I still use a beeper with my garmin gps collar. I have the watch too and carry the transmitter unit that looks like the pre-gps transmitters but has a small screen with a directional arrow (and vibrates to signal point). Elaine carries the unit with the screen. The gps signals point when the dog stays in one area, no matter what they are doing — pooping, peeing, sniffing pee, etc. The beeper tells me if the dog is on point and in the Northwoods alerts the wolves to get out of Dodge. The gps is my lost dog backup.
I’ve heard all the “beepers scare birds” and “they sound like a truck backing up” comments. For me they are like a bell and I can tell what the dog is doing by the subtle change in sound. I am sure I get more chances because I can get to the dog on point faster than the lag time search from the gps. The grouse I hunt seldom stand on ceremony and the coveys we hunt run more often than not.
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"Doubtless the good Lord could have made a better game bird than bobwhite, and better country to hunt him in...but equally doubtless, he never did." -- Guy de la Valdene (from A Handful of Feathers )
"'I promise you,' he said, 'on my word of honor, I won't die on the opening of the bird season.'" -- Robert Ruark (from The Old Man and the Boy)
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