I am getting a coon hound this weekend and dont know if I need a tracking system. I know alot of coon and coyote hunters say their a must but their pretty expensive. Some people back in the day said they didnt even know what a tracking system looked like and their dogs came out decent. The only fear I have is losing one deep into the marsh and having it shut up where I cant hear it.

I think you've answered your own question. I look at my pups as my kids. The thought of loosing one of them is unthinkable to me.

Yeah, good investment..... Where we train, we had a dog take off ontop of the bog, got to far out, couldn't hear the whistles fell through and that was the end of him, what a crappy way to die.