Now that my lab is nearing time for formal obedience, I've been looking at e collars. Does anyone have any recommendations/experience on which ones would be good? I've narrowed it down to Tri-tronics or dogtra. The leading candidate is the TT Pro 70

I have the pre-Garmin, TT Pro 70. It's been a very good collar for me but the style of controller is a major flaw in my opinion. There's no way to attach a lanyard, or any other type of connection so you have to buy a separate belt/holster which is sometimes less than secure, or put it in a pocket where it isn't really accessible. I lost the controller once, and only thanks to the effort and sharp eyes of some friends was I able to recover it.

Also, the locator beep on the collar is very quiet compared to my friends Dogtra. I wish it was 8-10x louder than it is.

So the Garmin Sport Pro style of controller would be better suited vs the 70? Growing up we had the 70 so I know how that one is. Seems like it might be a bit of a pain to use while in the blind if not easily attachable to a lanyard

Tri-Tronics makes a solid unit, but I didn't like the larger controller.
I've ran TT, Sport Dog, and Dogtra.
Didn't have good reliability with Sport Dog.
Have been running Dogtra now for 4 years and it's been a good unit. No complaints.

I'm an upland guy and I've figured out a way to thread the holster belt through my bird vest. I would much prefer something I could attach to a lanyard, so in my opinion the sport type controller would be much better.

This'll be 90% waterfowl and 10% dove hunting if that would make a difference between the 2 controller styles

If your running retrievers for waterfowl I'd agree the holster can be an issue. It was when I used to run labs. But since I switched my concentration, at least the dog part, to upland, there are several companies that make great holsters that I can attach to my vest. I run the old(?) G2 upland model (I think that's what it's called). The e-collar part has always been great, especially if your running more than 1 dog at a time, but their beepers have much to be desired. Love it when it works right and wouldn't go into the grouse woods without it and a bell. However, they have issues. Frankly I'm not sure if anyone makes a great beeper. They all have flaws.

Garmin. Period. End of discussion.

I have the 550 and like it a lot. But i would have gone for the sport pro if it was available.
It does everything the 550 does in a better transmitter package.

I love my Dogtra. Also went with the dogtra because the remote is so much smaller

I've been running a pre-Garmin TT Pro 200 for over 5 years and I am pleased. It's nice for training but the transmitter is a little bulky for my liking while hunting. But I've never felt the need to get a second collar that's more compact just to carry while hunting. If I were to buy a new one today, I would probably get a Dogtra Edge RT because of the familiar TT style controls. If I didn't already have a collar, or I was looking to run multiple dogs at a time and/or wanted good collar lighting, I would get the Edge.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/dogtra-edge-rt-1-dog.html
http://www.gundogsupply.com/dogtra-edge-1-dog.html

Setters said:

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Tri-tronics. Quality. Durability. Reliability. Been using them for over 25 years.

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This

Sean98 said:

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I lost the controller once, and only thanks to the effort and sharp eyes of some friends was I able to recover it.

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Ahem

Setters said:

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If your running retrievers for waterfowl I'd agree the holster can be an issue. It was when I used to run labs. But since I switched my concentration, at least the dog part, to upland, there are several companies that make great holsters that I can attach to my vest. I run the old(?) G2 upland model (I think that's what it's called). The e-collar part has always been great, especially if your running more than 1 dog at a time, but their beepers have much to be desired. Love it when it works right and wouldn't go into the grouse woods without it and a bell. However, they have issues. Frankly I'm not sure if anyone makes a great beeper. They all have flaws.

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Ditch the beepers, buy the Alpha! Imagine all those quiet mornings following your dogs. No more of that ******* beeping. Just a small buzz on the handheld letting you know that your dog is on point.

I will admit I have a fondness for the sound of the bell. You can keep the bell. But seriously, Alpha will change your upland life forever. They're that good. Even if you have to sell your furniture to buy one.

My setters are foot setters and never range more than probably 75 yards out. Most times they're probably less than 50. But I'm hunting thick popple or other brush for the most part. Love the sound of the bell because it tells you more than just where the dog is. And I only run the beeper on point mode. The last thing I want is to try and make my way thru thick cover while repeatedly looking at the GPS screen. If my dogs ranged several hundred yards out ok I can see it. But for me I want to get to the dog, or in front of the dog, as quick as possible. Grouse are lousy at holding. Chances are slim that a dog goes on point 220 yards from me and there's still a grouse when I get there. Woodcock yes. Grouse no. I'll stick with both.

The other thing I'll add is that large areas where I run my dogs is wolf country. There is some anecdotal information out there that running both a bell and a beeper helps with this issue (though the flip side of this could be it helps the pack locate a meal). As a biologist I'm not sure but I haven't had any issues yet while others I know have had some close calls. Another reason for keeping my dogs fairly close.

I drink too much to remember exactly who found it, you know that.

This. Even though I hunt a lot of big country I'm not a big fan of letting my dogs roam big. I know it makes sense in Sharptail and sage grouse country, but my Kansas pheasant simply won't hold a point long enough for me to cover 1000 yards and get to the dog before the bird goes. Plus on a good year my hunting is varied enough that I'll hunt a lot of types of birds in a lot of states. If I keep my dogs within eyesight (and preferably shooting distance) it really trims down on a lot of mistakes. If I were chasing Ruffies out west I wouldn't worry about it because the bird would just fly 10 feet up into a tree and stare at the dog until I arrived to dispatch it. But not in Minnesota. Oh hell no.

If, IF all goes well this season my dogs will hunt in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Saskatchewan, Minnesota, and Iowa. And will hunt dove, Gambel's, Mearns, Scalies, Bobwhite, pheasant, chickens, sharpies, Huns, Timberdoodles, Spruce Grouse, Ruffed grouse, and a menagerie of ducks and geese.

saltydog09 said:

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This'll be 90% waterfowl and 10% dove hunting if that would make a difference between the 2 controller styles

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http://www.gundogsupply.com/gds-g3-pro-holster.html



This is the holster I use. No real problems attaching it to my vest while bird hunting. During duck hunting I clip it through my wader suspenders.

I am going to buy the upland beeper this season. I will run it on silent 99% of the time, but would be nice to have a hawk screech when my dog's on point.

That is the holster I use as well. And I've figured out a way to use it. But it's a giant pain in the ass compared to smaller remotes with lanyards (which is what I had before I moved to TT).

Any explanation for quoting it?

Agreed. That new sport pro looks like the perfect compromise. A buddy bought one to replace his 550 and the form factor is much lighter and smaller.

This is the holster I use:

https://coyotecoleather.com/leather/dog-handlling-accessories/garmin-pro-transmitter-holster/

A little pricey but it's made of leather so I don't have to worry about it tearing off in the cover and it fits and hangs great on my vest (Wing Works from out west - great gear).

I generally hardly ever use the e-collar when out hunting but generally carry it in case of run ins with porcupines, skunks, and bears. Previous run ins with such critters don't seem to register in my dogs memories.

Sean if your up in northern MN in early to mid-October I'd be glad to share some single malt with you and talk about dogs and grouse hunting. I'll be primarily up in the Bemidji area. We typically make a circuit each fall that begins in northern LP of Michigan, goes up thru the UP, over to northern MN, and ends up in WI. Usually over about 3 weeks. I typically chase woodcock and grouse in MI, WI, MN, MD, VA, and SC each year but I've chased most all the birds you listed in most all those spots you listed plus some over the past 20+ years. But gotten to the point in my life that I now just concentrate of what I really like.

You said grouse woods in your first post and I skimmed over it. I don't know anything about grouse in the trees. I have seen it in magazines. Trees make me nervous. I can see why the Alpha would not work.

Oh I know guys that use it in the grouse woods. Why I don't know. Makes no sense. Only thing it makes any sense for is woodcock which will largely hold unless they're pushed hard and then they will run like pheasants. But to know that my dog is on point 300 yards away and it's going to take me at least 10-15 minutes to get there for a bird that hardly or ever holds - I don't understand. Of course the other real issue I have with these same guys is that I don't understand having dogs in that situation that you let or want to have range that far. The grouse woods of the lake states are not the quail fields of the SE.

saltydog09 said:

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Any explanation for quoting it?

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Seemed the thread was focused on upland hunting, which you didn't plan to do.

My only experience with E-collars is that I gave Sean the flashlight that he and WildcatAg were using when WildcatAg found the missing transmitter. Funny how they forget the most important contribution, or Sean looses the transmitter often. However my first hunting dog is at the trainer learning how to hunt ducks and dove (see what I did there) and the trainer, Travis Wright of Retriever Resources, recommended the Dogtra brand. He has been using them for years and really likes them. I went through a training session last week and it seemed pretty easy to use. I will never train her to field champion level and don't expect her to pull off multiple 300yd blind retrieves so a very basic controller is all I plan to get. I think I probably just need a few settings; pay attention, No, I said No, Stop GDmit and FU.

(actually I thought YOU found it - but had I said that it would have REALLY peeved Wildcat)

Setters, I plan to be in Minnesota October 18-21 this year. Last time we based out of Blackduck, but we made a few runs up North to chase Spruce grouse as well. Mostly hunted in the Chippewa, and I expect we'll do the same again.

You can email me at Sean98 at aggie network dot com if you want so we can try to connect.



...and my apologies to the OP for predictably turning this into an upland thread.

No worries on the side track. I'm going with the Sport Pro

Been with Sportdog brand for years. Great product. Good customer service and tech service. Started with basic Tritronics 25 yrs ago, Sportdog, previously Innotec, had more versatile products for economy when I needed remote launch etc, Got started with them then and have never changed. Now have GPS with track and train. 7 mile range I've only needed once when the collar fell off the truck. Like their products.

TriTronics far out performs and lasts any other brand

WildcatAg said:

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Sean98 said:

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I lost the controller once, and only thanks to the effort and sharp eyes of some friends was I able to recover it.

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Ahem

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Would you like for him to call you something else? How about snot or *****?

Instead of starting a new thread I thought I'd just bring this one to the front. I'm in the process of sorting through all the e-collars out there for use when the dog gets a little older and I'm not sure what features are must have / versus nice to have.

I'll be doing mostly upland hunting so I'm not looking for something with ridiculous range or gps tracking. Gps seems like it would be nice in case your dog ever ran off, but hopefully it wouldn't ever be needed.

I'm leaning towards one of the Garmin models since their hq is in town and it makes getting one cheap and easy. Also if anything ever breaks walking into the service center and having it fixed right away is a nice bonus.

Apart from range what are the main differences between the pro 70, pro 550, sport pro, and delta sport. I see some small changes in the levels of stimulation offered but I don't know if I need 10 versus 6 levels or if I'd be better with the extra 1/4 mile range.