Preparing Your Garmin Dog Devices for Hunting Season
04.09.2025
Reading time: 3 minutes
Garmin PR professional and outdoor enthusiast Rehan Nana offers tips on how to get ready for this hunting season:
Around this time of year, when the summer heat fades and the evenings get shorter, my hunting dog starts acting a little differently. There's more excitement in her step, her overly dramatic *sighs* disappear, and every time I go near the gun cabinet, a smile creeps across her face.
That's my unofficial sign that hunting season is right around the corner and I need to start getting things ready.
Between organising duck decoys, running dog drills, remembering exactly where the hunting gear is stored, reviewing hunting forecasts and figuring out everything else, it's easy to forget one of the most important aspects of preparing for hunting season.
I make sure my Garmin dog devices are complete and ready to use.
So here's a checklist to help you make sure your season gets off to a successful start, too.
6 things to check on your Garmin dog devices before heading out to hunt:
Physical check of your dog device and handheld equipment: After the last hunt of the season, it's easy to take the collars off and not look at them again until the first hunt of the next season; however, it's important to inspect your gear once more.
Clean the charging contacts on the dog device and tighten the screws and collar contact points. Dirty contacts can make charging difficult, and losing a contact point makes the training function inoperable, so you won't be able to call your dog back. Also be sure to check the GPS collar for loose or broken wires. Losing the GPS connection makes the GPS function inoperable.
- Tip: Alpha® TT 25 collars have user-replaceable flexible straps in several sizes – standard or zero-length for smaller dogs.
Make sure your collar and handheld antennas are in good condition and properly connected. If your collar antenna has been chewed and the wires are exposed, replace the antenna. The antenna may still work properly, but exposed wires can injure your dog.
- Tip: when replacing the collar antenna, lay it on a light-coloured towel before you start. The antenna is easy to replace, but the screws are even easier to lose if one falls – and you will drop one (or two)😅
For the handheld, make sure the antenna is screwed on securely and check that all lanyard or case attachments are in good condition.
- Tip: Garmin offers several mounting options for handhelds. See which one suits you .
Battery chargers and clips: Make sure you know where all your handheld chargers and collar charging clips are. Once you've found them, make sure your devices are fully charged. Although Garmin handhelds and collars have exceptional battery life, a dead battery will ruin a hunt faster than water in your boots.
- Tip: The new Garmin TT 25 collars can be fitted with a user-replaceable extended battery pack, providing up to 136 hours in dynamic tracking mode. It's never a bad idea to keep a spare battery handy for emergencies. If your Garmin dog tracking collar won't charge or turn on, there are several things you can check to troubleshoot the problem, as explained here .
Software updates: Garmin periodically releases device updates to improve performance, fix bugs and, most importantly, add new features. Updating your GPS collars, handhelds and the Alpha mobile app may be one of the easiest things you can do to avoid disappointment in the field.
- Tip: New devices such as the Alpha 300i and TT 25 collar update automatically when connected to Wi-Fi®, but previous generations may need to be connected to a computer. Find information on updating your handheld and collars here .
Compass calibration: When using a GPS collar, calibrate your handheld's compass to ensure accurate bearings. It's good practice to recalibrate if you've travelled a long distance since the collar was last turned on.
- Tip: how to calibrate the Alpha 300i compass
Is your subscription active? If you have an Alpha 200i or 300i, make sure your inReach® subscription is active, and test the device before use. If you haven't set up an inReach plan yet, we strongly recommend considering one. Hunting is inherently dangerous, and you never know when you'll need the SOS button ... or when you'll simply want to send friends or family the message: "Happy hunting!"
Outdoor Maps+ and Alpha LTE users should also check their subscription status to ensure a smooth experience outdoors.
Correct pairing: Turn on the collar and handheld and make sure they are still correctly paired. If not, pair your dog tracking device with the collar by following these steps .
- Tip: The „Tone” function is an easy way to confirm your collars are paired correctly. If you hear a sound from the collar, the connection is established. However, always check for a GPS signal before letting your dog off the lead.
New dog products to consider
Alpha LTE : This small, rugged LTE dog device attaches to an existing dog collar and connects to the Alpha mobile app, so users can view their dog's movements directly from a compatible mobile device. Customers who want additional tracking options can pair the Alpha LTE with their compatible Garmin dog tracking device for simultaneous LTE and traditional VHF tracking, offering a seamlessly integrated experience.
Alpha app : The Alpha companion app offers an easy-to-use, comprehensive dog tracking experience via your smartphone. The app's mapping feature helps users understand the terrain while viewing their dog's location in real time. Customers can use the app to mark waypoints and locations such as hunting spots, cameras, hunting signs, trails and game sightings with both the Alpha LTE and compatible handhelds.
Outdoor Maps+ : Outdoor Maps+ can now be integrated into the Alpha app, giving Garmin users a powerful mobile platform for dog tracking, navigation, terrain information and more.
Find My Alpha in the dog tracking widget : Users with select Garmin watches can now use the „Find My Alpha” feature in the dog tracking widget to locate a lost handheld if it's dropped in the field.
Wherever this season takes you, we hope it's a good one and that Garmin dog tracking and training gear helps you every step of the way.
Good luck!
