? about electronic game calls

[billy ahring]

I'm thinking of buying an electronic game call and am looking at the Foxpro zr-2 and the Johnny Stewart preymaster. Was wondering if anyone here has any experience with either of these units and what are your likes and dislikes of each one. The foxpro is 100 bucks or so more than the johnny stewart call. As a sidenote I have one of the old style Johnny Stewart cassette calls but the battery will no longer charge so it is kinda dead in the water. Does Stewart offer new batteries? Opened it up and it is hard wired together so I don't know if they offer replacements or not. My one complaint about that system is that it is rather heavy and is a lot to lug around when going from calling stand to stand.

Thanks,
Billy

[skeet]

I never had that exact model myself but have had a couple or 3 Foxpro's. They really work well and you can get them with custom calls on the board. They seem to be easy to deal with. Had JS or 2 also. They work ok but as you say they are heavy and pretty bulky too.

[Catfish]

I have a Fox Pro and can tell you it works in Idaho, but have never been able to call in anything but hawks, owls and crow here in Ohio. I think that those western coyotes are alot dumber than those here in Ohio. I know that there are several guy around here that are calling them but don`t know of any that is doing any good. I see most of my coyotes when I`m driveing and afew when just setting out watching good areas. I think that the Fox Pro is at least as good as anything esle on the market, but if calling in your area is like it is around here don`t expect to ever kill enough coyotes to pay for it. That said and I may still go out calling tonite.

[kimberguy]

Western coyote dumber? that is a long debate going on alot of forums.

Remember calling coyotes out west is easier because of different reasons.

land scape and food sources.

Out west you can see them from a mile away and they have less food, so they respond much easier. It don't take much to call em up.

In ohio or the east. there is more cover for the coyotes to travel in and not be detected and food is more available to them. they don't have to respond.

They call coyotes in the west. They HUNT coyotes in the east.

Trust me, in the east, more coyotes are called and not seen because of vegetation than you realize.

Get up into trees and don't hunt fields, hunt the thick stuff and be ready. Eastern coyotes take alot of homework and leg work.

It is not easy like out west.

[skeet]

The coyotes in the west are much more numerous. We even have a bounty on the blasted things. And a bigger bounty in Jan and Feb because the cattlemens Association pays out also. That is the time of the year when the calves are being born. They kill a lot of calves...especially while being born. Bet I could show ya a dozen or so on my place.

[jmarriott]

I still use the old fasion mouth calls.

I have a homebrewed mp3 caller that works well also. Maybe next year i make the leap and get a real pro style caller but the remote and decoy options are a must.

[Andy L]

Kimberguy and Skeet hit it on the noggin.

Catfish, you got the right words,

"I think that those western coyotes are alot dumber than those here in Ohio. I know that there are several guy around here that are calling them but don`t know of any that is doing any good."

in the wrong order.

No difference in intelligence between western and eastern coyotes. Food and terrain and vegetation make more difference than anything.

As for your words, you have alot of guys that are less experienced calling coyotes in your area that are doing no good. (I wont say dumber) I know of at least one guy that is legit that kills his fair share of Ohio coyotes. And from the many times Ive passed through Ohio, its not that much different terrain from here.

Theres no difference in the intelligence of western and eastern hunters either. Western hunters have some advantage of numbers and experience. I know alot of guys that call around here and swear it doesnt work. I like it like that. They mostly either wont get out of the truck or not far from it.

A coyotes a coyote. Some areas have better fur.

Try hunting the thick stuff or thick runways. Stalk in and call away from roads, not toward them. Stay away from the big fields. Stand up. Carry a shotgun with 2 3/4" 4 Buck. Call softer and intermittant. Just a few tips on those smarter eastern coyotes. lol

[Catfish]

I`ve been talking it over with a friend of mine that I hunt with quite abit and we are going to do it alittle different this year. 1 guy will do the calling and carry an AR and the other will set up far enough away that he can watch the down wind without much danger of being busted. Gene will take his 7 mm mag. and I would carry my .22-6mm. Eather of us should have no trouble at 600 yrds. and if we can get them to stand still where there is no wind, out to 800 yrds. with fairly good suscess. We may try 2 guys off the call at time also.

[kimberguy]

CATFISH:

you want tips and tricks on hunting Coyotes in your state?

contact Brent Saxton, He lives in Ohio and makes mouth calls and he has made a video in Ohio.

I think his site is www.keescalls.com or something like that or he can be found at

http://www.finsandfur.net/forums/

he goes by the name of Keekee.

One of the best eastern coyote guys to talk to and learn from!

Good luck

[Andy L]

LOL,
Brents the feller I was talkin about in Ohio. Small wold on the old net, eh?

Catfish, your gonna have better luck huntin the thick stuff than using an army of snipers in the big fields..... Two of you go. One call with a rifle. Send one into the thick with a shotgun downwind, standing up and see what happens. No matter how bad it looks....

[kimberguy]

Brents a good guy, I have some of his calls and have talked to him a bunch.

[Andy L]

Yeah, I met Brent last year at a campout. May be seeing him again next weekend. We havent hunted together, but have talked. Good fella for sure.