OT - Electronic Predator Calls - UPDATED

[deerwhacker444]

I was thinking about getting one of these for hunting predators, mostly coyotes, this winter. Do any of you have any experience with these types of electronic calls or this brand of callers? I know Johnny Stewart has been around a long time.

Johnny Stewart Wireless Preymaster Digital Caller

I like the ability to switch out the cards and play something different instead of the generic dying cottontail. Cottontail gets used quite a bit around here.

What say you..?

[Don McDowell]

If you're going to get one that's probably the way to go.They're the ones the govt. trappers here use.
I screwed up and bought one of those that all you have to do is push the button for the different call sound you want. What a cheesy sounding peice of stuff it is. Never ever have had anything come to it. Except the barn cat came once to see what all the ruckus was about.

[rangerider7]

I recommend Foxpro. I have called in all kinds of predators, turkeys, deer, crows, and humans with it. They have different models at different prices and a good staff to work with you if you have problems. The human thing was a joke but it did happen. I was sitting on the patio showing my grandson how the Foxpro worked. I had the crow call on and they were coming hard. I put on the coyote pup in distress call to show him a different sound. All of the sudden a neighbor came running down behind my house on the lake and she had a broom in her hands. She yelled at me "there are some crows attacking a puppy some where around here". I explained to her it was me. She was not to happy! I apologized later and we both had a good laugh.

[Rusty]

Rangerider I thought the traditional response was... they went that a way!

[dr walker]

Thats funny!

The only electronic I have experience with is Foxpro. It has always worked as it should, no complaints.
I bet the Johnny Stewart model is a good one too.

[L_Kilkenny]

Fox pro is one of the best. Can't go wrong. Also, they are coming out with a new model that is gonna be in the $200 range to compete against the Preymaster. Check http://www.allpredatorcalls.com. Good service and they'll be one of the first with the new model.

LK

Found the new model on their site: http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.c ... e=Spitfire

[20cows]

We made a tape once, using a litter of pups after we held mamma away for a bit. It worked pretty well.

[shawn_c992001]

I guess I'm a young pup using "Old School Technology" I have a Johnny Stewart caller that uses cassette tapes. I have about 20 different tapes, lots of odd ball stuff like "Kid Goat in Distress", "Baby Pig in Distress", "Lamb Distress", etc. What you'll find is if there's some hunting pressure, most use "cotton tail" or "jack rabbit" depending on which side of the country you're on. What some don't realize is that, (I'm going to use here as an example) that dog or cat hasn't heard a jack rabbit before most people don't use them because they aren't a animal from here. When a animal has been hunted before chances are they've heard a cotton tail call. More than likely they haven't heard a jack rabbit over here. Add in a hand blown call with an electric call, then go get a decoy from Wally World's toy section, doesn't matter as long as it's a natural color, and some dowel rod ~1/4" and possibly some cheap fishing line. The stuffed animals are cheap and work good, cheap helps when they are stolen by hawks, eagles, or owls. (Can't imagine the surprise they get when they tear into them.) Or when you doze off and a bobcat tackles it!!! They get pretty PO'ed when they get tricked!!!

[20cows]

I guess I'm a young pup using "Old School Technology" I have a Johnny Stewart caller that uses cassette tapes...

"Old School Technology"? I use a mouth call most of the time!

[rangerider7]

I have used everything from sucking on puckered lips, leaves, mouth diaphragm, hand calls to electronic. What ever I have with me to call predators. But when I'm feeling lazy I crawl into a deer blind, after I set out a decoy and Foxpro, and let them do all the work. I don't have to wear camo and sometimes have a little refreshment too. The older I get the more I use the latter.

[deerwhacker444]

Well, after listening to everyone's replies on this and a few other forums I decide to go with FOXPRO. I saw that Midway is having a sale on FoxPro's Scorpion call. They have $170 BUCKS OFF this particular model...! Looking around at all the other online dealers, that's a steal. They even beat AllPredatorCalls.com. So I'm getting pumped about going out and shooting some coyotes this winter after deer season is over.!

Thanks for all the info!

[rangerider7]

You will really like the Foxpro and that is a great deal but remember to call up a coyote they must be in the area. Only about 1 out of 5 set-ups are successful. I'm sure you know to check sign for scat and all the other things involved in successful coyote hunting. Good luck, but be aware it is addictive.

P.S. after 30 minutes move on. If your hunting bobcats call for a hour then move on to another set-up.

[El Chivo]

thanks for the links and info

[TedH]

I just bought a Johnny Stewart from JB. It sounds very good and has already got some neighborhood pets riled up. Can't wait to try it out this winter on some yotes with my 218 Bee.

I can see where the wireless models would be real nice to have, but I'll try this one out for a while and maybe upgrade later. Up until now I've only used mouth calls.

Not to hijack the thread, but how many of you use a decoy or some other means of catching the eye of the varmint? I've heard of folks tying a large feather to a stick to blow in the wind and just create some movement for them to look at while on the way in.

[rangerider7]

Decoys are great. Anything to keep them from looking at you. Their hearing tells them exactly where you are. The decoy causes them to change their concentration. I use a Tru-Heart that is inexpensive, but a stuffed fuzzy toy will work too.

[HEAD0001]

The Scorpion is a good model. I almost went with the Scorpion but at the last minute I decided to buy the FX3 instead. I hunt some open areas and I like the volume the FX3 offers over the Scorpion. I have a hard time getting camoed so I have to put the caller a bit farther away than most.

I also like the remote on the FX3. I would have preferred the remote on the Fury, but the extra cost was a little too much for me, and I do not need all those different sounds. We use mine a lot for crow calling, and that is a blast. It is also a lot of fun to call raccoons with. I would like to see raccoon pelts go up a bit. They are pretty easy to hunt with a good caller, and a decoy. And for some reason the raccoon's seem to attack the decoy, and that is a lot of fun to watch. Tom.

[Bridger]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... tid=183381

Anybody tried this?

[JReed]

The Fox Pro is an awesome caller. I tend to go cheap I use my MP3 player with an audio amplifier from Radio Shack and an external loud speaker. I have $50 into it and it allows me to down load sounds off the net. The Sound is great and it lets me build play lists of sounds that I can just let run for 20 minutes.

As for decoys I like to use the feather on a stick trick. Dowels are cheap at Wal-Mart and you can get the feathers there also. My whole thing when it comes to coyote hunting is lighter the better you are going to be covering some distance so I don't like to carry a lot of bulky stuff.

[mescalero1]

I have a Yellow Bellied Woodpecker tape that will bring EVERYTHING in the area running.
Be prepared for a lot of action if you use this.

[deerwhacker444]

I have $50 into it and it allows me to down load sounds off the net.

Where do you find predator calling sounds on the net.?

[JReed]

Here is one site I go to. http://www.varmintal.com/avarm.htm His are all in MP3 format. All so you can go to http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Wild_Coyote_sounds.aspx
http://www.esnips.com/web/stevecrineroutdoors-sounds

If you search around there are a ton more I just like to use these.