Dispatched reportedly to find trail (5)
I believe the answer is:
scent
'trail' is the definition.
(an animal's trail is its scent)
'dispatched reportedly' is the wordplay.
'dispatched' becomes 'sent' (I've seen this in another clue).
'reportedly' shows a homophone (sound like).
'sent' sounds like 'SCENT'.
'to find' is the link.
(Other definitions for scent that I've seen before include "Pleasant smell" , "Clue" , "Distinctive odour" , "Number of clues" , "Pleasant odour" .)