What to expect
As soon as you call, we’ll conduct a short but thorough phone interview to assess your situation. We’ll ask about:
The type of game you were hunting
The type of property (public or private) you're hunting on
The weapon used and shot placement
Visible signs at the hit site (blood, hair, bone, etc.)
Actions you've already taken or plan to take before we arrive
This information helps us guide you through your best next steps and determine if a track is likely to be successful.
We will make best efforts to be with you as soon as possible. However, if our schedule is full or another team might be closer, we may refer you to other trackers we trust.
Step 1: Initial Phone Interview
Once we arrive, we’ll conduct a thorough evaluation of the area. This includes:
Carefully inspecting the hit site and surrounding terrain for clues such as blood, hair, tracks, or bone. This physical evidence helps us confirm the shot placement, understand the condition of the animal, and determine the best strategy for recovery
In some cases, the best option may be to wait several more hours before starting the track to give the animal time to expire and avoid pushing it further
Reviewing property boundaries to ensure we remain within legal tracking limits
Confirming that you have permission from the landowner or land manager to hunt and allow tracking on the property
Notifying the Natural Resource Police, as required by law, with basic details about the hunter and the tracking team
We will only proceed once we have all legal and ethical requirements confirmed and have developed a recovery strategy based on the site assessment.
Step 2: Site assessement
All tracking is conducted on-lead, in accordance with Maryland state law. Once we begin:
We will send the dog to work out the track using scent from the hit site or other indicators
We trust our dogs. If they indicate they are on the track, we will follow them, even if that differs from the hunter’s expectations or assumptions
Dogs must remain on-lead at all times
Dogs are not permitted to bay or catch wounded game
If the animal is found alive, we may dispatch it, but only if it is safe, humane, and legally allowed
Hunters and their party are welcome to accompany us, but must stay behind the dog and handler at all times to avoid interfering with the track
If the animal is jumped and fleeing, we will evaluate the situation and determine whether to continue tracking, give it more time to expire, or abort the track
If all signs indicate that the animal is not fatally wounded, we will end the track in accordance with ethical best practices to avoid unnecessary stress or pursuit
Step 3: The Track
We take the safety of everyone involved - dogs, handlers, and hunters - very seriously. To ensure a safe and professional tracking environment, please note:
No alcohol or recreational drugs are permitted during a track
If we believe a hunter is intoxicated or impaired, the track will be immediately terminated
Loaded weapons are not allowed on the track at any time
You may carry your bow, cocked crossbow or firearm, but you must hand us your arrows, bolts, or ammunition before the track begins. We will return them to you once we determine it is safe to do so
These protocols are in place to ensure the safety of our team, our dogs, and everyone involved in the recovery effort. Thank you for your cooperation.
