NEW YORK
DEER TRACKING
Find licensed blood tracking dog teams and wounded-deer recovery help across the Empire State.
DOWNLOAD THE APP
TRACKING LAWS* FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Know the rules before you track. These New York laws help ensure ethical recovery, respect for landowners, and the future of our hunting rights.
New York allows certified leashed tracking dogs to locate dead, wounded, or injured deer and bear, but the handler must possess a valid New York Leashed Tracking Dog License. Except as authorized under this license, New York regulations prohibit using a dog to track wounded big game.
Before beginning a track, the licensed handler must notify the Environmental Conservation Officer assigned to the area, or the nearest available ECO. The notification must include the handler’s information, the hunter’s information and big-game license number, the general location of the wounded animal, and the names of the landowners where the search will occur. The hunter who wounded the animal must normally accompany the tracker unless physically incapacitated.
When hunting deer or bear with a firearm, New York requires the hunter and anyone accompanying the hunter to wear fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink. This may consist of at least 250 square inches worn above the waist and visible from all directions, qualifying patterned fluorescent clothing, or a qualifying fluorescent hat or cap. Tracking teams should follow these requirements whenever applicable during a recovery.
Licensed tracking teams may track wounded big game at any time, day or night, with or without artificial light, during big-game seasons and for the 24-hour period immediately following the final day of the season. A licensed handler may also dispatch a wounded animal after legal hunting hours, including at night, with a firearm when done in accordance with applicable state, federal, and local firearm laws.
Using a tracking dog does not give a hunter or tracker permission to enter neighboring property. New York DEC specifically states that if wounded game enters private land, permission from the landowner must be obtained before pursuing it. This applies whether or not the property is posted, and DEC cannot force a landowner to allow recovery access.
Thermal drones are not legal for deer or bear recovery in New York. DEC considers locating and recovering wounded big game part of the hunt, and Environmental Conservation Law §11-0901 prohibits hunting deer or bear with the aid of aircraft. DEC has specifically stated that this prohibition includes drones. A bill that would authorize DEC to regulate UAV recovery remains in the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee and has not become law.
* 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 New York
Hunters searching for deer tracking services in New York rely primarily on trained blood tracking dog teams to help locate wounded deer. Based on pricing information listed by New York trackers in the TRAKR database, most tracking teams provide their services for free or operate primarily for tips or donations.
-
82% of New York dog tracking teams offer free tracking services or operate primarily for tips or donations.
-
Among New York dog tracking teams that list a fixed or calculable fee, the average listed price is approximately $117.
-
Drone deer recovery is not currently authorized in New York. For that reason, drone operators and drone recovery rates are not included in this New York pricing analysis.
How New York 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. New York tracking pricing data last updated August 2026.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TRACKING IN NEW YORK
New York offers some of the most varied deer habitat in the eastern United States. Whitetails occupy agricultural country, hardwood forests, wetlands, brushy abandoned farmland, river valleys, suburban areas, and the mountainous terrain of the Catskills and Adirondacks.
Tracking conditions can vary considerably across the state. Western and central New York include large agricultural areas broken by woodlots, creek bottoms, hedgerows, and thick cover. The Hudson Valley and Southern Tier contain rolling hills, hardwood ridges, farm country, and steep drainages, while northern New York and the Adirondacks can present large expanses of forest, rocky terrain, wetlands, and remote country.
New York’s regulated tracking-dog program gives hunters access to trained handlers while maintaining strict controls over how wounded-game recovery is conducted.
New York Tracking Dog Regulations
New York’s wounded-game tracking program is governed primarily by Environmental Conservation Law §11-0928 and 6 NYCRR Part 176.
Why New York Requires Leashes
New York requires licensed tracking dogs to remain under the handler’s physical control throughout the recovery. The lead must be attached to the dog’s collar or harness and must be at least 12 feet long.
Keeping the dog leashed helps distinguish controlled wounded-game recovery from the otherwise prohibited practice of hunting deer or bear with dogs. It also allows the handler to control the dog around roads, neighboring property, livestock, steep terrain, waterways, and other hazards.
Certification and Training
New York requires the handler, rather than simply the dog, to qualify for a state-issued Leashed Tracking Dog License. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, possess a current New York hunting license, and pass the state Leashed Tracking Dog examination with a score of at least 80%. The license is valid for five years. DEC currently lists the five-year license fee as $50 and a $25 first-time application fee. In June 2026, DEC proposed eliminating the $25 application fee, but its current licensing page still lists that fee.
Interesting Facts About Tracking in New York
-
New York was one of the pioneering states in legal wounded-deer tracking with dogs.
-
John Jeanneney began testing the use of tracking dogs under a DEC research permit in 1976.
-
Jeanneney and Don Hickman later founded Deer Search, Inc. to expand wounded-deer tracking research and provide hunters with volunteer tracking assistance throughout New York. The organization became an important part of demonstrating that controlled, leashed tracking dogs could be used effectively without turning the recovery into dog-driven deer hunting. (born-to-track.com)
-
The New York Leashed Tracking Dog Program was signed into law in 1986.
-
DEC issued its first Leashed Tracking Dog License in 1989.
-
Deer Search, Inc. continues to operate as a nonprofit organization of volunteer licensed handlers and trained tracking dogs. Its stated mission is to reduce the number of wounded deer left unrecovered, and its members provide tracking assistance to hunters without charging a required tracking fee. (deersearch.org)
TRAKR in New York
At this time, New York does not have an official statewide TRAKR Network.
Hunters can still use the TRAKR app to submit a tracking request and notify available licensed leashed tracking dog handlers who provide service in their area.
If you’re a New York licensed leashed tracking dog handler interested in helping hunters recover wounded deer, TRAKR is actively expanding across the United States and welcomes experienced recovery teams.