What's the best for the money? I need one that has great range, and can also call him off using tones. Been looking at the Garmin Alpha 100 TT 115. Need some opinions before I drop that kind of money on a collar. I know there's a few trackers and coon hunters on here so any feedback is appreciated

Garmin Alpha is pretty much what all of the off lead trackers use here in the south. I've been very pleased with it.

I have 2 Alpha 100 handhelds and 3 TT15 collars. One of the collars stopped working a few years ago. Garmin replaced it promptly. They have the best customer service I've ever worked with. I've had no other problems at all with them. I think you will be happy with that setup.

Thanks for the replies. I've have a full blooded chocolate lab that was given to me last November at 10 weeks old. I've been working him since then using deer hooves and blood l got from the processor. I started him off on blood and have progressed to 3 parts water to 1 part blood. I'm fortunate enough to have a large area to train him that has deer on it, and he's doing really well so far. My next step is to start laying tracks out over night. I'll start heavy with the blood and thin it as he progresses. Then this summer when I get the funds together to buy the Garmin start training him on tones, Hopefully I can start working him some next fall.

I had a collar stop working too on the alpha and Garmin replaced it under warranty. No other problems. I like it.

There's a blood tracking convention next weekend over toward Greensboro. Just about all the trackers from Alabama plus many from other states will be in attendance. It's a great place to learn if you're interested. Bring your puppy with you. They'll be experienced handlers taking the puppies out in a group and giving advice to the new trackers.

IMHO, I would keep the dog on a lead for a period of time while training. No need in expecting that pup to do off lead tracks and not have its mind wonder off chasing everything else but the wounded animal. Plus with a lead you can correct those mistakes before they may become habits. Also lets you learn to read your dog. Now all that being said I would get the Alpha, I have one. I have also had the sportdog TEK series and the alpha is far better when it comes to tracking. If you want come down to the cattle ranch this weekend I'd be glad to help. Like Harold said we are gonna be doing puppy introductions. It will be a great time. When me and another tracking buddy started this thing 3 years ago we never would have imagined it would turn into this. We are expecting 60 plus handlers and dogs, many UBT 1 tests and also UBT 2 tests are gonna be ran. Door prizes and much more.

I agree with you.

Shelby, my lab, just turned two and I’m still running training tracks with her on lead. She has it all figured out at this point but she still struggles with having self-control off lead. Her excitement causes her to start working really sloppy. She’s improved a lot but I’m still using the lead to help her continue to progress. That being said though….if someone plans to eventually track off lead….I’d still recommend to go ahead and get a collar when the dog gets 6-8 months old or so and start working with it on getting used to wearing the collar and the command of coming back to you on the tone. This will just make it easier on you when you transition to running tracks off lead….The dog will already understand to come back on the tone and it’ll also give you the handler a little more confidence that you can control the dog when you let it go on a track. I usually run 4 or 5 training tracks on lead and then run one off lead to see if my dog is progressing. Something that may also help you as you train on lead is to teach the dog what “Eaaaaaaasy (calm tone)” means. If my dogs start getting to excited and in a hurry when off lead….I can tell them eaaaasy and they know to slow down.

I bought the sport dog TEK from Dano last season to use on my squirrel dog. It works great as far as keeping up with my dog but I plan to upgrade to the garmin alpha before next year just for the fact the handheld is an actual gps with maps and more features

Garmin Alpha.... I have one that I run on my squirrel dogs. The range is LARGE, the handheld receiver has a ton of features, and the smallest collar unit (I can't remember the number) fits comfortably on my 22 pound feist's neck.

I have only had it 'lose signal' a couple of times for no more than a couple of seconds at a time, and I was deep woods Talladega NF, way back deep in the hills and hollers. And both those times, the collar had rotated, so that the satellite receiver on the collar was not pointing up. And it still worked, except for those couple of seconds.

They are pricey, but I have no problem running two dogs at the same time with it.

Wish I was off I would liked to have gone to that. Thanks again everyone for the feedback.

I upgraded from the Garmin 320 to the alpha at the beginning of last year. I bought the alpha, 2- TT15 collars, and 3- T5 collars. I am very pleased with the system. I have tracked dogs out to a mile with just the long range antenna and out to 4 miles with the mag mount 36" whip.

I've got a 320 and I've been really happy with it. I always ziptie the tracking collar to my dogs collar. Lessens the risk of losing one