FOXPRO Hammerjack Predator Caller
THE FOXPRO HAMMERJACK caller is a small, portable, electronic caller packed with great features that functions with a handheld remote. It comes standard with 100 FOXPRO sounds but can hold up to 300 sound effects.
The caller has two loudspeakers and produces excellent sound quality and high volume levels. The main speaker is the horn type and, when used for distress sounds of rabbits, small rodents, birds and other animals, the sound is sharp and undistorted, even at higher volumes. This speaker is significantly better than those on other FOXPRO models and will assist to increase reach in poor weather conditions such as wind. The rear speaker on its own is not as loud as the front horn speaker.
The caller can also accommodate two external speakers using 3.5mm plugs. Each external speaker jack corresponds to one of the internal speakers. On a quiet Free State night, using the guinea pig sound effect over the internal horn speaker, a volume setting of two worked well.
Battery power is directly linked to how loud the caller is played. Using only one speaker the expected run time is 6 to 15 hours, using both speakers it is 3 to 10 hours. The caller does not come with batneed teries – you will eight AA batteries. I suggest you use only high-capacity rechargeable NIMH (nickelbatteries. metal hydride)
The remote is one of the best I have seen in terms of button layout and visibility of content on the LCD display. It fitted my hand perfectly and, even when wearing gloves, my thumb could easily reach all the buttons. In addition the buttons stand proud which makes them easier to feel during night work. The display lights up in red and the lettering is black. The Hammerjack is packed with features. The remote can store up to ten unique preset or favourite sounds.
It also has a FOXBANG feature which, when activated, automatically switches to an assigned function after it picks up on a shot e.g. it can go to mute. The play mode setspecifies ting which mode of sound playback the caller will use and the options are: repeat, single play or jukebox. Another feature I found helpful is the stand timer function. The elapsed timer at the bottom right of the display allows you to see how long you have been calling at a particular place. The timer starts as soon as you turn on the remote.
The Hammerjack uses FOXPRO’S proprietary audio file type (FXP), MP3 and uncompressed WAV files. The caller can be programmed with a computer, using a USB 2.0 A/B printer cable (not included). The caller does not support MP4, WMA or other file types.
Various factors determine the maximum range between the remote and the caller. The manual says 200m, but I’ve never used a caller further than about 100m. Always keep a clear line of sight between the remote and the caller.
The Hammerjack also features a decoy system, the Foxjack 4 with the FOXPRO Fuzzy Wuzzy topper. It forms part of an extended battery housing cover, uses the caller’s power for decoy motion, and is controlled by the remote.
This FOXPRO is robust enough to handle the knocks and bumps, dust and moisture that come with this type of night-time work. Being small and compact it is no trouble to carry in the field and store in a vehicle, plus it is easy to operate and has all the necessary features for successful predator control.
It is an excellent instrument for both professional and novice predator hunters, and well worth the suggested retail price of R6 500. For more information contact Formalito on 012-664-7793.