How to Track Down a Human: Sign Cutting and Tracking Sign

How to Track Down a Human: A Guide to Sign Cutting and Tracking Sign

WHAT IS SIGN CUTTING

Sign cutting is a valuable and practical skill in survival situations.  In many areas, the only way to find someone is by tracking their sign.

The process of detecting sign is known as “sign cutting.”

Sign cutting and tracking are two distinct and separate functions. Understanding the difference between them is critical.

• Sign cutting is the act of detecting tracks or evidence of passage.
• Tracking is the act of following sign.

You may find sign at ground level (low sign) or above ground level (high sign). The table below lists some examples of low sign and high sign.

Low Sign	High Sign
Tracks or partial tracks of humans, animals, or vehicles.	Broken or bent branches.
Campfire ashes, food residue, and cigarette butts.	Leaves (still on the tree) that have been turned.
Broken twigs, bent grass, and overturned rocks.	Scuff marks on tree trunks and branches; and peeled bark.

You should record all sign cutting activities in a sign cut log book. The log book makes it easier to:

• Identify sign patterns (types of sign are boot, dress shoe, cross trainer, etc.).
• Determine approximate age of sign.
• Communicate sign cutting activities to other individuals.
• Identify routes of travel

HOW TO CUT SIGN

Everyone has the potential ability to detect and follow sign; but, as with any other skill, you must practice and gain experience to become proficient. Successful signcutting depends on:

• Awareness (seeing, hearing, and sensing).
• Attention to detail.
• Self-developed knowledge.
• Persistence.
• Knowledge of human capabilities.

You should use natural boundaries, terrain, and general knowledge of the area to their advantage.

• Begin in areas that show sign the best (soft dirt, fences, arroyos, sand, mud, snow, etc.).
• Be familiar with potential routes in your area. Individuals generally walk along railroads, power lines, roadways, gas lines, natural trails, fence lines, or towards prominent distant landmarks.
• Be aware that while traveling at night, individuals use beacons, lighted transmitter towers, and highway noise as guides.
• Being able to establish a route of travel will enable your partners to check lay-ups further up ahead.

During daylight hours, sign can best be seen while cutting into the sun.

• Signcut with shadows behind you.
• Change positions from side to side as the sun changes.
• Detect sign by looking ahead 20 to 30 feet for different colors or shades within the dirt.

During night hours, you will need additional light for signcutting. Depending on the terrain, you may be able to:

• Hold a flashlight beam low and shine it 10 to 15 feet ahead.
• Use the low beams of a vehicle’s headlights. (Too much light floods the sign and makes it much more difficult to follow.)
• Look for certain patterns of shadows

Being able to interpret (i.e. understand and assign value to) sign is the most critical element of signcutting. Experienced signcutters can determine several factors, including the:

• Time of Travel (Day/Night) 
• Characteristics of individuals in the group (For example, children within the groups)
• Age of the sign
• Approximate number of individuals
• Direction of travel

Experienced signcutters can also determine the characteristics of the people who left the tracks, including:

Speed of Travel

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People who are running:

• Drop their heels hard, leaving deeper indentations in the ground than those left when walking.
• Push the toes of their shoes more deeply into the ground when they lift their feet. This also pushes dirt backwards into the track.
• Have a much longer stride.

Physical Condition

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You can determine the physical condition of a person by checking tracks for evidence of fatigue.

• A fresh walker makes a steady stride mark. The heels are set down solidly, leaving a clean track. The dirt from the toe is pushed lightly to the rear.
• A fatigued walker slides the heel, leaving a “scuff” before the heel is set down. Dirt is pulled forward out of the track, and the length of the stride is considerably shortened.

Mental Condition

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Mental condition is indicated by erratic or irregular patterns of travel. Sign showing that a person is changing from a walk to a run, or is varying the direction of travel, can indicate fright or confusion. Although mental condition is an important factor to be noted, you should not overlook the fact that the person they are tracking may be attempting to evade apprehension or may be lost

Physique

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You can compare the details of their own tracks with the details of the tracks they are following. If you know your own weight and the length and width of your footwear, your can estimate the size and weight of the person you are pursuing. Keep in mind that signcutters can sometimes be fooled if an illegal alien is carrying a load or a heavy object

Gender

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The size and position of tracks can indicate gender.

1. Tracks left by a woman have a smaller width-to-length ratio than tracks left by a man.
2. Shoes worn by women have much smaller designs in the soles.
3. Women tend to walk straight footed or pigeon toed, while men tend to leave tracks that are turned out and splay footed

Size of the Groups

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You can determine approximate group size by identifying the different types of sign within the tracks.

Here is a method to help you determine the size of the group you are following:

1. Try to determine the average stride of the group, based on the footprints that you see. Most people in the group will walk with approximately the same stride so that they stay together.
2. Mark that distance off (starting and ending mark).
3. Count the number of identifiable prints within that distance. Divide by two. This is the approximate number of individuals in the group.
4. If desired, repeat this process a second or third time, and then take the average. This will provide you with a more accurate estimate

Group Awareness if Being Followed

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If a group suspects they are being followed, you will notice their sign/tracks stop. The group may split up or backtrack

Tracks age differently depending on the climate and geographic area. It is easier to determine the age of tracks if you are aware of the weather conditions over the last few days, hours, and minutes:

Dew, Frost, and Fog make Signcutting Easier

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As the temperature reaches the dew point (the temperature at which the air will no longer carry the humidity level), water beads up on top of thick vegetation or grass, making tracking significantly easier. As dew dries, it leaves ground slightly “fluffed up,” taking the shine away from a track in varying degrees. Frost also makes tracking easier. Fog has essentially the same effect on sign as dew, with heavier concentrations of moisture on the top layer

Rain and Snow can Either Create a Distinct Track or Destroy it Completely

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Signcutting after rain can make it easier to age tracks and accurately estimate time elements. However, in areas of clay concentrations, the clay builds up on the bottom of the foot, which makes sign very difficult to see. Heavy rain obliterates tracks. This forces You to make educated guesses as to where to look for sign that is likely to be “on top” of the rain

Temperature Affects the Appearance of Sign

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Heat dries out moisture (discoloration) in the track, accelerating the aging process. Cold slows down the aging process by retaining the moisture. When signcutting on frozen ground, You should look for small pebble displacement, scuff marks, and broken twigs and branches

Wind Makes Signcutting Difficult

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Strong, persistent wind makes signcutting very difficult. Edges of the sign are the first to go, leaving the center and a diminishing trail. The effects on the aging process differ based on the speed and strength of the wind

Determining Age of Sign

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Determining the age of sign is a skill learned through practice.  You should also consider the abundance of animal life in the area when determining the age of sign.

• Tiny insects are constantly moving and are likely to cross sign in most environments. This is called "bug sign."
• Certain types of animals are more likely to cross sign depending on the time of day and their population in that area.
• The lack of animal tracks in a certain area may also be a factor to be considered.

DISGUISING YOUR SIGN

Walking Backwards

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Walking backwards can confuse the tracker for a short time; however, it should alert You that the suspects are near and, most of all, know that they are being tracked. You should keep the following points in mind:

• Persons walking backwards have a smaller stride.
• The toe imprint is deeper than the heel imprint.
• It is impossible to walk backwards accurately in one’s own tracks.
• A person walking backwards is moving closer to the tracker.
• The person walking backwards damages more vegetation and creates more sign than when walking forwards.

Crossing and Traveling on Roads

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Crossing and traveling on hard packed roads slows the tracker down because various routes of travel are possible. You should keep the following points in mind:

• Soft shoulders on either side of the road facilitate signcutting.
• The person being tracked will not stay on the road for long for fear of detection.
• The Agent and the person being tracked can see for a long distance in either direction.
• It is easier to pick up a reference sign from mud or soil transferred from boots or shoes to the road surface.
• On a dirt road, track aging can be performed if the tracker is aware of traffic flow in the area

Crawling

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Crawling is usually done to avoid visual detection. You should look for:

• Toes scuffing the ground.
• Vegetation that has been dragged along, not just kicked or stepped on.
• Hand imprints on the ground.
• Excessive noise produced by the person being tracked

Brush Hopping and Walking

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Suspects may try to conceal sign by walking with their feet as close as possible to the base of the brushes; or, if possible, in the base of the brushes. Brush hopping and walking cause excessive flattening or deformation of the brushes, especially if dry and brittle

Rock Walking

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 Rock walking is very effective if enough large rocks are available. You should look for:

• Scuffmarks and scrapes on rocks.
• Displaced, compressed rocks.
• Limited direction of travel.
• Leapfrogging by the individuals in the group by jumping ahead to the next wash, road, or soft area

Fanning Out

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Suspects who are fanning out will begin to split away from the main group, one at a time, to avoid apprehension of the entire group and to spread the manpower of the tracking team. This is a sign that You are getting close to the group. You should look for:

• Decreasing amount of sign or number of tracks.
• Sign leading away from the main group.

The tracking team should separate and track each set of sign that leads away from the main group. If the tracking team is too small, you should continue tracking the largest part of the group

Brushing Out or Covering Tracks

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Sign may be brushed out with branches, clothing, or other material. Carpet may be used to cross a dirt road undetected. Animal hooves may be tied to soles of shoes. You should look for:

• An absence of animal signs in the area (because they were brushed out).
• Discolored terrain and leaves in the area.
• A different weathered look than the surrounding area. Sign made to conceal sign. Brushing out is sign in itself and recognition is easy if you know what you are looking for

Walking in Streams

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Suspects rapidly moving upstream or downstream in muddy waters are susceptible to apprehension because they are visible from both banks as well as from upstream and downstream. You should look for:

• Silt flowing downstream.
• Tracks leading into and out of the stream. (The suspect has to come out sometime.) The direction of travel can be determined from the moisture trail left upon the suspect’s departure.
• Algae removed from rocks in the streambed by boots or shoes

They will use anything in the local surroundings to avoid detection. You should remember that no matter what the guides or smugglers try, they cannot hide all of their sign from an experienced and determined tracker.

Organization of Sign cutting Teams

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Sign cutting operations are a team effort. Precise descriptions of the sign are invaluable to other team members. Terms used to identify individual types of sign are distinctive but may vary from station to station. You should familiarize themselves with locally accepted terminology and descriptions for types of footgear and their identifying patterns

To ensure that the oncoming shift will not follow the same sign:

• You should always mark the sign trail being followed by drawing an “X” or initialing the trail in the dirt.
• Sign cutting information should be recorded and passed on by outgoing shifts, unless the next shift has started before the information can be relayed.
• You may mark the soles of their own footgear by cutting a notch or identifiable marking in the heel; this helps identify previously worked sign.
• Recording GPS coordinates helps identify trails and routes of travel and provides valuable information to the oncoming shifts

As we mentioned earlier in this lesson, tracks and other sign can best be seen by looking in the direction of the sun at an angle.  The sign cutting route should be laid out so that you are working into the sun as much as possible.

Each Agent makes an initial “cut” (checks his or her assigned area for fresh sign). When sign is detected, a thorough, yet rapid, analysis of the sign is made. You should check the entire cut for sign. Larger or more important findings may be farther along in the cut, and will be missed if the Agent works only the first set of tracks discovered.

After making cuts, each Agent in the tracking team summarizes his or her findings (group's size, track descriptions, known time elements, etc.) and communicates them to the team.  The Team Leader then designates which set of tracks is to be worked first. Tracking is most productive and efficient when you work as a team.

If staffing permits, tracking in pairs increases officer safety. One Agent can track the group using sign while the other Agent keeps a lookout for potential hazards.

When working tracks:

• The Initiating Agent determines a line of travel.
• Team members cut for sign in the group's most likely direction of travel.
• Leapfrogging is used to make up time in order to catch up to the group.
• Forward you make shorter and shorter cuts as sign cutting continues.

If the sign turns or disperses, you should anticipate that the subjects being tracked are aware of you and are taking evasive measures to avoid detection.

• The Agent on the sign should begin to cut in expanding circles.
• Team members should close in and focus on cutting in diminishing circles until the sign or subjects are located, or a new line is established.
• Extra care and caution should be exercised

Tracking

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The practical application of sign cutting skills (i.e. following tracks to the source of the sign) is known as “tracking.” Although tracking strategy varies depending on the nature of the area, some factors should always be considered:

• Individuals who are walking typically have a destination in mind.
• Effective tracking requires teamwork. Performing this alone requires more effort and safety awareness.
• It is important to have a reasonable idea of how much “lead time” the subjects being tracked have. You can track all day, but if they cannot cut the sign faster than the people they are tracking are making it, they will never catch them

In this section, we will focus on basic tracking technique:

• Start early.
• Work into the sun.
• Check entire cut for sign.
• Communicate with other You.
• Work tracks.

Sign cutting shifts generally start early so that you can be in their area by the time the sun comes up. Sign cutting during dawn hours:

• Permits maximum visibility of sign.
• Gains valuable time on those aliens whose tracks are found.

How to Tell if Someone is Lying in a Survival Situation

HOW TO TELL IF SOMEONE IS LYING TO YOU

Knowing if someone is telling the truth is important, but it is essential in a survival situation. 

An untruthful subject refuses and is reluctant to provide information, or conceals information by telling lies.  Since a subject can be truthful and deceptive, it is important to ask one question at a time. Look at each response for clusters.  Your goal should be to conduct an interview that looks for the truth, not deception.  The truth can be imitated and replicated, and may cause you to miss deceptive behaviors. A subject may have learned to overcome deceptive behaviors.  In addition, the subject may not view their behavior as untruthful or deceptive. In their mind, they are taking care of their family and will do whatever they need to meet that goal.

• 38% of communication is verbal (voice, pitch, stress, tones, pauses).
• 55% of communication is non-verbal (expression/gestures).
• 7% of communication is content.
• Subsequent studies tend to support that 65-70% of the meaning is communicated non-verbally.

LYING INDICATORS: Verbal Cues

• Repeating the question
• Stalling because they need time to think of a lie

• Being overly specific
• Provides more information than is asked for

• Giving non-answers
• Give a answer to buy time to think

• That’s a good question
• Try to flatter you to get on your good side

• Who, me?
• Strong indicator that they are lying

• No, sir
• If the subject answer lots of questions but then for only one of them says “no sir”

• Tendency to qualify answers
• To be perfectly honest…
• Frankly…
• To the best of my knowledge…
• To the best of my recollection…

• Too happy, too friendly, overly polite
• Attitude contradicts with current situation

• Failure to understand a simple question

• Compliments
• When it is not appropriate
• Tries to get on you good side

• Invoke religion
• swear to deity
• I swear on a stack of bibles

• Selective memory
• Statements like, “Not that I can remember.”

• Complains:
• Subject complains about not feeling well
• They are too cold/hot
• Is redirecting your focus

• Protests
• Active attempt to fool the questioner
• Turn the weapon back on itself

 Non-verbal deceptive behavior 

• Behavioral pauses/delays
• Subject if buying time with pauses

• Gross shifts/body movements
• The subject moves one or more major anchor points (feet, arms, elbows, hands, seat) in response to a question or statement. The subject may begin to swivel in their chair, excessive shifting of their body, etc. It is important to consider timing here – remember the 3-5 second window.

• Backward movement:
• This is a fight or flight movement. If the question is threatening, the subject will move back, step back or roll back the chair. You need to be careful to remain in a neutral space.

• Inappropriate eye contact:
• What is the duration? 2 – 3 seconds is normal
• What is the percentage? Under 30% is normal
• Are there cultural differences? (You will need a baseline for different countries.)

• Inappropriate posture
• The subject uses what you view as inappropriate posture. Closed posture is not necessarily deceptive. It could indicate nervousness as well. In addition, if the subject has a defensive posture when answering questions, it could be a sign he/she is being deceptive

PHYSICAL BEHAVIOR:

• Adjusting clothing
• Winding watch or jewelry adjustment
• Inspecting nails
• Cleaning up surroundings
• Hiding mouth or eyes
• Bouncing and swinging legs
• Rubbing and wringing hands
• Scratching, stroking, picking, and pinching
• Clearing throat, coughing, and sniffing (after question but before they answer)
• Pulling lips and swallowing
• Biting nails, lip, pencil
• Wiping sweat
• Shuffling and tapping

NOTE: STEREOTYPING

When you stereotype, you lose sight of possible suspects or suspicious activities that could put you and others at risk. The use of stereotyping and prejudices are usually based on personal and professional experiences.

Great article by Micheal Snyder entitled Stone Cold Proof That Government Economic Numbers Are Being Highly Manipulated.  

Click the picture below to read.  

Designing a Walter Filtration Device

Designing a Walter Filtration Device

Of all the elements of survival, water is one of the most important things to consider.  Depending on your resources, there are several different ways to purify water.  One of the easiest ways to collect water from your surroundings is to place a discarded plastic bag around a branch of a plant.  This will not only able you to collect morning dew, it will also allow you to collect water throughout the day.  As the sun heats up the plant, it evaporates water.  The water is then trapped in the bag.  The benefits of this method is its ease in setting up and taking down.  The drawbacks are the quantity of water this allows you to collect.  This is a good idea for short term water use, but will not be sustainable over a long period of time.    

Another device that is relatively easy to set up is a natural filtration system.  As the picture below indicates, it consists of three layers of material.  It is best to repeat these layers multiple times.  If the charcoal that is being used is activated charcoal (see my article on activating charcoal), then it is much more effective.  This system will purify water as long as the water is not highly or very contaminated.  The benefits of this system is that it is easy to set up and use.  The drawbacks is that if your water is pretty dirty to begin with, it may not eliminate all of the contaminates.  

Creating a solar still is a good option for long term water purification.  There are many different designs out there, but they all consist of similar principles.  It essentially traps evaporated water and collects it.  This is similar to the first idea, but it involves a more permanent setup.  The solar still will eliminate almost all contaminates.  The drawbacks are in the time amount of time it takes to get a good quantity of water.  Another more simple method is to take a bottle of water and leave it in the sun.  There is no real science to this, but the sun will eventually kill all of the harmful bacteria inside.  Since this is not a exact method, it should be seen as a last resort.    

Another way to purify water is chemically.  Two chemicals that are readable accessible are bleach and iodine.  If your water is cloudy, funnel it through a cloth or filter.  If you do not have a filter, then wait until the water settles and then scrape the clean water off the top.  For iodine, place 5 to 10 drops per 32 fluid ounces or 1 liter (the amount of drops depends on how clear the water appears).  Be sure to use iodine that has a 2 percent tincture.  Let water stand for 30 minutes before drinking.

Chlorine is another great way to purify water chemically.  There are many different thoughts on how much chlorine is needed, but according to the EPA, 8 to 16 drops or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon, should do the trick.  Like iodine, let the water sit for 30 minutes before drinking.  The chlorine smell in the water should disappear after a few days, but it is harmless.  One great thing to keep on hand is pool shock.  This is sold at most stores as pool supplies.  It is essentially chlorine in concentrate.  With just a bucket of this, you can make hundreds of gallons of chlorine, and consequently, you can treat thousands of gallons of water.  

  

Boiling water is always a good way to purify. It is best to boil water for 1 minute at sea level, adding 1 minute for each additional 300 meters above sea level.  Or boil for 10 minutes no matter where you are.  Make sure the water is boiling before you start counting the time.  There are a lot of websites that insist that water should be boiled longer and, although it will not do any harm, it is not necessary.  This is the safest method but comes with its own drawbacks, such as needing a constant heat source.  

Survival Scenario: How to Survive if you are Trapped by a Power Line in a Car

Survival Scendario: How to Survive if you are Trapped by a Power Line in a Car 

• The first and most important thing is to turn off the car.  Having the car running can cause a host of other problems that could exacerbate the main issue.

• Do not try to try through the wire--this could create even more of a dynamic problem.  Tell people to stay away from the vehicle.  Even at a distance of twenty feet or more, a person is still endanger of being electrocuted.  

• The best thing you can do, try to stay still, and wait for help.  If waiting is not an option, for example, if there is a fire in the car that threatens your life, then proceed to follow the steps below.
• Move as far away from where the electrical wire touches the car.  Since the car is grounded and insulated by the tires, you will most likely will not be shocked as you move.  
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• The closer you are to where the electrical wire touches the car, the more danger you are in.  Just because you do not see the voltage whipping through the ground does not mean it is not there.
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• If there are sparks, use whatever is in the area to protect you from their heat and burn.

• If you need to jump from the vehicle, jump as far as you can, while keeping your feet together.  Keeping your feet together will prevent you from creating a large surface area.  Do not jump so far that you have to catch yourself with your hands.  You want the rubber in your shoes to help insulate you from the electricity.  

• Once you land, slowly, shuffle your feet in a direction away from the vehicle.  Do not jump or run, since you are already grounded and this could create an arc between you and the electricity.  

• Once you are clear from the area, make sure that the road is blocked off so others do not inadvertently put themselves in danger.  

Great Article About American Debt

Great article about the United States and it's debt.  Check it out by clicking the picture below:

This is a must read article about the Petrol Dollar.

This is a must read article.  The Russians make yet another startling move away from the Petro Dollar.  You've got to read this one entitled Russia is Doing It--Russia is Actually Abandoning The Dollar.  Click the picture below to go to the article.

Another great article by Michael Snyder entitled, Half The Country Makes Less than $27,250 A Year and 15 Other Signs the Middle Class is Dying.  Check it out by clicking the picture below.

Survival Scenario: What to do in a Devastating Earthquake

Are Earthquakes Increasing

There is some evidence to suggest that earthquakes are on the rise.

Earthquakes appear to be increasing in inensity as well.  

Dates	Period	No. of Quakes with > 6.99
1863-1900	38	12
1901-1938	38	53
1939-1976	38	71
1977-2014	38	164

The earthquake could happen at any moment and the possible results could be dramatic.  The U.S. Geological Survey warned that a magnitude-7.5 earthquake along the San Andreas Fault could kill 3,000 to 18,000 people and cause up to $250 billion in damage. In contrast, a larger magnitude 8 quake along the San Andreas would cause an estimated 1,800 deaths.

Admittedly, that is not too much loss in human life--in comparative terms, but the disruption in services and economic toll could send a teetering economy into a deep recession. Approximately, 23% of the total U.S. value of goods pass through the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.  Prices will explode as these services are disrupted and become scarce.  The market will take a heavy beating and there will be a subsequent credit crunch.  No one can know how much of a effect it will have, but if the past is any indicator of the future, it should be dramatic.   

What to do if you’re Trapped in a Building in an Earthquake 

• Drop to the floor.  This will decrease the speed you can travel, but it will help you keep your balance and prevent yourself from falling and tripping into something.

• Move under a desk and away from unsecured furniture.

• Cover you head.

• If a room fills with dirt or smoke, cover your mouth with a wet cloth.  It is important that the cloth is wet.  A wet cloth will dramatically increase the effectiveness of the covering.

• If out in the opening, get away from trees and buildings.

• Stay away from glass and windows.

• If the wall starts to cave in, get behind large furniture and lay flat.  You might end up trapped under the debris, but you won't be crushed.

• If you are trapped, try to locate a pipe that runs through the building and hit it with a solid object.  The pipe will carry the sound throughout the building and give rescuers an idea of where you are.