New to predator hunting?
 

I have never hunted predator but it looks very interesting and exciting. My area is starting to get a very large population of them since no one hunts them. My question is what is the most preferred call the electronic calls or the standard mouth call. It seems like they develop and sell both types. Are there certain circumstances or pros and cons for using one over the other and does the typical hunter carry and use both types?
Thanks you for any advice getting into this

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Electronic calls cost more (so far I like Foxpro) but they enable you to position the call away from you so the predator isn't looking directly at you when they look at the source of the sound (they're really good at that). Mouth calls cost less and you can change the call intensity, sequence, etc. more easily and they're easier to carry with you if you're moving a lot. You can use decoys with both and they give the predators something to look at and hopefully rush towards to get their free meal. You can use both with hides, etc. A lot of it just depends upon your personal preferences and style.

What predators is the op referring to? I think he is mistaken abut no one hunting them, they mostly hunt them at night when they aren't seen.

I am referring to Coyotes. Well, I am assuming that out of the sportsmen s club and fellow hunters that I know and chat with no one that I know of hunts them

I don't live in PA so didn't respond to whether people hunt predators (now we know it's coyotes) or not and at day or night time. I left that for somebody who lives there to comment on. I also gave some generalized info on electronic versus mouth calls as there are a lot of variables in one's hunting style (and animal hunted) that could make one or the other preferred.

PA has a ton of coyote hunters all over the state, there are also organized coyote hunts in the state. If it wasn't against the rues I would give you a website of a PA hunters message board so you could talk to PA hunters. If Cal gives me the nod I will pm that info to you.

OT, you can PM that stuff anytime. PM's are not against the rules. :D

OK, thanks, will do.

I think you'd be surprised how many people hunt them in the Portage area....


That being said, there's still allot of coyote around. And most farms, even ones being leased by deer hunters, will allow you to hunt them at night. No deer hunter likes coyotes.


-Jake

For a newbie, I recommend hand calls, but not for the reasons most guys might (tradition, heritage, enhanced skill, blah...)

Here's something real - you're new to calling coyotes, so you ARE going to alert a lot of coyotes when you travel in the field. Yes, it's an advantage for a hunter to be able to place his caller away from their shooting location to keep the coyotes attention elsewhere. But - that only works if you don't let every coyote in the county see and hear you while you are placing your call then finding your shooting position. Once a hunter has a grasp on how to travel in and out without blowing every hunt, an electronic caller can be an advantage, especially for the solo hunter.

Having a good set of hand calls is a good idea, and a low cost investment. Someday, you WILL be in the field and your batteries will die or you'll misjudge your remote range or some other problem will befall your electronic caller. Having about $100 worth of hand calls around your neck when that happens will keep you in the hunt, instead of leaving you with no option but to pack up and head home.