| If you have trouble keeping track of your bird dog | | | | away from it. In addition if you hunt in areas that |
| when hunting in heavy cover, then you might want | | | | have rattlesnakes you know that sooner or later |
| to consider purchasing a beeper collar. Keeping track | | | | your dog is going to encounter one. When the dog |
| of you dog while hunting has always been a serious | | | | runs over a snake it will begin to rattle. Most bird dog |
| concern. Hunters have selected white dogs over the | | | | will ignore the snake and keep hunting however if |
| dark ones so that they are more easily observed in | | | | you hear the beeper collar remain in the same area |
| the brush. This obviously works well until it snows | | | | as the rattling then it is time to move the dog away |
| and your white dog disappears. In the past hunters | | | | quickly. Quick stimulation from an electronic dog collar |
| used bells on the dogs to so they could hear where | | | | will help ensure future snake avoidance. You should |
| the dog is approximate located. If you are using a | | | | always inspect your dog closely after a snake |
| pointing dog the sound of the bell obviously stops | | | | encounter to make sure it was not struck. Placing the |
| when the dog goes on point. Then you must quickly | | | | dog at heel and observing the animal for a short time |
| remember where you last heard the bell and move in | | | | is advisable. A number of years back while grouse |
| that direction prior to the flush of the bird. | | | | hunting I lost sight of our English setter on a very |
| Beeper collars have now replaced the use of bells on | | | | windy afternoon. I spent an hour before I located |
| dogs. These collars have a speaker, amplifier and | | | | her trapped in a barbed wire fence that became |
| battery attached to the collar. They basically are | | | | entangled with her collar. I might not have found her |
| designed to beep as the dog hunts but unlike bells will | | | | except for her beeper collar. |
| continue sound off even if the dog has quit moving. | | | | There are many brands and types of beeper collars |
| These innovative devices allow the dog handler to | | | | on the market. The best ones allow you to make |
| set the time between reports, the volume and even | | | | changes in sound and tone as well as various point |
| allow you to change the type of sound. You can | | | | and run features. No matter what collar you choose |
| have the collar give a hawk scream to freeze a | | | | it should allow you to place the speaker on the dog's |
| running bird or gentle down a covey of quail with a | | | | neck between the dog's ears. You do not need to |
| quail call. The ability to change the tone and volume | | | | distract your dog with the speaker blaring in its ear. |
| of the sound also helps people who have hearing | | | | Some of the best collars have the battery located on |
| problems. Adjusting the collar tone to one you can | | | | the opposite side of the collar that the speaker is on. |
| hear will allow you to hear the collar at a greater | | | | This design places the battery on the dog's chest |
| distance. An addition feature of many beeper collars | | | | and the speaker at the back to the dogs head. |
| is the ability program the collar to only beep when | | | | According to beeper collar manufactures the sound |
| your dog is on point. A variation of this feature on | | | | of the beeper does not damage the dog's ears. New |
| some collars is the ability to start the on point | | | | technology from Garmin GPS now allows you to |
| beeping very softly, and then increases its volume so | | | | keep track of your dog on a handheld GPS unit. |
| as not to prematurely flush the birds. | | | | These quiet tracking units are relatively expensive at |
| The safety of your dog is paramount when in the | | | | $600. Hopefully the price of these units will come |
| field. The use of a beeper collar can save your dogs | | | | down over time but until then most bird hunters will |
| life. Just knowing the location of the dog in relation to | | | | have to be satisfied with beeper collars to keep |
| a road or highway will allow you to move your dog | | | | track of their bird dogs. |