If you’re like me, you look to save money anyway you can and avoid buying expensive products whenever possible. Predator hunting is not a high cost hobby; however it does require some money spent. A great way to save a few dollars and keep your costs low is to make your own electronic coyote calls.
There are sources online where you can download free mp3 audio of predator call sounds, such as VarmintAls. I have tried the sounds from Varmint Als myself using nothing but some home audio equipment I had stored away and all I can say is they work.
I will tell you what was included in my setup and some other alternatives, but before I do, please keep in mind that I used equipment I already owned and did not buy anything. If you have to go buy a piece of equipment in order to use this method, don’t spend more than about $25, otherwise you can just go buy a cheap electronic call.
Here is a list of things you will need in order to make your own call. Hopefully, you already own most of this stuff and will not need to buy anything, hence the whole point of this post. You will need a computer, CD burner or mp3 player, stereo that plays the media you choose whether it is a CD or MP3.
If you choose to go the MP3 route, you will need a set of loud portable speakers (the louder the better) or a stereo with an auxiliary port and a cord to connect it with. If you go with the CD setup, you simply need a stereo that plays CDs.
Once you have chosen what mp3 audio you want to hunt with, you need to get it on the device whether it is CD or MP3. If you need help with this, just look up instructions online. Before you take the time to do this, listen to it all the way through to make sure there aren’t any crazy sounds on there! You don’t want any surprises while you are working in a coyote.
At this point you should have your sounds on your media of choice and equipment ready to hunt. I will say this about the stereo or speakers you use, get the loudest ones you can. One problem I found with some of the small portable radios I have around the house was that they just were not loud enough to carry the sound the distance it needs to go.
To be honest, some of the handheld electronic coyote calls I have used just were not loud enough and needed the attachment loud speaker. Funny how they give you almost everything you need, but that one important piece always cost extra.
The unfortunate thing about using a home stereo for calling coyotes is that they don’t usually make them in camouflage. Make sure you keep it well hidden before you turn it on, otherwise they will run away as fast as they came in. I wouldn’t try to bury down in the weeds, as that will muffle the sound. In the past, I have set my speakers on a stump and kept it hidden with branches or whatever I could find.