Nervous about buying an E- caller after reading reviews

borrowed time

New member
I have been practicing with a tacklebox full of mouth blown calls to call in predators. have even called two yotes in! missed the one i called for myself though.

I am selling something to get some cash for some hunting gear. One item i was contemplating was an electronic call. My price range would be between $150 and $200. I was looking at the Primos Turbo dog or a FoxPro Spitfire.

I have some serious reservations about getting one after reading some reviews on Cabellas website for E-Callers. There are enough reviews regarding bad remote connection, "line-of-sight" neccessity for transmission, and the elecrtronics failing with moderate use.

Money is something that I have none of as things are increadibly tight, the only way i can get new gear is by selling something of value. the thought of spending $150 - $200 for something that will give me problems and turn out to be an expensive paperweight makes me break out in a rash.

Do I need to stick with my mouth calls or are these "problems" with the E-calls overblown? (Sorry for the pun...) Do i put my money into other gear or go for an E-caller in my price range?

Thanks everybody!
 
Have you checked the reviews for the fox pro wildfire 2? They run $199. I had my remote go out 2 weeks after I bought it but I called FoxPro and they sent me one in 2 days no questions asked. Fox pro has a good warranty and great customer service. Other than that I have had no problems, I have tested my remote range to 60-70 yards it may even go farther. You hunt in completely different terrain than me so volume may be an issue as it is not the loudest call but if you add a sp-55 speaker for about $60 you should have plenty of volume. Thought I would throw this out there as an option.
 
Last edited:
Have killed a lot of coyotes with the Spitfire. I use it with a SP55 speaker sometimes. I would buy a Wildfire 2 if I were you. It has FoxBang for 199.00. You can pick up a SP55 speaker later and you will have all the caller you need.

I haven't had any problem with the remote. I do elevate my caller about 12" and usually sit it 50-100 yards from me.

If you have any problems Fox Pro will take care of them for you. Most of the problems you have read about are from not understanding how to get the most out of the product. The Spitfire and Wildfire 2 do not have FHSS technology in the remote so you do need a better line of sight with it than you do with a Fury, Shockwave CS24B etc.
 
Last edited:
I use the Wildfire 2 and love it. The line of sight isn't as bad as they make it sound. I am like Yote Yoda though, I try to elevate my call a little off the ground. The quality of sound is as good as you gonna get for $200, same with the sound.

Look in the classified ads, people are always posting great deals on E-Callers. I would say anything other than a FoxPro is a waste of your $...
 
I've used alot of E-callers through the years and at some time or another you will have a problem. Having support for it is something very important to me. FoxPro is the best in that department.
 
Originally Posted By: chewi004 I would say anything other than a FoxPro is a waste of your $...

Chewi, you know I like ya buddy. But I just can't go along with this statement. Not at all.
 
You dont have to DC...everyone is entittled their own opinions.

Considering the customer service, ease of use, and quality of a FoxPro caller (keep in mind he only wants to spend $150-$200) I just dont see any other way to go...just my 2 cents!
 
Originally Posted By: chewi004(keep in mind he only wants to spend $150-$200) I just dont see any other way to go...

I'm not saying they are better, but here's a few other ways to go.
smile.gif


In his price range the Flextone Echo can be found around $150.00. (Have owned and used this one. It'll call predators just like all the rest of em)

The ICOTEC GC300 can be found around $70.00. (Have owned and used this one. It'll call predators just like all the rest of em)

A Johnny Stewart Jury caller around $150.00 (Never been around one of these)

Western Rivers Navajo Digital Caller. About $150.00 (Tried a WR caller years ago and it was a POS. I'm sure the newer ones are better)

Primos Turbo Dogg around $150.00. (Have owned and used this one. It'll call predators just like all the rest of em)

I'll agree with you about FP's customer service. It's very good if you need it.
 
Doggin,

What do you use now?

And have you owned any FP's?

I am not doubting any of those are bad calls, even though I have some different opinions on a few of them...just curious?
 
I agree with Chew----you just can't go wrong with Fox Pro.

Ease of Use

Selection

Price

RESALE VALUE when you want to UPGRADE is HUGE

SERVICE **** 4 Star 4 sure

I have tried most all the rest and there are some good callers out there. With all things considered there isn't any better callers than FoxPro at any price point.

I also agree with DC. I don't think other callers are a waste of money, but after 30 years of owning and testing a lot of callers I just think Fox Pro is the most sound purchase/investment that you can make in todays e caller market.

Yote Yoda USMC
 
Last edited:
Right now a FoxPro is a good machine and they seem to back their products, two of the guys I hunt with use Spitfires and are very happy with them. I could never warm up to the FoxPro remote, I've owned three and sold them all because I can't read the sound list with out putting glasses on, and for me that is a pain on the stand. I prefer others that work well for me and have used them for a very long time with out problem.

Big thing is to take care of them, I take the batteries out and store them in a dry area (my bedroom closet). I carry them in a close fitting bag and don't just toss them in the back of the truck when your done.
 
Originally Posted By: chewi004Doggin,

What do you use now?

And have you owned any FP's?

I am not doubting any of those are bad calls, even though I have some different opinions on a few of them...just curious?

Depends on the mood I'm in chewi.

Sometimes I use one of my home built callers. Sometimes I use a FP Fury. Sometimes I use a modified Johnny Stewart PM4 caller(which I REALLY like by the way).

Besides owning and using all the callers I mentioned in the other post, yes I've owned and used several Foxpros.

The Foxpros that have passed through my hands over the years include: a model 48, a 532, several 416,s, a couple 416B,s, a Scorpion, a Spitfire, couple of ZR2,s, a NX4, FX3, FX5, CS24. And I may of forgot 1 or 2...
lol.gif


Have also owned and used several WT callers, Minaska, Loudmouth and a whole bunch of JS callers starting with the cassette models back before Al Gore invented the internet.

How many have you owned?
smile.gif




 
Only one...cause it is a FoxPro! No need to go through callers like socks if they are satisfying, effective, and performing like they should. Dont fix it if it ain't broken...

Doggin: you have certainly owned more callers than me and are certainly more experienced in the entire sport than me...I will not argue with you on that one.

However, I will be keeping my FoxPro!
lol.gif


P.S. That's pretty cool you got home built callers!
 
Last edited:



Originally Posted By: doggin coyotes
How many have you owned?
smile.gif


Originally Posted By: chewi004Only one...cause it is a FoxPro!

Well, well. That certainly qualifies you to make a bold statement such as this.

Originally Posted By: chewi004I would say anything other than a FoxPro is a waste of your $...

Absolutely.
rolleyes.gif


 
Last edited:


If you are able to call them in, then missing a shot, well, an e call isn't the resolution.

Sorry to say but "the best" e call isn't going to help you kill a coyote. Might make it a touch easier, or, might make it a heckuva lot more complicated...

Don't hate me, but I gotta say, some of you folks need to get back to the basics. If you can hand call a coyote, you should be dang proud, if you miss, figure out why, it's you, not the call.

My dad and his calling partner were in this way before electronic loud boxes. I remember coming in to this game with him cussing these loud boxes... It was a hassle for them at the time. BUT, they knew the game, they knew how to call coyotes.

I dunno what I'm trying to say here, but, if you are able to hand call 'em, be proud, stay after them, you will getcha one, or many, once ya figure it out.
 
I've been calling preds for close to 50 yrs and have gone through a lot of e-callers back to Herter's records on a phonograph, some of you might have to look that up to see what it was. There are a number of places an e-caller will make or break the deal and most of them concern heavy cover.

It is getting more difficult to get coyotes out in the open during the daylight and I am having great luck going into the heavy cover, head high sage, Russian olive thickets and thick manzanita patches. Using a remote caller in areas that you can't see a coyote until he is under 30 yards away is a definite deal breaker in my opinion. That's why I've not had good luck with FoxPro, you have to lift the remote to see the sound list and for my I have to put glasses on to read it, that is just too much movement for close cover and working a handcall can be just as bad as you have to bring it to your mouth and drop it and reach for your gun.. With a key pad remote I can key in the call I want without lifting it or even looking at it, much like running a ten key adding machine.

I still use handcalls where I have a good hide and good field of vision.
 
AWS, sounds like you might be more comfortable using presets. The CS-24, Fury, and Prairie Blaster units have 10 presets. The new Shockwave offers 50. You can easily read the remote that comes with the Shockwave.
 
I'm pretty happy with the call I have, it has 100 presets and works great, sound quality must be pretty good twice now I've had coyotes jump up in bushes and rip them down.

This sight over the years has almost soured me on FoxPro with FoxPro fanaticism. I've tried FoxPro over the years and for me found them wanting. That's one of the nice things about living in this country we are allowed to voice our opinions.
 
AWS, I certainly respect your right to voice your opinion, but I don't share your comment about FoxPro fanaticism. FoxPro has the best customer service in the business which is important in today's market.

Good hunting at ya.
 
Great customer service is nice and I feel I've had that with my brand, I have four units now and never had a breakdown that wasn't my fault, broken antenea and lost remote. Both items were taken care of promptly. One nice thing about the callers I use, when I lost the remote I wasn't dead in the water, just grabbed a remote from another unit and kept right on hunting.

As for fanaticism all you have to do is look at this post, "anything other than a FoxPro is a waste of money". Just go back through old posts and if anyone suggest anything other than a FoxPro they usually get jumped all over.

FoxPro has a decent caller but it isn't the only decent caller on the market.
 
Back
Top