Crow Busters Forum

Arkie_3_fan · Member

E-caller questions... Considering ICOtec

NGillespie10 · Senior Member

I don't personally own one, but I would highly suggest going with a FoxPro caller. I've never heard a bad thing about their quality, customer service, or sound options. The ONLY thing I ever hear about them is how amazing their customer service is, including a lot of free repairs from the company. I know a lot of the guys here use them and will tell you the same thing.

Again, just what I've heard from most of the guys here as well as friends who have them, but that would be my suggestion.

boba · Guru

You can't go wrong doing business with FoxPro game calls. Excellent quality e-callers.

turtledave · Member

Another vote here for FoxPro. Plus they have the Bob Aronsohn call package available for download.

ecuchief · Senior Member

Just dropped an order to Cabelas for the FoxPro Snow Crow Pro caller. Backorder! disbelief

Got two, like new, Primos Alpha Dogg callers going up for sale soon!

John

-- Edited by ecuchief on Monday 8th of February 2016 10:15:29 PM

Skip · Guru

Arkie 3: As most have said here and I completely agree...FoxPro is the ticket for electronic game calls. As Bob said, their products AND service are 1st class. I have used one for many years and just bought a new Fusion. You will be happy with any of their devices... my 2-cents worth.

Skip

Wingsetter · Senior Member

I've had a couple of johnny stuart's now I'm running a pair of Primos Alpha Doggs... I'm happy with these right now for crows..

frostytd · Member

Wingsetter what model of Johnny Stewart did you have? I have limped my old 512 along for many years. I have modified it to use two speakers and a larger battery so I have more capacity. Use a FoxPro Hellfire for coyote but the old JS gives out way more volume which is needed for crow use in my opinion.

Wingsetter · Senior Member

I have a prey master which I use as a back-up yet,(It's okay burns through the 4 AA's quickly). The previous one that I used with that one was a Johnny Stewart cassette player and I did the same as you when the internal batteries went out I pulled them and ran wires to hook to a small 12 volt battery, after years of abuse though the player gave up. The alpha's I use all rechargeable batteries.

gmochty · Veteran Member

I just retired my 512 with a amp. It worked great for 20 years. Now I'm using a fox pro Krakatoa ll. The Krakatoa ll is quite a bit louder than my old js 512. With crow Hunting volume is everything. I converted all my js crow sounds to the Fox pro format. Works great, I havent killed the batteries yet. I just hope I can get 20 years out of this unit.

frostytd · Member

Battery life and as I am pretty frugal (cheap) is why I haven't went to the Krakatoa or SnoCrow Pro. I know FoxPro is a great product with customer service second to none. On a good day I'll hunt the majority of the day in some pretty cold conditions as on the snow goose migration I'll set out all day. Gmochy in your experience would your Krakatoa last all day on its batteries in 20 degree weather?

gmochty · Veteran Member

Frosty My crow hunts are abut 4 to 5 hours long, with lots of volume. See rips My batteries haven't died on me yet. Not sure on the all day thing. Fox pro batteries are kinda pricey.

frostytd · Member

Good information gmotchy. I appreciate your help. Krakatoa may just be on my list.

Top Cat · Senior Member

What ever works I support it.M y experience had been they play them too loud-even those on here who ought to know better!

gmochty · Veteran Member

I hear you on volume Top Cat. You can't use it all the time. You don't want 100 crows on all at once. You want to trickle them in 1 or 2 at a time. But when the birds are far and few an 2 miles away, Volume is all you have. So use volume with caution.

boba · Guru

Hey talking about e-callers, I have a real horror story for you!

I had my one FoxPro Super Snow Crow Pro burn up when the two positive wires touched one another when I closed the lid. They were both disconnected from both 12 volt batteries at the time it happened. It was my fault because I like to use alligator clips to attach to the ground and positive posts instead of using Foxpro's clips which are harder to use in low light conditions. It burned all the insulation off the wires! The unit itself was not damaged as I put new leads on that unit and did the same to my other Super Snow Crow Pro unit that I use as a backup unit.

Ok here comes the "horror" I was out on a hunt yesterday and the unit that burned up was ready to go or so I thought. After I hooked up both batteries I flipped the switch for power and all you could hear was the sound of a siren coming out of both speakers. When I hit the remote for which call I wanted to use it sounded like a loud drum beat........ no crow calling! I went and got my backup unit and hooked it up to the speakers, flipped the switch and the same thing happened, I was done! The crows were flying good and no caller, that is a real horror!

As soon as I got home I called the service department at FoxPro and told them that I screwed up rewiring both units and said I was sending both of them back so they could redo my handy work! I'm very thankful that this happened close to home, it could have easily been hundreds of miles from home!

The service department at FoxPro is second to none. They said they will use there clips for just the ground wires and use alligator clips for the two positive posts. They said they will turn the batteries around so they are both "not" facing the same way so there will be no way the positive cables will ever be able to touch one another again "after they have been disconnected from the batteries"

You can bet I will test them both before venturing out again!

gmochty · Veteran Member

That's a bummer Bob. A trial run is good advice.

frostytd · Member

Bob a few weeks ago my old JS 512 decided to lose a wire in the hottest action of the day. At that time the fields were too soft to drive in so it was about a 1/2 mile walk from the blind back to the truck to get the tools needed to open up the caller and repair the problem. I didn't want to leave the string of birds on the fly way I was set up on so I continued to hunt using mouth calling. In a lull I finally broke for the truck for a snowy jog. 1/2 hour later still breathing hard and sweating I was back in business. Still think the caller problem cost me 25 - 30 birds though. Like you said at least I wasn't hours from home.

ecuchief · Senior Member

I got a Cabelas branded Western Digital w/amp & additional speaker - it is similar to the JS 512. Still works great but I haven't used it as much lately. I also have the Johnny Stewart collection of Crow Calls vol I & II. Keeping it for my "just in case" needs.

-- Edited by ecuchief on Friday 12th of February 2016 01:46:52 AM

Lonehowl · Veteran Member

Icotec is making a big push into the calling market, which is a good thing, and imo, a pretty good caller for the price....but...Im not sure they can be serviced if you need it, and like other callers on the market, may be a throw away caller. Some say that is ok for the price, heck, they may even replace it with a free one, dont know...but personally I like Foxpro. Just my preference. If Icotec stays around and evolves a bit they will be ok. We'll see.
Mark

Big Honkers · Guru

Icotec:

Their units run off 4 AA batteries.

Might be good for short stand predator hunting...but for crows? No way.

I think this is one of those times where you will save money by spending more the first time VS getting a cheap caller first then buying a better caller later on anyway.

BH

Lonehowl · Veteran Member

^^^Exactly.

nhcrowshooter · Guru

boba wrote:
Hey talking about e-callers, I have a real horror story for you!

I had my one FoxPro Super Snow Crow Pro burn up when the two positive wires touched one another when I closed the lid. They were both disconnected from both 12 volt batteries at the time it happened. It was my fault because I like to use alligator clips to attach to the ground and positive posts instead of using Foxpro's clips which are harder to use in low light conditions. It burned all the insulation off the wires! The unit itself was not damaged as I put new leads on that unit and did the same to my other Super Snow Crow Pro unit that I use as a backup unit.

Ok here comes the "horror" I was out on a hunt yesterday and the unit that burned up was ready to go or so I thought. After I hooked up both batteries I flipped the switch for power and all you could hear was the sound of a siren coming out of both speakers. When I hit the remote for which call I wanted to use it sounded like a loud drum beat........ no crow calling! I went and got my backup unit and hooked it up to the speakers, flipped the switch and the same thing happened, I was done! The crows were flying good and no caller, that is a real horror!

As soon as I got home I called the service department at FoxPro and told them that I screwed up rewiring both units and said I was sending both of them back so they could redo my handy work! I'm very thankful that this happened close to home, it could have easily been hundreds of miles from home!

The service department at FoxPro is second to none. They said they will use there clips for just the ground wires and use alligator clips for the two positive posts. They said they will turn the batteries around so they are both "not" facing the same way so there will be no way the positive cables will ever be able to touch one another again "after they have been disconnected from the batteries"

You can bet I will test them both before venturing out again!

Bert Popowski would not have quit. You should have resorted to your mouth calls and then tell us how good they worked and then promote sales of your CD's. LOL!

boba · Guru

Skip,

It's late in the year and it was not that big a deal, now if it happened at the start of the season that would have been a different story! I just didn't feel like working that hard using a mouth call for 75 to 100 crows. When I get both units back (if the spirit moves me) I will have another go at those crows before the end of the season.

boba · Guru

I had a typo in my last post, for some reason I had Skip Woody in my head at the time. This is the result of getting older!

This post was for NH not Skip.

nhcrowshooter · Guru

boba wrote:
Skip,

It's late in the year and it was not that big a deal, now if it happened at the start of the season that would have been a different story! I just didn't feel like working that hard using a mouth call for 75 to 100 crows. When I get both units back (if the spirit moves me) I will have another go at those crows before the end of the season.

Ya I guess your right, if would only be 75 or 100 crows shot might as well go home sit on the couch and watch TV........

boba · Guru

NH,

I'm spoiled, I admit it.

Not late in the year (I will settle for less only because the birds are more educated) but earlier in the season I won't even setup unless I think I can shoot (one shooter) at least 100 birds or more.

I will be calling FoxPro tomorrow to see what is going on with my two units. If I get them back in time I might give those lucky crows one more shot.

boba · Guru

I realize that some parts of the country are more crow rich than others and the guys who live in crow rich areas are indeed blessed. That being said to go out and shoot a mere 100 crows (one shooter) is just not that big a deal. 175 to 200 is a decent shoot but by no means outstanding. When you can shoot 350 to 400 or more then things are starting to get good! Now different states have different standards, a hundred crows in one guys state might be the best shooting he can get while in other states that is no big deal.

My two Super Snow Crow Pros will arrive at the house this Tuesday from the FoxPro maintenance shop. I have not shot crows in March for over 20 years but I want to make sure these units are A-ok before next season starts.

The curator of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History is coming to see my crow museum because it will be going to the Sternberg Museum in Ft. Hays Kansas after I am gone. He really liked all the memorabilia such as the old decoys and hand calls. He wants to see it all up close and in person after seeing the photos via e-mail.

Gadget Bob · Guru

Hi Jason,

Excellent point! As we used to say at the Action Dragway NHRA track in Terre Haute, there is no substitute for cubic inches. For crow calling success, you need amperage.

The most effective callers are the most powerful FoxPro units. Such as the Super Snow Crow Pro and your Krakatoa pump out the volume necessary for long range crow calling.

Take care,

Skip · Guru

boba: WHAT...you had ME in mind? Bet you were thinking about fantastic friends you have known, fantastic shots you have seen, etc. Where am I wrong! smile

Skip

boba · Guru

You are not wrong, you are one of the best wing shots I ever had the pleasure to hunt with in a crow blind. We had some decent hunts together in the two and three hundred bird range.

I remember those damn kids spooking the crows when we would have been well on our way to 400 or more if they did not inter fear with us that splendid afternoon. If memory serves me right I think we shot around 325 crows that afternoon?

Top Cat · Senior Member

You were the victim of hunter harassment. That is how they do it..out of the blue a group of children decided to run across the field with their kites or just chasing one another. It can be people suddenly coming through on horse back is another example....

Skip · Guru

BobA: Thank you for your kind remark! As for my shooting, I was merely trying to keep up with you! smile . But the "kids"!! Uggggh... they nearly caused me to call "low bird" in their direction!! They just snuck up on us as some sort of joke not realizing some serious de-crowing operation was in progress! I have long thought they did cost us a 400 bird afternoon... but the 325 we dropped in about 4 hours soothed my irritation! I remember each day well: 1543 total body count in 5+ days! Few folks ever get to do or see such action. I was lucky! Thanks again.

Skip

boba · Guru

Skip,

I do not recall any 7 1/2's or 8's bouncing off those 1,543 crows do you?

I just sent some crow wings to Doug at Crow Mart he in turn is sending them to a guy in Washington State who uses crow quills to play the harpsicord.

Some hunts are better than others but you and I had a very decent hunt together. I will never forget when my old pickup quit out in the middle of no where and I had to hoof it cross country with the coyotes howling all around me. I walked over a mile to the nearest farm house for help. What a night that was, plus we had to shut down crow operations for a good half a day to get the pickup up and running again.

I had Gordon Krause out on a crow hunt years ago and we almost went up in a fireball with that same truck! That was another horror story!

Good talking with you.

Bob

BAYMAN718 · Senior Member

i had fox pro spitfire and loved it till it was stolen....will be getting a new one next week...

100 crows in our neck of the woods is an outstanding day...were happy with double digit days...

boba · Guru

Hello Bayman, it just depends on where you live in regard to the amount of crows you have in your hunting territory. The amount of hunting pressure they get is another factor that comes in to play.

Let us know if you get the blood stains out of the paint on your hood?

Top Cat · Senior Member

"Hunting pressure"? Not when the double troubles are out there with their old rusty 1920 blue less clue less old antiquated rusty overweight tired worn out shotguns....heavy triggers, pull the trigger and wait three weeks for the hammer to hit the primer by now fallen asleep!

nhcrowshooter · Guru

boba wrote:
Skip,

I do not recall any 7 1/2's or 8's bouncing off those 1,543 crows do you?

I just sent some crow wings to Doug at Crow Mart he in turn is sending them to a guy in Washington State who uses crow quills to play the harpsicord.

Some hunts are better than others but you and I had a very decent hunt together. I will never forget when my old pickup quit out in the middle of no where and I had to hoof it cross country with the coyotes howling all around me. I walked over a mile to the nearest farm house for help. What a night that was, plus we had to shut down crow operations for a good half a day to get the pickup up and running again.

I had Gordon Krause out on a crow hunt years ago and we almost went up in a fireball with that same truck! That was another horror story!

Good talking with you.

Bob

How old is the Meat Wagon now and how many miles on it? Vehicle break downs during the season would be frustrating. When you go spring for a new truck?

boba · Guru

NH,

The pickup with Skip and Gordon was a Ford F 150 half ton four wheel drive. It was around 6 years old, I traded it in for a new one. I trade every 6 years for a brand new truck. I have close to 90,000 miles on my Chevy 1/2 ton, it's a 2010 model.

Top Cat · Senior Member

You really need that truck to haul around the thousand rounds or whatever that would leave the sxs fans hauling around the ammunition they could have spent if loading the doubles weren't so slow and exhausting!

10gacrowshooter · Senior Member

Top Cat wrote:
You really need that truck to haul around the thousand rounds or whatever that would leave the sxs fans hauling around the ammunition they could have spent if loading the doubles weren't so slow and exhausting!

post 26 and still doesn't know what he is talking about

nhcrowshooter · Guru

boba wrote:
NH,

The pickup with Skip and Gordon was a Ford F 150 half ton four wheel drive. It was around 6 years old, I traded it in for a new one. I trade every 6 years for a brand new truck. I have close to 90,000 miles on my Chevy 1/2 ton, it's a 2010 model.

For some reason Bob I thought you had a more vintage truck but now I remember it is a vintage truck cap that you install on each new one. 2010 Chevy, just about time for a new truck. You missed the Washington's birthday sale smile

boba · Guru

NH,

The topper is 42 years old, they always kid me at the dealership when I put that beat up topper on a new truck.

Big Honkers · Guru

Hey Bob,

I hope you never replace that topper. I wouldn't recognize your truck without it!

BH

nhcrowshooter · Guru

boba wrote:
Hey talking about e-callers, I have a real horror story for you!

I had my one FoxPro Super Snow Crow Pro burn up when the two positive wires touched one another when I closed the lid. They were both disconnected from both 12 volt batteries at the time it happened. It was my fault because I like to use alligator clips to attach to the ground and positive posts instead of using Foxpro's clips which are harder to use in low light conditions. It burned all the insulation off the wires! The unit itself was not damaged as I put new leads on that unit and did the same to my other Super Snow Crow Pro unit that I use as a backup unit.

Ok here comes the "horror" I was out on a hunt yesterday and the unit that burned up was ready to go or so I thought. After I hooked up both batteries I flipped the switch for power and all you could hear was the sound of a siren coming out of both speakers. When I hit the remote for which call I wanted to use it sounded like a loud drum beat........ no crow calling! I went and got my backup unit and hooked it up to the speakers, flipped the switch and the same thing happened, I was done! The crows were flying good and no caller, that is a real horror!

As soon as I got home I called the service department at FoxPro and told them that I screwed up rewiring both units and said I was sending both of them back so they could redo my handy work! I'm very thankful that this happened close to home, it could have easily been hundreds of miles from home!

The service department at FoxPro is second to none. They said they will use there clips for just the ground wires and use alligator clips for the two positive posts. They said they will turn the batteries around so they are both "not" facing the same way so there will be no way the positive cables will ever be able to touch one another again "after they have been disconnected from the batteries"

You can bet I will test them both before venturing out again!

Bob, I thought I remember you telling me a few years back you had a few J/S 612's you had kept for back ups. Why didn't you take of those and go hunting?

boba · Guru

NH,

I have four model 612 Johnny Stewart's but they are all retired in my crow museum.

Fox Pro called yesterday and said that they were able to change the plug ends on my older model Snow Crow Pro unit so I don't have to carry a separate set of speakers just for that one unit. The plug ends are different from the "Super Snow Crow Pro unit" this way I have a backup to my backup now! The older model is 10 years old and only takes one 12 volt battery whereas the newer Super Snow Crow Pro units hold two 12 volt batteries and they now last all day in the field.

Fox Pro rewired both of my units that quit on me last month and they both are ok now.

I have not used the model 612 units in years so I'm pretty sure the batteries in them are dead.

boba · Guru

NH,

If you know any one who wants to buy some brand new (still in the box) model 612 units I can put them in touch with Dick my partner. He has 8 units still in the box, never used! He has the speakers, chargers and the "Louder Amps" for more volume. They will all need new batteries but that is it.

boba · Guru

NH,

10 gauge contacted me and I just called Dick.

He already sold all the 612 units still in the box but he has 6 others that are not original factory units. The units he has left work off a toggle switch (remote) that operate two units at once! Dick liked this because he could (if he wanted to) play two different calls at the same time with this type of setup.

He will sell just the 612 units or he will also sell two 25 watt Johnny Stewart speakers if a guy wants to buy them. He has a bunch of Louder Amps for sale plus chargers if you know of anyone interested.

nhcrowshooter · Guru

As you know the batteries for a 612 are relatively inexpensive if bought at an electrical supply store and they are easy to install. You can still find 612's and 512's from time to time on Ebay. It seems every listing for one sells, some for more $ some for less $. What has gotten hard is finding the cassette tapes. I have the ability to record my own cassettes and I have the J/S sounds I like to use on disc as well as MP3. The 512/612's will still bring in the crows.

Those old J/S 25 watt horns were metal and heavy. I much preferred the Western Rivers 25W small plastic speaker. I used to see those on Ebay but they seem to have dried up.

-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Thursday 10th of March 2016 07:34:19 PM

boba · Guru

Yup,

I used to cut my own cassette tapes as well. I even dubbed out that damn owl hooting in the JS Crow & Owl Fight, plus my tapes would play the instant the leader was gone on the cassette tape. The JS cassette tapes (in my opinion) had to much lag time between hitting the play button and hearing the caller. That 30 second lag time on those tapes seemed like an eternity when the crows were flying. I even would fast forward the tapes so they would start up right away, this was before I started making my own.

Those JS 25 watt speakers were made by Whiteman Electronics that is what the W/E stands for on the speaker horn. Those were the most durable speakers I have ever used, mine fell out of every tree from Iowa to Oklahoma back in the old days. I hunted a lot in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma back in those days.