Matt Duffy
Dog Tracker Mobile service Verified
Serves this area
Serving IL
Based near Murphysboro, IL
Dog Trackers in Jackson County, Illinois
If you are hunting the thick timber or river bottoms in Jackson County and lose the blood trail, a tracking dog can save your season. The terrain around Murphysboro and the Shawnee National Forest is rugged, making it easy to lose a wounded deer in the heavy brush or steep draws. Having a local contact ready to deploy a dog can mean the difference between a recovered buck and a lost carcass.
Matt Duffy operates out of Murphysboro and provides tracking services for hunters in the area. When a shot doesn't result in a quick recovery, these trackers use scent-trained dogs to navigate the hills and creek beds of Southern Illinois. It is best to back out early and call for assistance before the trail goes cold or gets fouled by too much foot traffic.
1 dog tracker in Jackson County
Serving Murphysboro.
Using dog trackers in Jackson County
A blood tracking dog handler works a leashed dog on the wound line to recover a deer that did not go down in sight. Most handlers are volunteers or charge a modest call fee, and most cover a set radius of counties.
What to ask before you commit
- How far will you travel, and what is your call-out fee?
- How long after the shot can you still work the track?
- What should I do — and not do — while I wait for you?
- Do you need the landowner's permission arranged in advance?
- What lighting or help should I have ready?
What it usually costs
Many handlers work for gas money or a modest flat fee; some charge more for long drives or overnight calls. Recovery is never guaranteed, and fees are usually owed either way.
Timing matters
Call early and stop walking the line. The most common reason a track fails is a hunter and friends grid-searching the area first and contaminating the scent.
Other services in Jackson County
Dog Trackers in nearby Illinois counties
Adams County (2)Cape Girardeau County (1)Crawford County (1)DeWitt County (1)Grundy County (1)Hamilton County (1)Hancock County (1)Iroquois County (2)Lincoln County (1)Macoupin County (2)Monroe County (2)Ogle County (1)Randolph County (3)Saint Clair County (2)Saline County (1)Sangamon County (1)Tazewell County (1)Woodford County (2)