Teams are usually composed of three people who take the positions of point person and flankers. The point person is the lead person. The point person stays on the prime sign. The job of the flankers is to keep an eye out for a change in direction or for other tracks that may cross the trail the team is following. Positions are rotated often to prevent eye-strain and fatigue.
Several teams work together in cooperation to follow the sign.
This is called signcutting. Communication between teams and between team members is vital to the success of the operation. If the sign has not been trampled, it is easier for the trackers to begin. If the sign is trampled, which is the usual case, things get more difficult. The trackers have to identify the lost person s tracks and be able to sort them out from all the other tracks.