Cheap Predator Setup?

[Five Seasons]

I feel like I ask something like this every year as deer season fades.

Not including the gun, What's it take to get a rig going as far as light and caller. I have a good feel for the entry level callers and I know electronic isn't required either, but what about lights? What do you guys do with the carcass? 

[monahmat]

Following to hear what people have to say.  I bought an entry level caller and fuzzy but I've yet to take it to the field.  

[Moho81]

Also interested, I've seen some pretty cheap lights on-line for sale that get good reviews but considering how cheap they are I really wonder how well they work. 

[Gencountyzeek]

Entry level caller id say $150, i tried cheap ebay red lights before spending $240 on wicked lights. Last year i gave my kills that were not blown up to a buddy that traps. Ill do the same this year unless i get a unique yote or fox. I skinned and stretched my first yote this year. Turned out ok, it was a learning experience.

[LET EM GROW]

What Zeek said.. the more money you spend(caller anyways) the better you'll be. Get a gun light and a headlamp for scanning. If your not going the Night Vision route. stick with red light for scanning and for gun light. wicked Lights has a combo set for $200+. Id spend as much as you can on a caller too. The better ones produce quality sounds. Many coyote can outsmart a cheap call. The frequency usually isnt right.   Not saying it wont work, but your best bet is to not educate these dogs(since theyre smart as it is) 

I switched to a Lucky duck call and I have been 5 for 10 on sets for calling in coyotes

[Five Seasons]

man those wicked lights aren't cheap haha. is the tri-color worth it? what disadvantage to just having red?

[Marion]

man those wicked lights aren't cheap haha. is the tri-color worth it? what disadvantage to just having red?

They definitely are not. Just dropped 360 bucks on a set plus 4 extra batteries

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[Five Seasons]

also curious if you guys prefer spotllight or headlamp and do you need one in addition to your rifle mount. assuming yes but wanted to ask.

[diplomat019]

Let me start by saying I’ve never killed anything or claim to be good at predator hunting.  By my setup is as entry level as it gets.  I have an icotec ecaller.  And here are my lights. 

 

[Gencountyzeek]

I prefer the head lamp, keeps my hands free to get to the gun quicker or use the calls remote. My wickeds are just red, headlamp to scan, if i pickup eyes switch to the gun light. I carry a small white light flashlight in my pocket if we have to track a yote or fox.

[diplomat019]

1 hour ago, Moho81 said:

Also interested, I've seen some pretty cheap lights on-line for sale that get good reviews but considering how cheap they are I really wonder how well they work. 

I have a cheap light mounted to my rifle.  Ive never seen a high end light but mine seems to be good.  Ive scanned with it at night in the yard and its lit up very well. 

[Moho81]

9 minutes ago, diplomat019 said:

I have a cheap light mounted to my rifle.  Ive never seen a high end light but mine seems to be good.  Ive scanned with it at night in the yard and its lit up very well. 

How far does the light go with good visibility? whats the name of the light? 

 

Edit: sorry missed your post above this one where you show the exact light lol 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Moho81

[moog5050]

48 minutes ago, Belo said:

man those wicked lights aren't cheap haha. is the tri-color worth it? what disadvantage to just having red?

For the price difference, tri color is nice.  I use mine for tracking in deer season too.  Talk to treeguy.  I think he was interested in going form all red to tri color.  Maybe you can work something out if you want only red.   I think headlamp is much easier for scanning and worth it in addition to kill light.  Scanning with the gun gets old (and probably is not as safe).

[mowin]

Do you keep your light on all the time when calling-scanning, or flick it on every now and then? 

[loworange88]

37 minutes ago, diplomat019 said:

Let me start by saying I’ve never killed anything or claim to be good at predator hunting.  By my setup is as entry level as it gets.  I have an icotec ecaller.  And here are my lights. 

 

pretty much have the same set up.  I bought the head lamp and torch off Ebay.  I use green lights.  I mounted the torch on a picatinny rail and use a pressure switch to activate it.  My icotec caller was a cragslist special and works fine.  I think all in all around $100 total.

[moog5050]

1 minute ago, mowin said:

Do you keep your light on all the time when calling-scanning, or flick it on every now and then? 

First thing treeguy told me was always always be scanning.  Light on whole time and when you spot eyes stay on it.  Then turn on kill light while scan light keeps blinding dog.  

[Five Seasons]

45 minutes ago, diplomat019 said:

Let me start by saying I’ve never killed anything or claim to be good at predator hunting.  By my setup is as entry level as it gets.  I have an icotec ecaller.  And here are my lights. 

 

 

 

seems a lot more reasonable for entry level, although I'm sure it's a "get what you pay for" kind of thing. 

Some of these are barrel mount. I think I'd prefer scope, agreed?

[Gencountyzeek]

50 minutes ago, Moho81 said:

How far does the light go with good visibility? whats the name of the light? 

 

Edit: sorry missed your post above this one where you show the exact light lol 

Ive picked up eyes at 400+ yards with my wicked lights. Thats pretty much the deepest field ive hunted. 

[loworange88]

20 minutes ago, Belo said:

seems a lot more reasonable for entry level, although I'm sure it's a "get what you pay for" kind of thing. 

Some of these are barrel mount. I think I'd prefer scope, agreed?

to be fair the lights are pretty damn bright...the torch more so than the head lamp.

I mounted my torch via picatinny rail vs clamping the barrel.  A scope clamp would be my second choice.

[diplomat019]

20 minutes ago, Belo said:

seems a lot more reasonable for entry level, although I'm sure it's a "get what you pay for" kind of thing. 

Some of these are barrel mount. I think I'd prefer scope, agreed?

I have mine mounted to my scope.  I used what would be the barrel mount to go around the light. 

[diplomat019]

53 minutes ago, Moho81 said:

How far does the light go with good visibility? whats the name of the light? 

 

Edit: sorry missed your post above this one where you show the exact light lol 

Lol.  Thats the light i have. 

 

I can see 100 yards easy.  I can’t really say what the maximum would be because I haven’t personally tested it out for distance. But the reviews on it say that you can get out to over 200 yards and I believe it.  Someone recommended it to me as a beginner predator light and i was actually shocked at how good it was.  

[Five Seasons]

this one seems decent

https://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-Varmints-Predator-Pressure-Batteries/dp/B07BBFTLVL/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=scope+mount+light'&qid=1578072813&sr=8-4

 

[Five Seasons]

seems like zoomable is cheaper. which seems odd as that would be a preference no?

https://www.amazon.com/VASTFIRE-Zoomable-Flashlight-Predator-Picatinny/dp/B07DPNPR4D/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=scope+mount+light'&qid=1578072813&sr=8-2

[mlammerhirt]

I use this setup on my .243
Lights up a field as far as I need it too...max may have been 275-300 yards.

Really wanted a red kill light but this setup was a great price at Cabela's a few years ago so I jumped on it.

I want to pickup a red headlight for scanning and will hopefully pick one up shortly

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[Five Seasons]

and for the real question... would you gamble on this $300 call for $80 from china... https://www.fallstores.com/fo-pro-made-electronic-call-american-predator-hammerjack