The sniper must never leave any trace of his presence in an area. This is an art in itself.
One of the sniper's greatest threats is the enemy tracker. Especially local ones, who probably know more about the terrain than the sniper. Good trackers can read almost anything from just a few tracks, from amount of men in the party, to the load the person was wearing, or the nationality of the person or party. If a tracker finds the invading party to contain around two or three people, then it will be obvious to him that the tracks are of a sniper team. This is why enemy trackers can be very dangerous.
It is almost impossible to completely hide your tracks from a professional tracker. But to avoid tracks as best as possible, pay close attention where you step, making sure not to walk through loose dirt and mud. Walking on top of leaves and rocks can help to hide tracks. Make sure to replace bushes and branches after walking through them. Also, never leave behind any debris.
To be proficient at reading tracks or signs takes many years of experience. But this knowledge can be invaluable. Obvious signs to look for are tracks in mud and old campsites. The latter is especially uaseful, as it can tell you the size of the enemy force and how well fed they are.
