5 Best Hunting Dog GPS Tracking Collars and Systems (2024 Reviews)

Find it hard to see your dog while out on a hunt due to the rolling terrain, cover, and distance?

Thanks to the hunting dog GPS tracking systems, now you will be able to locate them with ease.

Regardless if you are a waterfowl hunter, coon hunter, deer hunter, houndsman, or an upland hunter, you will find these devices extremely useful.

Here you will find the 5 top-rated hunting dog tracking systems we’ve reviewed in 2023 that allow you to keep up with your hunting buddies.

Benefits of Hunting Dog Tracking Systems
Telemetry Dog Tracking Systems vs. GPS Dog Tracking Systems
How About Hunting Dog Tracking Systems that Use GPS and GLONASS? What Does that Mean?
Can I Use Regular Dog GPS Collar Trackers for Hunting?
Hunting Dog Tracking Systems Buyers’ Guide: Important Features to Consider

Editor's Pick	Product	Dogs Supported
Our Top Pick	Garmin Astro 430/T5 Dog Tracking Bundle	20 (dogs only)
Best Hunting Dog Tracking and Training System	Garmin Alpha 100 Bundle	20 (dogs & hunters)
Best Bird Hunting Dog Tracking Collar	Garmin Delta Upland XC Bundle	3 (dogs only)
Longest Range Hunting Dog GPS Tracker	SportDOG TEK 2.0	21 (dogs & hunters)
Best Budget Buy	Dogtra Pathfinder GPS Tracking & Training E-Collar	21 (dogs & hunters)

** Best Hunting Dog Tracking Systems Comparison

1. Our Top Pick - Garmin Astro 430/T5 Dog Tracking Bundle

Are you looking to take your gundog into the field this hunting season? Consider the Garmin Astro 430/T5 Dog Tracking Bundle to keep tabs on their whereabouts.

It comes with a dog collar and a handheld device, and you will have the ability to track up to 20 sporting dogs with a tracking range of up to 9 miles. With its high-sensitivity GPS and GLONASS satellite reception and a 2.5-second update rate, you will be able to locate your gundog very quickly and accurately, even in a challenging environment.

This hunting dog tracking system also includes preloaded TOPO U.S. 100K mapping and a free 1-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription, making it easier for you to perform preseason scouting, determine stand placement, and locate game pinch points.

What’s more, it has built-in hunt metrics that will provide you with an overall score, analyze your dog’s hunting behavior and patterns, as well as showing you the distance traveled and time spent in the field.

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2. Best Hunting Dog Tracking and Training System - Garmin Alpha 100 Bundle

Want GPS collars that can track and train your stubborn hounds? Look no further than the Garmin Alpha 100 Bundle.

It includes a GPS dog tracker and a handheld unit, and you can locate up to 20 dogs or 20 hunters with a 9-mile range. Also, the tracking collar can pick up both GPS and GLONASS satellites to provide you with a better and more accurate position of your dog every 2.5 seconds.

Additionally, it will give you your hound’s stats that you always need, like their speed, direction, and distance traveled, and you will also know when they are moving, on point, or treed. Plus, its Tri-Tronics technology allows you to train and control them to stop chasing unwanted quarry with the tone command, vibration, or 18 levels of continuous and momentary stimulation.

And what makes this hunting dog tracking system stand out is that you can set virtual boundaries on the map. When your dog leaves the virtual fence, you will receive an alert, which allows you to recall them right away. There are also beacon lights on the collar that you can activate to keep them visible in lower light conditions.

Like the Astro 430, it comes with preloaded TOPO U.S. 100K maps and a 1-year free subscription to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery.

Do you have squirrel dogs, beagles, or smaller flushing and pointing breeds? Check out the Garmin Alpha 100/TT 15 Mini Bundle instead. Note that the mini bundle only has a range of up to 4 miles.

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3. Best Bird Hunting Dog Tracking Collar - Garmin Delta Upland XC Bundle

The Garmin Delta Upland XC Bundle is a combination of beeper and training collars designed to give upland hunters the ability to track and train their bird dogs.

This bundle comes with a dog device collar and a 3-button handheld transmitter, allowing you to communicate with your bird dog in a ¾-mile range. It offers 36 momentary and 18 continuous stimulation levels, plus tone and vibration with 5 correction configurations. And you can also train up to 3 dogs if you buy additional collars.

Thanks to the Upland Beeper that features 4 hunt sounds (including silent) and 2 point sounds (including hawk scream), it can help you locate your dog and tell you whether they are moving or on point when they are out in the field. It also has a built-in BarkLimiter to reduce unnecessary barking with Advanced Bark Correction Technology to prevent false triggering.

What’s more, it includes long and short interchangeable contact points for dogs of all coat lengths.

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4. Longest Range Hunting Dog GPS Tracker - SportDOG TEK 2.0

The SportDOG TEK 2.0 is another popular and reliable GPS tracking system that you can use to locate your sporting dog while out on a hunt.

Thanks to its HopTek technology, it can pinpoint your dog’s exact location up to 10 miles. It allows you to track up to 21 dogs or 21 hunters. And that essentially means you will be able to track both hunters and hounds on the screen simultaneously, which is especially beneficial if hunting in groups.

This hunting dog tracking system utilizes both GPS and GLONASS technology and has preloaded 1:100K topo maps with unlimited lifetime map updates to keep the handheld device up-to-date. On the tracking screen, you will have the ability to see which direction your dog is heading and how far away they are from you with an update rate of 3 seconds.

What’s even better is the real-time audible voice feature that will tell you your dog’s location without having to look at the screen. You can also mark multiple locations to keep up with them, plus set up geofences, which you will be alerted when they travel through the safe zone.

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5. Best Budget Buy - Dogtra Pathfinder GPS Tracking & Training E-Collar

Despite being half the Garmin Alpha 100 Bundle price, the Dogtra Pathfinder GPS Tracking & Training E-Collar can still train and locate your hunting dog very reliably in the field.

Unlike most GPS hunting dog collar trackers, it works on your smartphone instead of the handheld without relying on cell service, meaning it doesn’t require a monthly subscription. You can download the maps free and operate it in Offline Maps mode. And you also have access to Google Maps with normal, terrain, and satellite views.

It allows you to track up to 21 dogs using additional collars and has a range of 9 miles and a 2-second update rate. Plus, its powerful zoom capability provides excellent live-action detail and accuracy in the field. You will also have the ability to track other hunters, share locations, playback data, as well as creating customizable geofence alerts.

Additionally, you can train your hunting dog with 100 nick and constant stimulation levels, and non-stimulating tone command.

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Benefits of Hunting Dog Tracking Systems

The most apparent benefit of a hunting dog tracking system is that it allows you to quickly locate your gundog’s position while out on a hunt. Some GPS collars will also tell you your dog’s hunting style and behavior, and let you know whether they are moving, stop, treed, or if they are barking.

These devices are usually expandable and allow you to pair the remote with additional collars to track multiple dogs. Some trackers also have a built-in e-collar, which is especially useful if you need to train and communicate with your bird dog over long distances. Another great thing about GPS tracking collars is that they are silent. They won’t make any beeping sounds, and as a result, won’t scare the birds.

Telemetry Dog Tracking Systems
vs. GPS Dog Tracking Systems

Telemetry

Telemetry dog tracking collars typically equipped with a directional antenna and work by sending a radio signal to the handheld receiver on a specific frequency, allowing you to pinpoint your dog’s direction. They usually have a farther line of sight range than GPS tracking devices, but they don’t tell you how far away the transmitter (collar) is from you. Meaning you will have to guess based on the signal strength that you get from the collar.

GPS

GPS dog tracking systems, on the other hand, will tell you exactly where your dog is. The collar will pick up signals from the satellite, send it back to the handheld unit, and plot that latitude and longitude on the display screen. On the screen, you will be able to see your dog’s location, and you will also know if they are running, which direction they are heading to, or if they have stopped.

How About Hunting Dog Tracking Systems that Use GPS and GLONASS? What Does that Mean?

GPS is a satellite-based navigation system owned by the US, while GLONASS is the Russian satellite navigation system. There are also other tracking satellites available like the GALILEO (European Union), BeiDou (China), and IRNSS (India). But all the hunting dog tracking systems on the market today only support GPS and GLONASS.

So what does that mean, and what’s in it for you? Hunting dog tracking systems that use GPS and GLONASS can pick up more signals and have better accuracy. In other words, dog collar trackers that support multiple satellite systems will give you a quicker and more precise location of your gundog than GPS alone.

Can I Use Regular Dog GPS Collar Trackers for Hunting?

Regular dog GPS collar trackers are great for tracking companion dogs as they can give you your pup’s real-time location, and some even allow you to monitor their health. But they are not suitable for hunting. The reason is that they need cellular coverage to work, and there will be blackspots in the hunting area that don’t even have a reliable mobile service.

Hunting Dog Tracking Systems Buyers’ Guide: Important Features to Consider

There are things you need to consider when selecting a hunting dog tracking system for your gundog. Here are some of them.

1. Tracking Technology

First, you need to check the tracking technology that the collar uses. It’s a better idea to pick the ones that utilize GPS than those that rely on telemetry. That way, you will be able to know where exactly your dog is in the field. And as mentioned earlier, the more satellite systems the tracking collar can support, the better, like the Garmin Astro 430/T5 Dog Tracking Bundle, Garmin Alpha 100 Bundle, and SportDOG TEK 2.0.

2. Range

Next, you would want to see how far the device can track. Most high-end dog tracking systems have a range of up to 9 miles, and it would be better to choose those with a farther range. The reason is that it will be drastically affected when hunting in wooded areas with rolling terrain.

3. Waterproof

Picking collar trackers that are waterproof is also a better choice, especially if you are a waterfowl hunter. That will ensure the device is still in working condition when you get your hunting partner to retrieve ducks, geese, or other aquatic birds from the water.

4. Battery Life

The battery life is another thing you need to consider when buying a hunting dog tracking system. You would want to make sure the GPS tracking collar can get through the hunt session without a charge. Luckily, most devices these days can run up to 20 to 24 hours.

5. Handheld Device

Lastly, take a look at the handheld device. You will find some handheld units have a display screen, while some don’t. For instance, the Dogtra Pathfinder GPS Tracking & Training E-Collar comes with a remote purely for you to train and communicate with your gundog, and you will have to pair with your smartphone to track their location. That also means you might have to carry an extra power bank to keep the phone battery charged, which is why we think those that have a screen built into the handheld is a better option as it makes things a lot easier.

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Charles Clark

Charles Clark is the editor at Pupspal. He’s a pet content writer, life-long animal lover, and an outdoor enthusiast who has owned and trained multiple dogs since childhood. His first pup was a Labrador Retriever named Bubba Joe, whom he credits as his best friend until this day! When not writing, you can find Chuck hiking in Utah with his Border Collie Bailey.