What type of call to start out with?

kch

New member
I'm new to the predator game and looking for call suggestions. Which would be best to start out with, electronic call, hand call or diaphragm? Pros and cons of each? The only calls I'm familiar with are turkey calls. Forgot to mention, I'll be targeting coyotes mainly.
 
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I would start with an e caller too. Handcalls draw all the attention to your position while an e caller will distance it from you giving you SOME forgiveness with your set up. Hand calls are personally a lot more rewarding, but make it very easy to be busted. I'd save them until you get the hang of how you set up down.
 
I am going to very respectfully disagree with the previous responses.
While e-calls (such as FoxPro) indeed are easy to use, and do help keep the attention away from you (the shooter)......they are also expensive. Even the least expensive units, regardless of brand are generally $120-$200.

That is a big investment, if you are just starting out, and are unsure how well you will like calling predators.

A much wiser investment, to start (IMHO), is to get both a closed-reed distress call, and an open-reed variable-pitch distress call.

Granted, to get "proficient", you will need to spend some quality time AT HOME learning how to use these calls.

However, closed-reeds are super easy...and everyone can quickly learn the very basics of an open-reed....if they are willing to do some practicing.

And......depending on whether you buy "store-bought" brands, or "custom" calls......a person can get into a pair of calls for $20-$50.
Money-wise, that is a much smarter idea (IMHO) for someone who is unsure of how well he'll like calling.

Some folks will suggest to guys brand-new to the sport, that they should also buy a howler.
IMHO, a new hunter should get to know their distress calls very well, before venturing into the howling.
The "why" is just this easy: Different howls mean different things. And using the "wrong" howl at the "wrong" moment, could cost you a stand.

Since you already stated that you are used to using turkey calls, then you should already have a good idea of how much hand movement you can get away with, while manipulating a hand call.
Good camo on your face & hands...and sitting in shade when possible...will hide a portion of your hand movements.
Besides, once you get familiar with your calls, you will find that a large amount of movement is NOT required to work the call.

This has just been my .02 worth.
 
You gata get some action or you will lose the attraction. Hand calls are great but the e calls will get you in to coyotes faster. Fox pro are the best in my mind but ANY lower end e call can work if you do some extra work. Most lack variety and quality but if you can find spots that doesn't get hammered like some privet land or places most lazy callers wont go, yup I mean do some shoe leather or maybe a mountain bike. ANYWAY for $50 you probably get in to the swing and at least SEE come coyotes. Don't for get you have to be very still when you call ,they will bust you real fast if your moving even a little, and be very mindful of the wind. Lastly what a huge part of the callers do and not know it is ,YOU GOT TO KEEP YOUR VEHICLE OUT OF SIGHT !!!
 
Invest in a couple handcalls from the custom call makers on PM>
I have e callers and hand calls. 99.9 % of the time I use hand calls. Instantly control the situation as to which sound, volume mute etc.

I find less movement and I don't have to walk out into my setup to setup the setup.
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so easy, even a caveman or my 5 year old grand daughter can call coyotes with them. A howler and a closed reed and one or two open reeds calls and you're good for years.
 
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A compromise could be building your own Varmint Al e-caller for under $50 and a few hand calls. I started out this way and now I use only hand calls. That said, I hunt alone a lot and wouldn't mind having the ability to have the sound away from me, but so far, I haven't had TOO many times where that was an issue. If my position is kind of exposed, I wear gloves over my hands, even in August, when it's 80+ degrees.
 
if you use turkey diaphragms to turkey hunt with, then i would try predator diaphragms to predator hunt with. you can make any sound with them and remain motionless. i would experiment with the diaphragms you have for turkey hunting, if you have any, before i went and bought a call for predators. if we could kill bobcats in NC with electronic callers then i would use mine more but i have not got that thing out in a while cause bobcats is mostly all i call in. ounce i made the switch to diaphragms, everything else i have just don't sound as good "to me". i dont know how much that really matters though because i have heard old timers talking about calling critters by blowing through a blade of grass between there thumbs and i have called coyotes in when out hollering for my lost hound dogs. of course there was a lot of anger in my voice those times and im sure they just come in out of curiosity
 
Thanks for the responses fellas. I'm leaning towards hand calls or diaphragms because of cost. I can already run a turkey diaphragm, but have never used a hand call. Seems like a diaphragm would allow for less movement. Maybe I'll just try each and which sounds best.
 
I have both, usually I start off with my hand calls and then when get tired of blowing change to ecaller.... I like to have a few different hand calls....
a really loud screaming call (dying rabbit)that can also be used as a howler
a medium sounding distress call
lastly a squeaker (sound call) to draw them when spotted...
From the dozen or so coyotes I shot at last year, as much as half came out while using my hand calls only...
 
You can probably get by just using the turkey diaphragms that you already have, just try doing some squalling on them and see how they sound. My brother and I have both called in coyotes using turkey calls for distress sounds. Good luck.
 
E-CALLERS are great; they do work. ONE problem though. Every tom, dick, and harry has one and every coyote that has escaped the terminal results of investigating one? Will remember it and USUALLY not respond the next go around. Mouth calls, on the other hand, are very versatile and its hard to say that any two hunters using them sound the same. I believe in both, however, I believe you get better results with the mouth calls. JMHO
 
Originally Posted By: dog1whckrE-CALLERS are great; they do work. ONE problem though. Every tom, dick, and harry has one and every coyote that has escaped the terminal results of investigating one? Will remember it and USUALLY not respond the next go around. Mouth calls, on the other hand, are very versatile and its hard to say that any two hunters using them sound the same. I believe in both, however, I believe you get better results with the mouth calls. JMHO

That's a good point. If you look at FoxPro's website they have a list of all. Their most popular sounds, as voted on by owners/users, and you can imagine that lots of coyotes have heard all of those sounds. So, a hand call, especially a custom open reed call or diaphragm call, should be able to produce unique sounds, with unique cadences.

The one times I REALY find myself wanting an e-caller is during breeding season and in the spring, when I want to try and call in a black bear or mountain lion. I don't "talk coyote" real well yet, but I practice, watch the YouTube videos, and listen to the CDs in my truck.
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I'm going to pick up a hand call from one of the call makers here although I haven't decided which one. I would still like to try a dedicated predator diaphragm since I'm already familiar with turkey calls. I would use my turkey calls and try and make the desired sounds, but they've about had it. I looked in the call maker section, but didn't see any offering diaphragm calls. I'm pretty anxious to get started.
 
I have and have had several Foxpros. good call with many sounds.
However I often prefer hand calls and a couple of my favorites have been Randy Anderson Lil Dog and KiYi. Easy to learn and very effective.
After success with these calls it was easier for me to know what I was looking for in custom calls from makers here.
So my foxpro is always ready to roll on that perfect set, but my handcalls are always around my neck.
 
I found these guys on YouTube over the weekend. I'm definitely interested in trying their calls they sound very realistic. I see no reason for an electronic call if I can run a mouth call like they do. I figure if I can already run a turkey diaphragm I can a predator one as well.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jCTKvAqTUwI
 
Got my diaphragm call in the mail today. Wow. This thing is loud lol. I'm already getting decent sounding howls from it and getting the neighborhood dogs fired up. I can't wait to get a little better and put it to work on a hunt.
 
I just got Made For Killing's 3 call "Starter Pack". I can do howls pretty good. I'm working on barks right now. The 3 pack is awesome. It has a call for clear, raspy, and more raspy. I've used the most raspy one to call in a dove, then I turned around and called in a magpie with a corvid distress. How crazy is that?! Super versatile calls!

 
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Originally Posted By: Mr. PoppadopalisChicken Distress #1 Originally Posted By: Mr. PoppadopalisChicken Distress #1

thats a good sound. i can do one pretty good on my diaphragm. i can also crow like a rooster or a crow ether one pretty good on them as well and in turkey season, both work great to locate gobblers. not to get off topic. i was just sharing that as an example for how versatile they are so folks don't just think that a diaphragm call is for just making one kind of sound.
 
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