Book excerpt: “Excellence and care guide every quiet step Mark Warren makes; to follow him teaches unique, wonderful truths about one’s connection to the Earth and its inhabitants. “ –Rhyse Bendell, Medicine Bow summer camper and student “Mark leads the modern reader along the almost forgotten paths of wood lore, natural medicine, and self-sufficiency. “ –Emily Ghiz, baker and Montessori teacher In this third volume of the “Secrets of the Forest” series, outdoor educator Mark Warren opens the door to experiences with wildlife such as: · how to stalk animals of the wild without being detected by their keen senses. This discipline addresses posture, clothing, diet, de-scenting, and “soft-walking,” the ultra-slow-motion technique that falls below the radar of wildlife’s peripheral vision. · how to read individual tracks and multiple gaits of specific animal species. · how to convert animal skins into rawhide and leather for crafts and clothing. · how to differentiate species of snakes and, in the process, demystify their often misunderstood intentions. The second half of the book is dedicated to games. Its main purpose is to ensure that young ones (under an adult leader) simply have fun on an outing and will want to return to nature for another adventure. Some of these games come from Native American traditions, but many are new and range from “high-action” to “pensive around the campfire” kinds of activities. This volume contains more than one hundred fifty original adventures.