products

A Beginner's Guide to Blackpowder

fieldandstream-editor — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:00:00 -0400

Field Tested: Clean Slates

fieldandstream-editor — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:00:00 -0400

The Test
A friction call needs to sound good at high volume for the days you have to beat them over the head and soft for the days when they need sweet-talking. I took my calls outside and tape-recorded them at a distance of 20 yards. Starting at the edges where the pitch is high and working my way to the lower-pitched center of the call, I made loud and soft calls, then played them back and rated their sound at low and high volumes. -Phil Bourjaily

Click on an image to see a full-size photo

Lohman Heirloom Slate ($23)

Description: Slate in an American ash pot with a purpleheart striker.
Sound: Fairly low and raspy, it's not as loud as some, but it's realistic.
Comments:: A traditional-style call that mimics turkeys especially well at lower volumes.
Hits: Very natural soft sounds.
Misses: You can't crank up the volume.
Contact: 877-956-5746; kolpin.com

Cody Drop Dead Woodsman ($75)

Description: Slate in a walnut pot with an oak bottom and a hickory striker.
Sound: Medium-high pitch, warm and realistic, with a good range from high to low.
Comments: The surface seems to grab the peg, making it easy to run quietly.
Hits: Looks good, makes a range of sounds.
Misses: The most expensive call of the bunch.
Contact: 717-362-8413; codyturkeycalls.com

M.A.D. Heavy Metal ($23)

Description: Aluminum pot, crystal surface, graphite and purpleheart strikers.
Sound: Very high pitched with wood striker, higher with graphite; raspy, almost shrill.
Comments: Loudness and high pitch means it can ach out and touch distant birds.
Hits: Great sounds at any volume.
Misses:: It's ugly; the metal glints in the sun.
Contact: 877-956-5746; kolpin.com

Primos Jackpot ($30)

Description: A smaller glass call set in a wooden pot with a hardwood striker.
Sound: Sharp, high pitched, with some rasp.
Comments: It's not as loud as the Heavy Metal, but you can feel pressure on your eardrums when you crank the volume.
Hits: Attractive, sounds as good as it looks.
Misses: I wish its volume setting went to 11.
Contact: 800-523-2395; primos.com

Roberts Brothers Hunter ($50)

Description: Glass call in a composite wooden pot with slate set in the bottom; hardwood, purpleheart, and aluminum strikers.
Sound: The glass makes very authentic turkey noises, and the slate makes softer tones.
Comments: It looks cool, and with its two surfaces and three strikers, it produces the widest range of turkey talk out of all the calls tested.
Hits: Gives you a flock of different birds.
Misses: Lacks a loud, grating sound.
Contact: 770-536-7374; robertsbrothersturkeycalls.com

H.S. Strut Double Strike ($29)

Description: Glass with a plastic pot and a rosewood striker.
Sound: High pitched and scratchy.
Comments: The Double Strike is loud and sharp enough to make you wince, which is what you want in a long-range call. It also soundss good at low volumes. I found it to be a very easy call to cluck and purr with.
Hits: Great for attracting distant toms.
Misses: The directional sound ports seem a little gimmicky.
Contact: 800-728-0321; hunterspec.com

Knight & Hale Pocket Puppy ($15)

Description: Ceramic "Sla-tek" surface and plastic pot, hickory striker with a plastic top.
Sound: High pitched and clear, with some raspy sweet spots.
Comments: The Pocket Puppy has the upper-level tone that turkeys often respond to, ranging from high to very high. It's a call to have when the turkeys want to hear a clear yelp.
Hits: Small and inexpensive but with excellent sound, this would make a great call for kids.
Misses: Not particularly versatile in its range.
Contact: 800-500-9357; www.knightandhale.com

Quaker Boy X-Pot ($22)

Description: Copper top with its center roughened over a plastic pot.
Sound: High and clear on the outside edges of the pot, raspier and deeper in the center.
Comments: Designed for beginners, the copper-topped, plastic-bottomed X-Pot has a textured area in the center. It made good, clear sounds with a little practice.
Hits: It produces a nice, high-low kee-yuk.
Misses:: There were definite dead spots.
Contact: 800-544-1600; quakerboygamecalls.com

ttle gimmicky.
Contact: 800-728-0321; hunterspec.com

Knight & Hale Pocket Puppy ($15)

Quaker Boy X-Pot ($22)

Gear Test: New GPS Systems for Bass Fishing

fieldandstream-editor — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:00:00 -0400

Have you ever wondered if you're fishing in the wrong spot? Then you know why GPS maps are such hot items with today's pros. These electronic marvels use detailed contour lake maps to tell you exactly where you are in relation to the structure you're fishing-and even to the fish you're after.

Many GPS maps also function as LCG depthfinders. Using both, you can pinpoint biting fish or productive structure, mark that location as a waypoint, and come back to it anytime. Here's what to look for:

DISPLAY: Color is far superior to black-and-white because it clearly differentiates land, water, contour lines, and other features. Get color, even if it means buying a smaller unit.

SIZE: This is the single most influential factor in price. Though significantly more expensive, a bigger display is better because it's easier to read. Go as big as you can afford to.

RESOLUTION: Most makers list the number of vertical and horizontal pixels. But the true measure of sharpness is pixels per square inch. Good resolution is most critical on small units.

MAPS: Some models have built-in contour lake maps, but most need plug-in map cards or downloadable maps, sold separately. All of the units here will help you catch more fish.

TIP: Click on an image below to enlarge it

Navman Tracker 5380
(800-628-4487; navman.com)
DISPLAY SIZE: 3.8 inches
PIXELS: 320V x 240H (about 10,500 per square inch)
BUILT-IN DEPTHFINDER: No
COMPATIBLE MAP SOURCE: C-Map
PRICE: $400
COMMENTS: This full-featured unit needs little space and has a great price for color. The display is small but very sharp and functional. It's a good, affordable choice if you already have a depthfinder.

Humminbird 595C
(800-633-1468; humminbird.com)
DISPLAY SIZE: 5 inches
PIXELS: 320V x 240H (about 6,100 per square inch) BUILT-IN DEPTHFINDER: Yes
COMPATIBLE MAP SOURCE: Navionics
PRICE: $550
COMMENTS: This compact, combination GPS map and LCG depthfinder has a unique quick-mounting system that'll save you fishing time. The transducer comes with a temperature probe.

Eagle FishElite 642c IGPS
(800-324-1354; www.eaglegps.com)
DISPLAY SIZE: 5 inches
PIXELS: 640V x 480H (about 25,000 per square inch)
BUILT-IN DEPTHFINDER: Yes
COMPATIBLE MAP SOURCES: Lowrance FreedomMap, Fishing Hot Spots Elite, LakeMaster Pro Maps, NauticPat USA, Navionics
PRICE: $600
COMMENTS: Six color modes let you adapt to light conditions. A surface temperature gauge is included.

Raymarine RC435i GPS Chartplotter
(800-539-5539; raymarine.com)
DISPLAY SIZE: 6 inches
PIXELS: 320V x 240H (about 4,250 per square inch)
BUILT-IN DEPTHFINDER: No
COMPATIBLE MAP SOURCE: Navionics
PRICE: $1,055
COMMENTS: "Point and shoot" navigation lets you click on any waypoinnt, and the unit will direct you to it. A SmartRoute feature automatically builds routes and waypoints from previous tracks.

Lowrance LCX-26C HD
(800-324-1356; lowrance.com)
DISPLAY SIZE: 7 inches
PIXELS: 480V x 640H (about 15,000 per square inch)
BUILT-IN DEPTHFINDER: Yes
COMPATIBLE MAP SOURCE: Lowrance FreedomMap, Fishing Hot Spots Elite, LakeMaster Pro Maps, NauticPat USA, Navionics
PRICE: $1,650
COMMENTS: The 20GB hard drive is loaded with charts of U.S. coastal areas and over 2,100 inland waters.

Garmin GPSMAP 3210
(800-800-1020; garmin.com)
DISPLAY SIZE: 10.4 inches
PIXELS: 640V x 480H (about 5,900 per square inch)
BUILT-IN DEPTHFINDER: No
COMPATIBLE MAP SOURCE: Garmin Inland Lakes
PRICE: $2,667
COMMENTS: The large color display is easy to read, even in direct sunlight. The unit has extremely fast redraw and response rates and is available with numerous optional features.