Garmin problem on last hunt, something to think about.

The incorrect compass reading may very well been operator error. It just wouldn't have helped me out of the woods that night!!

Having not owned a Garmin (yet anyway) I don't know about having to reset/recalibrate before each hunt or downloading updates from Garmin. Seems like if you forgot to do that before you turned dogs out (which is something I would probably do) you would be out of luck.

I use a handheld Garmin GPS all the time for marking spots in the woods, tree stands, etc. I do know my hand held loses signal if I get under thick trees (which is most of the time down here). Does the Astro/ DC-30 have a problem receiving a signal in thick woods? I have never had that trouble with a regular radio tracking unit, but have had the dog closer than I thought, due to thick cover. Just curious if the Garmin loses satelite signal under heavy cover.

I think the Garmin would be a great tool to have, being able to see where and what your dog is doing would be really helpful. I just am not convinced all the bugs are worked out of the system yet.

Plus I would like to see more consistent range estimates. Some guys say they are getting 2 miles. I have talked to guys that lose their dogs at 900-1000 yards max.

Other than that I would love to have one!