Tracking collars required

Son

Gone But Not Forgotten
Things sure have chanced since I ran dogs 1960's and 70's. Fellow down in Florida was saying all dogs are required to have tracking collars to hunt. Wonder if that's catching on in other states. Most folks I know running hog dogs have them tracked.
 
I've had rabbit hunters and hog hunters on the cluband my farm this year and every dog they own has a tracking collar, these boys are proud of their dogs and the last thing they want to do is lose one.
 

specialk

Senior Member
yep, i'd soon as leave my gun at home than my trackers......
 

Silver Britches

Official Sports Forum Birthday Thread Starter
I hunt in deer dogging counties, and have had a lot of problems with dogs. I think a tracking collar should be mandatory. Owner's name and contact info should also be on there. It can help, but even with the aid of tracking collars, they'll still get on land where they shouldn't be. I've caught a lot of dogs with no collars on them, or dogs with just a tracking collar with no name or contact info. If there's a contact number on there, it will allow people to contact the owners to come get them.
 

Havana Dude

Senior Member
It’s definately changed dog hunting. I go with a buddy a few times a year. I’m amazed when someone gets on the radio to my buddy and says, hey, there’s 2 dogs behind your truck 100 yards, moving toward ya. Sure nuff, they are there, and the other fellow might be 3 miles away.
 

Silver Britches

Official Sports Forum Birthday Thread Starter
You should have them but I’m against the government telling me I have to.
They shouldn't need to tell you. Dog clubs should require it. Why would you not want to have your dogs collared along with contact info? I mean, if you love your dogs, wouldn't you want to do everything you could to keep track of them- to find them? I'd be willing to bet that most folks would contact the owner of a lost dog so they can come retrieve them. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many times I've done that, and I've even wasted a day of hunting to take dogs back to the club they came from, or it's owner. Done this a lot. Tracking collars can be of help, but you're still going to lose control of them, occasionally. And that's why it's important to have your contact info on your dog(s). I've found a lot of lost dogs that were nearly starved to death, some looked like a skeleton, that I was able to get back to it's owner. I've even found them so weak, they couldn't even stand up. That's a terrible thing to see.
 

Ihunt

Senior Member
They shouldn't need to tell you. Dog clubs should require it. Why would you not want to have your dogs collared along with contact info? I mean, if you love your dogs, wouldn't you want to do everything you could to keep track of them- to find them? I'd be willing to bet that most folks would contact the owner of a lost dog so they can come retrieve them. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many times I've done that, and I've even wasted a day of hunting to take dogs back to the club they came from, or it's owner. Done this a lot. Tracking collars can be of help, but you're still going to lose control of them, occasionally. And that's why it's important to have your contact info on your dog(s). I've found a lot of lost dogs that were nearly starved to death, some looked like a skeleton, that I was able to get back to it's owner. I've even found them so weak, they couldn't even stand up. That's a terrible thing to see.

Read my reply one more time SLOWLY.

I said you should have them but I’m not for the government requiring me to do so which is what the op stated in his original post.
 

Son

Gone But Not Forgotten
I didn't mean to start a conflict. Was just interested in what was going on with dog hunters. I haven't had hunting dogs for many years now, but enjoyed many years with some fine dogs.
 

Silver Britches

Official Sports Forum Birthday Thread Starter
Read my reply one more time SLOWLY.

I said you should have them but I’m not for the government requiring me to do so which is what the op stated in his original post.
I understand what you said. I'm talking about dog hunters in general.

I didn't mean to start a conflict. Was just interested in what was going on with dog hunters. I haven't had hunting dogs for many years now, but enjoyed many years with some fine dogs.

Sorry if you took my post the wrong way, Son. Just stating my opinion as to why I think having a tracking collar along with contact info is a good idea, especially for the dogs. I'd rather be able to get those dogs back to their owners than for them to be left stranded. As for it catching on in other states, I have no clue.

Here's an article from 2019 about the requirement, if interested in reading it. https://www.gon.com/hunting/florida-gps-correction-collars-deer-hog-dogs
 

Son

Gone But Not Forgotten
I know, if there had been tracking collars back in my dog days, I would have had em. Would have saved lots of gas, and return trips to look for dogs. Memories of setting the dog box down where the dogs were put out with a jacket. Then driving back many miles after work the next day to see if the lost dog had returned. Also had people call, saying they had one of the dogs so I could go get it. Miles from where it was turned out. Sometimes I thought maybe somebody had stolen the dog, used it that far away, then left it when the season was over. Never will know, but 50 to 60 miles makes one suspect of such.
 

specialk

Senior Member
I didn't mean to start a conflict..

it's un-avoidable....same with horn hunters/meat hunters, catch and release/catch and eat, jakes/longbeards, etc,etc........us hunters in general are a jealous and fickle bunch.....
 

Ihunt

Senior Member
I understand what you said. I'm talking about dog hunters in general.



Sorry if you took my post the wrong way, Son. Just stating my opinion as to why I think having a tracking collar along with contact info is a good idea, especially for the dogs. I'd rather be able to get those dogs back to their owners than for them to be left stranded. As for it catching on in other states, I have no clue.

Here's an article from 2019 about the requirement, if interested in reading it. https://www.gon.com/hunting/florida-gps-correction-collars-deer-hog-dogs

It’s all good.
I always had tracking collars for my dogs. Way too much invested in them. When I used to show up to hunt with someone and they didn’t have them, I would assume that their dogs were worthless and they didn’t need them. I was seldom wrong.
 
I hunt in deer dogging counties, and have had a lot of problems with dogs. I think a tracking collar should be mandatory. Owner's name and contact info should also be on there. It can help, but even with the aid of tracking collars, they'll still get on land where they shouldn't be. I've caught a lot of dogs with no collars on them, or dogs with just a tracking collar with no name or contact info. If there's a contact number on there, it will allow people to contact the owners to come get them.

I've been around dog hunting and in dog hunting clubs for 25 years. I have never seen a dog without a name and number at the very least. Are you sure they are not strays? I see more stray dogs than deer dogs nowadays. Dog hunting is becoming a lost sport and it sure was lots of fun!
 

Ray357

AWOL
Things sure have chanced since I ran dogs 1960's and 70's. Fellow down in Florida was saying all dogs are required to have tracking collars to hunt. Wonder if that's catching on in other states. Most folks I know running hog dogs have them tracked.
I don't like govt regulation. I guess in this sense, I am like the flint lock muzzleloader hunter; I want to hunt my dogs old school.
 

Silver Britches

Official Sports Forum Birthday Thread Starter
I've been around dog hunting and in dog hunting clubs for 25 years. I have never seen a dog without a name and number at the very least. Are you sure they are not strays? I see more stray dogs than deer dogs nowadays. Dog hunting is becoming a lost sport and it sure was lots of fun!
It's possible some were stray dogs, but I know a lot weren't.
 
I was one of the first people to buy a garmin astro 220. I got it with 2 collards and I still run those 2 collars YEARS later. They sold the heck out of those things!
 

trad bow

wooden stick slinging driveler
I use a tracking collar on my bird dogs. I can tell exactly where they are at any given time we are out hunting. I know when they get close to property lines and can recall my dogs thru the collar. Doesn’t work all the time but 99% of the time it does. The dogs do need to be trained to recall by the collar.
I use collars for my peace of mind and protection of my dogs. I do not think the government or anyone else should require me to use them when my dogs are turned loose, especially if non hunters aren’t required to use them.
 

GLS

Classic Southern Gentleman
My hunting buddy extended the hunting life of his late Brittany two years with a tracking collar. Dog was as deaf as a post and he had some close calls locating her before resorting to tracking collar. I won't put my dogs on the ground without theirs on their necks. I couldn't face the boss if I didn't come home with both of them. It has made hunting in thick cover easier on all concerned. One can either hunt birds or hunt dogs that are hunting birds. Collars make the first choice easier. Gil
 
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