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Tracking in the Legion?

RoninCon

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Hi all,

For those greens in the forum, I am wondering if the Legion has a Tracking (mantracking) element? And if it does, does it run per Regiment or is it a seperate entity? I am a Combat Tracking Instructor so was just curious as I have found very few nations even teach it anymore.

Thanks in advance
 

dusaboss

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That's some interesting skills to be learned.

You probably could participate in hunt like this one if your running skills are good.

[video=youtube;826HMLoiE_o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826HMLoiE_o[/video]

I was amazed when I first heard about this hunting technique. Man can actually outrun antelope on long distances!
 

RoninCon

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The Bushmen are interesting when it comes to their age old hunting techniques, and their 'outrunning the prey' technique they actually learnt from nature itself BUT one important thing to consider/remember with Tracking is that it takes roughly a year of living in an area before you can completely understand how to track in it and then a different substrate, the same, as you have to learn all the signs and tells of the ground. So where the Bushmen are great in their environment, put them somewhere else and it would take them a while to learn it.
 

SnafuSmite

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The Bushmen are interesting when it comes to their age old hunting techniques, and their 'outrunning the prey' technique they actually learnt from nature itself BUT one important thing to consider/remember with Tracking is that it takes roughly a year of living in an area before you can completely understand how to track in it and then a different substrate, the same, as you have to learn all the signs and tells of the ground. So where the Bushmen are great in their environment, put them somewhere else and it would take them a while to learn it.

The old SADF used Bushmen trackers in the old South West (Namibia) and Angola, they were damn effective at tracking down the ters, they would be attached to most combat units.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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I read somewhere that the best trackers in the world are NZ Maoris which is why they are favorite - not preferential- candidates for the SAS.
 
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RMs' currently undertake tracking courses. Also during operations in Malaya we used Dyak and Iban head hunters as our trackers. On a run ashore in Kuala Lumpur the locals were scared shitless at the sight of one of these monsters, all just under 5 foot, semi naked, wearing a Green Beret with RM badge and carrying a massive panga. (Knife) The pavement/sidewalk cleared immediately. They loved their rum as a tipple. No wonder the Commandos had the best record for killing or capturing CTs'.
 

dusaboss

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and carrying a massive panga

Hahah :) :) Not knowing what panga is I'm laughing my ars of. I mean, don't complain about size of my "panga", but to call him massive is too much. Story gets even more interesting because those guys are 5 foot tall. :)

Chas, friend, did you watch your six carefully working with this guys? :)

Don't get insulted by this please. I just can't hold myself.
 
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Dusaboss,

Ace guys loyal to a fault. Try to take or look at their pangas they would get angry and say phluck off phlucking bugger, cut phlucking head off. They could not pronounce the letter F. In drink they were evil little sods. One was killed in an ambush. His relative absconded for one week from the section. He then returned from the jungle, grinning with filed teeth and reported to the boss with the CTs' head. He had tracked the ambusher for a few days and then killed him. A KL lady boy both stupid and daring approached one out of interest or possibly business. He had to be rescued by Marines since he was likely to be castrated or worse. They were paid in Silver Straights Dollars.
 

dusaboss

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Chas really amazing stories from you as always. I appreciate that and I like to hear it. Also have high respect for you (what you already know).

Please don't mind my "toilet humor" jokes. I hope they made to laugh at least couple guys along with myself.
 

voltigeur

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Hi all,

For those greens in the forum, I am wondering if the Legion has a Tracking (mantracking) element? And if it does, does it run per Regiment or is it a seperate entity? I am a Combat Tracking Instructor so was just curious as I have found very few nations even teach it anymore.

Thanks in advance

I don't know how it is now, but in Algeria they used local Arab trackers to go after deserters. They were not used for operational issues.
As it is now, deserters if caught, can be brought to court and will be dismissed from the Legion. (Quoted by Charles Stoeng)
 

canuckroyal

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The Canadian Army used to teach basic tracking to its reconnaissance/sniper elements. I believe it, like everything else, has withered away in the face of Super Shiny Kit. SOF still practice it though.

We have been historically lucky to draw a lot of our professional soldiers from the rural white Canadian population, most of whom had strong backgrounds in hunting, fishing and basic knowledge of the forest already. Unfortunately, that pool of people is rapidly drying up with mass urbanization.

I still contend that a rural Newfoundlander or a Frenchman from northern Quebec is worth ten folks from Toronto or another metropolitan area. At least as far as actual soldiering is concerned.
 

Saturation

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Not regarding the Legion but the South African special forces and even pathfinders retain a tracking element. Typically related to animal tracking over long distances but I am certain that they can track men as well. It is part of survival training out here.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
 
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