In the minds of most Americans, the words "bounty hunter" would invoke images of a cowboy from the Wild West whose single-minded focus lay on bringing back a fugitive "dead or alive". Although "alive" is more relevant in today's context and modern bounty hunters are trained and licensed professionals, their job profile remains essentially the same - that of capturing fugitives for a monetary reward or, if you prefer a more adventurous word, a bounty.

To understand the bounty hunter's task in greater detail, it is necessary to understand the work of his principal, the bail bondsman. A bail bondsman writes bail bonds and legal documents that guarantee the court that the defendant will appear in court on the day of his trial to face his charge. Hence, if the defendant fails to show up for his trial (becoming a "skip"), the bail bondsman is liable to pay the amount of the bail bond to the court from his own buildup fund, a fund built up by retaining part of his commission. In addition, the defendant's credibility suffers in the eyes of the underwriter as well as of the court. To avoid this, the bail bondsman often employs the services of a bounty hunter, an agent who is responsible for retrieving the "skip" and bringing him to the bail bondsman.

Regardless of whether they are Orange County bail Bonds or Los Angeles County Bail Bonds, a bail bondsman needs street-smart, reliable bounty hunters. Needless to say, the business attracts hordes of tough, television-watching aspirants who promise to trace and deliver a "skip" from any corner of the world. In truth, only a limited number of professionals with exceptional tracing skills and years of experience genuinely have the ability to perform a bounty hunter's service with great accuracy and within the confines of the law.

At the time of signing the Bail bond, the defendant signs away many of his rights. The bail bond gives the bounty hunter the authority to track, seize and even imprison the "skip", if the need arises, anywhere across the United States of America. The task of the bounty hunter can be compared to that of a fearless sheriff striving to capture and subdue an escaping prisoner.

The bounty itself is usually in proportion to the amount of the bail bond and the difficulty and complexity involved in tracing the "skip". Small bail bonds usually mean relatively diminutive bounty. However, a $50,000 bail bond can bring as much as $10,000 as finder fees for the bounty hunter. Only the most established bounty hunters would be in a position to demand a retainer fee from their principals; most bounties are paid only after the fugitive is found, arrested and presented in front of the bail bondsman.

Although it seems like a scene straight from the movies, the job of a bounty hunter is not as attractive in real life. Along with the chance to ride off victorious into the sunset, a lot of sweat, blood and grime - great deduction skills, unglamorous days spent in following leads and performing frustrating searches and years of experience go before our hero may rightfully call even a single bounty his own. This Wild West fantasy of bounty hunting has been transformed into a tangible, legal business and bounty hunters form an integral part of America's justice system.