Federal agents with bloodhounds search Nordmann's property Friday

ANDREWS, North Carolina (CNN) -- Heavily armed agents used a bloodhound to follow the scent of bombing suspect Eric Robert Rudolph briefly Friday, but the dog lost the trail at a nearby creek.

The Federal Aviation Administration also worked to impose a "no-fly" zone over the search area to keep media helicopters and other private aircraft from flying over a 3-mile area near Andrews.

Rudolph, 31, is a suspect in the bombing of a women's clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. He is believed to be armed and hiding in a heavily wooded, mountainous section near Andrews in western North Carolina.

A bloodhound was taken to the woods Friday near the home of George Nordmann, a 71-year-old man who says he was visited by Rudolph last week.

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Timeline of the manhunt

The dog appeared to pick up a scent, which led back to Nordmann's home and then to another house that was recently burglarized. The dog finally lost the scent at a nearby creek.

About 200 federal, state and local officers are involved in the around-the-clock search for Rudolph. The search intensified this week after Nordmann reported his encounter with the suspect.

Also Friday, FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen told CNN that her agency was "feverishly working" on the request to get a "no-fly zone" in place by late Friday afternoon.

Truck, supplies taken

Nordmann told authorities he agreed to help Rudolph and gave him apples and various canned items. They agreed to meet last Thursday evening at Nordmann's house so Rudolph could get the rest of the items he requested, Nordmann says.

Agents search Nordmann's house

But Nordmann did not return home Thursday evening, and when he arrived Friday evening, the food and his truck were missing, he says.

Rudolph is believed to have taken gallons of raisins, wheat, canned corn, beets and tuna, among other items. According to law enforcement officials the total weight of goods Rudolph took, including some batteries, is between 50 and 75 pounds. Rudolph left five $100 bills as payment for the food.

Nordmann's truck was later found at a nearby campground.

Rudolph became a suspect in the bombing of the New Woman All Women clinic in Birmingham when his 1989 Nissan pickup with North Carolina plates was seen leaving the scene just minutes after the explosion.

An off-duty policeman working as a security guard was killed and a nurse was injured by the blast.

In March, the task force investigating the bombing was merged with another task force investigating three unsolved bombings in Atlanta, including one at Centennial Olympic Park in July 1996.