GEORGIA BLOOD
TRAILING NETWORK

Connecting Georgia hunters with blood tracking dog teams that help recover wounded deer.

OFFICIAL TRAKR STATE NETWORK

GEORGIA BLOOD TRAILING NETWORK

TRACKING LAWS FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA

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

Georgia does not appear to publish a separate statewide statute specifically regulating the use of blood tracking dogs for wounded-deer recovery. The state does not list a required tracking-dog certification, handler permit, maximum tracking lead length, or statewide leash requirement specifically for blood trailing.

A hunter and anyone accompanying the hunter must wear an outer garment containing at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange or fluorescent blaze pink above the waist while hunting deer during primitive-weapons or firearms deer seasons. The required area may include a head covering. Tracking teams should comply with this requirement and wear highly visible clothing during active deer seasons.

Georgia does not list a separate blood-tracking dog license or state-issued tracking certification. The hunter remains responsible for possessing all required hunting licenses, permits, and harvest records. Different requirements may apply to people who are hunting, training hunting dogs, or accessing public hunting land.

Georgia’s general legal hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise through 30 minutes after sunset. Although blood-trailing recovery may continue after dark, it should remain a recovery effort rather than continued nighttime hunting. Georgia’s published guide does not provide a clear general exception allowing a wounded deer to be dispatched after legal deer-hunting hours. Hunters and handlers should obtain guidance from the local game warden when an injured deer is located alive after hours.

Using a tracking dog does not authorize a hunter or handler to enter neighboring property. Georgia law prohibits entering another person’s land in pursuit of wildlife without first obtaining permission from the landowner, lessee, or person controlling the hunting rights. Written permission is required when the property is posted. Permission should be obtained before the handler, hunter, or dog crosses a property boundary.

Georgia does not publish a simple statewide regulation specifically addressing the use of thermal drones for wounded-deer recovery. Some Georgia Wildlife Resources Division properties expressly prohibit drone use, including launching and landing, while Georgia’s general hunting regulations also restrict hunting from aircraft and using electronic equipment to aid in the pursuit of game. Drone operators should obtain current guidance from Georgia DNR and verify property-specific rules before conducting a recovery flight.

* 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 Georgia

Hunters searching for deer tracking services in Georgia can choose from trained blood tracking dog teams and thermal drone operators. Based on pricing information listed by Georgia trackers in the TRAKR database, the average cost of deer recovery services varies by tracking method.

42% of Georgia dog tracking teams offer free tracking services or operate primarily for tips or donations.
Among Georgia dog tracking teams that list a fixed or calculable fee, the average listed price is approximately $143.
The average listed fee for drone deer recovery in Georgia is approximately $226. This figure is based on limited available fixed or calculable drone rates and should be considered preliminary until additional pricing information becomes available.

How Georgia 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. Georgia deer tracking pricing data last updated July 2026.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GEORGIA BLOOD TRAILING NETWORK

Georgia Blood Trailing Network is a statewide Facebook community made up of hunters and blood tracking dog handlers who voluntarily help fellow hunters locate wounded or deceased deer. The group provides a central resource where hunters can look for available tracking teams and where handlers can share information related to wounded-game recovery.

The network operates primarily as a volunteer-based community. Some handlers may provide tracking services at no charge or accept tips, while others may request reimbursement for fuel, travel, or other expenses. Hunters should discuss compensation, travel costs, availability, and expectations directly with the handler before the tracking team begins traveling.

Size and Impact

Some publicly available information about Georgia Blood Trailing Network includes:

The network maintains a statewide community of hunters and volunteer blood tracking dog handlers.
A public 2025 tracking-dog directory compiled from network information contains dozens of handlers and organizes coverage by Georgia county.
The network emphasizes voluntary service, respect for handlers and their dogs, and reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses when appropriate.

Why Georgia Allows Tracking Dogs

Georgia allows trained dogs to assist with wounded-deer recovery because following a specific injured animal is different from using dogs to pursue healthy deer. A blood tracking dog follows the individual scent trail of an animal that has already been shot, helping the hunter determine whether the deer can be recovered.

Allowing tracking dogs supports responsible and ethical hunting by reducing the number of mortally wounded deer that remain unrecovered. A trained dog may detect scent that hunters cannot see, particularly when visible blood becomes sparse or disappears beneath leaves, pine needles, standing water, or dense vegetation.

Certification and Training

Georgia does not require blood tracking dogs to pass a state-issued certification test before assisting with wounded-deer recovery. Handlers are responsible for training, controlling, and evaluating their own dogs.

Some handlers may pursue voluntary testing or education through organizations such as the American Blood Trackers Association, breed organizations, or private tracking programs. Certification can indicate that a dog and handler have completed a particular test, but it does not guarantee the outcome of an individual recovery.

Hunters should consider a handler’s experience, service area, dog experience, availability, reviews, equipment, and approach to wounded-game recovery when choosing a tracking team.

Interesting Facts About Georgia Blood Trailing Network

The network describes itself as hunters helping other hunters through the voluntary assistance of blood tracking dogs.
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 Georgia, so county listings do not represent separate individual teams.
Some listed trackers provide voluntary service but may request reimbursement for travel expenses.
Georgia’s range of mountain forests, Piedmont timber, agricultural land, wetlands, swamps, and Coastal Plain habitat creates highly varied tracking conditions.