alex cried, jumping up.

“Let’s!” said Daniel, slapping his pocket where the tracking guide was stored. “Is it far?”

“There are several trails, but the best one is about three miles and goes up the ridge,” said Stephen.

“Will there be cougars?”

Jeremy asks the most stupid questions, Daniel thought. He doesn’t know anything about the woods!

“We might see a few prints,” Stephen said. “I’ll go see if we can be gone this morning.”

Alex began talking about a 12-foot panther and Chad went inside with Stephen to see about a sack lunch. At last they were off, tramping over the snow drifts. Under the trees the snow was thin and it was easier going. Daniel soon noticed a deer path and veered off to follow it.

“Look here!” Jeremy suddenly yelled from the top of a fallen log. “Look at these cool tracks!”

“Deer,” laughed Alex. “None of the big guys come this far down.”

Stephen was starting up a trail between some young trees, and the others fell into line behind. Daniel tried to watch for animal signs like his guide book talked about. Under trees, leading to water… he just had to find a cougar print.

“Watch your head!” Chad said, and Daniel looked up just in time to miss a tree branch.

They were up in a pine woods when Alex pointed out a bear tree and begin talking about the big black bear he had seen once. Daniel was tired of his talking, and disappointed that he had spotted the ripped bark first. “Just be quiet a bit,” he grumbled. “You’re scaring all the animals.” Just then he noticed a large, rounded shape in the snow and pulled out his track guide. Could it be…?

“Cougar,” Stephen said quietly, bending down to study a second print. “Fresh, too. I wouldn’t think….”

Daniel looked up to see concern on his cousin’s face. What did Steve know?

The others crowded around excitedly and Alex said it was a big one, maybe the biggest yet.

“I don’t care a bit about any old cougars,” Billy said, picking up a stick.

The others smiled, but Daniel felt impatient to get going. I’ll track it and show them…. He was starting up the trail when Stephen stepped forward.

“Wait. I think this print is only a few minutes old. Look over there!” Daniel looked up and stepped back in surprise. There, under a tall pine, lay a deer with long red slashes on its side.

“Is it dead?” asked Jeremy, wide-eyed.

“Looks like it,” Alex said, taking Billy’s stick and stepping closer.

“Isn’t bleeding much… and it’s warm. When do you think it happened, Steve?”

“About 10 minutes ago.”

Everyone looked at Stephen, and Daniel felt a little shiver creep up his back. Maybe I don’t know so much after all, he thought.

Stephen studied the snow and shook his head. “That cougar is awful hungry to be out at this time. We better be heading out of here.” He reached for Billy’s hand and started down the slope with long steps. The rest of the boys hurried to follow without a word. Daniel nearly screamed when a stick cracked right behind him. It was only Chad, but Daniel’s heart beat faster.

“Is he following us?” Jeremy gulped, as Stephen stopped at the bottom of the pine woods.

“No,” Steve said, and smiled down at Billy, who was trembling. “We’ll be fine, but wasn’t that something? I’ve never seen a cougar catch so fresh.”

Daniel let out his breath and dared to look around.

“Wow! Won’t that be a story to tell everyone?” Alex said, a smile returning to his round face.

And it was, though the mothers scolded when they found out.

“But Mama,” Daniel said, “Steve was really careful and he was watching out for us. He knows lots about the woods and the wild animals. Alex says he tracks them all the time. Maybe he’ll teach me a little bit.”

“I’m glad,” Mother said. “Stephen is a good example to learn from.”

And Daniel agreed.