|
Rocky’s Reloading Room |
|
FoxPro Game Caller Review
I have a small assortment of mouth-blown varmint calls. With them, I’ve called in fox, coyote, hawks, crows, dogs, cats, cows and deer. (Some of those had to simply be curious, I’ve never heard of a predatory cow!) But I’ve also had mouth calls freeze up on me, and they often cause a headache if blown loud enough and long enough.
I’ve hunted with partners who had cassette-player electronic calls, and they always worked well at drawing predators to the gun. But they also tended to run down their batteries quickly in very cold weather, and sometimes even the tape itself would break in the cold. They were also heavy units, with wires to unroll and then roll up again.
Then I saw a magazine ad for a unit called the FoxPro. It looked like it was built into one of those common six-volt lantern cases, but with a speaker instead of a light and reflector. It was said to be all digital with no moving parts and weight less than two pounds. I had to have one.
So I called the company and talked to the nice folks there. I learned that the unit may be ordered with either eight, 16 or (now) 32 pre-programmed sounds, and they would custom program any sound I liked from a long list of possibilities. There is also a remote control unit available that allows one to turn the unit on or off, adjust the volume or even change sounds from up to 100 yards away.
Other options include rechargeable batteries and a charger pack, a carrying pack and camo or black finish (at the time I ordered mine, they only came in green). Options change at times, so be sure to check their web page or call for specifics.
Due to my budget, I selected the 8-sound version with no remote. The remote almost doubles the cost of the unit and adds a week or so to the delivery time. I hunt for fox and coyote but was intrigued by some of the crow calls listed. I ordered a selection of bird and rodent distress sounds for fox, a few coyote howl and prey sounds for them specifically, and a crow duet sound just for grins. Any or all of the sounds can be re-programmed for a small fee at any time, but you do have to send the unit back to the company. It’s comforting to know that.
When the unit arrived in just ten days, I was elated. The unit came complete with premium AA batteries installed, the sound chart was clearly labeled, and the unit was even lighter than I’d hoped: just over one pound. I’m sure the unit with remote control would be a tad heavier, but not by much. When I turned it on, the sounds were very crisp and clear. There was more than enough volume while indoors to make me instantly turn the knob back a good bit! Each sound seemed to repeat itself seamlessly after 12 to 15 seconds. Some of the sounds were what I’d expected, while others (especially the pheasant distress) were just plain weird-sounding. The crow duet was VERY loud and piercing. I couldn’t wait to field test the unit. So I walked to my back deck and slowly turned the volume up on the ever-reliable cottontail distress sound. Within moments, every dog in the neighborhood started to howl and bark. I knew then that this thing was a winner!
On actual hunts, I quickly learned to never set the volume much above half, especially on calm days and for fox. Higher than that seemed to repel wary predators instead of attract them. The rodent and woodpecker sounds worked great on fox. In an area where I’ve noticed a good bit of pheasant predation, the weird-sounding pheasant distress sound had fox running in without caution.
The big surprise came with the crow duet sound. After a fox hunt one foggy morning with no success, I decided to experiment. I placed the unit in a cut alfalfa field and turned the volume all the way up. Literally within a minute or two, there were crows diving down out of the fog like plummeting Stukas. I hadn’t brought a shotgun, but that crow attack got my attention. Next time out, I tucked a shotgun and a single plastic crow decoy into my truck.
After I quit for fox that day, I again set the unit in that same field, covered the FoxPro with a tanned raccoon pelt, and stood the crow decoy a few feet away. On with the crow duet, and I hid in a ditch 25 yards away. Again, the sky soon filled with small bunches and lines of crows from several directions. Even though I shot and shot, they kept coming. They’d dive at the pelt and zoom back up, all the while adding to the crow cacophony from the caller. The bodies of the ones I’d dropped just seemed to make them madder. They didn’t leave until I got up and walked out to the caller, and even then one or two made a pass at me. By then I’d shot a whole box of shotshells and gotten about two crows for every three shots fired. What an exciting time!
Using that same pelt covering on the caller, but playing a rodent or rabbit sound, I’ve had several hawks and even a gorgeous barn owl attempt to make off with the pelt. Just in case one of them ever makes completely off with it, I’ve decided not to attach the pelt to the FoxPro unit itself! I had considered sewing the pelt around the FoxPro so that it looked more like a three-dimensional object. But I’m not about to risk having it fly away clutched in a set of talons!
Regarding the remote, I have mixed emotions. I haven’t had a situation yet where I wanted to change sounds while calling, but I have wished I could change the volume or wait until I’m hidden before turning it on. Usually, I put the unit down, put the pelt over it and then turn it on. I must then move off 30 to 40 yards and hide myself. I don’t think I’ve ever had a fox or coyote respond to the call while I was still moving and visible, but one never knows.
I have recommended to the company that they offer a simple timer circuit as standard equipment. With the timer activated, the unit would be silent for a minute or so after being turned on. Or one could turn it on without the timer and have sound instantly. Such circuits are simple, cheap and tiny. I may add one to my own unit just to see if it works well. One step better would be to offer a simplified remote much like a car door remote entry – just a simple on/off unit. That would allow me to turn the unit off if I saw a predator approaching.
But that small criticism aside, I love my FoxPro. It is indeed based on a common lantern body, but with a speaker instead of a light reflector. It has more than enough volume for even Rocky Mountain expanses. It will fit into a large coat pocket or small backpack. Mine has withstood rain, mud, sub-zero weather and being dropped; all without a bobble. What’s more, the original set of alkaline batteries in mine is still going strong after a year of use!
Whether you’ve thought about getting an electronic caller for predator hunting or merely to attract wildlife for closer viewing, there’s a FoxPro unit and set of sounds made just for you. You won’t regret it!
Here’s my FoxPro under a pelt, ready to start work! |
|
Update, 2007: Foxpro has continued to upgrade and improve their products over the years, The new models make mine seem like a piece of antique junk—but it still brings ‘em in! The new ones have much better remotes, two speakers, digitally programmable (and downloadable) sounds, camo finishes and much, much more. Check out the latest callers and accessories at FOXPRO |