Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Dog Tracking Collars

I am considering purchasing a tracking system for locating my dogs. Maxima makes a 5000 model for standard tracking collars and Garmin makes the astro model that locates them by GPS.

Anyone ever use these?

I have the Garmin Astro and with my new pup, I'm VERY glad I purchased it because she's a runnin' fool!! They're very expensive, IMO, but worth it. Yes, they make it easier to see when your dogs pointing and how they're working the cover but not losing them is the main reason I own one.

FWIW, after I started using mine, I was amazed at just how far my pup will go and how quick she gets there. For example, we run small wildlife area by my house and before I got the Astro, I thought my pup was only 200-300 yards out when she was out of sight. My Astro showed her at 992 yards on our last trip (probably after some deer). Runnin' like that, I know it wouldn't take much to lose that little brown rocket...

As with all technology, I'm sure they'll come down in price quite a bit if you can wait 1-2 years. As for me, I didn't like forkin' over the $$ but I'd do it again now in a heart beat.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

I use a tracking collar on a coonhound, but never on a bird dog. Have you looked at beeper collars? you can hear them from a long way off and they won't make birds flush.

The GPS units are made more for pointy dogs, and they have much less range than the radio tracking collars. Which one works best for you depends on what kind of dogs and what kinds of terrain you hunt.

Here's a buyers guide type review of the pros and cons of each.

[color:#000099][u][b]Radio tracking vs. GPS[/b][/u][/color]