johnny stewart cassette callers

C

coyotejack59

New member
Does anyone still use the cassette caller MS 512 by Johnny Stewart or are the things obsolete for fox and yotes? I shot a coyote last year with a crossbow in archery season and have been out mostly in the mornings and evenings but not in the dark. This week I've been out after dark for fox two times and haven't seen an eye! My mouth calls obviously are'nt the best so I thought I'd try the electric. Just cant hook up. I live in the foothills of the Poconos in NE Pa. Some where around here there has to be one dumber than me!
 
I have used a Johnny Stewart tape caller since the mid 70's.I do not remember the model of my first one but it was quite a bulky caller.I have used up 2 512 series callers and now I have a 612LR.I added a remote to be able to get it away from me.

They work just as good as anything else.Might be more bulky than what you buy with the digital callers they now make.

I have collected several tapes over the years to try to keep from using the same sounds over and over again.
 
I still use my J.S. 512 for calling Crows, but now the FX3 is what I use on the yot's.

I still have the old J.S. caller from back in 80's that uses the "D" size battery's. It's still a great Cassette caller and works just as good now as it did 25 yrs ago.
 
Hey man I just asked the same question....I had a stewart tape player and just traded it in for a digital one. No straight answer yet but I have had much better luck with the digital caller. Try the fox coyote fight.... it brought two running full sprint today.
 
I've owned an early FoxPro and more than one type of the JS calls (I had the same one as C.C. above that took the 8 D batteries...)as well as other cassette based calls. If you are using one of those and are not calling anything in throwing a bunch of money at a new call is not going to solve whatever problem you're having.

Buying a new call may have some value as an incentive, I suppose, if it boosted your confidence or drove you to spend more time out hunting due to all of the money you have invested.

My 512 with remote is still my preferred call - except for crows - I have a home brew that is better for that.
 
Coyotejack59, many Outdoor Writers often will make a bigger issue of the playback device as it pertains to success rather than the sound it is playing. I have even seen videos done by people using a competitors unit playing a Johnny Stewart sound. The credit is given to the playback device when it is the sound that attracted the animals attention.

I say all of that to make the point that any playback device can be measured for its convenience and features but the sound should be credited for the success of getting the animal to come to you. All playback devices can be used to play the sounds. Not all sounds will work well at getting animals to come to you.

Calling by cassette is still a very viable way to call. The newer lightweight digital callers will be more convenient to use for a variety of reasons.

Do not discount the older cassettte callers as viable callers. Use good sounds and technique and you will have a greater chance at success. Your difficulties may be more greatly affected by the factors present in your particular area than any device or sound you are using. Too many people calling too few animals may be a stronger influence on your success....or lack of. Good luck in your calling.
 
I know for fact that there is some hunting pressure in the area from time to time. Right now trapping is going full swing. I've been using mainly mouth calls for yotes with no luck up until a week ago. I have a buddy that traps and hunts and I learned alot about going along to check traps with him. He pulled a bobcat permit this year and actually shot one at his cabin I think in Potter County Pa. This guy trapped over 50 reds last year, Almost unheard of in this area. I got this buzz about trying the caller. I only have two tapes, one a coyote locater and the other a cottontail distress. I also was looking to inquire if it would be worth purchasing a few tapes verses a new caller? Thanks for the reply guys!!
 
No I don't have mine anymore. But when I had my JS 512 it called in some coyotes for me.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I have one that is like new. I was given it several years ago and still used my old one. I just took it all out of the box for this last season. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I bought a new JS 612 in Oct and it don't work now for some reason. So just before Christmas my wife was digging through her parents old Ornament boxes and we found her Dads old JS Tape player that uses 12 D size batterys. Since the 612 is busted I took the old one out last night and called two in with it. If I had found the old caller sooner or even found my old one I would not have wasted my money on a new one.

My favorite tape is the CT 101C it is a medium sounding Jack
My second favorite is a JS tape, Cottontail with a rough gravely voice.
I have a total of six tapes that I use just to change things up occasionaly. Each one of them has produced Yotes.
 
Trapshooter12, sounds like you need to return the 612 for some warrenty work if you just got it in Oct. Contact Joe Sahm at Hunters Specialties (1-800-728-0321) and ask how to do that.
 
I have a JS 612 caller too, that I bought in OCT 06, right after I got back from Iraq, as a back up for my old Lohman. I bought it because my Lohman was getting old, had been used hard, and the batteries were dead. Well, about this time last year, I took it out of the box, charged it up, popped a tape in, and nothing notta, zip, zilch.

I called HS/JS about it, as it should have been under warrenty, but all they told me, over and over again, was to take it back to were I bought it from. I told them I ordered it on-line. They said send it back to where I bought it from. After about 10 minutes of pleading my case over the phone, I realized that I was not going to get anywhere with them. So I put it back in the box, sealed it up, and put it out in the storage shed. I found new batteries for my Lohman caller and as long as it keeps working, I will never re-open that JS 612 box again, unless I can find someone or someplace to have it fixed.

BTW, I will never buy anything else that has Hunter Specialties or Johnny Stewart on it again. They have absolutely no customer service at all.
 
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I used a JS 512 for a long time. Back when I was younger & could hump that heavy sucker around. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif It called many fox for me. In fact I think I may still have a yellowhammer woodpecker, baby cottontail, & maybe grey fox pup tape at home. I sold the caller to a friend several years back with a couple of tapes (only ones I could find at the time). He since moved away. I need to sell these extra tapes I guess. I recently bought a JS PM-4 wireless caller. HS has been prompt & helpful to me so far. If its under warranty, they will take care of you I bet.

HS
 
Buy a few more tapes and use the Johnny Stewart. It will work fine. As you have read, it was what everyone used before the digitals came along. I got alot of good years out of mine. I only bought a FoxPro when the Johnny Stewart died after 20 years. Don't get discouraged, I have been struggling myself since Xmas.
 
I liked my 512, I much preferred JS CD sounds seem much cleaner. My all time fav is "Vittles al la Jackrabbit" and the dying doe will bring tears to your eyes. I used the sounds with a walkman CD player and a Sony battery powered speaker from a sound system, I even made it remote with a Nady video recorder remote sound system.
 
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