Pocket Flora/Fauna Field ID Cards & Sighting Log

Know what you are looking at, and keep a record you will want to keep.

Beginner

4 min

POCKET FLORA/FAUNA FIELD ID CARDS & SIGHTING LOG
[ ] Regional Mammal Cards
[ ] Rite-in-Rain Pencil
[ ] Animal Track Rulers

Regional Mammal Cards: the owner's spec. Pick cards for the region, since animals differ by place.
Rite-in-Rain Pencil: the owner's term for a pencil that works in wet weather. Any weatherproof pencil will do.
Animal Track Rulers: a small ruler with scale marks. Use it for size only, since ID needs more than size.

Identify from a distance. Use binoculars, a zoom or the cards, not your hands. Why it matters: some animals, plants and scat can carry risk, and touching them can harm both you and the wildlife.
Check your guess. If the card and the animal do not match, do not act on a guess. Use the park website or a ranger.
Report responsibly. Follow park guidance on sharing sightings of protected species. Check nps.gov, fs.usda.gov or your state wildlife agency.

Gear types only.

Regional field ID cards, waterproof
Weatherproof pencil and notebook
Animal track ruler or card
Small pouch or lanyard for cards
Wild Dirt stickers for your notebook cover (sticker category)

Rules about collecting, touching or photographing wildlife, and about off-trail travel, differ by park, agency and species. Check current local rules before you go. Start with nps.gov, fs.usda.gov, blm.gov, your state wildlife agency or your state park website.

Name what you see, log it and leave it as you found it. Built by explorers, for the trail.

ID tools

Regional Mammal Cards for the area you are visiting
Cards for birds, plants or tracks, if you want them
Animal Track Rulers for measuring prints
Cards in a waterproof sleeve or ring

Log

Rite-in-Rain Pencil or a pencil that writes on wet paper
A small notebook or log sheet, kept dry
Write the date, time, place, weather and habitat
Note the number of animals and what they are doing
Add a sketch, a track measurement or a photo number

Tracks and sign

Measure a track from a safe distance, with a ruler placed beside it
Note the ground type, such as mud, sand or snow
Look for scat, fur, feathers, nests and chewed plants, from a distance
Do not touch or collect them unless the rules say you can

Keep it responsible

Do not pick plants or move rocks and logs
Do not touch or handle wildlife
Stay on the trail where the rules say so
Share sightings with a local program, such as a park or club

After the trip

Copy your notes into a log you will keep
Mark anything you were unsure about, so you can look it up later
Check an expert source for confirmation before you share a rare sighting

ID tools

Regional Mammal Cards for the area you are visiting
Cards for birds, plants or tracks, if you want them
Animal Track Rulers for measuring prints
Cards in a waterproof sleeve or ring

Log

Rite-in-Rain Pencil or a pencil that writes on wet paper
A small notebook or log sheet, kept dry
Write the date, time, place, weather and habitat
Note the number of animals and what they are doing
Add a sketch, a track measurement or a photo number

Tracks and sign

Measure a track from a safe distance, with a ruler placed beside it
Note the ground type, such as mud, sand or snow
Look for scat, fur, feathers, nests and chewed plants, from a distance
Do not touch or collect them unless the rules say you can

Keep it responsible

Do not pick plants or move rocks and logs
Do not touch or handle wildlife
Stay on the trail where the rules say so
Share sightings with a local program, such as a park or club

After the trip

Copy your notes into a log you will keep
Mark anything you were unsure about, so you can look it up later
Check an expert source for confirmation before you share a rare sighting