Author Topic: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?  (Read 2389 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline mannyrock

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2081
Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« on: September 22, 2011, 08:33:31 AM »
Dear Guys,
 
   Thanks for the prior info you gave me.  You may remember that I am a beginner, and will be hunting coyotes and fox, mostly in the heavy woods and small fields of the east coast.
 
   What would be the best three mouth calls that you would recommend for a beginner?  I assume that a rabbit in distress would be the first, but what about the other two?
 
   I can't afford top of the line,  but middle of the road entry calls would be fine.
 
Thanks, Mannyrock

Offline TwoSeventy

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 25
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2011, 10:02:06 AM »
There are so many good calls on the market, but if I were to recommend just a few as beginner calls it would be the following.
 
1. Burnham Brothers MiniBlaster - Nice small distress call, and probably the most versitile call I have every owned. I always carry this call, even when hunting with the Foxpro.
 
2. Haydels Ulitmate Predator (UP-04) - A very easy to use bite call that makes a very unique sound. I've had a lot of luck with this call.
 
3. Haydels Government Hunter Cottontail - Closed reed distress call with a coaxer built in the other end.
 
All of these can be had for less than $15 each.

Offline Glanceblamm

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2814
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2011, 04:10:59 AM »
Just on theory, or principal, you are trying to imitate either a Jack rabbit or a Cottontail. One is going to be native to your area and the other (such as in my case) is not.
 
I started years ago on Red Fox with the higher pitch, clean sounding reed of the Cottontail and it payed off well. Examples of this sound would be the OLT, Mallard Tone short range, or the Knight and Hale.
 
I then purchased a Faulk call which I initially thought was a little loud and a little unrefined but the Coyotes liked it.
 
Ditto for the Lohman call. My model is the circ "or the three in one" and the Coyotes love that center reed. The Lohman, like the Faulk has a lot more rasp to it.
 
I do have a Burnham call "true western jack" but did not have any luck with it until I made it cry just like a baby waaa waaa with plenty of quaver in the note instead of the customary Rack Rack sound.
 
Make sure to call from your diaphram and not from the air in your cheeks. There is plenty of MP3 sounds out there that you can listen to for practice and sequence. Bottom line is that you are going to have to find the reed that your Coyotes prefer. The start of the season is easy as some of the younger ones might come in to the likes of a rusty screen door!
 
Please do buy that Lohman call if you see one. I dont think that you will be disappointed.

Offline mannyrock

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2081
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2011, 05:23:10 AM »
 
Guys,
 
   Thanks very much for all of this information.  You are a wealth of knowledge!
 
Regards,
 
Mannyrock

Offline Ladobe

  • Trade Count: (91)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3193
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2011, 09:35:04 AM »
"Best" is speculative.   A simple lip/mouse squeek is often enough for predators within earshot of them.   What you have the most confidence with will be what's best for you.   Enclosed reed calls are easier to use for a beginner, but are not as versatile as an open reed.   They are commonly prey species specific, although you can learn how to use them for a little extra versatility.  With an open reed you can produce just about any sound you want, to mimic whatever prey species you choose as well as predator vocalizations.   So I'd start with what is easy to be hunting, and start practicing to learn an open reed.   Brand doesn't really matter for store bought calls, they will all work good enough to fool at least some predators.   Some high end custom calls do up the ante in sound quality, range and versatility, but are not really necessary to begin with.   I started making my own split calls in the mid 50's with just a jack knife from a handy piece of branch, whatever I could find to cut a strip reed out of and a little sinew or bailing twine.    They worked fine as far as they would reach until I started making and constantly improving the serious calls I made until a few years ago.   IMO developing and improving your other skills as a predator hunter are far more important to success than what call you use.    Those skills, not equipment (or the camo I never wore) is what got me by just fine doing P&V ADC most of my life. 
 
IMO-YMMV
 
 
Evolution at work. Over two million years ago the genus Homo had small cranial capacity and thick skin to protect them from their environment. One species has evolved into obese cranial fatheads with thin skin in comparison that whines about anything and everything as their shield against their environment. Meus

Offline Bugflipper

  • Trade Count: (6)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1849
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2011, 12:59:20 PM »
Best 3 for a beginner imho would be a crit-r call peewee. It's an open reed call. It can produce the sounds of a whole lot of animals. The peewee model requires less force, so you can make it pretty quiet. I have better luck out of a woodpecker distress than anything.

For closed reed I like a Sceery cottontail distress. To me it just has a better tone than any other call I have besides a Jay Nistetter handmade one.

The last I would say a Knight and Hale mouse squeak. They are pretty useful in the East. A lot of times I will get bobcats that hang up in cover and want to get a good look before committing. A good little coaxer call with low volume usually pulls them out of the thick stuff and get them started into the open. BTW the peewee above can make this sound as well. But it's easier to have a mouse squeak between your finger and forearm of the gun. It can be in the ready position waiting for the varmint to clear. The crit-r call is a little hard to do a quiet mouse squeak unless you muffle it with your hand. Then the critter may see you raising your gun when you get him to pop out.
Molon labe

Offline Jim_Ole_Timer

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2011, 03:02:00 PM »
Would you also recommend these calls for hunting in farm land with sparce wood lots of 15-30 acres. No farm critters around either, mostly just dirt farmers, plus some ditches and fence lines.
Protect our constitution, all of it. Our kids future depends on it. And please teach them Conservatism.

Offline hunt-m-up

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (27)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2011, 03:07:40 PM »
There are so many good calls on the market, but if I were to recommend just a few as beginner calls it would be the following.
 
1. Burnham Brothers MiniBlaster - Nice small distress call, and probably the most versitile call I have every owned. I always carry this call, even when hunting with the Foxpro.
 
2. Haydels Ulitmate Predator (UP-04) - A very easy to use bite call that makes a very unique sound. I've had a lot of luck with this call.
 
3. Haydels Government Hunter Cottontail - Closed reed distress call with a coaxer built in the other end.
 
All of these can be had for less than $15 each.


+1 on the Haydels UP, not sure what that sound is sometimes,but very easy to use and it gets their attention.
Crosman Slingshot, Daisy Red Ryder, dull butter knife

Offline mauser98us

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (40)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1565
  • Gender: Male
  • 10 mm junkie and Whelan wacko
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2011, 04:44:34 PM »
I respond to cold beer here! Sorry could't resist. ;D

Offline bigbird09

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 359
  • Gender: Male
Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2012, 09:07:29 AM »
I started with the promos lil dog and have had some success with it.  Also carry a primes sonic howler for ki yis and barks.   One thing that I would recommend with whatever you get is a mouse squealer. Most off the old timers around here say they have had there best luck with mouse squeals  and it helps to pull in dogs that hang up
When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

novice shooter, gunsmith, reloader, that is always open to help, tips, and tricks.

Malin v17/.17HMR, Handi-rifle/.223, Mossburg 500A/12g, Winchester 1300/20g, CVA eclipse magnum/.50

Offline Swift One

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 925
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2012, 06:34:15 AM »
A Sceery AP-6 is a simple bite- reed call that really gives out some sounds that the yotes in my area love.  Very easy to use and works very well
It's all a hot mess...........

Offline Glanceblamm

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2814
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2012, 02:00:58 AM »
A Sceery AP-6 is a simple bite- reed call that really gives out some sounds that the yotes in my area love.  Very easy to use and works very well

I would have to google that call Swift One but it reminds me of one that H.S. Strut used to make. Flat square but is tapered on one side with a rubber band that is wrapped around all sides?...Loaned mine to a friend who wanted to take his Son hunting..Well they got one and at night when they heard it breathing 8 yards away ;D  and with a shotgun ;D ;D  They never did return that call to me. Very easy to use like you say and they were much more comforatable with it than my Olt close reed call. Glad I did not loan them the OLt!

Offline Swift One

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 925
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2012, 12:42:30 PM »
A Sceery AP-6 is a simple bite- reed call that really gives out some sounds that the yotes in my area love.  Very easy to use and works very well

I would have to google that call Swift One but it reminds me of one that H.S. Strut used to make. Flat square but is tapered on one side with a rubber band that is wrapped around all sides?...Loaned mine to a friend who wanted to take his Son hunting..Well they got one and at night when they heard it breathing 8 yards away ;D  and with a shotgun ;D ;D  They never did return that call to me. Very easy to use like you say and they were much more comforatable with it than my Olt close reed call. Glad I did not loan them the OLt!

I have called in everything from yotes to deer to an owl that almost took my head off one night.  I have called well over 75% of my hand called preds in with an AP-6
 
It's all a hot mess...........

Offline Jim_Ole_Timer

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2012, 02:16:37 PM »
A Sceery AP-6 is a simple bite- reed call that really gives out some sounds that the yotes in my area love.  Very easy to use and works very well

Will it do a full range of howls and the KiYi  ? I just looked it up on his website but there isn't much info. Also, how does a bite reed compare to an open reed? Same of some difference?
Protect our constitution, all of it. Our kids future depends on it. And please teach them Conservatism.

Offline Swift One

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 925
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2012, 04:21:07 AM »
A Sceery AP-6 is a simple bite- reed call that really gives out some sounds that the yotes in my area love.  Very easy to use and works very well

Will it do a full range of howls and the KiYi  ? I just looked it up on his website but there isn't much info. Also, how does a bite reed compare to an open reed? Same of some difference?

No, the Bite reed calls dont do howls and they do something of a ki yi, but it doesnt sound conventional like it does from an open reed.  They make real real good high pitched sounds along with some very raspy rabbit sounds.  I can do an outstanding bird in distress sound with my AP-6.
 
Bite reeds compare well to open reeds as far as making a wide variety of sounds and pitches (minus coyote vocals).  I have found the AP-6 in particular to be an easier bit reed to use than other brand bite reed calls when it comes to making very high pitched bird sounds.  One big plus is that you can operate a bite reed hands free.  Stick it in your mouth and start calling while biting down on it with different pressures..  Sounds very good.
It's all a hot mess...........

Offline Glanceblamm

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2814
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #15 on: February 03, 2012, 02:30:51 AM »
Quote
I can do an outstanding bird in distress sound with my AP-6.

Very nice change-up call. We have a new Scheels store in Springfield, may have to go and see if they have an AP-6.

Offline manofthe45

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (36)
  • A Real Regular
  • *****
  • Posts: 834
  • Gender: Male
  • Bucks Hang On The Wall. Does Fill The Freezer
Re: Best three mouth calls for a beginner?
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2012, 10:33:59 AM »
Call foxpro and ask for a kcc backstabberand griz and grey.  Foxpro just bought kcc calls a local pa call maker and will be putting them on the shelves under their name in the fallat twice the cost. Great calls for eastern hunting.  I kill more fox with those calls than any other ones I own
NRA Member