Buy The Track Identification Iphone & Ipod Touch App
This weekend and this weekend only we’ll be having a 30% off sale on the MyNature Animal Track app and the MyNature Tree Guide App. We’re having the sale to celebrate the update of the Tree Guide in which some technical issues were addressed. If you have been on the fence on picking up our nature apps no is the time to take advantage of this weekends special. Once Sunday evening August 29th rolls around we’ll be going back to the regular pricing of $6.99.
Happy Hiking !!
I’m finally happy to say that version 1.1 of the MyNature Tree app is ready for sale in the App Store. The MyNature Tree Guide is a identification tool for over 190 trees found across North America. Version 1.1 of our tree app addressed a crashing problem with use on the iPhone 4. We’ll be running some special free app give aways over the next few days through Twitter and our Natureguides page on Facebook. Happy Hiking !
We are very pleased to announce that the MyNature Animal Track app is featured on the home page of the new Apple4 iPhone. http://www.apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone/
The Animal Track app was selected for inclusion in the category of Apps for the Great Outdoors. We are hoping for a long and happy home being featured in that spot. MyNature Animal Tracks has been consistently rated 5 stars in the iTunes Store with a total of 25 five star reviews out of 35 ratings total. The app had also recently been featured in the magazine iPhone Life and selected as “Editors Choice”.
A lot of things are looking up for us at MyNature, we are just getting underway with the programming on our first update to the track app and our newest app on Trees should be released in the coming days. Needless to say we’re excited with the latest developments and look forward to sharing even more good news and nature apps with you in the future.
Thanks Apple for the luv’n and to all our users for making this app a success. Happy Tracking !!
As the app market expands more and more Animal Track apps are coming out. The real question is are they any good and what should they contain for content that is useful. If you were to purchase one, what would you expect to get in return for your hard earned dollar. Lets start with the number of mammals to feature. The average person roaming the woods today is more interested in larger mammals, after all those are the tracks that are most noticeable when your hiking. A rough calculation of the larger mammals of North America bigger than a Weasel would be around 45 to 50 different species and family members. These would be the most common animals to be seen or leave sign for which anyone would be interested in identifying. Your outdoors for a reason, your either hiking, camping, hunting or fishing, heck you may even be on a golf coarse. The point is when you finally find a track you are curious about identifying do you want to identify it and get on with your activity or do you want to spend extra time on your smart phone wading through numerous animals that the average person will rarely find a track of. It’s sad that everyone is on the go and it’s a hurry up let’s get where were going society but that’s the reality of it and that’s one thing a track app should do, quickly identify what you found. Apps loaded with Polar Bears are nice but how many of you will be looking for Muskox tracks in the arctic region? Would you really take the time to differentiate between a Meadow Mouse and a Deer Mouse or would you just be content to know it’s a mouse track. An app that contains around 50 to 60 animals for all of North America is more than sufficient.
A good app should have a search feature broken into categories and then search again by track size leaving you with 2 or 3 results to further pick from rather than 7 or more. The main thing especially for kids is for the app to hold your attention long enough to identify an animal. If there is to much time involved in searching then it becomes a job and we want this to be quick, fun and educational after all were outdoors for a reason and it’s not to spend additional time on our phone.
The bulk of any track app should also contain digital images of tracks and the animal itself and lets not forget sound files of the vocalization of each animal. All these features should be self contained in the app, relying on a wireless connection to access these features leaves the app useless when the majority of outdoor adventures take place where there is a lack of wireless service. If you are thinking of getting a Animal Track app then make sure that it does not rely on cell service to use. If it doesn’t have built in digital images of what a track looks like in the wild then what good is it?
Once your app ID’s an animal it should give you some basic information on habitat and life cycle, two paragraphs maximum. Remember were outdoors having fun, you can save all the heavy reading on the animal for later when your home if you want to learn more.
Throw in a ruler feature and you have a pretty concise app, one that is accurate, searches quickly and has the right amount of content all contained in one nice neat self stored package. Keep all these in mind when you decide to take the plunge into an Animal Track app and you’ll have a more rewarding and I hope educational experience on your next outing.
So all that said what’s new from us here at MyNature. Well, we have been working on an update for the past three months to our own track app. Once the new version is released (which will still be a while) we’ll have a searchable database for the addition of scat to the app. We’ll also have additional digital images of tracks, animal gaits and sign left by each animal. We redesigned the journal page to make it more functional and are also adding some social networking features for Twitter and Facebook. There will also be the addition of the all to popular life list to keep track of your discoveries. Were also going to have a web based site to post your identifications to as well as images. With your participation we should have a very complete database to refer to for animal sign, scat and tracks of North America. Some of the new features will need a wireless service to utilize but the app and all images will still be self contained as they are now. Don’t worry you’ll hear when the update is done we won’t forget to tell you!!
Happy Tracking!
The last of the winter snows have disappeared and along with them went the perfect canvas for animal tracks. As I bummed as I am to lose the good tracking snow I’m very happy Spring has arrived. Along with Spring comes mud season which not as plentiful as snow still has the ability to capture a perfect crisp outline of the animal that passed through it. I recently scouted a farm field not far from here. The great thing about the agricultural fields south of here is that they consist primarily of clay and the next best thing to Spring mud is Spring clay. I’ll probably return there tomorrow if I get a chance and do a little plaster casting of some of the tracks if the rain holds off. The best way to approach finding tracks in farm fields is to just walk the edge, there really is no need to venture any further than 10 feet from the sides of the field to find tracks. In fact most animals will be doing the same thing, just cruising the edges. Any animal that ventures out of the bordering brush will definitely leave evidence of it’s passing as long as the clay or dirt is wet. Take for instance the Weasel Tracks I found, weighing in at just under a pound this one left a very distinct track. 
Weasels have a heel pad that is easy to recognize once you know what your looking for. The size of the track and placement of the feet also give it away.
Farm fields really offer one of the best places to find and identify tracks. Prey animals are attracted to the crops and the carnivorous animals follow the prey so there is an abundance of sign as long as you keep your eyes to the ground.
If you don’t personally know a farmer then just stop and ask for permission if you can walk the edges of their field to do some tracking, most won’t mind as long as your respectful of the property. It’s a great way to spend some time outdoors especially with the kids and what kid wouldn’t love traipsing through the mud? Happy Tracking !!
Who would have thought it could be so hard to find Moose Scat. Of course you have to have Moose around and Moose tracks to follow in order to ever find any of those nice big piles of pellets. I haven’t given up my search quite yet and it may be possible for a short 3 day trip to Northern Maine to a place appropriately called Moosehead Lake. Ahhh, a fairy tale of a place where the Moose are as numerous as flies on a fresh scat pile, I remember it well. Moose around nearly every corner, tracks every which way, trails as wide as a country road and scat piles you dream about. Why didn’t I ever take pictures back then !!.
Moose scat in the winter resemble other deer scat but are much larger being up to 3/4 of an inch in diameter and 1 1/2 inches long. Their winter diet of Balsam and twigs leave there scat in the all to familar pellet form, much like the Whitetail scat in the picture below.
Like Whitetail Deer Moose scat will often be dimpled at one end with a small tip at the other end or simply just in an oval shape. In the spring and summer months Moose scat as well as deer scat take on a whole different appearance when they browse on more succulent plants. In the warmer months Moose scat may have a mushroom shape or resemble a set of dumbbells. Their scat may also just appear as a clumped mass of moist pellets compressed together.
There should never be any confusion as to whether you found the scat of a Moose as it is two to three times the size of a Whitetailed Deer. If you happen to live in an area where Elk are also roaming the woods you might get alittle confused but Elk scat are still smaller than Moose being around 1/2 inch in diameter. If you can locate a track near the scat then identification between a Moose and an Elk will be that much easier.
Don’t forget! next time your in the woods, one mans scat is another mans treasure. Happy Tracking !
A lot of time when your picking your way through the woods the only evidence you find of an animals presence may just be the sign they left. Animal sign can be anything from a pile of cone scales, rubbed trees, scratchings on the ground to scat as well as countless other markings left behind. I had a moment of brain freeze the other day on one of my outings when I came across 30 to 40 small piles of animal scat left around the base of a tree. Maybe it’s age catching up with me because for several short minutes I stood there looking for tracks as to whose scat this was, totally bewildered. It’s not that I didn’t know who left it or who’s scat it was after all I have seen this 100′s of times but for the life of me I couldn’t remember. I regained my composure and put the pieces of all the clues together, no tracks around, fresh and older scat in the same spot which meant the animal frequents here often and a large branch overhead. Yes, it was a Turkey roost I had found. No tracks around meant what ever was visiting here flew in and perched on the overhead branch, the shape of the scat some in the tell tale “J” shape and the size of the piles were all pointing to Turkey.
I went on my way content in knowing that the onset of Alzheimer’s has started……..wait….. what was I writing about? Oh yeah, Turkeys!! So I went on my way thinking there are probably a lot of people that come across sign like this and may not have a clue as to what animal left it. If you take a few minutes and study the area and the clues left you can usually narrow it down to 1 or 2 animals. You don’t always need a track to identify an animal if you know the sign they leave and looking for animal sign can be just as rewarding as looking for the tracks they leave. The next time I have brain freeze I won’t get frustrated I’ll take it for what it is, a chance to discover things all over again.
Happy Tracking!!
Many times identifying an animals track isn’t the simplest thing to do. You can buy all the books and yes even the apps on tracking and still be left wondering what track lies in front of you. It’s not always as simple as matching up a picture to the imprint left, more often than not you need to have an investigative mind. In light fluffy snow some tracks appear distorted as the animals foot drags snow back into to the track as they move. Some tracks may just suddenly disappear all together and your left to figure that out where they went. Did they jump out of your line of sight, climb a tree, fly away or was the animal swept up by a hawk or owl.
In the picture (not a great one I admit) everything is there to identify the animal that visited this spot and what happened. While not the clearest of tracks the general form of it is still in tact as well as the stride and the trail width, all clues left to who it belongs to. The fact that it suddenly dissapeared and you found no other tracks in the area or trees close by that it could have climbed will be a huge clue. Hopefully by now you came to the conclusion that it was some kind of bird that suddenly flew away. But what kind? Was it a Grouse, Turkey, Crow or maybe even a Heron?
If your in the middle of the forest with no water around you can immediately discount it being a Heron. That’s going to leave you with three choices, now what? Well, if the tracks have been walking for quite a distance that’s going to knock the possibilities of it being a Crow off the list. Crows won’t walk a long distance on the ground and if the do then they will hop, clearly the tracks above aren’t hopping. Now were left with either the choice of a Turkey or Grouse. Now you can go back to an individual track measure the size, even if it isn’t a clear print and come to a conclusion based on the size difference between the two birds on which one it is. The one in the picture was 4 inches long. The only animal it could be was a Turkey since a Grouse is around 2 inches.
Tracking can be a great way to spend some time outdoors. There’s no need to have a destination to get to, no time limit, no crowded trails to follow, just you the woods and the animal your following. Life doesn’t get much more laid back than that. Happy Tracking!
That’s right, there are beavers on your iPhone but don’t worry they won’t be chewing through your memory. What beavers are on your iPhone are located in the MyNature Animal Track app. Next time you come across some unknown tracks near the waters edge you can use the app to measure the tracks, compare the outline, find out the gait pattern, see a beautiful image of one in the wild and learn about their habitat. Below are just a few pictures of what beaver sign you might find on your next outing.
Happy Tracking!!
MyNature Animal Tracks for iPhone – Only Track I.D. App on the Market – Published on 01/15/10
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MyNature Inc. today released MyNature Animal Tracks 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch users. This is the first app on the market that can identify animal tracks using smart phone technology. Users can learn about the animal whose tracks they’ve found, see images, listen to the sounds they make and even find out what animals may be in the area where they are. Using categorized track illustrations, users can match what they’ve found against the listings in MyNature Animal Tracks.
North Creek, NY – Announcing that MyNature Inc., the developers of MyNature Animal Tracks, are excited about launching the first and only app that can identify animal tracks using smart phone technology. Users can learn about the animal whose tracks they’ve found, see images, listen to the sounds they make and even find out what animals may be in the area where they are.
No other application can do what MyNature Animal Tracks does. It makes an educational experience fun in new way. Using categorized track illustrations, users can match what they’ve found against the listings in MyNature Animal Tracks. After that, they can listen to vocalizations, see photos and range maps, or read more to learn about the animal that left the track. The app can also alert users to which animals they may find in any area in North America. This is helpful for being informed of the locations of dangerous, as well as interesting species. A user can then keep an eye out for specific tracks to avoid or follow.
MyNature Animal Tracks also includes a place for making notes, which is particularly useful for those who enjoy ‘collecting’ tracks. Users will find tips in this app that guide them to finding tracks, making plaster casts and other valuable information that has been gathered by nature field guides.
Some of the MyNature Animal Tracks Features
* Searchable database on track size and shape featuring 7 search categories. For example 4 toes round in shape the Felid family, 4 toes oval to square in shape the Canid family, hooved tracks, tracks with 5 toes, tracks that are birdlike and much more
* Clearly illustrated track drawings showing both fore and hind prints with track measurements along with a description of the animal’s habitat and life cycle
* Illustrated images of each animal’s common gait as well as other gait patterns they may use
* Digital images of an actual track of each animal in the wild
* Range maps to reference an animal’s presence in your location
* Sound waves of each animal’s vocalizations
* Full color digital image of what the animal looks like in its natural environment
* Handy ruler to measure and aid in track identification
* MyNature journal, where you can personally record the tracks you’ve found along with the location, weather conditions or just your own personal thoughts about your day in the field
* Tips on finding tracks, plaster casting and much more
Currently, MyNature Animal Tracks covers all animals in North America, from the smallest creature to the largest. If the track belongs to an animal on this continent, it’s in the app waiting to be discovered by users. MyNature Animal Tracks is a fully-loaded, one of a kind app that’s great for kids and adults alike. It is the most fun a nature loving person can have while learning.
Device Requirements:
iPhone or iPod Touch 3.0 or later
Pricing and Availability:
MyNature Animal Tracks is only $6.99 (USD) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Education category. Please specify the website or blog you represent when making your request.
MyNature Animal Tracks 1.0: http://www.mynaturesite.com/
Purchase and Download: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mynature-animal-tracks/id338980245?mt=8
Demonstration Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtkHPIs2GYQ
Media Assets: http://s900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/mynatureinc/MyNature%20Animal%20Track%20App%20Screenshots/
MyNature Inc. is devoted to educating people about nature in a simple, easy to understand format. MyNature designs field guides that are functional and enjoyable to use. Copyright (C) 2010 Edward Turner & Mobile-App-Marketing-Makeover. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
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Jeff Greco
Media Contact for MyNature Inc.
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