Dog Tracking System - Your knowledge based opinion please

[Downtown]

I am considering buying a new Gps enabled tracking system suitable for German hunting Terriers hunting in Mountainous Terrain primarely for Bear. The purebreed German Hunting Terrier is Black and Tan and the size of an supersized Jack Russel, very tenacius with almost unbelivable tracking abilities even on cold Trails and after long periods of Rain and Snow.

What experience do you have, what do you recomend, what would you purchase. Give me the good - the bad -and the ugly.

Thanks in advance for your experience based Opinion.

[BlacktailStalker]

THe new Garmin Astro with the DC 30 collars are top notch. Its been covered a few times in the past (search function) but you cant/wont go wrong with it. I love it as well as several other guys on here and the houndsmen sites.
Average 2-4km (add a couple kms with the long range antenna) here in steep Island terrain under second growth, as far as 20km with handlheld long range antenna in flats/rolling country.
Never lost collar/reciever communication for more than a minute yet... Doesnt get much nastier than where I go.
17-20hr battery life on collars (rechargeable) so you'll still want to run a standard tracking collar (I like the Marshall) if your dogs might be out over night.
Whatever you pay for it will save you that much gas $ in 2 years tops and save a couple years wear and tear on your legs :biggrin:

The bad; Duty, brokerage fees and finding a shipper to send to canada.
Got friends in the U.S? mail it to them and have them send it up for you.

[Spokerider]

The DC30 collars are designed with a minimum and maximum circumference, you might want to check what these limits are and see if your dog's neck size fits.

[Barracuda]

dc 30 collar might be a bit big for a Jagd but if they fit that would be your only choice right now i think for a GPS Collar.
telemetry stuff is made by many companies but it does take a bit of time to figure it out and it is directional not location like a GPS System .

I have only seen the GPS collars at work on other hounds( they are the Bees Knees) we still use the telemetry which does work well and as blacktail said running a backup collar is a good idea incase the dogs are inaccessable for a period of time .

if the item is sent to you regular post USPS you wont pay brokerage fees thats how i get my telemetry stuff sent .

Stay away from UPS as they will screw you on everything.

[MtnBoy]

I have used the new dc-30 very recently (borrowed). We had 2 dogs with the collars on. All the dogs still had regular telemetry collars as well. I can say that it was surreal to watch the chases live on the Astro unit. It worked so well my partner and I are buying our own sets. I wish it had a bit more battery life but 17 hrs was more than sufficient. Never lost contact once. Chase went through the thickest cover, over mtns, valley, rivers etc. Dogs were out well over a mile with no problems. I think this innovation could really change things. Still would keep the old telemetry just in case there is a multi-day recovery though.

[toyotacowboy]

we use the Wildlife Materials collars and tracking boxes. if you know how to use them they are as good as GPS

[Barracuda]

actually they will never be as good as a GPS

I do like the telemetry and i admit that i enjoy working out antenna design Theory and the whole game aspect of it (i used to do fox hunting) but a GPS system id far more advanced.
In some ways it removes alot of what is hound hunting from it as you can watch it on screen unfold but i guiess that is the sign of the times.

[MtnBoy]

I couldn't agree with you more Cuda.

[Downtown]

Well thanks alot for all the good advice. As usual there is one last thing, are they saltwater proof.

By for now

[puphood1]

Not quite sure but the Garmin is illegal to own or use in Canada! I beleave it has to do with the frequency it uses. Have seen them used and they are great still use my Marshall Tel.unit though and have tracked dogs for 15 miles with it....puphood1

[Barracuda]

curious asw to where you received your information?

[Downtown]

Not quite sure but the Garmin is illegal to own or use in Canada! I beleave it has to do with the frequency it uses. Have seen them used and they are great still use my Marshall Tel.unit though and have tracked dogs for 15 miles with it....puphood1



Was thinking to use it not only for hunting but also to locate the little Guy if he happens to go unnoticed overboard when I am Sailing in international waters.

[Barracuda]

there is nothing on the books that i can find that make this or the garmon rhino illegal .

[puphood1]

FYI: I use a company called GPS Central they are a Canadian company (look them up on the web) and on their site look up Astro Garmin Dog tracker and they will explain it to you better than I. Anyways its illegal because it interfers with non civillian frequencies. GPS Central is a great company and the best to deal with in my experiance. You can buy a Rhino through them but it is not the same unit as the Astro dog tracker. They have survival trackers for lost persons ect also .......puphood1

[Spokerider]

Not quite sure but the Garmin is illegal to own or use in Canada! I beleave it has to do with the frequency it uses. Have seen them used and they are great still use my Marshall Tel.unit though and have tracked dogs for 15 miles with it....puphood1


The Garmin Astro is not yet "approved" for use in Canada. That's why they can only [ currently ] be bought in the USA.
A rather moot point IMO...........

[Barracuda]

industry canada sets the tone not what GPS central wants you to think.

And GPS central is leaving out info and telling a grey lie .

frequency, actual wattage etc.

As for the Rhino it is basically the same technology (method of delevery is different)and the the only difference is in the wattage between the us model and canadian model.

what frequency is your marshell system? did you know that they are not specifically approved in canada? do you have a permit to transmit on its frequncy?

[puphood1]

industry canada sets the tone not what GPS central wants you to think.

And GPS central is leaving out info and telling a grey lie .

frequency, actual wattage etc.

As for the Rhino it is basically the same technology (method of delevery is different)and the the only difference is in the wattage between the us model and canadian model.

what frequency is your marshell system? did you know that they are not specifically approved in canada? do you have a permit to transmit on its frequncy?

I passed on info to you and the rest of the readers and there is no reason to shoot the messenger however they are still against the law to use and there is no such thing as a Canadian model in a Astro because you can not buy one here.......puphood1

[puphood1]

The Garmin Astro is not yet "approved" for use in Canada. That's why they can only [ currently ] be bought in the USA.
A rather moot point IMO...........
Not to belabour the subject but not yet means they are not approved. You may want to look at the potential fines ect. for the not yet approved units. The min. they are approved I will be one of the first to buy one for my dogs as there ability to track is supperior to a teli unit. and much more portable but I am not holding my breath.....puphood1

[BlacktailStalker]

Its also against the law to use the 5watt Rhinos (compared to the 2watt ones intended for Canada) as issued in the U.S but people do.

[Barracuda]

Not to belabour the subject but not yet means they are not approved. You may want to look at the potential fines ect. for the not yet approved units. The min. they are approved I will be one of the first to buy one for my dogs as there ability to track is supperior to a teli unit. and much more portable but I am not holding my breath.....puphood1

again your radio telemetry unit unless registered or you are certified for transmiossion on its frequency is not to be used in canada . Sure you can sell the collars in canada but it does not mean you can use it.

what frequency are your collars? My collars were specifically chosen (made to my specific frequency)so they would be legal here did you do the same industry search?

the frequency legalities here are as not as much an issue for me as jumping through the hoops can be done but we are moving down under in the next while so we have to look at the legalities for use there .

[marblewoodhead]

GPS in dog tracking is the way to go.I had two Wildlife Materials TRX1000 boxes and had Wildlife Materials collars and Johnson collars.All I'll say buy the best tracking box you can find.I've had all different size collars the Johnson collars were the best for strong signals "BUT" on Vancouver Island sometimes that not good cause of rebound signals off of water and boxed in draws.Also ,you can the best of the best equipment "if you don't know how it operates the properly its a waste of time" .Buy the equipment and go out and use it.