FLORIDA BLOOD
TRAILING NETWORK

Statewide volunteer tracking teams helping hunters recover wounded game across the Sunshine State.

OFFICIAL TRAKR STATE NETWORK

FLORIDA BLOOD TRAILING NETWORK

TRACKING LAWS FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA

Know the rules before you track. These Florida laws help ensure ethical recovery, respect for landowners, and the future of our hunting rights.

Dogs on leashes may be used to trail wounded game mammals during all Florida hunting seasons. The dog must remain physically restrained during the recovery and must wear a collar or tag displaying the owner’s name and address. Florida treats leashed wounded-game recovery differently from using free-running dogs to pursue healthy deer.

Anyone hunting deer or accompanying a deer hunter on Florida public land must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange as an outer garment above the waist. A head covering may count toward the required amount. This requirement does not apply during archery-only seasons or while hunting on private property, although tracking teams should still wear highly visible clothing for safety.

Florida does not require a state-issued blood tracking dog certification or a separate tracking permit for a leashed wounded-game recovery. Although Florida requires private properties to be registered when dogs are used to take, attempt to take, trail, or pursue deer, the regulation specifically exempts dogs used on leashes to trail wounded game. The hunter remains responsible for possessing all licenses and permits required for the applicable season and property.

Florida’s general legal shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset. Wounded game may be tracked after dark with a leashed dog, but a firearm cannot legally be discharged outside established shooting hours. Hunters should contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission if a live wounded deer is located after shooting hours.

Using a tracking dog does not give a hunter or handler permission to enter another person’s property. Written permission from the landowner or lessee must be obtained and carried by each person using the dog before the recovery continues onto neighboring land.

Florida does not publish a specific statewide regulation expressly governing thermal drones used only for wounded-deer recovery. However, state regulations prohibit shooting, attempting to shoot, or harassing wildlife from an aircraft and prohibit using aircraft to herd or drive game. Drone operators should obtain landowner permission, follow all FAA requirements, avoid harassing wildlife, review public-land restrictions, and confirm current recovery guidance with FWC before flying.

* Disclaimer: The information provided by TRAKR is intended as a general summary of state tracking laws and regulations and is not legal advice. Because laws and regulations may change, hunters and trackers should always verify current statutes, regulations, and agency guidance before using dogs, drones, or other recovery methods in their state.

Average Deer Tracking Fees in Florida

Hunters searching for deer tracking services in Florida can choose from trained blood tracking dog teams and trackers who may offer multiple deer recovery methods. Based on pricing information listed by Florida trackers in the TRAKR database, most available tracking services use a free, tip-based, or donation-based pricing model rather than a fixed fee.

85% of Florida dog tracking teams offer free tracking services or operate primarily for tips or donations.
TRAKR does not currently have enough data on Florida drone or dog tracking teams with fixed or calculable paid rates to publish a dependable statewide average.

How Florida Deer Tracking Rates Were Calculated

These averages are based on rates and pricing instructions supplied by trackers through their TRAKR profiles. When a tracker listed mileage charges or travel-based pricing, the estimated rate was calculated using a standard travel distance of 50 miles each way.

Fee ranges were calculated using the midpoint. Separate recovery or finder fees were added to the initial tracking fee. When separate rates were listed for bucks and does, the buck rate was used because more than 80 percent of tracking requests involve bucks.

The rates shown are estimates based on available information and do not represent fixed, required, or recommended prices. TRAKR does not set tracker fees and does not guarantee the accuracy or availability of any listed rate. Individual trackers independently determine their own pricing, service areas, travel charges, deposits, recovery fees, and other terms. Florida deer tracking pricing data last updated July 2026.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FLORIDA BLOOD TRAILING NETWORK

Florida Blood Trailing Network has become one of the most visible wounded-game recovery communities in Florida. The group describes itself as a collection of tracking teams dedicated to helping hunters recover downed or wounded game with trained tracking dogs.

The network operates primarily through Facebook, where hunters can request assistance and connect with handlers who serve their area. Published information about the group indicates that it has maintained a county-based handler list, making it easier for hunters to locate available tracking teams throughout Florida.

Florida Blood Trailing Network is widely described as a volunteer-based organization. Published coverage reports that members generally do not charge for their tracking services, although hunters commonly offer tips or reimbursement to help cover fuel and travel expenses.

Size and Impact

Some publicly available Florida Blood Trailing Network information includes:

The network provides statewide access to volunteer tracking dog handlers who help recover wounded or downed game.
The Facebook group’s public listing shows a community of approximately 18,000 members, including hunters, handlers, and supporters of wounded-game recovery.
The network has published or maintained handler information organized by county to help hunters find nearby assistance.

Why Florida Allows Tracking Dogs

Florida allows leashed tracking dogs to assist with recovering wounded game because following the scent trail of a specific injured animal is different from using free-running dogs to pursue healthy wildlife. State regulations permit dogs on leashes to trail wounded game mammals during all hunting seasons, including seasons when hunting deer with dogs may otherwise be restricted.

Tracking dogs support responsible hunting by helping locate animals that might otherwise remain unrecovered after visible blood disappears. This is especially valuable in Florida’s thick palmettos, planted pines, swamps, wetlands, standing water, and dense vegetation.

Certification and Training

Florida does not require blood tracking dogs or their handlers to complete a state-issued certification test. Handlers are responsible for training, controlling, and evaluating their own dogs.

Some Florida handlers voluntarily participate in tracking tests, seminars, and educational programs offered by organizations such as the American Blood Trackers Association and other tracking programs.

Certification may demonstrate that a dog and handler have completed a particular testing standard, but it does not guarantee the outcome of an individual recovery.

Interesting Facts About Florida Blood Trailing Network

Florida Blood Trailing Network assists with the recovery of wounded or downed game, not only deer.
Public directories based on network information organize tracking teams by county, making it easier for hunters to locate nearby assistance.
The same handler may cover several counties or travel outside Florida, so county listings do not represent separate individual teams.
Published coverage describes the network’s tracking teams as volunteers who generally offer their services without a required tracking fee.