the garmin

[smalltown]

i have been really looking at the garmin astro 220 and the dc-30 collar and are they really that great? i am thinking about buying one but i can't push myself enough to do it... need somebody to help persuade me to get one or not... just want every bodies goods and bads.
Thanks
Jerid

[Budd Denny]

All good out ways the bads.

[Hounder-]

As said above, the good far outweighs the bad.


But it does depend on how "open" you are to learning a little technology. If you spend the entire time cussing it out then it might not be for you.

It is a game changer though; in my opinion.

[imchestnut]

I am in the same boat...Just can't decide. I've seen them work real good and real bad. How about some specifics on how they work in the brush, what kind of range do you get, accuracy of the direction it tells you to go? Do you trust it enough not to run telemetry?

[outlaw13]

I don't own a garmin, but i think i have heard that they are coming out with a 320 or something. so might want to check into that before buying anything.

[B&T man]

Here is what I posted on another thread. The garmin is awesome, I don't even bother with my other collars now...

Marshall... whatever.. overpriced. I never lost signal with Quick track, Wildlife or Johnson. Did I lose my dogs.. hell ya. Every season. Hunting in some rugged country and the Garmins are the answer. Ya you lose signal once in a while but not nearly as the posts on here would have you believe. Magnet roof antenna and your good to go. When you do lose signal you know exactly where the dogs were when they went out of range. Drive or walk in that direction.. The map show the direction they were heading as well. I run DC 30 and have not lost my dogs since. Its safer for the dogs. Your into the tree a lot quicker. The benefits are endless. Also this line of sight thing you hear all the bs about. All I know is my dogs can be in a hole on the other side of a ridge I'm on and I still have signal. Dirty rotten canyons.. still have signal. 8 miles away in ridges and foot hills down in a steep river gulley... stilll had signal. (with the roof magnet)

Good bye Quick track, johnson and wildlife

[smalltown]

B&T man- that might of put me on the buying side... and what about this 320's are they an upgrade and better 220 or a all new device? i would buy the 220 if its a new device they already got alot of the problems done and over with on the 220.

[B&T man]

I would just grab the 220. This 320 thing is a pretty new rumor and if you always wait for the newer model you'll never get one... I might consider getting the DC 30 collars rather than the DC 40's too. I know I orderded 2 more before they quit making them.

I know I waited another year to order my system while my buddies were all running Gramin. Now that I've run mine for a year I totally regret not buying it sooner.

This is where I bought mine and a few orders of other stuff since. You won't regret it.

www.dugraphics.com

[catchrcall]

As a hog hunter I really tend to be hard on equipment. The mud and water and rough hogs will weed out stuff that don't work pretty quick. The DC30s that I've got were a great investment and I'll probably get more before they quit working them. I've gotten ranges over a mile with just the normal antenna, but that is not the norm because my dogs are usually not that far out unless they really get on a runner. I can tell you that the dc30's will stay working while they are bayed in a creek with brush and trees on all sides of them while I'm a draw or two over. They will lose signal sometimes but they pick back up when you move in that direction. I still run telemetry collars on my dogs just in case but I haven't had to use them but once or twice.

[jason]

They are awesome, far better than I imagined they would be. like was said earlier game changer about sums it up.

[Plotts]

Smalltown, after running them for 2 years, I cannot imagine turning a dog loose without one.

Send me a pm and I'll give you my number................

[45calmuzzleloader]

I've hunted for 2 seasons with the astro 220, 4 dc30 collars and the garmin long range hand held antenna. I won't turn the dogs out without it. In real thick mixed timber get .8 to 1 mile range with regular antenna, around 2.75 to 3 miles with long range hand held. Only loose a signal if the dog goes out of stated range or goes in a deep 60' or so ravine. Cool thing is you know exactly where the dog is if it drops the signal, and if he back tracks into range or comes out the ravine, astro picks him right back up. Had a dog loose a collar this season in a swamp. The dc30 battery died because I went hunting with collar batteries that were 1/2 charged. Walked in 24 hours later found the collar within 30 feet of where astro said it lost signal!

[smalltown]

well thanks for the imput I am going to get one pretty soon i think...

[billjaco]

I bought the first one in our group when they first came out. Not perfect but it beats whatever is in second place. I have tracked up to 5.2 miles in actual hunting conditions. Saves lots of miles and time rounding up dogs when the track blows up. Go for it. You won't regret it.

[stanleybearhunter]

i run both collars on my lead dog, love garmin they tell u how far ur dog is from you what he/she is doing. if you put a map card in it you can c if ur dog has crossed and roads etc, where they are headed.