Harold, I totally second the feelings of others in regards to GPS collars. Mine is a Garmin Alpha 100 with the TT15 regular collar. My boy, Beau, is never off the leash without that collar on. He is also whistle-broke, so I often don't even need to use the unit to locate him, but it sure is nice to have. I primarily use it to track him, his points, and getting back to the truck after beating through the popple groves in Northern Michigan.
I hunt with a few buddies who only use a bell and/or a whistle on their dogs, and I would never disparage those methods and I admire the folks who use them. However, the peace of mind that the GPS collar offers me is way more important than its cost or that I'm using technology.
I don't know if you ever purchase from Gun Dog Supply, but the owner, Steve, has some awesome videos to discuss GPS collars. Check it out here:
https://www.gundogsupply.com/search2...lpha+100+combo
I have no connection to GDS, nor do I want to offend anyone or the rules of the Forum, but just wanted to help a fellow avoid the unbelievably frantic feeling of losing a dog for any period of time, let alone overnight.
If you want to get together sometime to see how I use mine on Beau, I am currently living in my childhood home in Columbiana, Ohio, not far from you. I moved there temporarily after the tornado destroyed my Kentucky farm.
Dave