I need a basic understanding of the electronic calls that are available !!!

The biggest question would be what does a $600 call offer over a $100 call ?
On the surface it appears to be foolish to spend the big bucks when a mouth call could be had for 10- 20 dollars.

Have I got a web site for you! Varmint Al's This is a link to a very comprehensive do-it-yourself guide, complete with sound files free to download and plans to make your own caller for real cheap. Did it myself for a friend of mine's son, who enjoys terrorizing his neighbors with it and coyote hunting with his dad. It was fun to make and I used a cheap tiny MP3 player, a small amplified speaker from Radio Shock and (as Vinnie would say) Bob's yer uncle.

With an electronic caller you can plant it away from you (some have remote controls) and the varmint won't be watching you, it'll be watching the direction of the caller, so you can fuss around a bit without being caught at it. You can also program it to call any duration and combination of calls or time-outs, without wearing yourself out trying to find the caller you left at home.

Suz

The advantage of any e-caller is getting the predators attention away from your location until it is too late for them.

Volume - sound quality - and variety of calls available are what you pay for. The top end units vs the cheap low end units are like a an Old Hi-Fi stereo versus a transistor radio. They will play the sounds at much greater volume without distortion or cracking. Some of the less expensive units have good content in their calls but they fall apart when you crank up the volume. Work ok for close in tight quarters calling but for getting their attention a half mile away... won't work so good.

I have found the Ico-tec 300 series to be a decent mid priced unit. Usable volume minimal distortion decent sounds.

I have made a couple of the radio shack models with MP-3 and they work about like a mid priced store brand ---IF - you get high quality sounds to play on them. some of the ones at Varmint Al's are pretty good. other sound like you are in the garage blowing a call.

That said - I have a call bag of hand calls that can make a lot of different sounds too.

guys over here use the ute stereo to roar rutting stags and Ive seen stereo systems used to call ducks too.
I use a bit of plastic pipe for stags and prefer a wooden call for ducks.

Suzy, I was actually thinking about something on this line !!!

My thoughts were why can't I just download some mp3 files and play them through a portable radio.
When I get more time I'll definitely give Al's site a thorough look...... Thanks !!!
Just for you

Dawgdad, I figured you'd be the one to ask !!!

Your post told me exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks for the response.

Chambered, a radio is not going to work, wrong speakers. But when you connect your mp3 to such a portable megaphone, then you're in business.

I have been calling coyotes for almost 40 years. I have called coyotes with a battery powered radio with a cassette, and with a Walkman and a Radio Shack speaker and 50' of outdoor stereo cord...if you make the right sounds they will come!

With that said, today's callers are the bee's knees! I currently use a FoxPro CS-24, and have used FoxPro more than any other caller.

I also have a Kanati Tek caller which is also a good caller, too.

FoxPro is the 800 pound gorilla in the calling industry. Their service is second to none, and now, you can load MP3 sounds on their callers. They used to have their own proprietary sounds, and that is all you could load up until several years ago.

They make great callers at all price levels. The only caller I would stay away from is the Scorpion--I don't think it puts out enough sound.

You can't go wrong with any caller they make. You should go to Allpredatorcalls.com and they can set you up...you pick the sounds and they load them for you.

I also teach predator calling classes here in Kansas, and I have to say that simply buying an electronic caller will NOT automatically make you a crack predator hunter.

I usually recommend starting out on an open reed call such as Tal Lockwood's Tally Ho and give that a try--they are cheap--around $8.00 at Cabelas. You can do cottontail, jackrabbit and as well as some pretty good vocals with that one call.

With the advent of the popularity of calling these days, everyone is out and playing rabbit distress sounds. The coyotes are not stupid, and when the 'coyote callers' have zero success with their new fangled machine, they blame it on their belief there are no coyotes in the area.

You have to be able to switch up your sounds to continue to be successful. That includes scouting and being able to include coyote vocals in your tool belt.

I use an electronic caller when I am out alone to get the sound away from me, but when I hunt with a partner, I find myself using the Tally Ho.

I have used a FoxPro since 2003, but have called way more with that $8.00 open reed since the early 80's up until '03.

Tally ho is ALWAYS in my pocket when coyote hunting. One of the most versatile and easiest to blow well.

If you ever come across an old P.S. OLT coyote fox bear T-20 call GRAB IT!
It was the first call that I got and it was given to me. I have called in
beau coup dogs and fox with it.

I made a cassette tape caller with 50 yards of speaker wire and an all weather loud speaker that works very well. It is about 30 years old.
The secret is to have a very clean sound coming out and solid connections to the speaker. I put the radio cassette player along with a sealed 12 volt 1.2AH battery (battery backup for alarm systems) and the speaker in a plastic tool box that i painted white/grey disruptive pattern.

I also have almost every call that Randy Anderson makes. I also have some hand held electronic calls. You also should have a squeaker in your pocket. Go to a toy store and you can find cheap toys with the squeakers in them and they work great. I take my dog Tootsie's beer can squeaker out with me and it works dandy.
Have fun with it.

Thus endth my tome on predator calls...

A squeaker toy...that's interesting Ron. Does it bring in dogs mate, or is it more useful on coyotes? What sort of range is a squeaker useful at mate? Not being very loud I would have thought they would be used for close in calling. Definitely an idea worth trying though.

They aren't real load but the pitch goes a long ways.
They will bring in just about any canine and other animals too.

Vince - I keep a squeaker attached to my glove on my left hand.(I am right handed) When the coyotes start coming in to the call and they hang up behind some brush or outside of shotgun range sometimes changing the call to a squeaker will finish them off and bring them right in your lap.

When I am hunting in thicker areas I will start with the squeaker incase there is one close that I have snuck in on. Stating out with a full volume blast from an e-caller can make them run the other way. I learned that one the hard way when I had a coyote sleeping about 10 yards from me at the edge of a field. When I hit the caller he took off at Mach 2. After three running misses across the field I finally dropped him at just over 400 yards.

PaulS wrote:

They aren't real load but the pitch goes a long ways. They will bring in just about any canine and other animals too.

+1 bang on Paul

It is funny how something that shrill can carry and get coyotes (i.e. what i call dogs), fox and even bear in the spring time especially to come in from a fair distance away. Dawg--I have one on my left waist and one dangling usually on my caller so that I can bite it if need be. It is a sound that will bring in any predator and I should imagine dingos' (sp?) also.

Lip squeaking is also my go to finisher. suck air in through tight lips. My son and nephew always know I have seen a coyote when I start lip squeaking.