When any animal treads upon the ground, the underlying material, whether it be soil or debris, is compressed in a way that reveals the characteristics of the animal's foot. This "compression shape" also provides clues on how fast the animal is moving as well as many other aspects of its behavior while it was making the track.

Tom Brown Jr has taken this area of tracking knowledge and expanded into what he refers to as "pressure releases". He claims that there are over 4000 aspects of the anima's condition and behavior that can be seen in these pressure releases.

Track Compression Basics - Joseph Longshore II
Pressure Releases - Joseph Longshore II
Pressure Releases and Pressure Release Systems, Part I - Tom Brown Jr.
(from The Tracker magazine, Summer 1983)
Pressure Release Study, Part II - Tom Brown Jr.
(from The Tracker magazine, 1984)
Pressure Release Study, Part III - Tom Brown Jr.
(from The Tracker magazine, 1985)

See Also Tracking Box, Techniques

Compressions Techniques Measurements Gaits Limb & Eye Dominance