Trackin systems...advice and tips

[dabutcher]

well i've never used any of the tracking systems, nor hunted with anyone that i got to look and talk about em with.  anyone got any advice?? 

what's the best option now?  i've been looking at the Garmin system and have been reading about charging problems.  What about the telemetry systems?

what's the most effective models for a decent price?  what brand?

give me the good the bad and the ugly.

[Circle C]

My experiences are limited to

Tracker Maxima 5000/50 - compact, limited range, had a tendency to 180, not real precise, but I never lost a dog with it. I never used it with a Yagi antenna, I think that would have helped with accuracy.

QuickTrack 6000 - easy to use,so easy that my 8 year old daughter likes to track the dogs with it. A little bulky, I would not like to carry it all the time walking through the woods. It will 180 with the quick shot antenna, but not as bad as the Tracker. Much more precise than the Tracker, at least in my hands.

Garmin w/ DC30 - Really neat, however I tend to watch the screen on the GPS more than the dogs. I don't trust it enough to run solo without radio collars. The batteries have to be charged often (not the case with radio), longevity/ collar life is questionable. It will get me to a bay quicker than with a radio system.

That's my two cents....

If I had limited funds to spend on a system, I would buy the Garmin system, then pick up a couple of used radio collars. That way if the Garmin fails, you can always call a friend with a radio system to come find your dogs.  You might not like the razzing you get, but at least your dogs will be back

[JAG]

It all depends on how you hunt and how far your dogs range out.  I have a Quick Track Qtr10 and a Garmin Gps system with the old dc-20 collars.  The Garmin system is a great concept but it dont work well in thick brush,creek bottoms or if your dogs get out further than a half a mile.  Most hunting trips include all of these things.  The Garmin tracking system is not true Gps because true Gps has no range.  Give it a few years and they will get it down. I like the old telemetry systems myself like my Quick Track I have never lost a dog with this  system.  The only problem with them is that they are kinda bulky if you walk hunt.  If you ride a four wheeler or a horse than its no problem strap it down and go. To sum it up The telemetry system has a better range and you dont have to recharge the collars.  I prefer the Quick Track but there are other good brands of telemetry systems

[dabutcher]

It all depends on how you hunt and how far your dogs range out.  I have a Quick Track Qtr10 and a Garmin Gps system with the old dc-20 collars.  The Garmin system is a great concept but it dont work well in thick brush,creek bottoms or if your dogs get out further than a half a mile.  Most hunting trips include all of these things.  The Garmin tracking system is not true Gps because true Gps has no range.  Give it a few years and they will get it down. I like the old telemetry systems myself like my Quick Track I have never lost a dog with this  system.  The only problem with them is that they are kinda bulky if you walk hunt.  If you ride a four wheeler or a horse than its no problem strap it down and go. To sum it up The telemetry system has a better range and you dont have to recharge the collars.  I prefer the Quick Track but there are other good brands of telemetry systems

yeah, the Garmin system basically puts your position on the screen and then recieves signal from the collars and marks that on the screen right?  you can also go back and look at how the dog worked the field as well ain't it?  how far it ranged out and what not.  i really like the GPS cause then i could mark the truck or wheeler everytime i left to go to a bay.  i don't have the greatest sense of direction in the dark.  but i guess you could hang a collar on your side mirror or something to have a sure fire way to get back to the vehicle.

i hear a lot of good things about the Quick Track 6000... it seems like the benchmark of telemetry systems to me, or at least one of the most popular systems.

[dabutcher]

anyone use the wildlife materials telemetry systems??  got a decent price on em.  that's not always a good thing though

[Noah]

The Garmin has made dogging sooo much more enjoyable.  I can not tell you how nice it is not to have to belly crawl through a half mile of razor vine when you can now just look at the GPS and see the trail on the back side of the head.  Used properly, it makes you a better dog man and saves valuable time getting to a bay.  Just make sure you still pay attention to the dogs and don't fall into the "video game" mentality.

Having said that, I still run a radio collar on my long dogs for battery life reasons.  I've been around most of the Wildlife systems and they all work well, and the company itself can repair anything that messes up, which is awesome. QuickTrack and Marshal's seem pretty reliable as well from what I've seen.

Like C said, I'd get the Garmin and a radio collar for your long dog and that's a good start.

[dabutcher]

only bad thing is i don't have anyone that has a telemetry system that i could call at 1am and live to tell the tale.

[Circle C]

only bad thing is i don't have anyone that has a telemetry system that i could call at 1am and live to tell the tale

You might be surprised what a fellow hog dogger will do to get a man's dog back.  I don't care who it is, I will go help someone track their dog at any hour. I know half a dozen doggers within 30 minutes of you that would do the same thing.

[dabutcher]

only bad thing is i don't have anyone that has a telemetry system that i could call at 1am and live to tell the tale

You might be surprised what a fellow hog dogger will do to get a man's dog back.  I don't care who it is, I will go help someone track their dog at any hour. I know half a dozen doggers within 30 minutes of you that would do the same thing.

well, i know a couple for sure but i couldn't bring myself to ask em. 

[Txhoghunter]

I have a Wildlife and like it just fine. From what Ive seen of the Garmin(probably 5 or 6 hunts) I dont have enough faith to go buy one yet. I've had two different Tracker Maximas in the past and like Circle C said, they will 180 and the range is limited.

[kevin]

I'm for wildlife.  I have an extra if you decide to buy a wildlife.  If you've never had to use a tracker then I would say the Garmin will be sufficient for you.

Noah, I think the GPS makes you less of a dogman.   Your using technology to know what your dogs are doing.  IA dogman knows already.  I think they will teach you a lot about your dogs though.

[pig snatcher]

anyone use the wildlife materials telemetry systems??  got a decent price on em.  that's not always a good thing though

I own a wildlife box and collars.  Have hunted for years with their systems and I have 110% confidence in them. Their customer service is also good.

You will not go wrong with wildlife or quick-track.  These are both top of the line systems in my oppinion.  Radio equipment has been around for years and has proven its self time and time again.

The garmins are neat, but I hear of a lot of problems with them breaking.  In my limmited experiance with them I have also sean my dogs get out of the Garmins range pretty quick where my old wildlife box was still beeping away.

If I was goint to buy a brand new box, I would most likely go with the quick-track 6000 or the one that tracks two channels.  I like the more compact units like q-t that mount on the antenna, and if I can get 217 and 219 I can track anything me or my buddies have.

[Noah]

Noah, I think the GPS makes you less of a dogman.   Your using technology to know what your dogs are doing.  A dogman knows already.  I think they will teach you a lot about your dogs though.

I completely agree, what I see as a huge advantage(at least in our terrain) is the ability to know sooner when your dogs stop moving and how to get to them most efficiently.   What would've taken me 10 min to figure out before, now takes less than 30 seconds, allowing me to get there and help before the hog breaks or dogs get hurt.  That's why I let my buddy work the Garmin and I pay attention to the dogs... all I ask him is "are they still moving, and if so, what direction".   I can certainly see the gap in dogmanship that the Garmin is creating in many hunters though.

[dabutcher]

thanks guys keep em comin.   i'm really wanting to get a system pretty soon. 

[cantexduck]

There are quite a few listed in the class. section.

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

I use a Quick Track 6000 and I love it. The garmin is cool but I don't think they will have all the bugs worked out for a few years yet, range, battery life, water damage, ?

Paul T

[Noah]

All I have to say is it's the best $600 my hunting partner has ever spent

[dabutcher]

I use a Quick Track 6000 and I love it. The garmin is cool but I don't think they will have all the bugs worked out for a few years yet, range, battery life, water damage, ?

Paul T

that's my worries.  i can't afford to spend $800-1000 on something that may or may not work. i'll probably go with the ol tried and true til they get everything worked out.  i can't afford to be a guinea pig.