The Ultimate Firearms Destination for the Gun Lifestyle

Preview – SHTF – Hunting Humans



At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More

Photography by Quoc Ha

Knowing How to Track Can Mean the Difference Between Being Predator or Being Prey

Back in the days when the slow food movement meant clobbering a mammoth to death, humans were more attuned to the signs their prey left behind. These days, thanks to Hollywood, tracking is regarded as something that sits between voodoo and snake charming in the pantheon of “stuff you can’t do with an iPhone.”

Fortunately, the fundamentals of chasing animals or humans based on the tracks they produce are both timeless and, due to the way our brains evolved to interpret the world, easy to reacquire. Well, perhaps easy is the wrong phrase. Tracking, like shooting, is one of those skills that takes five minutes to explain, but a lifetime to master.

One of those masters is Freddy Osuna. A former Marine scout sniper with several combat tours under his belt, Osuna founded Greenside Training in order to teach the art and science of tracking. We attended one of his courses held in the desert and, after three days, were able to hunt down a fugitive over a mile of boulder-strewn wash, hardpan, brush, and baked dirt roads. If we could do it, so can you.

The Objectives
Why track? Any number of reasons. Firstly, because it’s a skill that almost no one in this technology-centric, convenience-oriented world practices, the ability to hunt down a potential adversary if society goes to hell in a hand-basket puts you at an immediate advantage.

Second, if you know what to look for if you have to hunt someone, should the tables be turned, you’ll know what to do to avoid being hunted yourself. Many of Osuna’s clients are fellow snipers who use this knowledge to improve their own field craft and chances of survival.

And if the aforementioned hell-in-a-hand-basket scenario comes to pass, you’ll be able to use the same skills to hunt wild game once your food supplies need to be replenished.

For the rest of this article, subscribe digitally here: RECOIL Issue 9

Enter Your E-Mail to Receieve a Free 50-Target Pack from RECOIL!

NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOIL

For years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included).

Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.

You want this. Trust Us.

Add a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to the Free
Newsletter
×