# Garmin Astro tracking collars on beagles



## Lindsey (Jan 22, 2000)

Timberdoodle and PredatorDave both use Garmin Astro tracking collars on their beagles. I asked a question about the collars on Timberdoodle's thread "Beagles for Sale" and unintentionally diverted that thread away from it's original intent. I'm starting this new thread so Timberdoodle can get her "Beagles for Sale" thread back on track. I hope you are able to find homes for your two beagles. The lemon is a good looking dog.

Timberdoodle, PredatorDave, and others, how well do the Garmin Astro collars work when the dogs are in heavy cover or inside blowdowns? My handheld Garmin GPS loses it's ability to determine a position when I'm in thick cover like a dense cedar swamp. I've wondered if the Garmin Astro GPS tracking collar units might have the same problem when they don't have a clear view of the sky?

How far can the hand held radio unit receive the signal from the collar in heavy cover? My experience with consumer grade hand held radios is that useful range is often less than advertised range. How far out can you 'see' an Astro collar with the handheld receiver/radio/GPS unit?

Do the beagles have any problems having two substantial collars, the Garmin Astro and the Tri-Tronics unit, around their necks? My dogs are small 13" hounds. Any problems with weight, reduced neck movement, multiple collars hanging up on brush or fences, or other problems?

Any other problems or concerns that a person might want to think about before deciding whether to invest in a set of Garmin Astro collars and receiver for their beagles?

Thank you for your thoughts.

Lindsey


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

Just buy one, you'll love it. I've had various tracking units for beagles for years - absolutely nothing compares to the Garmin Astro. I've used it in S. Mi. on cottontail & northern on hare.


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## packmaster (Mar 1, 2010)

Yep you will love it.I have got three collars for mine,and have had no problems.I also run the DC 30 and tri-tronics on my dogs at the same time.little bulky,but they get used to it.I do alot of night running in the off season,and used to worry all the time were the dogs were.now I just sit by the truck,drink beer,and listen to the music.you know where there at at all times.


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## jaywkr (Apr 7, 2008)

I run the garmin and tri-tronics also with no problems. I've used the garmin on my beagles and coondogs. The best I've got for distance is about 1/4 mile, if I needed any farther I wouldn't have that dog anymore.


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## predatordave (Feb 24, 2003)

i myself actually run just the regular telemetry tracking collars still. if i had the money i would be switching over to the gps though. there are some ways to get more range out of the garmin but you should not need it with the beagles. i have a buddy who uses the garmin on his big hounds for bear and cat hunting and he loves it. the only complaint he seemed to have is the nylon web collars get wet and heavy easily, but he was talking about that when the snow was wet. i myself wont put a hound on the ground without putting some sort of tracking collar on. 

later, dave


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

I'm not sure what the talk is on distance? I know I've gotten at least a mile distance when running hare. That was the farthest they ever got from me & the Garmin was great.
Also, you can switch over collars and dump the nylon collars. You can buy kits to do this. You can even get a smaller collar that fits beagles a little better.


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## predatordave (Feb 24, 2003)

sgc, yep you can switch over to dayglo collars. did you do that? a mile is good but not as good as a telemetry tracker such as the wildlife materials bluebox, but who wants to carry that thing with them through the woods! my buddy hooks his garmin handheld right up to a yagi antenna to get more range when in the truck. i have also heard of guys using some of the boosters with a yagi also. but that is for the big hounds. like i said garmin range sounds like it should be fine for beagles. 

lindsey, the garmin transmits on the MURS frequencies. i dont know what the wattage in the garmin is and i also dont know what the max wattage for the murs frequency the fcc sets. so i dont know how it compares to the consumer handhelds.

all i know if i had the extra loot, i would have one to try out.

later, dave


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## timberdoodle528 (Nov 25, 2003)

Best tracking collars we've had. They are worth the money. We have 3 of them. They do so much more than the old style trackers we used to have. You can see if your dogs is coming in when you're calling or how many miles he ran, you can view where they ran, you can download maps into them, ect..

We haven't ever pushed ours as far as range goes, so I can't really testify first hand on that subject. I know my uncle uses them on his bear and cat dogs up north and he loves them.


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

Yes, I switched mine over to a day-glo collar. I bought the collar supposedly set up to just change it over. It wasn't as easy as they made it out to be. I had to do a little snipping, but it all worked out. I'm out of beagling now, but I plan on keeping it for a little spaniel I have.


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

Unfortunately  I have tracked a birddog up to 1.2 miles thru typical northern Michigan rolling upland habitat.


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## RecurveRx (Jun 21, 2004)

sgc said:


> Yes, I switched mine over to a day-glo collar. I bought the collar supposedly set up to just change it over. It wasn't as easy as they made it out to be. I had to do a little snipping, but it all worked out. I'm out of beagling now, but I plan on keeping it for a little spaniel I have.


 
I still think you should let me take that thing off your hands sgc. That pretty little flusher of yours is going to be so well mannered she will never be beyond shotgun range. 

Seriously though, I have hunted with guys that run them and hope to have one by Fall. 

That said, I do think the Astro is due for an update. If it was a GPS unit that we would think of using in the car of for our personal hikes, I don't think many would purchase it. I have called Garmin and there does not appear to be a new model in the works as of yet, so it is the best there is.


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## bjw (Dec 20, 2007)

I run 13" beagles with TT and the DC30 and they do just fine. I won't run with out it.


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## micooner (Dec 20, 2003)

We have the TT and the garmin on one collar, took a little work to fit the small beagle 13 inch.instead of the kevlar material for that small wire we laid a piece of dayglo material over it and had it sewed at the local boot repair shop.


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## predatordave (Feb 24, 2003)

sgc, i was wondering how hard it would be to switch over. i will have to tell my buddy about that. you should have just got a beagle that would flush birds too  

later, dave


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