huntingmotherearth

Have you ever been deer hunting, and heard the tell tale sound of a coyote in the distance? I have, and usually I have no way of calling that predator in close enough for a shot. Most times, having coyotes in the area means your deer hunt is over. Extreme Dimension Wildlife Calls makes a Mini Phantom Digital Call that is perfect for keeping in my pack, just waiting for those opportunities! The Mini Phantom is the smallest call in its class, and has many features only found in full size calls.

The handheld Mini Phantom Digital Call and the Interchangeable Sound Sticks. The Sound Sticks are about the size of a pack of gum.
Photo: Diane Hassinger

The Mini Phantom Digital Call is a hand held call that is not any bigger than a flashlight. Measuring approximately 5 1/2″ long, 2″ wide and 2 1/2′ deep this small call takes up a minimum of space while projecting a very large sound. The call operates on 3 AAA batteries, and the battery life is phenomenal! I inadvertently left the call on from my last hunt in deer season, and 2 months later the call still worked, partly due to the unit being smarter then me, and turning itself off after 2 minutes of inactivity. The on/off volume control dial takes the sound all the way to a 110 db of volume, which is amazing given the size of the unit. The speaker is forward facing, and a accessory Mini Phantom Speaker can be attached for remote calling using the 25′ attachment cord.

The call uses interchangeable sound sticks, that come in many different animal combinations; Bear, Elk, Gobbler, Moose, Moose 2, Predator, Pred 2, Pred 3, Predator Quest 1, Predator Quest 2, Snow Goose, Whitetail, Deer 2, Duck, and Crow. Each stick contains 5 different effective sounds and a mute button. You have the ability to play 2 sounds simultaneously.

This coyote will not disrupt anymore deer hunts.
Photo: Diane Hassinger

I hunted for deer last season, while keeping the Mini Phantom in my backpack, just in case the opportunity arose to use it. As luck would have it, I was in a blind with my husband. We had been seeing deer all morning, when they just disappeared from sight. They had been feeding just out of range, so for them to just take off seemed odd. We heard yipping and a short yowl. I quickly pulled the call from my bag and hit the cottontail button. I played it for only a few seconds when a head was spotted in the distance. I hit the mute button, and the coyote made his way across the field. Dale wanted me to take the shot, but he was already with his slug gun. The coyote disappeared into a roll of the field, and we waited. As he cleared the roll in the field, Dale fired once at 124 yards and with a perfect shot dropped the coyote in his tracks. Now the best part! Since the coyote was no longer chasing game out of the field, I was able to take a good 9 point buck later in the same day! I have no doubt that having the Mini Phantom Call with me saved my deer hunt!

The MSRP of the Mini Phantom Digital Call is $44.99 and comes with 1 sound stick. The Interchangeable Sound Sticks are $19.99 each, and they can all be purchased at http://www.phantomcalls.com/Extreme-Dimension-Mini-Phantom-Series. Check the game laws for the state you are hunting in to determine if electronic calls are legal for the various game.