Wildlife Materials Tracking Systems

steve w · Post by **steve w** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 6:22 am

Darrin Wick's catalog says maximum range om theWildlife Mini is 2 miles.

Lynn Perkins · Post by **Lynn Perkins** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 7:38 am

Darrin i have the wildlife 3 dog system and like it very well.Yeah it would be a little aggrevating to carry but wicks gives you a case with theirs that you can throw across your back,makes it easy to carry.It's also padded for protection and water proof.
I recommend the wildlife and recommend buying from wicks good people to deal with.When i ordered my package they let me get the lite collor in place of the regular collor and it is ideal for beagles.Now mine is replaceable batteries but it was cheaper and had to watch pennies with all the kids running around LOL and the collor has the 700 hour battery.
I have had my outfit about 2 years and still has original batteries not had to use it much.I never worried any about having to carry it because i figured most times if you was having to track them up,you would be back at the truck anyways and drive to where they are at or close too.i think the Max range is 7 miles and i am sure this is open country.This is only my opinion on this item and it pleases me.

harebawl · Post by **harebawl** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 9:38 am

I have both the mini-2 and yagi antenna. The mini 2 is nice to have you can carry the whole unit around with you on you belt. However, if it comes down to long range or pinpoint accuracy I break out the yagi. The mini-2 is good most of the time, but you cannot beat the yagi.

I also tried the tracker unit and found it a nice unit with good range, but without having a big antenna it is not as pinpoint accurate. With the small antennas(depending on the terrain your in) you get bounceback, and a broader angle of direction. With the big antennas it can be dead on accurate 95% of the time. And alot easier to use/get used to.

The trx3s is a easy unit to carry with you if used with with the mini-2. But get the yagi too for those times you want to feel confident and don't have time to waste!

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 4:11 pm

I use a wildlife mini antena and I really like it. I keep the yagi antenea in the truck and there are times I have to go back for it. The mini antenea is light and easy to carry, so most of the time, I have my unit with me. It isn't unusual for my friend and myself to have between six and ten hounds down, sometimes as we move a hound or two might not come in, but they are close. The tracking system lets us know they're close and we can move along. I would warn you against purchasing only a mini antenea, as I would guess you only get about forty percent of the range and accuracy of the yagi antenea. If you choose a wildlife system, you might like to get a price from Wick, the extra nylon cases we got are

first rate. Good luck...........Bob

dosgris · Post by **dosgris** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 3:19 pm

how much do these things cost,,, are there any hidden costs involved???? i am intrigued,,, would like to have a system such as this,,,, although my biggest problem is highways and those metal things moving at 70 miles per hour. we have so much water here that usually the dog can only go so far, then they have to turn around and start coming back toward the road. if they don't come back, i imagine they could be tracked to the large reptiles in many of the swamps around here. do these units work if they are recovered from the stomach of an alligator????

DarrinG · Post by **DarrinG** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 9:04 pm

Thanks for all this great information guys. Ya`ll have made this much easier for me (a fella with little to no experience with tracking systems). One more question about the different receivers:

Is the main difference in say the TRX3 and the TRX10 just the number of different frequencies it will track? I take it that the TRX3 will track 3 different frequencies and the TRX10 will track 10 different frequencies? Is that correct?

You guys are a wealth of information. Thanks.

josh · Post by **josh** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 9:21 pm

darrin to answer your ? no--------the 10s meens that you can only run on 1 freq 216 217 219 or 220 , you have to choose one with the wildlife unit but i have an icom unit that will track any collar no matter what freq and it is small enough to fit in your coat and also comes with a mini ant. or you can use the yagi i have both. but the ultra light 3850s are the way to go because with the johnson collars you caint replace anything on them you have to send them back to the factory, but with the wildlife collars you can do it yourself very easy--------------dont buy them direct from wildlife or you will pay a fortune

nothing compars to wildlife collars they are the best hands down

mtneerbp · Post by **mtneerbp** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 6:04 am

as for th wmi mini i was on a coon hunt and i was guideing so i knew the terrain well the hunt was over and i was helping a guy find his dog he had a mini i had a quick track with a yagi, he said his receiver showed the dog way in deep, with no way of getting there but by shoe leather express, i decided to check with my qt recever mine showed his hound was only a couple of hundred yards away, he was close but i dont the mans esperience with his unit. mine on close you can hear the dog rustle the leaves, on medium you can hear them barking and on long be ready to walk lol

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 6:31 am

Darrin,
For rabbit hunting it's hard to beat the new Tracker Maxima units. The 1000/5 units (can track up to 5 collars) prices are reasonable (about $799 for a unit and two collars). The big advantage about the Tracker is that you can put in easily on your belt in the case they provide and you have it when you need it. For a few years I was in love with the Wildlife box, which does have superior functionality with the yagi antenna, but I found that I was leaving it in the truck and having to trek back to the truck every time I wanted to use it -- not always pleasant. If the truck isn't always close by (and for many of us rabbit hunters, it's not

) then I think you're better served by the Tracker Maxima.

steve w. · Post by **steve w.** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 10:52 pm

The main differance between the trx 3 and 10 is the number of collars it will track. Other differances are size and the way you read it. trx3 is 14 oz. and 7.25"longx3'widex1.5"tall and has a light bar.The trx10 is 16oz. and 5.75"x3"x2.25" and has a meter.

Also the WLM3850 collar is good for 700 hrs. battery's cost 10.00. Johnson's ultra light are good for 2000, 25.00 for them to put a battery in for you. Or the light collar is good for 4000 hrs.

DarrinG · Post by **DarrinG** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 10:16 pm

Ok, after I read some of the posts about Tracker Maxima systems, I also went over to the hound supply shop and hung around and spoke with another few coonhunters who are using the Tracker systems. When I left there they had all but convince me if I wanted a system to tote with me, I better buy a Tracker system. One guy pulled out of his truck a Mini system from WMI and said it was not too good of a system, then pulled out his Yagi antenna and said if I wanted to find a dog that I would need the Yagi with the WMI system, and that would require going back to the truck...no way to carry that bulky thing in a briar thicket!

I really want a system capable of being carried in the field while hunting. It just dont make much sense to me to have to walk all the way back to the truck to use the system....so I am now seriously considering a Tracker Maxima with Wildlife 3850 collars.....now I need someone to float me a loan big enough to buy one of these suckers!

Harehunter Ed · Post by **Harehunter Ed** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:54 am

I have the 16 dog unit with a mini atenna and like it alot. I also have the big antenna that came with the unit, but have never used it. Just too big. Where I hare hunt we never get that far away, so the mini unit works fine.

S.R.Patch · Post by **S.R.Patch** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 12:58 pm

Ok, one more question.

Does the Tracker Maxima have a external jack that you can change from the mini to the yagi antenna if you need it for longer or more pin point direction or is that only with the wildlife?

Thanks...Patch

steve w. · Post by **steve w.** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 8:16 pm

There's external jacks on the Tracker that will run a roof top mount antenna and there's a headphone jack but to my knowledge no other antenna is available. Myself I have not found the need for one yet, and if I do have a Johnson unit with a Yagi. The Tracker since I got it has done the job.www.gundogsupply.com has the best picture of the accessary's avialable for the Tracker.

DDWBeagles · Post by **DDWBeagles** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 11:30 am

Patch, there is an accessory kit for the Tracker Maxima that allows you to run a non-directional roof mounted antenna AND a 3 or 5 element Yagi style antenna. Their site doesn't picture it, but discribes it well. Conduct a search on Chris' board, as this topic was covered in great detail. Apparently, you remove the battery cover and screw on a new mount. I'm in the same boat you guys are. I want a system, but am baffled about which to buy.
To make matters worse, a buddy just gave me a hound magazine and they have adds from tons of tracking companies, so the "decision lists just got bigger". In addition to Johnson, Wildlife, ATS and Tracker, there is LL Eletronics, Magnum Telemetry, Quick-Track, Marshal Telemtry, Trach tech, F&L Eletronics, etc...... With price varying from $700 bucks to over $1500. WOW

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