Mission
Where animals pass they may leave a trail of clues telling who was there, how they were moving, and detailing a story about their passing. Within the trail lies information about animal behavior and ecology that may be used for personal safety, knowledge, and wildlife management.

The mission of Track Scene Investigation (TSI) is to aid in the forensic interpretation of evidence revealed at the site by the use of quality collection techniques applied with the questioning minds of experienced investigators and scientists using the scientific method.

To further our mission, we provide information and techniques to aid in evidence collection and analysis. We provide footprint identification services, trail and scene interpretations, and behavioral / ecological analysis. TSI provides trained investigators who will come to sites or analyze evidence in our facilities.

TSI also provides professional-level workshops on animal forensic topics including wildlife and domestic animals not only in field situations but also at the urban interface. Some training programs include Basic and Advanced Tracking, Snow Tracking for Professionals, Cougar Ecology and Verification. Programs vary from one to several days. Lectures and lecture series are also available.

To aid in our mission, we also provide a variety of books and materials including computer and video classes. For reference we offer duplicate field casts of the footprints of many animal

TSI was founded by Dr. James C. Halfpenny, expert naturalist, tracker and investigator.  Dr. Halfpenny has over 50 years of field experience not only with wildlife in North America but on the other six continents as well. Dr. Halfpenny also founded the Track Education Center and Museum. Jim is a carnivore ecologist who visualizes tracking both as a technique and a science in and of itself. He is the author of over 25 books and videos about nature, varying from basic tracking to tracking for hunters, to bears, to wolves, to winter ecology. Dr. Halfpenny's research on cougar / human interactions was portrayed in David Baron's book, The Beast in the Garden. Jim has traveled for decades teaching the techniques of professional-level tracking to professionals and interested naturalists of all levels of experience. To learn more about Dr. Halfpenny, (click on Halfpenny.me ).

Dr. Halfpenny is aided by local representatives in various regions of the United States. Personnel vary from retired Law Enforcement and US Forest Service officers to environmental educators - all trained in professional-level tracking and primary scene investigation. Primary scene investigators consult with Dr. Halfpenny or bring him on location as the situation warrants.

Track Education Center and Museum

The Track Education Center and Museum (TrEC) specializes in the signs of mammals. It houses the largest reference collection of plaster footprint casts and track photographs in the world, numbering over 10,000 references. Casts include mammal, bird and fossil footprints. While collections emphasize the mammals, especially carnivores, of North America, there are representatives of footprints and trails data from all continents. Cast speciments are supplemented by collections of bones, teeth, skulls, scat and hair. TrEC maintains a large library of historical and recent books about tracking.

TrEC is located in Gardiner, Montana at the north gate to Yellowstone National Park. The facility includes dorms and kitchen space for visitng students and scholars. Two classrooms are available for lecturing. Within a quarter mile the natural resources of Yellowstone National Park are available for self study and classes. For more information about TrEC go to www.tracknature.com and scroll to the bottom of the page.

For Whom

TSI offers its services to all with an interest in or need to know about tracking situations either in wild locations, at the urban interface or within the city itself. We specialize in tracking quadripedal animals and birds. TSI is available to train observer investigators in preparation for their field analyses and to analyze track scenes after the event.

Anyone possessing evidence, for example photographs or casts, can submit them to our laboratory for identification. We travel to scenes when needed to analyze trails and interpret stories.

TSI does not provide search and rescue assistance or tactical tracking services. TSI does not specialize in tracking people but can provide references for services that do.  TSI will evaluate Sasquatch (big foot) evidence for possible known wildlife origins but does not evaluate the evidence for its interpretation as a bigfoot evidence.  We are happy to provide references for sasquatch scientists.

Contact Us

You may reach Dr. Halfpenny's office at (406) 848-9458. Please leave a message and he will return your call as soon as he is in from the field. Our email address is trackdoctor@tracknature.com. Our mailing address is: P.O. Box 989, Gardiner, MT 59030.