Grey Fox Kits Track the Nooksack

Our outing started on a grey and dreary Saturday morning. This was only to be expected as the onset of the Fall season is upon is, plus this was a Grey Fox Kits outing right? Despite the light drizzle, we loaded up Stubbs and drove out Mt. Baker Highway to the Nooksack-Deming Eagle Park. With its sandy gravel bars and silty shores, this section of the Nooksack is easily one of the best locations in our county for tracking; we were in for a treat.

Upon unloading the bus we circled up under some trees to get a quick briefing on our skills focus of Tracking and Bird Language. Of course this outing was a bit early in the season for the Bald Eagles who congregate here in the later months to feast on the copious salmon carcasses that flood our river systems with nutrients, fertilizing our vast forests. Today we were going to focus on some of the more consistent residents to the area by analyzing the intricate evidence left behind from their day to day behaviors. First and foremost we would be looking at tracks; counting toes, looking for claw marks, determining direction, size, weight, gait, speed, and even possible intention behind where each creature is going and why. More evidence can be unearthed from the scat that all metabolic creatures produce, giving insight into diet, species type, and even territorial boundaries. With the basics of tracking freshly imprinted in our minds we made a bee line for the woods, flood plains, gravel bars, and eventually bank of the Nooksack.

Immediately we found canine tracks in the mud, some small, some large, some accompanies by Homo sapiens tracks, others not. To further our quandaries we find a few samples of scat. About the thickness of a large cigar, tubular, tapering at the ends, full of hair, seeds, bones, and fruit pits. Sounds like an omnivore to me. Large canid tracks accompanied the scat and knowing what the average domestic dog scat looks like from our adventures closer to town, we quickly determined that this was evidence of something wilder that relies more on hunting and gathering than a regular bowl full of kibbles. The tracks were however larger than the typical coyote found around town, painting a picture of a large male coyote, patrolling his territory, leaving scat and other scent markings near intersections along trails to signify this is his home. Or perhaps a large domestic dog that strayed too far from home one day and now is reverting to the lingering wild of its inner wolf, surviving off the land, roaming free. The mystery may never be solved, but it’s easy to see how a simple set of tracks and a large pile of scat, an inquisitive and powerful imagination, can soon paint an almost storybook quality narrative all unfolding upon the very ground we were standing upon at that very moment.

Following the path further, we broke through the trees and out into the flood plains and gravel bars. Upon startling a couple browsing Black-Tailed Deer, we had a wonderful time following as fresh a set of tracks as you can get. Leaving the deer alone to continue with their brunch, we settled in on a beautiful bank of the Nooksack. Silty, clay like, sediment preserved countless numbers of tracks in this hotspot of animal activity. Perfect for plaster casting! Spreading out, tracking set after set, determining possible species present, and making sure not to disturb the tracks with tracks of our own, each Explorer picked out a track that called to them. Building a small circular wall of dirt around the track provided a frame for our casts. Mentors mixed Plaster of Paris ($3-4 per carton at the store!) in a cup with water until it came to a pancake batter consistency, gently poured the plaster into the track, gave it a good jiggle with a stick to help the plaster settle into the finer details of the track, and sat back and waited half an hour for the plaster to set. (This is a great, and dirt cheap, activity to do with your Explorers! Each carton can produce 10-15 tracks depending on size of track, and you’re rewarded with a track eternalized in plaster that can be kept for memories, added to a collection, or given to friends and family as a gifts.)

Waiting for the casts to set, the Grey Fox Kits reverted to their favorite game: “Where’s My Egg?!?” This game has become a necessity on our outings and is a great way for the gang to get their wiggles out while working together to continually adapt new strategies, yet the results are always the same. A big pile of Explorers laughing and giggling with one another, ever more intent and comradery and friendship than winning.

Unearthing our plaster casts we took inventory of our bounty: coyote, domestic dog, and a couple beautiful casts of the elusive Puma concolor. Thoroughly enjoying ourselves we took the last bit of our outing to revert back to the basics; Exploring! We trekked around, found a bunch of pools, a toad, a spider that could walk on water, and culminated with everyone throwing the biggest rocks they could into a large pool of water in the most simplistic, yet satisfying form of entertainment for any boy, young or old. Finally it was time to hit the road. Loading up into Stubbs we returned to town full of memories, a greater knowledge of tracking, and a handful of plaster casts to share with parents. The mentors were especially impressed with the Grey Fox Kits on this outing. Everyone was engaged in tracking throughout the whole outing, there is an obvious comradery bubbling out of these boys, and they are truly coming together to prove a group can be greater than the sum of its individuals. The mentors had such a blast on this outing and are enthused with the growth of the Grey Fox Kits. We can’t wait for what adventures await us during the rest of our Fall season and beyond into the future.

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from this outing at the Grey Fox Kits Photo Gallery!

Grey Fox Kits Play in the Wind at Fairhaven Park

On a blustery Saturday afternoon, the Grey Fox Kits were reunited after a warm winter to kick off the 2015 Spring Season of Boys Explorers Club. We had originally planned on having a day of exploration and carving in the Sehome Arboretum, however, given the windy weather and the eventful history of the Grey Fox Kits, the mentors decided to relocate to Fairhaven Park. Thanks to the flexibility and efficient communication of seasoned BEC Parents we pulled off this last minute switch without a hitch. Both Explorers and Parents were appreciative of Fairhaven Park’s versatility offering grassy fields and open areas under trees to play and carve the day away with peace of mind.

As the Explorers gathered for our opening circle we briefly inspected a dead beetle then caught up with one another about our winter adventures. We took some time to reflect on why we had switched locations, how we felt about wind and where our edges were in regards to plans for what we wanted to do during the outing. Truths were spoken and we decided what better way to kick off our Spring season than to have a game day with some more sedentary activities sprinkled in to change things up from time to time.

We first began with many heated rounds of “Where’s My Egg?!” where the boys honed their sneaking skills and tapped in to Coyote’s trickster ways as they tried to deceive the mother bird of where her egg had gotten off to. Much attention to rules and fairness was another theme of this game. Boys were challenged to discuss rules as they came up and decide upon fair and equal solutions that would allow us to play with honor and respect for ourselves and one another.

After many a round played, the Explorers lost some of their interest and naturally gathered around the packs rehydrating and munching away at their lunches. Boys chatted amongst one another until someone had a joke to tell. One after the other, jokes were told amongst the group. Good laughs shared with good company. It was nice to be back amongst fellow Grey Fox Kits.

To switch things up, the mentors brought out a variety of supplies for activities: plaster casts and a coyote skull, paper and pencil, homemade pickle jar terrarium with spiders included, animal track flash cards, and a handful of natural history books. Some boys were immediately captivated with drawing, while others just wanted to sit and carve. A few Explorers gained insight into more advanced carving techniques, while others honed tracking instincts by inspecting and identifying plaster casts of coyote, bobcat, and deer. But ultimately most of the boys slowly gravitated towards free play with one another amongst the trees in a heated match of pinecone tag.

With a good chunk of our outing behind us, we wanted to get in some more games before it was time to go. As we transitioned to a new area to play we were joined by Emily Highleyman, the executive director of Wild Whatcom. Without skipping beat she was nearly as eager to play games as the boys. Many of the Explorers had games in mind that they were excited to play, but with only enough time for two or three games, it was clear some boys were going to have to realize their game wasn’t going to be played, at least for today. But coming to compromise and finding consensus is common place for a veteran group of Explorers like the Grey Fox Kits. In a matter of minutes the games to be played were decided, rule intricacies were hashed out, and we were transformed into rabbits and coyotes locked in a heated game of “Run Rabbit, RUN!” huffing and puffing from one rabbit hole to another hoping not to become coyote kibble.

Worn out from all the games our outing was nearing its end. We gathered in a circle where our outing had begun and reflected on what a fun outing we all had. Some boys were grateful for fun games, others were grateful for simple things like trees and sky. But overwhelmingly, Explorers were grateful for their thrilling encounter with a falling branch last fall. Though it was a trying experience, and rather scary for most, the boys all said they have learned a lot from the experience, become more aware and in tune with not only their environment but also themselves, and most importantly for any boy their age they now have a thrilling story to share with their friends. All in all we had a complete outing; free play, carving, natural history, games, group decision making, sharing jokes, getting lost in the moment, reflecting on the past, and growing for the future. Who could ask for anything more?

Make sure to check out all the photos from this outing in the Grey Fox Kits Photo Gallery!