When considering an electronic predator call, also keep in mind the battery life. You don’t want to be going out into the field to keep changing batteries.
Finally, note the number of speakers the call has and the quality. The FoxPro Shockwave we mentioned above has two speakers and can simulate an animal moving to the distance by fading sound from one speaker to another.
Electronic calls have the added benefit of being the focal point. When you use a hand or reed call, the animals’ attention is on you. When using an electronic call, you’re calling the animal to the call, not you.
Diaphram Mouth Calls
Diaphram calls are always great to have in your arsenal. If you’re just starting out in predator calling, it’s an affordable way to test the waters. Also, if you’re using a mouth operated call, practice your technique ahead of time.
Hand Calls
Hand calls like squeakers are another great addition to your fall arsenal. They can be used in addition to mouth calls or electronic calls. They’re best used to call predators in closer. The sound these types of calls create doesn’t travel as far as a reed or electronic call, so don’t expect to call in distant predators.
2. Have A Variety Of Calls
Bring more than one call with you on your coyote hunt. If one fails, you have another. The same goes for if you’re using an electronic call. The battery only lasts a set amount of time. If it runs out of battery in a field and that was your only call, well, your day is probably done.
Al Morris, who has won the World Coyote Calling Championship three times, says, “you can’t go fishing with just one lure.” Instead, he uses a digital call, a hand howler, and a diaphragm mouth call to achieve success. This allows him to sound like multiple coyotes.
3. Know Your Sounds
Just like knowing different elk vocalizations will help you bag that big bull, learning the sounds of a coyote will help you to get your coyote(s). It will also help you to determine if the coyote is more aggressive and challenging.
Not only do you need to know the sounds coyotes make, but you also need to know the sounds of a coyote’s food source. Most popular is a rabbit-in-distress, but there are also fawn, turkey, raccoon, chicken, and squirrel distress calls.
