Wildlife Materials Tracking Systems

DarrinG · Post by **DarrinG** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:59 pm

To complicate matters further.....I just received my new WICKS catalog in the mail today and now they are carrying the Marshall Mini, sring loaded antennas, which can be used with WMI receivers.......now I am really confused!

DDWBeagles · Post by **DDWBeagles** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 5:57 pm

After two weeks of seriously searching and lots of research, I was as undecided on what brand/unit as I was when I began

. I ended up just throwing my hands up in the air and just ordered thr Tracker Maxima 1000/5 with two Super Light collars. With express shipping, it ran me right at $1000 bucks. While I was on the phone with the sales rep, she did confirm that you can run external antennas with this unit.
So, now I can keep track of my dogs, but need to build a bigger dog house, as my wife is going to put me in one (yikes). Last comment, as I sat at my desk, surfing by all the tracking companies websites, I realized, I don't mind paying for convienence. We all pay $1.50+ surcharge using an ATM to get our own money and do so for the convienence. So size and portablity prevailed and Tracker won out. I won't get my pups back till this weekend, I'll update everyone with first impressions soon after.
An additional comment. If you order extra collars at the time of purchase, they sell them for $100 bucks each as opposed to the $130 rate.
Also, I saw the same unit on ebay for one dollars cheaper (search member name: Crittersone), but opted to buy straight from tracker. Take care folks.

DarrinG · Post by **DarrinG** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 3:53 am

DDW, keep us wanna-be trackers posted on how you like that Tracker unit!

DDWBeagles · Post by **DDWBeagles** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 1:37 pm

Darrin, I sure will. My two pups are in a starting pen right now. If all goes well, they will be ready to pick-up this Saturday. We live fairly close, if you want to hook up one weekend, I can bring my pups down as well as the Tracker (I should be here this afternoon). Irregardless, as I play with the unit and test it out, I will post some informal reviews. Take care.

steve w. · Post by **steve w.** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 10:20 pm

Darrin, I hung a couple collars in a tree then got out both the Tracker and the Johnson unit and went for a ride in the truck to see how far I could get and the differance between the two. I did get farther away with the Johnson,3.7 miles by GPS, the distance I lost the signal on the Tracker was 2.6. This was in area I hunt regular, fairly hilly and thick. Now if your thinking this sounds short remember this is a strait line calculated by a GPS. If I were to walk these distances it would be alot farther. Anyways knowing the area like I do I can safely say no chase would have ended up out of either of these ranges. I have lost signals on chases a couple of times on hare where I believe they just lined out and went back to thier home territory. Both times I had to drive to the dogs, I picked the signal up along the way, one good thing about a roof top antenna. 90% of the time I use the Tracker unit it is for reassurance to what I believe, it is so nice to be able to keep track of dogs locations or to know if you need to start heading in the other direction. I truly feel that the Tracker is the best choice for rabbit hunting, very rarely are they gonna outdistance the unit. If they do your probly not going to walk after em' anyways. If I were running coyote, deer etc. I would probly like the bigger units better as more of the hunting involves the use of the truck anyways so the unit is always handy. Rabbit hunting is done on foot and if something is gonna go wrong it is usually in the opposite direction of my truck. I bought the Johnson unit used with 3 collars for 500.00. It took me about 2 weeks to figure out I would not be happy till I could keep track of them all the time so I did as DDW did , threw my hands up and ordered the Tracker and have not regreted it.

DDWBeagles · Post by **DDWBeagles** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 12:36 am

Good reply Steve. It was a lot of money, but after reading your post, you made perfect sense. It's reay good to hear from someone who has two systems and can compare their performances. Thanks

steve w. · Post by **steve w.** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 8:19 pm

I was in wallmart and happened to see some headphones so I looked em' over and they had these earbud type in a small plastic case for 5.00, so I bought them and tryed them out in the TRACKER and I believe they really help to improve your accuracy because you can turn the gain down farther. Should work on Wildlife too, if it has the mini jack. Or you may have to buy the big jack if that does not work. Hearing the signal on a windy day is tough sometimes anyways.

stroke · Post by **stroke** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 8:14 pm

i have a mii two antenna. it is pretty easy to use. i like it a lot. it is small and connects right to the reciever. you could also get a yagi and just disconnect the mini two and connect the yagi for long range use if needed. you can leave it in the truck though. WMI is the way to go. the trx-3s and #3850 are second to none.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 7:27 pm

I have a tracker supra. Last weekend I ran my hounds. They set out on a chase. The rabbit came by with the dogs soon to follow. One of my hounds had shook his collar. My fault didnt put it on tight enough. Took the tracker unit out of my pocket and tracked the collar down. It was about 500yds away buried in a thick briar tangle. It is very thick in Southwest Michigan right now.

Love them Boldstrokes

Mike

The American Beagler Forum

Wildlife Materials Tracking Systems

Tracker Maxima

DarrinG - Tracker Maxima

thanks