SEARCH STRATEGY FOR

DOG HANDLERS

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Presented ByKris Black

Goals for Today• To get you thinking about the size and difficulty of your search area relative to:

– Scent Conditions

– Search Time Available

– Desired Probability of Detection (POD)

• Use this information to develop a search plan and tactics to do the best possible job.

– Thorough preplanning is key

– Search tactics are developed from the plan

The Objective

Get your dog downwind from all parts of the search area – the distance downwind

depends upon the scent conditions, the time available and the desired POD

But, this does not mean Chase the Wind!

Overall Strategy for a Search• Search Management should have an objective for the day, or at least for the segment of the

search you are working on.

– Hasty coverage of large areas

• High POD or trails, roads, etc. but generally low POD of the entire area

• High POD of specific high Probability of Area (POA) segments

• Faster, coverage of medium sized areas with a lower POD

– You should understand how your assignment fits into the strategy.

– Will you be assigned to a ground team?

• What is their goal?

– Evaluate your assignment before leaving search base to be sure it is realistic.

Important Variables• Scent Conditions

• Desired Probability of Detection (POD)

• Size of Area

• Weather Conditions

• Terrain and Vegetation– How fast can you travel?

– Ease of Navigation?

• Time Available– Team Stamina (including Helper)

– Time of Day – Deadline

• How long has subject been in place– Steady wind, turbulence, trail for dog?

• Prior search efforts in your area?

Four Important Planning Factors• What is your dog’s detection distance under

the prevailing scent conditions?

• How do you plan for the desired POD?

• How big is the search area?

• How fast can you travel and how long will it take to cover the assigned area to achieve the target POD?

Scent Detection ExperimentPlace subject in a known spot directly upwind for several minutes

Note scent conditions:

• Wind velocity

• Cloud cover

• Sun angleHave the handler estimate the scent detection distance before the dog is deployed.

Deploy the dog in the general direction of subject starting more than 100 yards away but not directly toward the subject.

Have assistant note and mark the spot where the dog picked up the scent.

Handler finishes the find and the assistant paces off the distance t o the subject.

Log all data. After many trials under different scent conditions a pattern will be obvious and you will be more sensitive to variations in detection ranges.

Scent Condition DefinitionsPoor Fair Excellent

Wind Velocity0-3 MPH

Smoke moves

4-7 MPH

Feel wind on face leaves rustle

8-20 MPH

Dust blows, branches move

Sun Angle-shadow length of a 6’ tall person 0-3.5 feet 3.5-8.5 feet Over 8.5 feet

Cloud Cover0-30%

30-70% Over 70%

Other Factors Turbulence Night

Average Detection Range 20 yards 30 yards 40-70 yards

Cumulative POD at 100 yard spacing 35% 50% 70-85%

Estimating the Size of a Search AssignmentYou should know how to estimate it from your map

• Or use a template on a 7.5 minute map – one square = 640 acres. 1 inch square = 100 acres.

• On a different scale map measure the approximate size in miles and apply the information above.– Locate the map scale– Measure the average length and width of the area in miles

• Do not leave search base without knowing the scale on the map

• Note the difficulty of the terrain – how steep is it?

• Ask about vegetation, look around outside, make a guess

• From this information estimate your search speed

How fast Will You Search?• Estimating your search speed is an important part of planning

• Your speed and the time available will drive the plan

• If you have the whole day and a small area then it’s not important but often you must assess the assignment to be sure it is reasonable

• Be realistic about your level of stamina. After four hours of tough searching most teams get tired and slower

How fast Will You Search?

• Typical search speeds– 2 MPH Very fast – level open terrain

– 1 MPH Average off trail varied terrain

– <1 MPH Steep terrain and heavy undergrowth

Wind

End

Start X

X

40 yard spacing

40 yard sweep spacing =

11 passes at ¼ mile per pass

= 12 ¼ mile leg

= 3 miles traveled

At 2 MPH will take 1 ½ hours

80 yard spacing will take about ½ the time, or 45 minutes.

Sweep Spacing in Meters (M)

Speed 40 M 80 M 120 M 160 M

1 MPH 13 26 40 52

2 MPH 26 52 80 105

A 40 Acre Area

How many acres per hour can you search at a given spacing?

Area Search Dog

POD Estimator Scent Conditions

Example – 400 Acre Area, Fair Scent, 50% POD, 1.0 MPH

How big is your search area? _____ 400 Acres How much time do you have? _____ 4 hours Assigned Acres per hour? _____ 100 / hour Acres per hour from chart? _____ 32 / hour Is the assignment reasonable? _____ NO Notes:

In very difficult terrain, search speed will be slower adjust acreage down appropriately

POD will be higher with good visual searching in open terrain and with a

responsive subject

Shifting wind or turbulence will reduce POD

Poor Fair Excellent Wind MPH 0-3 4-7 >7 Cloud % <30% 30-70% > 70% 6’ Shadow <3.5’ 3.5’-8.5’ >8.5’

Target POD

Speed

Acres per Hour

Grid in Yards

Acres per Hour

Grid in Yards

Acres per Hour

Grid in Yards

0.5 MPH 20 120 25 160 40 250 1.0 MPH 40 120 50 160 80 250 Low 30 % 2.0 MPH 80 120 100 160 160 250 0.5 MPH 11 70 16 100 25 160 1.0 MPH 22 70 32 100 50 160 Med 50% 2.0 MPH 45 70 65 100 100 160 0.5 MPH 6 40 10 60 15 90 1.0 MPH 13 40 20 60 30 90 High 80 % 2.0 MPH 26 40 40 60 60 90

Preplanning Check Off List Before Leaving Search Base

• Get a good map – note the scale – get any other maps available –roads etc.

• Measure the approximate size of your search assignment.

• Check terrain features, elevation gain, and if possible look at original map to note

• creeks and vegetation.

• Get directions to search area – don’t count on driver. • Note adjacent teams and their assigned search areas.

•Understand the strategy of the search – your target POD.

•How much time is available for you assignment?

•What is the weather outlook?

•Estimate the scent conditions – now and later on.

•Are you assigned to a ground team? An Assistant?

•Estimate how fast you will be able to search.

•Given the above information, is your assignment reasonable?

•If not, discuss with operations. DON’T WHINE, just let them know what you can reasonably accomplish.

Preplanning Check Off List Before Leaving Search Base

Summary• Before leaving on a search assignment, figure out how

big the search area is. Plot a ¼ mile square (40 acre) on the map and estimate the number of acres

• Make a guess about the scent conditions

• Estimate your search speed

• Is the assignment reasonable?

Summary• When you arrive at the search area, develop a plan to

cover the area systematically so that you get your dog downwind of all parts of the area you cannot search visually

• Plot your exact route on the map as you search with the time, wind direction, and wind speed

• After completing the assignment, estimate the spacing of your passes and use this information to estimate a realistic probability of detection (POD)

Debriefing

• Why Do It?

– Assess coverage of area to help plan future search efforts

– Collect useful information for other searchers

– The person who debriefs you will probably not be doing planning so write it down

– It is less important if the find has been made

Debriefing

• What should you prepare?

– A map of your search area showing the exact path you followed including:

• Wind direction and time at specific locations about every hour• Areas easily searched visually• Areas not searched• Location of any clues, tracks or alert interest• An overall POD estimate and for specific areas be realistic but

conservative• Any hazards or useful information not on map

Debriefing

– A recommendation for additional search efforts in the area.

– An evaluation of the reasonableness of the search assignment if requested or appropriate, e.g. are too big or unexpectedly difficult terrain

– A professional debriefing will impress search management with the quality of your work. They have little else to evaluate