I'm purchasing an E-Collar for both yard and field training. At first it'll be used to teach the 'come' command, and not to run off when outside. Then eventually I'll use it when we start training to hunt. My budget is about $300 dollars, which I know the Tri-tronics is the best but unless someone has a used one they'll let go I want to stick with the set budget. Any input?

First, I second what Pixie says about using an ecollar.  The dog MUST know the commands before you ever use the ecollar.  You also need to condition the dog to the ecollar or you  can create a collar wise dog (meaning they will behave when the ecollar is on, but not when they are not wearing the ecollar).  Most collars come with training instructions and there are also some good books and videos out there as well.

As far as an ecollar, I made the mistake of going with a cheaper collar to begin with and it did not have the strength or features I ended up needing.  My decision had been partly made out of ignorance and partly out of budget concerns.  The end result is I went back and asked allot of GSP folks and also did my own research and settled on TriTonics (www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/vertical-pod3.jsp). I needed a system for multiple dogs which is a bit more.  I know this is outside your budget, so my recommendation is research several of the collars (don't worry about price yet) looking at the features and keep a list of the features you have to have and would be nice to have.  Then go back and find the collars that match your requirements, and finally compare prices.  My guess is a new one will be outside your budget, but you might be able to find a good refurb or used one.  All that said, do not short change on the must have features or you will end up spending more in the end because you will have to go back and buy the collar that meets your must have requirements anyway.

Depends on your dog.  It wasn't enough for Halo as she could cover a 1/4 mile in no time at all and did.  That was one of the reasons I wanted a collar with a reach of 1.5 miles.  I like the added security of knowing that I could reach out and touch her from a much further distance.  I hike in the mountains and my dogs often cross a valley and are up on the other side of the valley.  I can usually still see them, but the distance is easily .5 mile.

Sorry for the change in topic, but wanted to respond to Pixie's comment:

Actually they are hiking with me and often come and check in without any commands. If I stop (even with no command to them), they come right back to me within as they stay aware of me at all times. I let them roam because they are having fun and in my control as I can recall them at any time and they return on the first command (whistle).  Belle has never worn an ecollar and never needed one, Halo no longer wears one as she too is totally reliable on the recall.  Remember I can still see my kids, and if they get out of site I call them back in.  I hike for my pleasure, but also for their fun too.  It is our family vacation which always includes the dogs. That is their "Quality Nose Time" as my husband used to say. We hike in the back country in Colorado and New Mexico and that is some big country with trails that cover hundreds of miles.  Our hikes range from 7 to 15 miles a day and the dogs usually cover double that.  It is great exercise for us and for them. Why not let them have a little fun and roaming room?

Pixie - If someone wanted those dogs where we hike they would have to four wheel in and then hike several miles to even begin to have a hope of seeing them.  We typically don't even see any other hikers on the trails and certainly no cars for miles and miles.  When I said back country I meant way out in the middle of no where country at about 12,000 feet. We worry more about critters like bears than about people, and the dogs are usually making enough noise that the bears will high tail it out of there before we get near them. Believe me, I am a nervous mom too.  that is why it took me along time to trust Halo off leash.  She was 2 years old before I ever let her off leash to work with her with the ecollar.  I wanted to make darn sure she knew what Here meant.

I would go for more range as it is better to have than to not have it and need it.  It is very disheartening to be pushing that button and know that your dog is out of range.  I had it happen with Halo.  We were in a huge meadow area called Horse Park and she took off and was out of range and the ecollar didn't do squat. That is when I got the TriTronics with 1.5 mile range.  I have never needed a 1.5 mile range, but I have it just in case.

The other thing you might want to take a look at is how effective the collar is in hilly or mountanous terrain if you are going to hunt in that type of area.

Pixie -

I started a thread in the General section on places I have hiked with my dogs. 

I would go with the Tri Tronics Field 70.  Should be able to find it for around $300.  I have one that is 12 years old and still working.  It has a 1 mile range as well.  I would want at least that.  When you get in heavy cover and rolling hills they don't work at the full distance, so better safe than sorry.