Tracking Devices for Hunting Dogs

There are three types and several models of dog tracking devices to choose from. Deciding which one to purchase depends not only on your budget, but also on the conditions under which you will be hunting. They range in price from $100 to $599. Some models have a distance range of 12 miles, while others are only effective to a couple hundred yards.

Types

The three types of dog tracking collars are beeper collars, radio collars and GPS radio collars.

Function

Beeper collars emit an audible beep from the transmitter on the collar. Radio tracking collars send out a radio signal from the transmitter on the collar to a hand-held receiver. The receiver then beeps in a series to show the direction of the dog. With the GPS radio trackers, the signal from the collar is received by a hand-held GPS unit and the dog's location is plotted on a map.

Benefits

With the beeper collar, there is no receiver to carry, and they are the cheapest tracking devices. The benefit of a standard radio tracking system is range--the receiver can pick up a signal from up to 12 miles away. With the GPS tracker, you can see your dog's exact location plotted on a map and you always know if your dog is on the move or if it has stopped.

Considerations

When using a beeper collar, you have to be close enough to your dog to hear the beep, so the effective range is very low. The noise can also be distracting for many dogs. With the standard radio tracking collar, you can't tell the exact location of your dog. Radio trackers go more on direction than distance. You gauge distance by the gain in signal strength as you get closer to your dog. GPS radio trackers only have about half the range of standard radio tracking collars.
And with all tracking devices, your terrain greatly affects the range, so hills and thick vegetation greatly weaken the signal.

Price

You can get a beeper collar under $100. Standard radio tracking systems start at $499. Depending on the model, GPS systems start at around $599.