Tom Brown, Jr. has Died

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Tom Brown Jr. is an interesting character who sometimes made claims that people suspect were exaggerated.  But he was undoubtedly one of the foremost contributors to animal tracking and nature connection in the United States.

He stated that he began to learn tracking and hunting at the age of eight, under the tutelage of an Apache elder called, Grandfather.  As an adult, he founded the Tom Brown Jr. Tracker School in 1978.

Most of my tracking education comes from his former students who started their own schools.  And the tracking club in my area was started more than twenty years ago by Jon Young, Tom’s first student.  In my eyes, Tom’s importance, influence, and greatest accomplishment is how his students have shared his teachings with countless thousands of Americans looking to connect with nature.

Regardless of what you think of some of Tom’s claims, his books are informative and convey a lot of practical information.  A book I enjoyed and recommend is Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Nature Observation and Tracking.  

In the book, Tom describes its purpose.  And I will leave you with his words, which I think define his legacy.

I hope this book helps you become more aware of nature and to feel more fully the joy of living.  I hope it helps you to hear the voices modern man misses – not just the voices that speak to the five senses, but the universal voice that speaks to the heart.

– Tom Brown, Jr. (January 29, 1950 – August 16, 2024)

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