GameTraks vs. FP Fury vs. FP Prairie Blaster

A

AustinL911

New member
Well, the search function didn't result in anything usefull, so I figured I'd post it here.

I'm getting ready to head to New Mexico on my annual varmint hunting trip and am seriously considering buying an E-caller before I go. My problem being, I'm not sure which one I really want.

My first intention was to go with a GameTraks + Mojo Critter, but that seems like a lot to carry into the field.

My second thought, was a FoxPro Fury. It looked nice, and compact, and offered 3x the pre-loaded sounds that the GameTraks does. My only gripe is the battery setup. How do the batteries last in these things?

My thrid thought was the FoxPro Prairie Blaster. This might be what I need for the wide open spaces of New Mexico; something I can use to really get the sound out there. I also like that it's got a decoy built into it and that I can control it with the remote. The two concerns I had were, 1. It looks huge, and heavy. Is that the case? Is it easily totable into the field? and 2, how's battery life with it? Can I go a full day without having to worry about swapping or charging batteries?


I will most likely start getting into yote hunting here in Ohio as I get more time, and get more prepared, so I will be using it here as well.

Is there a distict winner among these three? Is the sound quality of 1 better than the other?

Which would you choose?

P.S. - Sorry if this topic has been covered repeatedly, but I truely hate the search function on this site. It revealed nothing.
 
Here's my opinion.
Batteries will last a full day in the Fury, it is light & volume is good. It has lots of features that many find usefull.

The PB is just too heavy for my taste.

The Gametraks are nice but I feel they are lacking in volume, I'm sure there are several who disagree but I want the ability to blast the whole county if I feel the need.

For me, it's the CS-24 all the way...... light, loud & dependable.
 
Originally Posted By: rprinceFor me, it's the CS-24 all the way...... light, loud & dependable.

I don't have any experience with any of the calls you mentioned but I have had a few Fox Pro and JS products and over the last couple of Fox Pro's that I have had the CS-24 is by far my favorite. Second to that I really liked the Scorpion with the external speaker set-up (in a Yoters Den bag). Either way you have great volume and easy to transport units but with the Scorpion you have the flexibility of a small primary unit.

Typically a big deciding factor for me is what can I pick up worth the money, use it for a while and get most of my money back. Until the CS24 I had never owned a new unit (besides my first JS Preymaster). Most of the calls I have had were purchased from the classifieds here (or elsewhere) and then sold here or to buddy's so that I could upgrade. That wasn't possible on the most recent purchase but in all honesty I think I have what I really want now and have no need to trade off or upgrade any time soon...

At the end of the day you need to find a unit that will fit your needs. That might involve getting together with others who have the units you mentioned and trying them out or trying to find one in a store or trade show to check it out first hand. While I have never seen a prairie blaster I have a feeling that it might just surprise you about how big the thing is.
 
Game Traks: Crystal clear surround sound. Decent choice of sounds, but does not come with as many as the Fury or Prairie Blaster, but is programmable so more sounds can be added. It's light weight and has good battery life. It is not as loud as the other two calls. This may or may not be a factor. If the area you will be hunting is really windy then volume is more of a factor than if not. The Game Trax definitely does call in predators though and is simple to use. It also has a neat "sleep mode" where you can set the caller out in a location the night before and then sneak back in the next morning and activate the caller from a distance. One can also set up entire hunt sequences easily with this caller.

Fury: Light weight, good volume, not as crystal clear as the Game Trax (to my ears) but close. There is no sleep mode feature but one can sequence hunts. It has a number of other features via the transimitter that are either handy or complicated depending on how much time you spend with the caller and learning its features.

Prairie Blaster: If you are worried about a Game Traks caller and a Mojo Critter being too much to carry then you'll hate the Prairie Blaster. It weighs about as much as two or three Game Traks and one Mojo Critter. However it is LOUD, has great sound, and has an integrated decoy feature. However it will be a bit like packing the kitchen sink. If your stands are close to the vehicle you'll be fine, but if you run and gun, it's probably not the best choice.

Others have already mentioned the CS-24 and it would be worth considering. If you are not interested in it, then it would definitely be between the Game Traks and the Fury in my opinion. You can't really go wrong with either one, both are great products.
 
I have owned Johnny Stewart, Wildlife Technologies, Phantom and three different FoxPro's, including an FX5 and a Fury. The CS-24 is BY FAR my favorite, and the best value, IMHO.
 
I like the Gametraks plenty loud remember if you add a sound that is low it will be, some are louder than others.
the battery has never went dead on me even calling all day or night, but i do always charge them before i go.
i think the gametraks remote is #1. i dont think any other will reach as far and none will run up to 6 calls at one time. and lots of features. plenty light
 
Can't talk about acouple of the calls but I do have an fx-3 and a fury. Like the remote range and volume on the fury. But as far as batteries go. I have not had any problems calling for a full day and 1/2 without any problems. Get some good batteries along with a back-up set or two just incase you are covered up with yotes and can't get back to charge them up for a couple of days.
 
The Fury is a nice compact unit with good volume. You wont have any problems with the batteries this time of year, it seems like the only time we have problems with batteries is during the cold bitter months of winter. The Prairie Blaster is big, real big compared to others, matter of fact I carry mine around in a back pack. 9 1/2 pounds with the batteries installed! Volume is unreal, in fact with a side by side volume test comparison with the Fury, the Blaster overwhelmed the Fury to the point you could not hear the Fury. Both are good units, you would not be disappointed in either.
 
Great post. I have the same issue. Only that I was wondering between the Fury and the Prairie Blaser. Ok the PB is 9.5#, but you can still put it in a back pack? I sure wish there was a website that gave the actual dimensions. I don't see them on their site. They do have a picture on the site with the Fury sitting next to the Prairie Blaster and I'd guess it's 2-3 times the size of the Fury?

I have a friend who can buy at dealer cost and being that he used to work for me he'll sell it to me at his cost plus shipping, taxes, etc. There is only $10 difference between the Prairie Blaser and the Fury. It seems like you'd be getting a lot more than $10 worth of extras in the PB instead of the Fury. I have never used any of these but am thinking the decoy would really be a nice addition for the coyote to focus his attention to instead of just a sound coming from an area.

Pros and cons? Hoping to buy one in the next 2 weeks. TIA
 
Originally Posted By: thechamp Ok the PB is 9.5#, but you can still put it in a back pack? I sure wish there was a website that gave the actual dimensions. I don't see them on their site.

The Prairie Blaster is roughly 14.5" long, 6.5" wide, and 8.5" tall...it weighs around 9.5lbs with batteries.

The Fury is roughly 8.5" long, 4" wide, and 6" high...it weighs around 2lbs.

Hope this helps.
 
Originally Posted By: Zack BeamOriginally Posted By: thechamp Ok the PB is 9.5#, but you can still put it in a back pack? I sure wish there was a website that gave the actual dimensions. I don't see them on their site.

The Prairie Blaster is roughly 14.5" long, 6.5" wide, and 8.5" tall...it weighs around 9.5lbs with batteries.

The Fury is roughly 8.5" long, 4" wide, and 6" high...it weighs around 2lbs.

Hope this helps.

Thanks to both of ya! Really is a huge difference. Amazed at the weight difference too. Wouldn't have thought it be that much. Guess I see now why the Fury is as popular as it is. Some stuff to think over for sure.
 
I have a Fury and a Prairie Blaster. I like them both. If your going to use a decoy quite a bit the Prairie Blaster is a good way to go.

I carry my Prairie Blaster in a camo duffel bag that has a shoulder strap on it. I just fold the duffel bag over flat and set the Prairie Blaster on the duffel bag. See below.
IMG_7051-Copy.jpg

If I can't carry a shoulder bag with 20 lbs of stuff in it for 100 to 400 yards, I need to quit calling coyotes. I have a bunch of stuff in the bag besides the Prairie Blaster.

I use the Foxpro SP-55 speaker on my Prairie Blaster and my Fury. I like spreading the sound out so I normally have the speakers pointed out at least at a 90 degree angle apart from each other.

With the Fury and the Prairie Blaster the stereo sounds, sound really good even with the speakers only two feet to three feet apart from each other.

If I am not using a decoy, I do prefer to use my Fury with the SP-55 speaker instead of the Prairie Blaster. The Fury with the SP-55 speaker played on full volume is pretty dang loud.
 
I've hunted with all of them and they're all good.
I'm obviously partial to FP products and have the luxury of using them all. LOUD (IMHO) is overrated unless you call in 20+ mph winds.
For the FX3, FX5, Fury and Prairie Blaster, I mostly use one speaker. I never do attach an add-on speaker even when using the Scorpion. One of the best little units around is the Spitfire. It's a pretty doggone powerful little unit.

I like keeping my caller OFF the ground by hanging it on a limb, on a fence or a pile f tall grass. I found the ability to do this with a GT difficult eventhough it stands up on a base. Hanging a PB defeats the purpose of having a decoy. the good thing about the PB is that the decoy is right where it should be... on top of the sound. The decoy han be operated from the remote as well... but so can the JIB.

Battery has never been an issue with me. I carry extra battery pack and charger in the truck at all times just in case.

I did have an issue of my unit playing the wrong sounds. Screwed me all up that day. Then I discovered I had accidently switched remotes and placed them in the wrong call bags.

Since I typically carry the camera, my stool, sometimes a firearm, I make my hunting partner cary the caller so weight has never been an issue for me. I rarely set up past 50 yards from the truck anyway.

Nobody has mentioned that the PreyMaster is a good calling unit too. The wire connectors are a little weak for rough and tumble day of calling, but being careful and knowing this up front solves any problems you might have.

I haven't hunted under any of the new WT callers. My experience is with the older backpack model so I can't compare apples to apples.

It's hard to beat the FP Scorpion and they are coming out with one that has the FOXBAND feature on it. The Firestorm is everything the FX5 was and more.

The sounds are an important part of any caller and I feel that FP has the best sound library available.

Reputation and customer service should be considered when making a purchase too.

PS. ALWAYS carry a couple hand calls with you when calling. If you don't need them, it was a good day. If you do need them, it was a day not lost.
 

Great picture. Always wondered what goes through their heads when they're confronted with something like this. Must really make them scratch their head so to speak. Hadn't thought of the 3rd speaker. Makes sense. For me the weight shouldn't be a big deal. Usually take the 4 wheeler anyway and then hide it. Being green that's not hard to do. I'm thinking the Praire Blaser is going to be my choice.

I'm assuming the PB has a port for an external battery pack? If so that should be the last question. The D cell batteries darn sure don't help keep the weight down. Figuring a gell cell back would be a better and more dependable route. And less costly than buying D cells. Haven't tried the new rechargeable D cells, the older ones weren't anything to get excited about.

I could see where the 'wrong remote' would be a pain!

One big thing is I can get the Foxpro at a super discount where the WTs I'm stuck paying retail. Also like the Foxpro warranty. Like most of you said though you can't go wrong with either one. Just a matter of what fits you needs and your wallet.

Thanks again to all who responded!
 
Originally Posted By: thechamp

I'm assuming the PB has a port for an external battery pack? If so that should be the last question. The D cell batteries darn sure don't help keep the weight down. Figuring a gell cell back would be a better and more dependable route. And less costly than buying D cells. Haven't tried the new rechargeable D cells, the older ones weren't anything to get excited about.



Yes, the Prairie Blaster does accept a 12V SLA Battery, in place of the D Cell batteries. (Fits right into the battery compartment) You can find it here: Link
 
thechamp, FOXPRO does have a optional SLA Battery and charger kit for the Prairie Blaster. The SLA battery has been all I have used so far in my Prairie Blaster.

FPMikeK, can type faster than I can.
 
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The 12V SLA battery will give you longer battery life, especially if you use a lot of volume, and it cuts down on the weight somewhat. IMO, it is the best way to go. It is easier to charge it than to change D batteries. If you insist on using D batteries, the top quality D batteries will outlast the rechargeable D batteries.
 
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