Beepers

[codym]

This may be a dumb question but I have never used electronic beepers before, how do they work? Obviously the continuos beep is simple enough, but what about the ones that don't beep unless your dog is standing? How many of you are using them and are they effective? I have a garmin but I hate always having to look at it. It seems like the constant beeping could get annoying.

[MTR]

I have a TT G3 beeper. I use it in point only mode - it only beeps steady every second when on point. I also run a Garmin Astro. I leave the Astro in my vest pocket 99% of the time while hunting. I occasionally will hear the beep from the Astro when he is on point. I use the Astro to help locate the dog and get a better direction and distance on where he is. I already carried a GPS so I didn't get lost in the grouse woods - so why not have it work for the dog too was my thinking.

As far as the beepers, different brands/models work differently but normally you can set them to beep only on point or to beep on point and while the dog is running so you can hear where the dog is running - think overly annoying bell that will haunt your dreams. The sound made on-point is different than the run mode so you can tell the difference. I HATE the single/double/triple beeps of the beeper collar when in run mode. Ruins a nice hunt in the woods or fields. Like I said, I use the point only mode and it starts to beep only after he has not moved for a second or two. If he slows down to do his business or mouse hunt - it will let a beep or two out before he gets back on his way. Overall I like a beeper in point only mode over a bell.

[Mountaineer]

For woods birds...always preferred an ATS in point only and a bell....bell only in the 60s.
When the ATS ended production, other beepers were used tho none were quite as satisfactory....ended with a good Lovett.
Much, much prefer the continual notice of a bell...a good bell...over a point only beeper alone.
Now I prefer the Astro and a bell in the woods.

Pheasants..Astro alone, of course.

[MTR]

For woods birds...always preferred an ATS in point only


Pheasants..Astro alone, of course.

ATS Sonic - oh, how I wish I could find one - or that my Brother in Law would have bought 3 when they were still avilable.

And yes - I also fully agree with the Astro on Pheasants - no bell, no beep

[Mountaineer]

....ATS Sonic - oh, how I wish I could find one - or that my Brother in Law would have bought 3 when they were still avilable.

Along with a Stormy Kromer, Knotsmith lanyards, Tim Hortons and, a cool and overcast November day in the Appalachians....Sonics were hard to top.




.

[Wyobio]

I also run my dogs with Tri-tronics collars in the point only mode. My little GWP will go on point in the timber or the thick cattails and I would be clueless to find her without being able to use the beeper to find her. I just turn it off and on remotely to get a fix on her location. As soon as I have located her after she goes on point I turn it off (it can get pretty obnoxious if you have several dogs on point/honoring while the beepers are squawking away).

I find bells constanly clanging away WAY more annoying than the occasional beeper collar sound on a pointed bird. I am also convinced that in heavily pressured areas the birds scatter when they hear the clang of a brace of dogs wearing bells. I have also heard that the the constant and repeated clanging of bells right next the dogs ear can lead to hearing loss.....

[Stilly Bay]

just make sure you condition your dog to the sound of a beeper before you strap it on his neck and go hunting. some of them are loud and will scare the heck out of your dog!

[Troy08er]

I use the beeper and like it. I really like the hawk screamer on it when they go on point, holds the birds. I bought a Garmin this year , still debating if I’ll use the beeper this year. No ploblems with the beeper on my GSP.

[OhioVizsla]

Sure they work! But how you use it depends on how you hunt & your dog's range. I have a bigger running dog and hunt alone a lot. I usually set the beeper on "run" mode, turn him loose, & follow the beep. I don't see a whole lot of him after that. Without it on run mode, I would probably never see him again. He would be out of hearing range by the time he was on point. If you have a closer working dog, one that check's back to you often, you could get away with "point only" mode.

I don't own a garmin, but it seems that if I did, I'd be watching it constantly to follow the dog. That's not something I'd like while busting through grouse/woodcock thickets.