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Dog tracking

Questions and answers

  • The DNR requires the person to register themselves as a tracker, not the dog.

  • A dog being used for hunting, in field trials, while being trained for hunting or field trials, or for other purposes as allowed by the department on land under the control of the department and open to such use does not need to be leashed.

    The tracker must have knowledge of the dog's location and be able to demonstrate a method to control the unleashed dog, which may include voice command. 

  • The registered dog tracker must be accompanied by the licensed hunter who wounded the game. The hunter who wounded the game must be the person to dispatch (kill) and tag the game once it is located.

  • All blood tracks need to be reported, for others as well as personal tracks.

  • Anyone using a dog to track wounded game must have a valid dog tracking permit regardless of whether or not they have a firearm.

  • Any person or dog involved with tracking wounded game must have landowner permission to track on private property.
  • Anyone using a dog to track wounded game in Michigan must register through the Michigan DNR and log their start and end track.