FoxPro Scorpion review (long, with photos)

Frogman · April 16, 2008, 07:04:48 PM

I finally saved up enough money recently to purchase a FoxPro Scorpion electronic caller. I ordered it directly from FoxPro and received it in mid February.

I waited this long to post a review because I wanted to try it for a while to gather info to write a decent review. I have only been coyote hunting for one year and the only other e-caller I have personal experience with is an inexpensive Cass Creek call. I have hunted with other hunters who have other Foxpro models like the 413, FX3 and FX5. That is the extent of my exposure to other e-callers.
My reasons for choosing the FoxPro were:
1. Most of my friends who have high end e-callers have FoxPros and seem happy with them.
2. On-line reviews seemed positive
3. I got to see a Scorpion at the Byron South seminar in Pittsburgh and was impressed by it's small compact size.
4. I liked the remote on - off feature (I have taken my Cass Creek out 50 yards and forgot to turn it on??)
5. I liked getting 100 calls with the Scorpion.
6. I liked the features on the TX2000 remote.
7. I liked the range on the remote.
I really didn't spend much time considering other e-callers.
So with those things in mind here is my review.

So far after using the Scorpion for a couple of months on several stands I am very happy with my choice. The pluses far outweigh the negatives.
The small size of the Scorpion is a big plus. It is small and light and easy to carry. This is important to me when I'm climbing some of these WV hills that just seem to go up and up and up. It often seems like I am handicapping myself by carrying all kinds of stuff when I go hunting. I have been trying to lighten the load a little. The Scorpion helps.
The volume of the Scorpion was a concern I had before purchasing it. So far it has been adequate. Here in the East I can't imagine needing it any louder. If I do decide I need more volume I can just add an external speaker or two to get the additional volume. You can even set up the Scorpion to play a sound from just the internal speaker then play a different sound from an external speaker attached to a 50 foot cord. Neat! But the external speakers are just more stuff to carry. So far I have found the volume of the internal speaker to be adequate for my needs.
The base unit is easy to open and change batteries or to modify the jumpers to do lots of neat things. For example, one of the guys I hunt with has an FX5.

The first time we went out the two e-caller remotes interfered with each other. By changing a jumper in the Scorpion I was able to set it up to operate on channel C instead of the standard channel B. Now when we hunt together our calls do not interfere with one another. It is also easy to set up the Scorpion to operate with external speakers. Neat , but I don't see a lot of benefit to this yet.
The TX2000 remote is great. I still don't know what the maximum range on it is. It has worked well up to at least 200 yards. This is farther than I usually use it. It seems to work well even if I don't have line of sight out to 50 to 100 yards. I really like the remote turn on, turn off feature of the Scorpion remote. It works perfect.

I also like being able to see the call names on the lcd display. I don't need a cheat sheet with the call names on it. After a few uses the scroll up, scroll down knob is easy to use and quite quick. The four preset buttons are easy to set up and change. I can change them on the fly just before beginning a stand. I leave number four for "hurt pup" or "kiyi" so I can instantly press it if I get a coyote down. I really like the elapsed time part of the lcd screen too. It is easy to see how long I have been on stand with this feature.
The FoxPro sounds seem really good to me. It is obvious that some of the coyote vocalizations are mouth blown calls. Others however, especially those in the Mark II sound library sound real to me. The other sounds seem very good as well. On a stand near my house yesterday (4/15/08) I set the Scorpion out on a stump about 4 feet high and backed away from it up the ridge about 50 yards. I decided to play a distress sound other than rabbit for a change. I choose "raccoon distress". In a few minutes a raccoon came down out of a tree 20 yards past the Scorpion. It climbed up the side of the stump and actually reached out and touched the Scorpion. It then turned around and went back up it's tree. Awesome. The crow sounds are also very effective. I'm going to have to try crow hunting when our season comes back in. I have called lots of buzzards, hawks and owls with the various distress sounds. Finally today (4/16/08) the Scorpion passed the ultimate test. Using one of the rabbit distress sounds I had a nice coyote come in straight at the e-caller. The Scorpion was set up in a meadow on a 5 foot high stump about 75 yards to my right. The coyote left the protection of a brier thicket and crossed at least 150 yards of field on a line right toward the Scorpion. Unfortunately I made a poor shot and let the coyote get away. I have posted about this event in more detail elsewhere on the forum. This is the first coyote I have called in with an e-caller. Just a few hundred yards away on the next stand the bunny blues on the Scorpion got a response from another coyote. I think swirling winds caused us to get busted. This coyote was coming to the call when it caught our scent and began threat barking and challenge howling less than 100 yards away. Of course I have numerous other stands with the Scorpion where I had no response at all that I was aware of. I'm impressed with the sound library.

On the negative side I do have few problems with the Scorpion:

The lcd screen print is just too small for my eyes to read adequately after dark. I can read it fine during the day when there is plenty of light. On night hunts though it is nearly impossible to read the small backlighted letters. It helps if I turn my cap mounted red led light on. Still tough to read at night. You can change the display to a larger font, but when you do that all you get are the call numbers, not the call names.

The lanyard that came attached to the Scorpion is too short. I substituted a longer one that allows me to loop it around a tree or branch to connect the Scorpion up off the ground. A clip like the one on my Cass Creek call would be a nice addition. Neither is a big deal.
The rechargeable batteries recommended for the Scorpion did not come with it, nor did a battery charger. For the price I paid I feel these items should be included.
FoxPro charges extra for additional and new sounds. I'm not sure I need more but it would be nice if new updated sounds were free to customers who buy their calls.
The Scorpion will not fit in "my" jeans hip pocket!

My hearing isn't very good, but it seems to me that a lot of the sounds are very similar. I hope the animals can tell the difference.

The manual I received seemed to have been photo copied and then just stapled together. I was surprised at this considering this is a high end caller. I was expecting a professional glossy color manual. Now I'm nitpicking I guess!?

Over all I am very happy with my new FoxPro Scorpion e-caller.
Be aware that the above review is the opinion of an inexperienced coyote hunter. I am not, and probably never will be, associated with any call maker or company. My opinion will probably change after I have used the Scorpion longer and get more experience with it. If this review is useful to you then I will be satisfied. I hope your time has been well spent reading all this.

Jim

Bopeye · April 16, 2008, 07:20:55 PM

Jim,
Very good review. I'm glad you like your Scorpion. I enjoyed reading this very much.

Frogman · April 16, 2008, 07:25:30 PM

Whoa,
Two of those photos came out distorted??

alscalls · April 16, 2008, 07:52:50 PM

Thats why we called in that fox the other night Jim! You could not see what you were saying. :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
I enjoyed having you.................we gotta go back.
Nick and I went locating after you left Sat. and found some dogs.
We left them alone and I want to go after em. We will talk later. Sounds like youre hittin em hard and having a blast.
I would contact fox pro about that seeing the screen problem and see if they can suggest anything that would help.

coyote101 · April 16, 2008, 08:22:31 PM

Great review Jim. Thanks.

Pat

FinsnFur · April 16, 2008, 08:30:06 PM

Yeah real nice write up.

Bopeye · April 16, 2008, 08:46:46 PM

Quote from: Frogman on April 16, 2008, 07:25:30 PM
Whoa,
Two of those photos came out distorted??

I notice that.......

If you want me too. I'll show you how to really screw up a photo.......... :roflmao:

Todd Rahm · April 16, 2008, 09:53:47 PM

Thanks Jim and nice write up. Look'n foreward to any addition up-dates ya have in the future.

The one thing that drew my attention to this particular caller was its size. Seems its a little more packable then most.

Nelson · April 17, 2008, 04:33:36 AM

Thanks for the review and write up.

Nelson

KySongDog · April 17, 2008, 06:31:48 AM

Quote from: Todd Rahm on April 16, 2008, 09:53:47 PM
Thanks Jim and nice write up. Look'n foreward to any addition up-dates ya have in the future.

The one thing that drew my attention to this particular caller was its size. Seems its a little more packable then most.

Looks like a Minaska M1 Bandit to me. I am NOT trying to start that debate again.

Just an observation. I have the Bandit and like it.

Semp

bootmud · April 17, 2008, 08:49:00 AM

Frogman,

Very nice review! Glad to hear you like your Scorpion.

I have an FX5 but thought of getting a Scorpion for the compact size. I like Foxpro products and have had great success with them. At this point in time I wouldn't even consider anything but a Foxpro based on my experiences with the Foxpro products and service.

bootmud