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is it practical to hunt without one? i dont really want to spend that much money on one if they arent nessicary but i definately dont wanna lose my dog.

If you don't run off game your dogs will very seldom get out of hearing coon hunting. I hunted for years before track collars. I was always looking for dogs and had several killed on the roads. I think I would never turn lose without some kind on a dog. Dewey

Believe me a tracking collar will pay for itself in the long run. As high as gas is you don't want to be driving around looking for dogs. You will always know where your dog is at and what he is doing with a Garmin. I wouldn't turn a good dog loose without one for dang sure.

I dont blame you for wanting to save a dollar, but with all these gps systems that have come out used/good condition telemetry systems are fairly cheap. I had gotten a garmin w/ the dc30 when they first came out and used it coon hunting then when I started bear hunting my dogs and they started getting out of range I invested in a used wildlife trx3s w/ yagi off ebay for 80 bucks with no collars. I then looked around online and purchased refurbished collars for about 80 bucks a piece. So far I have had very good luck with my system and with the condition that everything was in you couldn't tell it was used at all. If you only have 1 or 2 dogs valley creek hunting supply had the tracker systems with the strike collars for real cheap. Spending a little money now could save you a lot in the future. Happy Hunting

i hunted for a few years without them, if i didnt have a choice to get them, i would keep hunting without a tracking system, but i can tell you now my dogs dont leave the yard without the garmins strapped on. they are worth their weight in gold as far as im concerned

Quick story to help in your decision not related to actually losing a dog:

Had a pup I was training and was hunting her by herself one night. Had the Garmin on her and she started treeing in a fairly thick swamp about 350 yards from me. By the time I was 100 yards from her she went totally silent, but the Garmin said she was still in one place. I was able to use the Garmin to walk right to her where I found her just about hanging herself. Some how or another, she got a stick run through her collar and while she struggled, the collar twisted on her and was basically choking her with just her back feet barley touching ground. Without that GPS, never could have pinpointed her that accurately and might have lost her.

Have heard the same from a buddy out west who was bear hunting and a dog fell in an old mine shaft not far from him. He couldn't hear him bark, and without tracking equipment never wouldve found him.

yea i made up my mind not to hunt him without one, ill just have to prioritize things. being 15 its hard to get that much money but i saved and paid for the dog so i guess ill just save harder and longer now because i know that if i was in one of those situations i wont be so pissed at myself for causing the death of my bestfriend(dog)

As mentioned already, check classifieds on sites like this and eBay and such. You can find some good deals on the classic Quiktrack and Johnson telemetry units and the Garmins (particularly the Astron220 now that the 320 is on the market).

You'll be just fine without one. Theres been a hell of a lot of game put up trees before tracking systems. Those hunters were old school and hardcore. Bear and lion can cover some ground, bobcat tend to circle and usually stick within a square mile or so. A mile hike heading towards a treed hound goes by pretty damn quick. Don't be afraid to hike, you'll be a better hunter and know your dog better the more time you spend following it. Good luck.

Hi this is Robert ,,,I stay out here in sac calif and looking for a godtracking system....Not a gps you cant run with one out here so am looking for the best tracking out there can you help out.
Thanks for you time.