Bounty hunting is a profession many people are interested in, but they don't know where to go to learn more. This book points those people in the right direction.

2. Introduction
When you watch the Bounty Hunting shows on Television, you may begin to wonder
how to become one. The excitement, the fun, and the money all seem very appealing.
The celebrity status is also something that really pulls people in.
I wrote this course to take the “glitter and lights” from your eyes, and really show you
what being a bounty hunter is about, how you can become one, and how you can make
a lot of money as one!
This course covers an overview of Bounty Hunting and how it really works. I wont
pretend to have all the answers here, but I will give you just the “meat” information you
need to get started with a high profit career as a bounty hunter.
If you love the thrill of the chase, Bounty Hunting will be perfect for you. There is a lot of
money to be made in Bounty Hunting if you train and continue to learn what is involved
in this profession.
Understanding and obtaining every tool possible will help you do your job and will aide
in the investigations that you successfully do.
It’s all about the bottom line, and that always comes down to money!
So, let’s get started…
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3. Chapter 1: The Bounty
Hunter Overview
Bondsmen hire independent contractors or bounty hunters to return a criminal back to
court. Most police departments do not have time to follow up on all criminals who do not
show up in court. There is always a new batch of criminals to arrest. For their skill and
expertise at returning the criminal, they receive a percentage of the bail.
Bounty hunters train to be able to basically trick the criminal, so they can obtain them
and collect their “commission” for doing so. They have various ways to catch their
subjects off guard. They use a technique called skip tracing using the computer and
many other technologies to find the criminal’s location. Bounty hunters are very street
savvy and resourceful. They know what questions to ask and where to go to get
information on locating the fleeing criminal.
You will find that most Bounty Hunters say their intuition is the key to their success, and
that is a very true statement. Good people skills are always necessary to find out
information from other people, to catch your criminal. Some of the people you come in
contact with may not be very forthcoming with information, however, a good bounty
hunter can get information out of just about anyone. You have to use common sense
when trying to find the criminal without giving it away that you are looking for someone.
Bounty Hunters can be very crafty. Always remember that your reputation will help you
go far. Treat everyone well, and as if you’ll need them in the future. Burning bridges is
something you’ll want to do only when you absolutely have to.
Let’s talk a little bit about running into violence as a bounty hunter.
On TV when you watch any bounty hunting show violence is something that sometimes
can’t be avoided. So you must understand that violence is a possibility within the scope
of your position as a bounty hunter, but it should only be used as a last resort when self
defense is needed.
Let’s face it, being a bounty hunter is a dangerous career to be in. There are many
things within the job that cannot be controlled, so expect the unexpected. Once the
criminal is detained by you as the Bounty Hunter, you must be able to talk with him.
The trip back to turn your criminal in can calm a crazy situation down if you use your
people skills. It’s your job to get the criminal. You know that and so does the criminal.
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4. You’re simply just doing your job, and it’s nothing personal. Use this angle, and see if
you can use your life experience to inspire your criminal to get back on the straight and
narrow path. It will make your trip back a little easier, just a few of your words could
have a lasting impact on that person!
So, where did this “bounty hunter stuff” get started?
The skill of Bounty Hunting actually came from England many hundreds of years ago. It
used to be that the bail was the actual person and not the money as it is today. If the
criminal did not return to fact the penalty for his action, his custodian could face the
penalty. So it was jail time, the custodian would have to do the time. It could also mean
if the criminal was to be hung, the custodian could be hung in his place.
As a result of the Habeas Corpus Act set up by the British Parliament in 1679, it
changed from having the person be the bail to money being bail.
The law actually stated:
... within two days after the party shall be brought before
them, the said lord chancellor or lord keeper ... shall
discharge the said prisoner from his imprisonment, taking his or
their recognizance, with one or more surety or sureties, in any
sum according to their discretions, having regard to the quality
of the prisoner and nature of the offense, for his or their
appearance in the court of the King's bench the term following
...
This law was written in the US Constitution. It is known as the Eight Amendment which
prohibited excessive bail. The US Judges defined what types of offenses would be
bailable. The Bail Reform Act of 1966 allowed the criminal to be released on as little bail
as possible.
Bounty Hunters were given authority to act on behalf of the bail bondsmen. They could
pursue them in other states and even attempt to enter his house if he thought the
criminal was there. Today’s Bounty Hunters have to follow state’s restrictions but they
are still free to pursue the criminal and arrest them across state borders.
You may have also seen bounty hunters also referred to as other names include Bail
Agent, Bail Enforcement Agent, Bail Officer, Fugitive Recovery Agent, Fugitive
Recovery Officer, or Bail Fugitive Recovery Specialist.
Now let’s switch gears just a bit here. I’ve skimmed over some of the information you’ll
need as a bounty hunter, but let’s talk about some more specific topics…
So, what exactly does a bounty hunter do?
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5. When an individual is charged with a crime, they are held until trial or released on a
bond or surety that is supposed to keep them from skipping out. The bail is sometimes
cash or property that is given up so that the individual shows up.
Sometimes the individual doesn’t have the money or doesn’t want to go to jail so he
leaves. There are a million different reasons why, and as a bounty hunter I’m sure you’ll
hear a ton of them. However, when this does happen that’s where the Bounty Hunter
comes in. The Bounty Hunter is hired the person who will lose the money to the court.
The Bounty Hunter has only a set time to catch them before the bond is forfeited and
the money or property is lost.
As I said, being a Bounty Hunter may not be as glamorous as you see on the television.
It’s very hard work and you may find yourself in some places that you don’t want to be
in.
Think about it…
A criminal who’s attempting to flee court will probably not stay at the Hilton while he’s
hiding out. Most criminals will know that things such as credit cards will be traced and
walking around with that type of money just may not be possible.
Because the Bounty Hunter position is so unpredictable, you may find you have to work
other jobs as well. When considering that you only get paid when you return the
criminal, you may find you need to compensate your income in some way. Once you get
really good at what you do, build your reputation, and really market yourself, that won’t
be the case though.
Be prepared to do what you need to do when getting started though!
Man correctional and police officers have used their experiences to become Bounty
Hunters. In addition Private Detectives also make good Bounty Hunters because of the
”skip tracing” skills in finding people.
Bounty Hunters know the laws regarding bail investigations in and out. When deciding
to become one, you also must know the laws inside and out. Many bounty hunters have
gone to school for becoming a Bounty Hunter either online or physically within a
classroom setting. They may also have a mentor who shows them what the job really
looks like.
You will be able to kick down doors and go across states to pursue a criminal without a
warrant. You will also not need permission to use wiretaps or bugs. You can also set up
a surveillance video without asking local law enforcement. As a Bounty Hunter you will
enjoy tracking down the deadbeat criminals and obtain satisfaction from putting the
criminals back behind bars where they belong.
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6. Bounty Hunters do not fear tracking down the criminals. They wear protective gear
which will help reduce harm. You can also choose to work with partners. The more
people you have around you, the less it will take to bring the criminal back.
Now of course, we know that bounty hunting is not for everyone, and we understand
that.
By doing your research and deciding how you’re going to learn to be a bounty hunter,
you will be able to assess the position before signing up to be a full time Bounty Hunter.
Let’s talk a little bit about the bounty hunter license…
Some states require a license to become a Bounty Hunter. Most states have laws
regarding what type of hunting you can do whether it be physical or not. If a state makes
it unlawful to physically hunt a criminal, the Bounty Hunter must use investigation and
skip tracing abilities to bring him in. This changes the scope of the job, so it is important
to know all phases of the job. You must follow the applicable laws where the
criminal currently is.
Here’s a list of the states where physical hunting is banned, allowed, and the states
where you don’t have to have a license or training.
States where physical hunting is banned:
District of Columbia
Illinois
Kentucky
North Carolina
Oregon
South Carolina
Wisconsin
Physical Hunting allowed:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
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7. Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming
No training or license required:
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montana
Nebraska
New Jersey
Rhode Island - Simple Pledge
Wyoming
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8. Why You Need A License To Be A Bounty Hunter
You cannot become a Bounty Hunter without research and training. Otherwise you are
a civilian who is taking the law into his or her own hands. That’s a vigilantly, and
shouldn’t be confused with being a bounty hunter.
You must have knowledge of how the bail bonds system works, and the laws that go
along with it. It is a skill that takes time to perfect so that you not only stay safe, but so
that you can be a skilled bounty hunter who makes the big bucks!
Bounty Hunters have skills in skip tracing, negotiation, being very perceptive and also
great surveillance abilities. You must know how to research and look for individuals.
You have to be able to look into a criminal’s past and review all possible previous
residences. By completing your research you will learn a lot about the criminal you are
pursuing. You will know his friends and the places he hangs out among many other
things.
If you do not have a license, you cannot be paid legally for bringing back a criminal. You
may also run into law problems for doing this type of work without a license. As with any
job, you need to make sure you have researched and completed training before you
begin as a Bounty Hunter.
Know the laws, know what you need legally to complete your job, and you’ll be less
likely to find yourself on the wrong end of the law.
Now let’s talk about how you get paid as a bounty hunter.
How You Get Paid As A Bounty Hunter
As a licensed Bounty Hunter, you can find criminals wanted by local, state, and federal
authorities. When you bring these criminals back to justice, your reward can be $50,000
or more.
Now don’t get me wrong, when you first get started, you’ll probably be looking at
rewards from $500 - $5,000 at best. However, as I said, the more you build your
reputation and market yourself, the more money you’ll make.
Another perk is you’ll be making your own hours, and deciding when/if you want to
work! Are you currently able to do that at your real job? If so, count yourself lucky. Not
only is the pay as a bounty hunter attractive, but so is the schedule. You can also work
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9. from home or your own office earning money that helps bring criminals back to pay for
what they did.
That in its self is as rewarding as the money for most bounty hunters. Their true passion
is bringing the bad guys in, and the money and fame is just icing on the cake.
Is this interesting? Do you like what
you’ve read so far? Read the rest at
learnbountyhunting.com
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10. Additional resources
Getting Advice on Becoming a Bounty Hunter http://www.squidoo.com/getting-
advice-on-becoming-a-bounty-hunter
Are you interested in becoming a bounty hunter, but you don't know where to get started? This lens will
point you in the right direction. Question: Who is the...
Gaining Bounty Hunter Training
http://www.squidoo.com/gaining-bounty-hunter-training
Bounty hunters have long since been a staple of action-adventure movies and tv shows. That's where a
lot of people get their knowledge about bounty hunting. But...
Bounty Hunting and Skip Tracing
http://www.squidoo.com/bounty-hunting-and-skip-tracing
Due to the nature of bounty hunting, bounty hunters have to have a wide array of skills. They have to
be pretty good and performing them too. However, if...
Bounty Hunting Licenses Explained
http://www.squidoo.com/bounty-hunting-license
Bounty hunters are people who apprehend people who try to escape the long arm of
justice. Though bounty hunters work their own hours and get paid to be big...