Workshop for tracking rare, elusive species from bigfoots to bruins set Oct. 25-26 in Gardiner, Mont.

Idaho State University Professor of anatomy and anthropology Jeff Meldrum will team up with renowned tracker and author Jim Halfpenny to offer a weekend workshop titled "Forensic Analysis of Biped and Quadruped Footprints: Bigfoot to Cougars, Wolves, and grizzlies."

The two-day instructional course, with pre- and post-events, will be offered Oct. 25-26 at the Track Education Center in Gardiner, Mont. The Track Education Center is located at the north gate into Yellowstone National Park and it houses the largest forensic tracking collection in the world, according to Meldrum.

The objective of the workshop is to provide instruction in the techniques used to find and document rare species. Topics covered include: cryptozoology and the public, defining and locating rare species, trace and physical evidence, footprints and gaits, recognizing what is important, collecting quality evidence, photography and casting evidence, analysis of evidence, presentation of analyses, case studies and peer review.

"I was delighted by Jim's invitation to collaborate on this pioneering workshop," Meldrum said. "He brings a skeptical curiosity to the question of sasquatch, while being intrigued by the footprint evidence." 

An optional fieldtrip into Yellowstone National Park will be on Oct. 27.

Workshop briefing packets will be available by the end of July and will be emailed to participants. The cost is $250 and registration is at A Naturalist’s World  http://www.tracknature.com/x/, 406-848-9458.

For further information contact Dr. Jeff Meldrum 208-282-4379; meldd@isu.edu.

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