Over the last couple years our crew have tried our hands coyote hunting. Its a fantastic hunting opportunity as this prey is very very keen, and a $25 payment per carcass from the provincial government sure is a nice bonus! The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is collecting carcasses to perform research, and since the programs inception they now have one of the most detailed coyote database in North America.
I started out hunting with my Benelli Super Nova Shotgun using B size shot, 3.5" Magnum shells. Since then I've purchased a Stevens Model 200, .223 caliber rifle with a Tasco 3-9x40 Scope. I quickly upgraded drab plastic stock to a nice hardwood thumb hole stock from Boyd's Gun Stocks.
I always believed that having an electric caller makes this difficult sport a little easier. Like I said earlier, Coyotes are very keen and I think that more harm then good can come about if you mess up a call using a mouth caller. Electronic callers are consistent, the sounds used easily changed, and volume easily adjusted plus the caller is remote meaning the prey is less likely to see you and become spooked.
FoxPro has many electronic callers, some are expensive and feature packed. I bought the Spitfire model which is on the lower end of the spectrum but has all the features I need. It holds 24 sounds, has a great remote control with a long range (I've tested it out to 150 yards) and nice clear sound. From the remote you can select any one of the 24 sounds programmed in the unit, adjust the volume, pause playback and trigger the auxiliary output port. The remote uses a 9v battery, and the unit 4xAA's, and battery life is quite good. One of the great features for all of the FoxPro electronic callers is the ability to swap or replace any of the 24 sounds. With their free downloadable software, you can program your own recorded sounds, or download sounds from the FoxPro website. Sounds are stored on a micro SD card inside the unit. There are many free calls available, and even more for a small fee (similar to downloading music). The only feature that the Spitfire does not have is the capability to create a playlist of multiple sounds. The next model up has that feature for about $100 more.
The auxiliary output port can be used for a number of accessories including the FoxPro Jack-In-The Box wobbler (which wobbles a visible attractant). This unit attaches to the Spitfire by replacing the battery box door and plugs into the auxiliary port so it can be controlled by the Spitfire's remote control. There is also an external speaker jack to connect an additional speaker to the unit.
One item I picked up later at Cabela's was a Foxpro caller bag. This bag stores the caller, remote, jack in the box, and spare batteries with ease. Having the proper bag also helps prevent the switch being knocked on and running the batteries down which has happened while carrying it in my backpack. The FoxPro Spitfire is a great caller, I've used it a lot and it works very well. It is not completely waterproof, and I recommend carrying a 2nd set of batteries even though the batteries last months in my unit. I have been successful in both having coyotes call back and have them stalk the caller resulting in a successful hunt.
In recent years I've been using the Spitfire more and more Moose Hunting. I loaded on some sounds and have had definite success twice with this unit most recently my September 2022 harvest of a dandy young bull. The case is handy for keeping all parts together and tied onto a moose for the ride back to the truck as pictured above!
Cheers, Mike
Copyright © 2011 Michael Smith
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