According to World Population Review, nearly 16 million U.S. hunters purchased hunting licenses in 2023, a 3.6% uptick from 2022. At the same time, predator hunting continues to trend upward. This is a good sign, considering hunting’s critical role in our North American model of conservation. Hunting predators like coyotes, bobcats, cougars, foxes and more not only assists in conservation of wildlife like whitetail deer, but it also helps ranchers protect livestock, and even, at least marginally, increases safety for pets as well as people. Most importantly, as predator hunting relates to retailers, the abundance of hunters and increase in predator hunting popularity means retail space definitely should be reserved to cater to these diehard, year-round hunters. 

Of course, predator hunting isn’t easy. Learning proper use of calls as well as strategies, navigating terrain and increasing overall hunting success are often equally yoked with choosing the right rifle (or bow), ammo, accessories and yes, hunting calls. More than simply social, territorial beings, they communicate regularly and enjoy easy meals, preying on distressed animals, as well as young wildlife, pets and livestock. In the wild, capitalizing on predator vocalizations as well as animal-in-distress calling often results in great hunting success and memories sure to last a lifetime. All said, however, gathering the right gear, especially calls, can be a daunting hunt itself. Consider this mixed bag of 12 electronic and mouth calls sure to lure in more sales.

FREQ Ultrasonic Game Call

Renowned American inventor Dean Kamen said it best: “Every once in a while, a new technology, an old problem, and a big idea turn into innovation.” This ideology is foundational to the development of legendary predator hunter Gary Roberson’s development of the FREQ Ultrasonic Game Call. 

The patented FREQ Ultrasonic call is exactly that, a high-tech call addressing the age-old problem of luring in call-shy and over-called predators. Unlike any other on the market, the FREQ is an “ultrasonic, full-spectrum game call” with a combination of low- and high-frequency speakers. The FREQ includes more than 200 professionally recorded low-frequency and ultrasonic sounds, and includes the ability to download free call files in the future as they become available. www.FreqCalls.com

FOXPRO Shockwave

An industry-leading predator call manufacturer with more than 30 years under its belt, FOXPRO continues to develop and offer the most robust e-caller systems on the market. A perfect example is the Shockwave, a call I have trusted personally for years with exceptional results. 

The FOXPRO Shockwave includes a TX1000 transmitter that has 100 sounds with options for 900 more files (MP3, WAV and FXP formats) stored on 8GB of memory, as well as left and right horn and tweeter speakers. Additionally, the Shockwave can be powered by a rechargeable battery pack (available separately) as well as 10 AA batteries. The Shockwave features include three play modes (repeat, single, jukebox), and plugging in the optional Fox Jack 3 electronic decoy makes the Shockwave a complete audio-visual predator lure. www.GoFoxPro.com

ICOtec Outlaw+

ICOtec, another predator e-call manufacturer with whom I have amassed several years of successful hunts, created quite the industry buzz with the launch of the Outlaw+, a programmable predator e-call and decoy combination. 

The tripod-mountable ICOtec Outlaw+ boasts more than 165 professional calls, including 15 from Predator University’s Tony Tebbe; AD400 adjustable-speed visual decoy with two prey toppers; 100-yard Bluetooth range; 300-yard remote-control range; ability to play two sounds simultaneously and an oversized remote display. The Outlaw+ is compatible with WAV and AAF file formats, and the included 32GB SD is capable of storing up to 2,000 sounds. Additionally, the ICOtec Outlaw+ is compatible with the Animal Audio app, where users can download files from highly respected predator hunters and professional callers like JD Piatt. www.Icotec.com

Western Rivers Fred Eichler Signature Series Call

When it comes to bang for your customers’ bucks, Western Rivers’ Fred Eichler Electronic Game Call is tough to beat. As the call’s name implies, it was designed and developed through a collaboration with master predator hunter and outfitter Fred Eichler. Perhaps the most cost-conscious e-call in this roundup, the Fred Eichler Electronic Game Call certainly doesn’t skimp on a robust call inventory, offering 80 preloaded sounds and 8GB of internal memory.

The Western Rivers Fred Eichler Electronic Game Call includes dual 4-inch reflex horn drivers with up to 120db output, two external speaker jacks, motor-sync connector and auxiliary output to control a motorized visual decoy, ability to play two sounds simultaneously, configurable call presets, random or sequential calling with time intervals, 2.8-inch LCD display and backlit, four-channel remote control with extended 300-yard transmission range. www.Western-Rivers.com

Lucky Duck Super Revolt

A true American Dream story, Lucky Duck launched with a single product in 1995 and nearly 30 years later has launched over 200 more, including the Lucky Duck Super Revolt Electronic Call. Over the past couple of years, the Lucky Duck Super Revolt has become my primary e-call go-to system, resulting in taking numerous coyotes throughout my North-Central Texas stomping grounds — I have become quite the fan.

The Lucky Duck Super Revolt Electronic Call is the leveled-up iteration of the company’s incredibly popular Revolt e-caller. The Lucky Duck Super Revolt boasts 200 preloaded sounds with the ability to hold up to 1,800 more, ability to play two sounds simultaneously, silicone protective cover, rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charger, erratic-motion motorized decoy, remote-controlled rotary base for 360-degree sound distribution, 50W speaker with high-frequency tweeter, 30W amplifier with 140db level, tripod and a backlit LD3X remote control with 3.2-inch LCD display, 10 brightness levels, and wireless 100-yard control range. www.LuckyDuck.com

Convergent Bullet HP

Born of the desires of expert predator hunters Byron South and Stephen Skaggs, Convergent Hunting sought to deliver an e-call system different than any other electronic system on the market. The result is the Convergent Bullet HP. While the Bullet HP’s design and profile are dramatically different — an upright conical design distributing sounds at 360 degrees — the call’s interface also is unlike other professional game-call systems. 

Much like a traditional Bluetooth speaker, the Bullet HP is controlled via the hunter’s Android or iOS smartphone up to 300 yards away. The bullet HP delivers up to 10 hours of calling from a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and includes five sound categories: predator, hog, deer, crow and snow goose. The Convergent Bullet HP also includes decoy and ground spike. The Bluetooth call platform also includes one additional feature, doubling as a wireless speaker for your musical playlist once the hunt is over. www.ConvergentHunting.com

Rocky Mountain ATOMIC-13 Predator Call Pack

Addressing the predator-call elephant in the room, not everybody appreciates the simplicity of electronic calls. Some folks simply get more out of their hunts by producing their own sounds, and there is no better set of tools to accomplish that than the traditional calls produced and improved upon for hundreds of years. A great example of an affordable premium call kit is Rocky Mountain’s ATOMIC-13. The ATOMIC-13 is a three-call predator pack comprised of the company’s popular Big Raspy, Mean Raspy and Lil’ Raspy calls. 

Coming in a set of three aptly named call sizes, ATOMIC-13 predator calls are constructed of precision-machined, fluted aluminum bodies and rubber mouthpieces. Delivering three raspy yet different distressed-animal sounds, Rocky Mountain Hunting Calls suggest the ATOMIC-13 call set is best used during fall through winter months; however, my hunting experience suggests the calls can deliver great hunting success year-round. www.BuglingBull.com

FOXPRO Furtaker Combo Pack

What could be better than a three-call pack offered by an industry-leading predator call company like FOXPRO that also covers the most critical elements of predator calling — predator vocalizations as well as distressed animal sounds? 

The FOXPRO Furtaker Combo Pack includes three calls, Tantrum, 4K9 and Kamikaze. The Tantrum is a closed-reed call that produces jackrabbit, fawn and additional animal distress sounds. The 4K9 is an open-reed call perfect for producing coyote vocalizations as well as an array of distress sounds. The Kamikaze is a bite-call design purposed for varmint and bird distress sounds. The 4K9 and Kamikaze feature a raised ridge on the tone board to prevent freezing, and all calls include a soft, flexible bell for enhanced comfort while calling. www.GoFoxPro.com

Burnham Brothers S-2 Close Range

My experience with Gary Roberson and his predator call company, Burnham Brothers, came more than a decade ago as a Mossy Oak pro staff hunter spending time with Roberson in his booth, and more time with his calls in the field. While I have trusted a robust array of Burnam Brothers calls over many years, one of my favorite mouth calls remains the S-2 Close Range Call. 

Designed for close-range calling (including hands-free) when stakes are at their highest, the S-2 has been the only call I have trusted for up-close-and-personal experiences for more than a decade. The S-2 Close Range Call produces exceptionally rich-in-tone, distressed fox pup, baby cottontail and small rodent sounds. Additional benefits of the S-2 Close Range Call include its low price point and compact pocket-size design. It’s a call no predator hunter should leave behind! www.BurnhamBrothers.com

Primos The Third Degree Predator

Beginning as a child and making his first call at age 11, Will Primos launched Primos Hunting in the ’70s. Nearly 50 years later, Primos Hunting, now owned by Vista Outdoor, continues building upon Will’s passions for hunting and calling. As a result of his childhood passion and Vista’s continued commitment to product development, Primos The Third Degree Predator Call has become one of the brand’s most popular offerings. 

The Third Degree Predator Call, developed through a collaboration with iconic predator hunter Randy Anderson, ranks among the brand’s most popular predator calls. Constructed of a rich, wood body and plastic mouthpiece, The Third Degree provides rich, loud and raspy animal-in-distress sounds, perfect for luring predators in for what they think will be an easy meal. Finely tuned, predator hunters can employ The Third Degree all year long a long-range call just as easily as lower-volume lure at closer ranges. If your customers are hunting for a solid, reliable, great sounding distress call to add to their lanyard, The Third Degree should be a top consideration. www.Primos.com

Flextone Coyote Rage

An industry-leading call maker purposed in offering calls in virtually every niche of hunting, from waterfowling to big game, Flextone has the ability to develop traditionally inspired calls that are anything but traditional or ordinary. Even so, the Flextone calls are incredibly realistic and easy to use, and they incorporate elements of innovation, high-tech manufacturing and realism — and a predator call like Flextone’s Coyote Rage is a great example.

The Flextone Coyote Rage is composed of a soft, flexible neck and tone bulb. The resulting coyote howling, yipping and barking sounds may mirror those of a premium, traditional, rigid-body call, however, Flextone’s patented soft-construction design also provides hunters with greater flexibility and control over inflection, tone and volume. It is definitely a call worthy of your retail shelf space and an easy-to-back recommendation for predator hunters at all experience levels. www.FlextoneGameCalls.com

Phelps PCR1 Fawn-Jack

The benefits of acrylic calls include rigid durability, performance in virtually any weather condition, consistent sounds and easier long-range sound distribution. Of course, my experiences with acrylic mouth calls generally follow a pass or fail success rate — they either sound great and work or sound cheap and manufactured, delivering dismal results. That said, a favorite acrylic predator hunting call option I love recommending is Phelps Game Calls’ Fawn-Jack model. 

While the Phelps PCR1 Fawn-Jack isn’t the prettiest call in this roundup, it has been an incredibly effective distress lure for countless predator hunters, and the Phelps name is one countless predator hunters know they can rely upon. The PCR1 Fawn-Jack Predator Call features a full acrylic body and mimics a rich bear cub in distress sound, perfect for use with bobcats, cougars and coyotes. www.PhelpsGameCalls.com