Beeper collars

[4FOR]

Quick question for anyone with a pointer . do you think a pheasant gets wise to to the sound of the beep they were getting up when the dog started to go in the weeds way it front of him

[setterguy]

Its definetly an unatural sound in a pheasants environment. They do make a collar that emits a hawk scream when the dog goes on point. In theory the birds will instinctivly freeze when they hear a hawk avoid being detected by the predator. I do use them occasionally in the grouse woods but prefer a bell, and rarely use them while hunting pheasants.

[CaptainMusky]

I have used beeper collars for several years and will NOT hunt with a pointing dog without one ever again.

There are different settings on most collars, you have can it in a range/point mode or point only mode. There are different "beeps" as mentioned earlier where you can go with a hawk scream versus a beep.

I bought the new Tritronics Sport 65 BPR and I can control the beeper with the remote. I just set it to tone, so if I want to find my dog I hit the power button and it sends out a beep. I still have the hawk scream on so when he locks on point I will know exactly when that happens.

I strayed away from bells long ago because once the dog stops, you have no idea where it is and that is when you want to find him!!

[Ranger Rick]

I agree with Captain Musky that I would never hunt again without the beeper collar. I hunt mostly grouse and woodcock, but also hunt pheasants. I often can't see the dog 10 yards away in the grouse cover and for one thing the dog knows it's time to go to work when that collar comes out. I originally thought the sounds would spook birds, but don't think it bothers them. My old collar I even think the tweety birds would chirp back in response. The pheasants will know you are there anyhow. Ever see birds flushing out of cover a quarter mile away before you ever even enter the cover? With a young dog, too, the dog learns that the steady point tone is a calming thing that he learns is good when he holds staunch.

[Springerguy1]

I started using a beeper collar with my Brittany and liked it so much I use one on my Springer as well. I don't think the beeper scares the pheasants- I've used both the beep as well as the hawk screech. Normally, I have the beeper set to manual so I just hit a button when I loose sight of the dog- both of them have figured out that the beep means I'm looking for them. FYI- I have an Innotek collar and would not recommend purchasing this brand. I like all of the different control options and the ability to handle 2 collars when I decide to run both dogs-- but I have found the collar to be extremely unreliable. I've had the collar just over a year and have gone through 1 transmitter and 3 collars. My last call to Innotek was mid-Oct when the collar quit working- even though I was out of warranty they sent a collar but they were clear to me that no more replacements will be sent. Yeah, they have good customer service but a poorly designed product. Basically, the internal antennae on the collars breaks and the collar is no longer able to receive a signal.

Even with the frustration from the e-collar, it's been a great year of pheasant hunting.

[Studer]

Hey Springerguy,

I notice you said you have a Brittany and a Springer!! Do you use them for different situations and how does one perform and do compared to the other?? Just Curious- thanks

[Springerguy1]

I know, it seems odd to have both a flusher and a pointer. I bought the Brit from Double D out of Monticello almost two years ago. I added my name to his list with no intention of getting a second dog for a couple of years- but then my springer was diagnosed with IMHA and we actually made an appointment to put her down. Our family was in such disarray that I called the guy and told him that I was going to put our dog down and he offered me a male pup that was leftover from a litter- everyone else above me on the waiting list wanted a female. So.......we go to the vet and he recommends a steroid treatment for the springer and she makes a recovery- and we end up picking up a puppy. My point is that we didn't end up with the two dogs based on any hunting strategy. I have made some observations based on my personal experience- please note these are just based on my own experience and certainly not gospel. - The springer has a better nose then the brit, especially on windy days. My theory is that the brit hunts with his nose up, head high and the springer hunts nose down, head down (at least most of the time). From a retrieving perspective the brit is far better- he's a big male so has the strength and a retrieving desire on par with a lab- I credit Double D for good breeding since I never spent a minute training him to retrieve, nor did the trainer that I used. For terrain, I like using the springer in heavy cover- cattails or thick CRP, type of stuff that will prevent birds from running and where I can't see the dog, in lighter cover or those areas where the bird will run I'll use the brit, mainly because I find it a bit more difficult using a pointer when they're out of sight- beeper is fine but not in windy conditions. I enjoy hunting under both of the dogs- I like the fact that I don't need to wear tennis shoes to keep up with the brit, the closer the bird, the slower he moves, but the springer is fun to watch as well. It is a plus having two dogs since I can now hunt 4 days before the dogs are trashed. The springer is now 9 and has never been real healthy- she is 35 pds and fine featured so she doesn't hold up well on long hunt- has all the heart but the body just can't take the pounding. The brit is a 60 pd male, massive by brittany standards and he is a tank. Only problem I've had with the brit is on crippled birds, he'll find them but continue to point and then it's off to the races again. He is so solid on point I cannot get him to break point- trying to teach him to "git 'em" as a command to break. Not proper for field trials but I'm just a hard-core pheasant hunter. Lastly, two dogs in the house is a challenge. Mrs. Springerguy is a saint-- didn't want two dogs but was heartbroken like myself and the kids when we thought we'd have to put the springer down so she committed to the pup. Once she seen him I knew there was no backing out....but it is heck on the house. I've started hunting both dogs together this year as well. Didn't do that last year since the trainer from Wings & Whistles didn't recommend that approach the first year. They work well together- I only use them together when it's a large area. They seem to pick their own space to hunt in and work well together- no fighting. By the way, Wings/Whistles did an excellent job with the brit. At 2 yrs. old he is far more obedient then the 9 yr. old dog.