Plot

The team is called to investigate when bodies of missing people are discovered in the Idaho wilderness.

In separate incidents, three twenty-something Eastern Washingtonians have been found dead in Boise National Forest, Idaho. They were each on their way into Spokane when they went missing. Each deceased's fatal wounds had both front and rear entry into/from the body, with no sign of bullet fragments. And each only had other minor wounds, with no signs of struggle. The BAU immediately believe each was running away from something or someone in the forest. Piecing together the information, they learn that there are two unsubs whose killings will soon cease when the hunting season starts in three days. The unsubs are doing their own early hunting, kidnapping their victims and letting them run free through the forest like wild animal prey being chased by bow and arrow shooting hunters. They quickly learn who the unsubs are but they have a lot of forest to cover to find the two, before the unsubs kill the next missing person, a young woman named Bobbi Baird. In searching the unsubs' home and place of business, the BAU find that there are far more than three past victims and that the killings have been taking place for a generation.—Huggo

The episode opens in Boise National Forest, a man in a collared shirt is running, then it cuts to some beautiful deer. Two bow hunters walk calmly through the woods. The man continues running, then falls - his nose is bloody. The hunters talk about how to improve their skills, "Aim straight for the heart, avoid the shoulder blades." An arrow flies, misses. The other hunter shoots twice. The men approach their kill, which turns out to be the running man. One hunter says,"It's okay, took me a while to get my first big one. You just need more practice."

Back in Virginia, the agents are enjoying themselves at a bar. Prentiss brings a man named Brad to the table of Garcia and JJ. Brad is "a real FBI agent". The women tease him by asking leading questions, and then proceed to show him their badges. He walks away, embarrassed. JJ's phone rings, and the women return to the BAU headquarters. The case is presented, two victims went missing from Washington state and were found in Idaho, 200 miles away. The team is confused by the clothes of the victims (not dressed for the woods) and the lack of sexual preference of the unsub. The victims have wounds that are not self-defense, but rather from running and looking behind themselves. Gideon says, "Only one thing you run that hard for...your life."

"One man's wilderness is another man's theme park." - Author Unknown

The team is on the plane, discussing how the unsub transported the victims so far. The forest offers the unsub privacy and the possibility that the bodies won't be found. It is suggested that the unsub is comfortable in the rugged forest terrain. Prentiss muses that her grandfather retired to the French Alps, surviving only off the land for ten years, without running water or electricity. Garcia appears on the computer to reveal that there were 10 missing persons cases from Spokane, WA in the spring, the victims' cars never recovered. Local police identified the newest body as Alex Harris, last seen in Spokane.

Gideon, Morgan, and Prentiss go to Idaho, Reid, Hotchner, and JJ go to Spokane. In Spokane, the team discusses the wounds from the autopsies. They determine that the victims had broken bones, soft, clean tissue damage, and deep puncture wounds. Guns are dismissed because bullets explode outwards. They also mention that there are always two wounds. Sheriff Raymond Schaeffer enters the room and thanks the team for coming. JJ goes with the sheriff to notify the family, he is new and has never given a death notification.

In Idaho, the team meets Head Ranger Lizzie Evans, she warns that the group needs to begin so they can exit the forest before nightfall. Morgan and Prentiss walk with the ranger, who shows off her knowledge of the forest and her instinctual abilities. Evans shows them two separate boot tracks with the same treads. They also note vantage points and connect the similarities between the murders and hunters. In town, Gideon meets a young boy with a dead deer in his truck. They have a brief conversation about hunting season which has become more popular due to a recent expose in a travel magazine. The boy tells Gideon that arrows are more helpful in hunting animals because they can completely penetrate the body of the animal and is "the most effective kill". Gideon dials Hotchner and tells the team that the victims are being caught, brought to the woods, and hunted like wild animals.

A woman in a red sports car is having battery issues, she pulls over to the side of the road as her engine stalls. She calls again for assistance, but a tow truck appears behind her. Her cell shows no service. The two hunters from before appear on either side of the car.

Hotchner and Gideon are simultaneously giving the profile. "Two offenders in good physical condition. They'd have to be fit enough for the terrain. Killing teams are like most partnerships: one weak, the other strong. These men haven't exhibited sexual interest in their victims, so they are developmentally pre-pubescent or related. If they are related, they could have an us-versus-them mentality. The men won't show the same mercy of regular hunters. They hunt in the spring, as though their prey is migrating. The victims were healthy, smart adults that survived for days."

Bobbi Baird, the woman in the red car, is reported missing by her friend. Ranger Evans orders roadblocks. Bobbi is in the back of the hunters' truck, she is tied up and her mouth is duct-taped. The hunters cut her loose and laugh as she screams. They tell her to run. Garcia traces her phone, and tells the team that her last two calls were to 911 off of Highway 2. Bobbi runs into a group of campers, but the hunters kill two of them. The hunters are not perturbed by this, saying that it will be more fun. The campers and Bobbi argue about splitting up before nightfall.

Garcia gives Hotch a list of those who purchased hunting arrows. They go to a hunting store, where the clerk tells them about two brothers that have been coming there for years. She tells the team that the boys' uncle passed away a bit ago. She thinks their name was Mulford, and their uncle's name was Joseph. Garcia informs them that Joseph was convicted of multiple assault and batteries, and that his nephews are Paul and John, who now own his service station on Highway 2.

Ranger Evans still hasn't found Bobbie, who is with the campers. The battery in their flashlight has died, and the hunters watch them huddled up and scared. Reid, Hotch, and the Sheriff arrive at the service station, where they find Bobbi's car. Back in the woods, the agents and Evans find the campsite. As they wonder where the people went, Prentiss feels a drop on her cheek. She looks up to see the dead campers strung up in the trees. Luke, another camper, is shot with an arrow. Boobi urges Heather to leave him. Hotch's group finds all of the cars the Mulford's took. Reid finds all of the victims' drivers licenses. The team realizes that the uncle started the hunting game. Heather and Bobbi discuss how to survive, Bobbi realizes that the men enjoy the chase. The team learns that Paul and John were orphaned and never went to school, raised solely by their uncle and the forest. Bobbi and Heather hide behind the trees, trying to trick the hunters. Heather tries to attack, but reveals herself and is shot. Bobbi rushes forward and stabs John, then hides again. Paul finds John and looks around for Bobbi.

Morgan radios Gideon to get to higher ground, where he sees smoke. Paul comforts John, and runs into Bobbi, who screams at him. Gideon and Evans stumble upon John, and Heather's body. John begs them not to hurt Paul. Bobbi has climbed a tree, and sees Paul below her. She jumps out of the tree and stabs him twice before bolting. He shoots after her and misses. The team kill Paul before he can fire at Bobbi. John dies while Gideon comforts him. Bobbi and Prentiss watch Paul die.

"Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself." - British Historian, James Anthony Froud

The team flies back, exhausted. Morgan asks Prentiss if she is okay. She admits that Bobbi's question, "How can they do this?" is bothering her. She admits that the team does think like the killers. She asks Morgan what the difference is between the team and the people they hunt.