Garmin Astro

[Wmwendler]

I have been one of the first to be sceptical of Garmin's GPS tracking system, but after having a look at one that a buddy has and hearing him say what he thinks about it I have come to the conclusion that it may be something to look at.  It has a short maximum distance but that is made up for by the fact that it shows you the last location point where the dog was in range and you can just go to that point and find signal again.  The good thing is that it seems it does not have that much interferance from trees and vegitation like your regular radio-telemetry collars do. And for the places I hunt, vegetation is a big part of the interfernce I get when tracking dogs.   According to my buddy, with the Garmin, the thing that gives the most interferance and limits distance is hills.  For example a hill might block the signal, and if the dog goes over a hill you might loose it, but it will show the dogs path up to the top of the hill and you can follow and most likely pick up signal again at the top of the hill.  Even still most places I hunt dont have many hills.  The Garmin shows the dogs path over the whole day and gives the total distance the dog traveled.  I like how the unit shows you the path the dog traveled throughout the day.  The unit does not come with maps but you can load them on to it.  This is cool because, for me atleast, I always wonder about where the dogs end up? how they got there? ect.  If you can see thier path that will help you learn the hogs escape routes, ect.  That might come in handy on some of those boars that keep giving the slip and might help tilt the odds in your favor if you know how he uses the terrain to ecape. 

It tells you the direction the dog is and gives the distance in yards it is away from you.  Its suposed to be accurate to a few yards.  The reciever is supposed to be water proof, and can function as a normal gps unit so you get more for your money.  It cost 600 bucks for the reciever and one collar and 200 for extra collars.  The only big killer is the design of the transmitters.  The way trasmitter is supposed to sit on top of the dogs neck and the antenna is not very flexible and prone to break.  But, I dont see that there is any reason they could'nt fit thier transmitter on a collar to be under the dogs neck(thats where they end up anyway) like on traditional tracking collars, and fit them with a traditional antenna setup.  The potential is there to improve the transmitters/collars and make them more fuctional.  Its just up to the company to do it.  If they did, I would definately start saving for one.

Waylon

[matt_aggie04]

Waylon I looked at this set up in Gander yesterday and the model they have there they have changed the antenna on the transmitter to a VERY flexible unit that seems almost impossible to break, you can almost tie it in a knot.  Having said that I agree that they need to make the transmitter hang low with an antenna that faces up because that is where the transmitter is going to end up like you said.  Still waiting for them to perfect it before I drop my coin on it but it looks like they are heading in the right direction.
Matt

[BRUTE]

A buddy just bought one from a place. I told him what I had read about them not really being for hog doggers. He told her and she said to take it and if any thing breaks for any reason she will refund his money.

That sounded pretty fair. I am hoping to get to try it out soon.

[matt_aggie04]

Heck yeah, that sounds like a heck of a deal.  Keep us posted on how that goes Brute.  Has your buddy given you any hints to likes or dislikes yet?
Matt

[BRUTE]

No, not yet. I am very curious. SHould be putting it to the test in the next couple of weeks.

[Wmwendler]

Matt......I'll have to check that out at Gander.  Rumor is the whole company going outside because of some finacial trouble.  There might be some clearances if that turns out to be true.  To me, it seems like who ever designed the transmitter was picturing some bird dogs in a cut corn field hunting pheasant or something.  They have to realize that the hound hunters and hog hunters are the biggest part of the tracking collar market, not bird dog hunters.  You would think that other telemetry companys would follow suit and come out with thier own GPS tracking collars.  But would thier GPS uinit (receiver) be any good considering the other companys dont have experience with GPS, exp. compared to Garmin.  I think it would be easier for Garmin to get a good GPS collar made than it would be for other telemetry companys to make a good GPS unit.

Waylon

[aladatrot]

I heard somewhere that TRACKER has something along this line in the works. Don't remember where I heard this, don't know if it's true. I do know that I have a hard time with the radio telemetry, although it does beat the alternative which is nothing at all. As soon as something gets all lined out with the gps and gets the thumbs up from a few more hog hunters, I'm going to hock a relative and get one.

Can you imagine being able to see how far your individual dogs are getting out there? When our dogs are circling out, I know in minutes how long they average. What I don't know is how many times they stopped to smell the daisies and how much ground they actually cover.

M

[Wmwendler]

aladatrot.......I know what you mean.  You will be able to see if the dog is just out smelling the roses or is actually doing something.  It also will let you see the route that that bad running hog took when he smoked you, so next time you can be ready .

Waylon

[Clay]

Any new update on this machine?......

[BRUTE]

aladatrot.......I know what you mean.  You will be able to see if the dog is just out smelling the roses or is actually doing something.  It also will let you see the route that that bad running hog took when he smoked you, so next time you can be ready .

Waylon

IT seems the more technonogy that comes out the less aware hunters become about their surroundings and the less they are able to read their own dogs. I believe the quality of dogs and hunters now is starting to show technology dependent people.

GPS for if you get lost...
Shock Collar to train you dogs...
Now GPS on dog to tell you what it is doing...

Although I think all this stuff is cool... I dred what the sport will become. I was amazed early on in my hunting career at how the guys knew what their dogs were doing, wanting to do, or had done just by reading the dog. They had some of the best handle on a dog I had ever seen... and no shock collars. We have all this technology now that is suppose to be better,,,but the quality is way down. Why is that?

[Clay]

Thats true. The only thing i really like to have is a tracking system cause of these runnin hogs. We have had them run out of tracking range once...and we hunt farmland no hills its all flat. so they were out there quite a ways. the hog was jumped less then 100 yards from us and soon as the dogs got a good bay he broke and never stopped.

[BRUTE]

When they come out with a chip that I can put in a dog... and then pick up on a GPS any where,,,, I will buy one for every dog I own.

Keep people from stealing dogs...  

[BRUTE]

Tracking systems can save you time in those cases...

It doesn't take those hogs in the fiels long to realize all they have to do is run.

[Clay]

No it sure dosnt. They are actually pretty inteligent. I always thought they werent real smart game but the more we hunt the smarter they get. Theve learned to stay by the road now cause we wont hunt there.

[BRUTE]

We use to park at the field, unload, drink a few beers, make a round, come back, drink a few more, make another round, and catch about 1/2 in the field.

Now... we park long ways away, have to ease up with the lights off, can't rattle the gate too much, can't talk, and then with all that we still only catch them in the brush.

[Clay]

well there not that bad yet.

[Wmwendler]

aladatrot.......I know what you mean.  You will be able to see if the dog is just out smelling the roses or is actually doing something.  It also will let you see the route that that bad running hog took when he smoked you, so next time you can be ready .

Waylon

IT seems the more technonogy that comes out the less aware hunters become about their surroundings and the less they are able to read their own dogs. I believe the quality of dogs and hunters now is starting to show technology dependent people.

GPS for if you get lost...
Shock Collar to train you dogs...
Now GPS on dog to tell you what it is doing...

Although I think all this stuff is cool... I dred what the sport will become. I was amazed early on in my hunting career at how the guys knew what their dogs were doing, wanting to do, or had done just by reading the dog. They had some of the best handle on a dog I had ever seen... and no shock collars. We have all this technology now that is suppose to be better,,,but the quality is way down. Why is that?

I dont see this as a replacement of being dog savy.  Just another tool that will allow hunters to be better able to keep up with thier dogs.  As far as I am concerned I don't think there will ever be any technology that can replace dog savy.  Being able to "read" your dogs and knowing what they are doing just by the tone in thier bark or the way they are acting is an priceless skill to have.  These tracking collars are more of an insurance policy than anything else.

Waylon

[pig snatcher]

I was able to use one for the first time yesterday.  I think it is a good idea, but needs improvements before it can compete w/ traditional systems.

Some problems we had on one hunt:
-one collar went on the fritz, collar had to be brought back to the receiver to be reprogramed.
-lost one of the harnesses and had to go find it, another dog almost lost theirs as well, I do not beleive they will hold up in heavy cover.
-after only 2 hunts in open terrain one antenna had been replaced.

[Flatbroke]

I like the idea but dont like the antenna location and durablility

[BRUTE]

Not sure if it has been mentioned but don't stand on a cattle guard and try to track. It messes it up. That probably goes for any medal surface.

Buddy used his on one of those harnesses that you can buy for a couple bucks at the store... not the vest it comes with. It will pick up the signal side ways and up side down. Haven't had an major issues other than the cattle guard deal.