[quote=wildman80 I very soon got the feeling that we were being used in a way to be seen. [/quote]

I'll bet that a lot of searches are started more for "flying the flag" than any real chance of finding the object of the search.

But you never know. We were called out on one occasion and the deputy explained very candidly that Border Patrol trackers had followed the victim's trail out to the road where he had gotten into a car and was probably downtown where the real search was concentrated. He wanted us to search for a bit so that all bases would be covered.

We agreed and began a systematic search, starting from the last known point. Within twenty minutes, we found the victim, wandering on the other side of the road. You just never know....