FORENSIC WILDLIFE TRACKING
Taught by Dr. Jim Halfpenny
This one-of-a-kind class is about how to collect quality evidence, and correctly analyze that evidence or other evidence provided to you so your processes will withstand legal scrutiny. Sharpen your skills!
Techniques and skills include collecting, qualitative and quantitative clues, measuring, image clarification and enhancement, photograph assessment and interpretation, AI problems, analysis criteria, case study analysis and more.
Photos, even cell phone photos, hold more information than you initially see. Therefore the course will emphsize photo interpretation and access to a computer with Adobe Photoshop or Gimp (free) software will be helpful for some exercises.
Students receive a $100 investigation kit for use during hands-on class exercises and to keep. The kit contains handouts, footprint casts, rulers, calipers and the book Track Scene Investigation: Forensic Wildlife Tracking. The course is conducted on Zoom with a certificate of completion.
COURSE OUTLINE:
- Introduction: Collecting evidence: casting and photography
- Qualitative clues: criteria sheets, fingers see, proportionality, comparisons
- Quantitative Clues: measurements, accuracy, minimum outline, spreadsheets, center toe
- Photography: taking, enhancement, scale, rulers, side-by-side photos, analysis
- Photo problems: parallax, AI
- Case studies
- Case studies with fakes
- Case studies with honest errors
- Writing up the track analysis quality rating, probability scale
Students need to register at least two weeks before the course date to allow time for the investigation kit to be mailed to them. Minimum of two students required to prevent cancelation.
DATE: Saturday, March 14, 2026
TIME: 08:00 to 17:00 MST – starts promptly!
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