Hunting Dog Tracking System VS Dog Beeper System

It is not an easy thing to keep track of a fast-moving or far-ranging dog, especially while hunting. In the past, hunters relied on dog bells or a spotter to help keep track of the dog. Nowadays, we have more advanced technology to assist in tracking your dog when they get out of sight. The two options are using a locator/beeper system or a GPS hunting dog tracking system. A GPS hunting dog tracking system works similarly to a car GPS, but instead of a destination, it points the way to your dog while also providing useful information, such as distance and whether they are moving or stopped. Continue reading for a breakdown of the key features of both GPS hunting dog tracking systems and beeper systems, advantages of each.

Key Features of Both Systems

Both a beeper system and a GPS hunting dog tracking system are designed to assist in the hunter or trainer in keeping the location of the dog known at all times. A beeper system alerts the hunter to the dog’s location by producing audible sounds, where as a GPS hunting dog tracking system uses GPS technology to track your dog exactly using satellites. A beeper system can be a standalone locator only providing audible sound or a combination beeper/e-collar and uses remote transmitter to provide training capabilities as well as audible tracking. A GPS hunting dog tracking system can also be a tracking only system or a tracking and training combo collar that provides training abilities in addition to GPS tracking.

Advantages of a Hunting Dog Tracking System

Tracking systems use the latest in GPS technology to track your dogs’ location up to 9 miles away depending on the system and terrain. GPS hunting dog tracking systems do not produce any noise while in operation; therefore, running completely silent. Beepers, on the other hand, generate loud noises that damage the dog’s ears over time and potentially alert wildlife within the area. 

Tracking systems are also more feature-rich, providing data like exact distance, direction, running speed, and keeps track of metrics, such as distance covered and average speed. They have greater dog expandability, with most of the newer systems being able to be expanded to run 20 dogs at a time. A feature exclusive to tracking system is connectivity through Bluetooth. For example, TR-dog Houndmate 100 is a hunting dog tracking and training system consisting of a handheld, a dog collar and the mobile APP. The mobile APP can be connected with the handheld via Bluetooth. It then can get the collar’s all information from the handheld and show dogs’ locations on the map on the APP. The App also has other useful and handy functions for hound hunters. Please check our product page to know more about it.

Advantages of a Beeper System

You may be asking, “With all those features of a GPS hunting dog tracking system, how can the beeper systems possibly have any advantages?” To answer that question, one advantage over tracking systems is that beeper systems are cheaper to buy. Most tracking systems cost $400, but can be as much as $1,000 for a one-dog system. Standalone beepers can be less than $100 and full systems with e-collar range from $269 to $379 for a one-dog system.

Beepers can also provide hands-free operation as well. With a GPS system, you have to be looking down at a screen, but a beeper or beeper system allows you to keep your eyes on the field. The last major advantage of a beeper system is when a dog is in thick cover on point, a GPS system might only say “near,” but the dog can be out of sight and nearly impossible to see. A beeper system can use a locate feature or have it set to produce a different tone when on point, allowing you to find your dog even in the thickest of cover.

Conclusion

Technology being built into each of these types of systems is impressive. Beepers have accelerators and 3-axis sensors to determine movement. GPS hunting dog tracking systems are on their own playing field in recent years; allowing you to track up to 20 dogs up to 9 miles, providing metrics like speed, direction, distance, and even as far as recording your dogs’ track for play back later. If you can afford a GPS hunting dog tracking system, you won’t regret it. With a hunting dog tracking system you can now let your dog work harder and further, increasing your finds.