Hunting can be quite a dreadful experience without the addition of various hunting accessories that ease up the whole process.
Predators such as coyotes have proven to be quite clever and deceiving. As a predator hunter, it’s your responsibility to make sure that each of these predators has been dealt with.
What’s more important, you need to do it properly. Fortunately enough, many companies dedicated their time to creating the appropriate equipment for hunters. In most cases, predator decoys seem to be sufficient. However, you can combine them with other devices such as predator calls to increase the effectiveness of your hunt.
The demand for predator callers is on the rise at the moment due to their remote control functionality. Therefore, I’ll be taking a look at FOXPROs Banshee remote control game caller.
A Brief Overview of the Features
The model’s dimensions are 9’’ x 6.5’’ x 5’’. It weighs around 3 pounds with the batteries included. There is a USB port on the side of the model. In addition to that, there’s one auxiliary jack, external speaker jack, and one charge jack.
This model uses the same horn speaker as most of the other FOXPRO models do. It comes with a long-range remote controller that has its own LCD display. Most of the buttons are programmable, and you can assign any function that you want. It comes with 100 FOXPRO sounds, but you can store up to 200. The Banshee caller places the sounds in their appropriate categories and gives you an option to add your own. Furthermore, it utilizes the company’s newest function, FoxBang (more on that later). It also supports the use of lithium rechargeable battery packs as well as Nickel-metal hydride batteries (NiMH).
This is just a general overview of what the product offers. I will be going through each of these features in greater detail down below.
An In-Depth Look into the Key Features
Sound Storage Capacity and Speaker Functionality
FOXPRO Banshee is a portable unit with an integrated horn speaker. The performance of the speaker is on an optimal and satisfying level. That’s probably the reason why FOXPRO integrates the same horn speaker in their other models such as Wildfire, Hellfire, and CS24 callers. A positive remark that I have to make regarding the speaker is how loud it actually is! I’ve compared it to other units, and it seems to be slightly louder. It also showcases a greater range of volume.
During my first time out with the unit, I set the hearing range from 40 yards to about 90. I managed to shoot a coyote that came out from a bush 50 yards away from my position. Not only was the sound loud and attracted immediate attention, but it was crystal clear as well. I used one of the built-in coyote call presets at the appropriate time intervals. Overall, for a first time out, I would say that the unit did a pretty good job. That said, let’s move on to the sounds themselves.
Sound Database Management
As I mentioned a bit earlier, FOXPRO Banshee comes with 100 built-in sound presets. That, however, does not mean that you can’t increase the number of the presets up to 200. FOXPRO allows you to manage your sound database by connecting the unit to your PC. There’s a USB port on the side of the unit which connects to the computer immediately (at least in my case). The company has its own program called ‘’FoxPro Programmer’’ and you need to make sure that you have the latest version of it. That’s important because they’ve added some new features in comparison to the previous versions. Once you hook up the unit with the program, adding, removing, and reorganizing your sounds is as easy as it gets!
What I love about the sound management is that I can create my own categories and reorder the sound types based on what I’m hunting. It’s an extremely useful feature to have. Keep in mind, you can hook up your unit with an additional speaker if you want to increase the caller range even more.
Long-range Remote Control
It’s pretty obvious that you’ll need some kind of controller in order to operate the unit. Luckily enough, the remote controller that comes with the unit does even more than that. It offers good long-range capabilities which do not eat up the batteries.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the screen on the controller is exceptionally well made and easy to read. FOXPRO integrated a backlighting mode into the remote control screen in order to allow the users to navigate the sounds even during the night.
Moreover, the buttons are labeled, and they make the interface navigation pretty straightforward and simple. Some people might take some time to get used to the button positions and functionality. Personally, I didn’t have any problems with it, but I’ve read some complaints online. However, an interesting thing about the buttons is that they’re programmable. What that essentially means is that you can assign any function that you like to each button. That way you can make the best use of the remote controller and transform its functions according to your preferences.
The controller uses 10 AA batteries. You can either use lithium rechargeable battery packs or NiMH batteries.
The only downside of the remote controller is that the buttons themselves are not backlit. I found it difficult to navigate the sound database properly while I was testing out the unit during the night. You can rectify that issue a little bit by using the programmable button feature. However, backlit buttons would have been extremely useful in certain conditions.
FoxBang Feature
FoxBang is FOXPRO’s innovative feature that doesn’t require you to use your remote in-between your shots. What it does is that it automatically switches to the first preset after you discharge your firearm. I tested out the feature by firing five consecutive shots in the open field. I used two rabbit and bird distress signals at first and then switched over to coyote pup distress signals. FOXPRO Banshee immediately went through five of my designated presets, and I didn’t even have to touch the remote. That is a perfect way of setting up the atmosphere. Since you create a lot of noise, it causes the animals to sneak up in order to see what’s going on. That’s where their curiosity gets the best of them.
Pros and Cons
Since I explored FOXPRO Banshee’s features in greater detail, I’ll provide a short list of summarized positives and negatives. You’ll have a clearer look at everything that the unit has to offer.
Pros:
- The unit has good sound storage capacity (it can store up to 200 sounds)
- It uses the FoxBang feature which greatly eases up the process of hunting
- The buttons on the remote are programmable (you can assign any function to them)
- The remote control has a large backlit display
- Interface navigation is as simple as it gets
- The speaker is loud and clear
Cons:
No product is without flaws, so FOXPRO Banshee is no different in that regard. There really isn’t that much to say about the downsides. However, there are some minor ways in which the unit can be improved.
- The buttons are not backlit (makes navigating sounds at night difficult)
- The sounds of the unit are not as clear when the volume is maxed out
Why Buy the FOXPRO Banshee?
Lightweight and Portable
FOXPRO Banshee is a unit which is extremely easy to carry around and set up. It weighs only three pounds unlike some of the other FOXPRO units from the series. As a hunter, you want to be mobile and able to switch positions on the go. Carrying a heavier unit might be a problem in such situations because it limits your movement. I’m happy to say that that’s not the case with this unit. The company even sells a special bag for it, which is completely optional. The bag is often bought together with the unit, and it can be worn like a belt. That means that you can focus more on carrying your other equipment (rifles, etc.).
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Durable and Firm
Another reason to purchase this unit is its actual design and construction. The material feels firm and sturdy. The outer frame of the unit is quite durable which is important in case an animal (a coyote) decides to attack the unit. I’ve noticed that it fares well against various indentations and scratches. Moreover, the unit is backed by a three-year warranty in case there are problems regarding the overall functionality of the device.
Convenient
The manufacturers made sure that the main focus of the unit was to be as convenient and customizable as possible. The unit utilizes a set of features which aid the hunters during their hunting. With this unit, you can add, remove, categorize and reorder your sounds however you want. The sound database itself offers a lot of storage space (up to 200 presets). That alone brings variety to your hunting experience.
The remote controller is user-friendly and offers a simple way of navigating the interface. The display is backlit and can be used during the night as well.
Furthermore, the unit produces a decent level of loudness and offers a long-range support for remote controlling. One of its features, FoxBang, gives you an ability to fire your gun and switch the sound presets simultaneously. You can even set up in which order your presets play out while you fire the gun.
Final Thoughts
FOXPRO is a company who always ensures that their units offer an effective solution to dealing with many environmental pests. FOXPRO Banshee really does what it was supposed to do. Most companies overdesign their game callers and cram them with unnecessary features in order to increase their value. The focus with this unit was on simplicity and effectiveness.
Surely enough, the unit is not without its flaws. The buttons on the remote control can definitely be improved with the addition of backlighting. In addition, the sound clarity deforms after a while when you increase the volume to the max. Perhaps FOXPRO can include an additional speaker to dodge that issue.
All in all, while using the unit I’ve definitely noticed that my hunting experience was more successful and enjoyable. This was my take on one of the FOXPRO’s products, and I really hope that my FOXPRO Banshee Review helped you in some way.
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