I've heard guys say you can call too loud and scare them and then some say call loud and get their attention. Any input is appreciated

Not sure if there is a correct answer here...I always start pretty low so I don't scare anything that is close by. I will slowly raise volume. After 3 or 4 minutes I usually start bringing it down. Then after that, all bets are off. I will change sounds, change the volume, just whatever I feel like!

Jeff what call are you using?

Just about all of the FoxPro models. Mostly Shockwave and fusion.

Just ordered the Krakatoa 2 ..can't wait to get it in

I start mine a couple levels lower than full blast. Then raise it to full. My reasoning is this... if I'm a rabbit or mouse am I going to start quite when a predator attacks? No I'm gonna scream as loud as possible as soon as I'm caught. When I started doing this I noticed that Coyotes come in at a faster pace. They don't seem to sneak in as much.

I'm no calling pro, but this is what i do and have always had luck.

When you get to u r stand what sound do you start off with budro?? How long do u play it before you stop?

Well, I traditionally use a mouth call or hand call. I tend to do some mouse squeaks first, just in case something is really close, since I don't want to scare it off. Next, I will use a cotton tail (if cotton tails are local to the area) and start out loud then tail it off weaker and weaker until I stop. I am wanting to sound like a rabbit that has just been caught (blood curdling scream first then taper off) and is dying fairly rapidly...I usually only squeal 6 to 10 ten times before I stop (caught rabbits tend to go into shock fairly quickly.) Then I sit still for 5 minutes or so and call again from low to high (as if the rabbit has come out of shock (near death) and is again fighting for its life.) Then I sit and look/listen for a while....If still no response, I will do a coyote challenge bark or some yips (yotes caught a meal and are getting challenged.) If still no response, I move to another area. Occasionally, I will use crow calls after my rabbit squeals or yips to make it sound like the crows are attracted to the kill site. Incidentally, a scared kitten mew will sometimes work better than most anything else and you can continue it for 10 or 15 minutes if you (set a stuffed toy kitten (add cat feces to it) on a fence post.) During fawning season, a fawn bleat will definitely attract varmints.

If you are after bobcats, bird sounds (thrush, redbird, mockingbird, etc.) tend to work if you are around thick undergrowth (bird roosting close to the ground). Better yet, get a turkey feather and use a sewing thread to tie it on a stick that you can poke into the ground then use a lone hen yelp series of calls. Cats take longer to come in, so get comfortable and look for movement (usually they can/will sneak within spitting distance if your calling is effective and they will be hunting you) rather than a body trotting in the wide open.

I never really cared for the electronic calls, despite the call diversity they offer, primarily because I tend to over call with them and because I can't tone down the volume as easily as a mouth blown call.

I know this didn't exactly answer your question, but it may give you some insight as the types of volume and length of calling sequences desired. Finally, many folks call differently than me, so don't be afraid to try different calling sequences. The basic idea is to get the varmint to think there is an easy meal close by, get their curiosity up, and let them find you...hopefully, without giving up your exact location or that you are hunting them (ie., most folks tend to call too much.)

I hope this information helps.

We have had success both ways, but recently have decided to lower volume quite a bit and make more tactical sets instead of blowing up large areas. We hunt in mostly South Texas along senderos (roads cut through brush) we have also placed the fox pro on top of a deer blind and blasted away and that worked as well, but we are moving towards lowering volume and thinking a bit more about our set ups