The WoW Style

One question you hear a lot when you go hunting is which is better for predator hunting: Hand call or electronic call? And the answer keeps changing. 

Predators are sly creatures. Lions, leopards, coyotes, foxes – you name them. Even the slightest movement and they’re gone, never to come in sight. So what can you use to lure them in? What works best in predator hunting: Hand call or electronic call? 

Keep reading to find out!  

What Are Predator Hunting Calls? 

Before we get into the details and advantages of each of these game calls, let’s look at the basics. What exactly is a predator hunting call and how does it work? 

As stated by Wikipedia, ‘A game call is a device that is used to mimic animal noises to attract or drive animals to a hunter’. These are often used by predator-hunting individuals to lure in tough targets like coyotes, wolves, bears, leopards, cougars, foxes, and even lions. 

Traditionally, people resorted to hand calls to attract these animals, but as modern technology evolved, so did the game calling devices. Let’s look at each of them and discuss what’s best for predator hunting!

How To Choose The Right Electronic Predator Calls?

You know, with hand calls it is easy. You stop at a local store and pick up a lot of them and you’re done. 

But with electronic calls, it gets just a little more complicated. With the range of features that electronic calls offer, it can be often confusing to make a final choice. Personally, I like to prefer the ease of use of the remote controlling the electronic calls, more than anything else. 

But if you’re still intimidated by the innumerable options you have, let us help you with the best predator calls in 2021! Check out their buying guide and you won’t have to worry about choosing an electronic caller anymore!

Hand Calls

Hand calls, also known as mouth calls, have been traditionally used by hundreds and thousands of hunters are the principal device for luring in predators. Even with the development of high-tech electronic calls, most hunters still prefer sticking with a combination of hand calls and electronic calls, if not hand calls alone. 

Advantages Of Hand Calls

• They’re cheap and inexpensive. Most days you can just buy a hand calling device at your local shop and go off hunting with your rifle.
• They’re super convenient. You don’t need to program or code in the sounds in advance. All you need to do is blow in the mouth call and the predators will come running!
• They’re versatile. You can adjust the volume, the depth, the pitch, and the tone. You can add realism to your calls by adding inflection. 
• They’re reliable. With hand calls, you never have to worry about running out of battery or facing a malfunctioning device. You can carry a variety of hand calls and you’ll always have a very trustworthy backup!

Electronic Calls 

Speaking of electronic calls, these are devices that are capable of producing a large variety of preloaded animal sounds that imitate many game animals and lure in predators. Since these are electronic devices, they ensure the accuracy of pitch and sound notes every time and perform better with predators. 

Electronic call devices do tend to be slightly on the higher end of your budget, but considering all the features it comes with, it’s definitely an investment! Plus, it comes with so many cool features like the false tails and voice amplifying options!

Advantages Of Electronic Calls

• They’re sturdy. Although a bit of an investment, electronic calls will last you a long time without compromising on their quality.
• Electronic calls are versatile. They offer hundreds of options when it comes to the different sounds produced by these devices. Some of the distress sounds produced by electronic calls are unique to them and are never heard by predators before, which works effectively in your favor.
• They’re your best friend on windy days! The volume produced by electronic calls on windy days is unmatched by any kind of mouth calling device. 
• They’re comparatively safer. Since electronic devices give you the option to place the device away from you, you don’t have to worry about the predators coming your way.
• Lastly, they’re convenient. Since the calling device operates on its own, you get time to ready your gun and wait for the perfect shot!

So Which Game Calls Are Best For Predator Hunting: Hand Call Or Electronic Call? 

If you ask any experienced hunters, they’ll probably tell you that they’ve shot more coyotes and cougars with the help of hand calls than with any others. And the major reason behind the hunting industry’s preference for hand calls, even after all these years, is their ease of access and versatility.

But if you ask me, there’s nothing better than pairing the two for an ultimate predator hunt! There’s nothing quite like using the combination of hand and electronic calls to lure in the predators. Electronic calls will give you a versatile pitch and volume, while you can always use the hand calls to adjust the tone and confuse the predators with a second set of distress calls.

FAQs

• How far away can a coyote hear a call?

Coyotes typically catch on to any sound within a 3-5 mile radius. As a general rule of thumb, if you can hear a coyote’s howl, it is probably twice as away from you as you think. This is because coyotes have a loud vocal range that travels a very long distance. 

• What sounds to use when calling coyotes?

While almost all sounds work when it comes to coyotes, some work better than others. You might want to go with wounded animals, distress calls, or puppy whines. Non-aggressive sounds almost always work best!

• Are hand calls better than electronic calls?

Well, both have their pros and cons. While hand calls offer a wider variety of pitch and sound and better reliability, electronic calls offer a greater range and efficiency. Ideally, most hunters would recommend using a combination of both hand calls and electronic calls!

• Should I buy an electronic call with a decoy?

If you have the budget, go ahead! Most decoy electronica callers can be very costly these days. However, investing in one is definitely worth it, especially because coyotes do fall for the moving tails!

Final Thoughts

If someone asks what is best for predator hunting: hand call or electronic call, tell them all your newfound information. And remember, the key is always to practice beforehand. 

No matter which device you’ll end up choosing. Familiarize yourself with the device and practice! That’s all there is to do. And moreover, it doesn’t hurt to mix things up! Good luck with your hunting adventures!