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Thread: Big Sky.. pick your brain..

  1. #1
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) HideHunter's Avatar
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    Big Sky.. pick your brain..

    I've been running a Spitfire for several years and have been pretty happy with it. Now, the upper "sound" button on the remote has begun to get really hard to push (as in almost impossible). Plan to send it in for repair but I've been thinking about upgrading (and I can't be without a call for 2 weeks, right now ).. Any experience with - or what do you think - of the Crossfire? thnx..g
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

  2. #2
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    HH, I haven't personally used a Crossfire. It is very similar to the FX5 which I did use for years and really enjoyed. Honestly any of their callers from $300.00 and up are super good callers and one can't really go wrong with any of them. Their customer service is exceptional when things do go wrong. I think you'd be plenty happy with that Crossfire.

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    Thank you sir.. you're a gentleman and a scholar with your intelligence exceeded only by your good looks. (there aren't many of us left).
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

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    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    Hide, is the button hard or do you have to push it hard for it to work? The problem will probably alleviate a bit if you clean it with alcohol, both the pad and the board contacts... I am not familiar with your caller but the pad seems similar to what the computer keyboards look inside. Might be worth a shot if you are comfortable taking it apart. At lease it might give you more time to shoot and then you can send it to the manufacturer when season i slow...
    You guys lucky, there is not such thing as calling a coyote here in the thick SE....

  5. #5
    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    Hide, is the button hard or do you have to push it hard for it to work? The problem will probably alleviate a bit if you clean it with alcohol, both the pad and the board contacts... I am not familiar with your caller but the pad seems similar to what the computer keyboards look inside. Might be worth a shot if you are comfortable taking it apart. At lease it might give you more time to shoot and then you can send it to the manufacturer when season i slow...
    You guys lucky, there is not such thing as calling a coyote here in the thick SE....

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    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) HideHunter's Avatar
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    I have to push it hard.. Might be worth looking at. I'll call the company tomorrow and see if they can give me any estimate on turn-around.. We hunt 4-5 days a week. Lousy timing. thanks..
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

  7. #7
    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    If you were just closer I could probably get it in some workable shape, hope the vendor does comes thru for you. I just send a scope back on friday so I am out of my main rifle as I dont want to shift all scopes back again. I have to wait up to 10 days just for them to call me back to see if they are replacing it or money back...

  8. #8
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    Nandy what brand of scope? I am confident that FoxPro will take care of HH's remote and faulty button.

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    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    Trijicon AccuPower 4-16x50 30mm, I wanted a Vortex, ordered and paid for it, then optic planet realized they did not had the scope so they told me that one was a good replacement for it.... Errrr, NOT. The scope has huge glare issues, neither Trijicon or anyone after market has sun shade or even flip covers(Trijicon flat told me they had no plans to make them for this scope either)... I know I can get flip covers like the buttler creek but no sun shade... That's pitiful.....

  10. #10
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    Bummer Nandy. Vortex are pretty could and have a good warranty as does Leupold. I don't know squat about Trijicon though. Their scopes never really appealed to me. Would Optic Planet be willing to give your money back? A Vortex scope should be easy to find on BearBasin, Cameraworld, or SWFA.

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    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    Trijicon has a good line of AR scopes, I think they even have a contract from the military with their acog scopes but this scope is not anywhere close to what it is priced. I have hunt that same box for 11 years using my leupold vx-3 and no problem. The vortex I want (Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50 MOA) is backorder everywhere I have looked for it. I will check those sites you mentioned....

  12. #12
    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Skyz View Post
    A Vortex scope should be easy to find on BearBasin, Cameraworld, or SWFA.
    I did search on google and everywhere they did not have it but BearBasin showed it available and $70 cheaper than midway/opticplanet so I place the order for it with second day delivery. Hope they do have it.
    Thanks so much for the sites heads up!!!!

    BTW, yes, Optic Planet will return the money. I was going to get a night force but not I wont have to and once I get that money I will order the second nightforce for the 22-250 that I should receive on Friday...

    Thanks again!

  13. #13
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    Nightforce are my favorite scope brand!

  14. #14
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) HideHunter's Avatar
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    I'm up to three (or four?) Vortex scopes now.. Pretty happy with them. Buddy of mine bought a Nightforce.. He says, "Spend the money. You won't regret it."

    Thanks Nandy - wish you were here. Remote is on it's way to Pennsylvania.. Probably best I can hope for (bad time of year) is a week to 10 day turn-around. Tough to be without a caller when you've been hunting 4-5 days a week.. This too shall pass..
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

  15. #15
    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    Sky, I will replace that leupold with a nightforce (job pending) and use the leupold vx3 as backup. The subtensions of that leupold are not too bad, actually, they are closer to a mil dot but I rather have a moa reticle with 1 moa increments. Mrads being a bit over 3 moa are a bit too far for me. Im a simple guy and most shooting opportunities are real quick and under 300 yds. If im under 250 the 7mm rm has no issue but the 3006 definitely need a bit of compensation past 250... The 22-250 still to be seen.
    2 weeks ago I was in the cherokee mountains watching the SMSP elk pets prance around and stop traffic!!!! lol! I will never see an elk hunt in NC but it would be nice....

    Hide, I also wish I was closer, larger deer, predator hunts, maybe some prairie dogs? Im not sure I can handle the long winters but dang, pretty tempting... Anyway, hope they will return the caller soon. I guess it is mouth calls for you or get you a small amplifier and use your phone with an app. Back in the earliest 2000 I used a cd player with my own playlist and a small radioshack amp. It was just running and no way to control it. I never got lucky.... Killed a bob cat with a cotton tail call, I was hunting deer in a field in monroe, nc and saw the bob cat but did not shot. When it was getting dark and no deer was in sight I hit that cotton tail call and in 2 min that bob cat was back at the tree line, now while I write this the bob cat sits mounted right behind me. My first coyote was while hunting with Larke, not that I think about it, Larke and Ninner where there for my first deer ever... Man, people on this place are special.... Hope one day I get enough mullah to go hunt or fish with each one of you...

    Classic GH thread, all over the place!!!! lol!!!!

  16. #16
    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    As I feared, I got the call this morning, they do not have the scope... they say it might be in in about 2 weeks and if I leave my order open they will ship it once they got it. the other larger suppliers said due date in February so I will give them their 2 weeks and see, not holding my breath but at least I found an alternative to the other sites...

  17. #17
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    That Vortex scope should be worth the wait. It's an extremely nice scope!!!

  18. #18
    Administrator Nandy's Avatar
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    I have to agree!

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    Hey Troy! almost pulled off a major coup. I've talked to a "Mike" from FoxPro a time or two on Predator Masters. Dropped him a message describing my problem and he said he would ask them to expedite my repair. They got the remote today and I hoped to hear from them.. Right at 4:00, their time, (closing) I got a call. Said my keypad was bad - They fixed it.. parts and labor 36 bucks. Tickled hell out of me. Grabbed my credit card (I was out hunting) and started reading off numbers. Got to the expiration date and guy said, "6 what?" I repeated it.. he said, "hello ... hello?" Crap! I shut it down and called right back.. wouldn't ring.. tried again - busy signal.. Tried it at home on the landline.. busy signal.. Evidently their phone system rolled craps.. .. Oh well, surely be up and running tomorrow.. but almost pulled off "same day service".. You sure can't complain about that. Doubt I'll ever again own anything but a Foxpro..
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

  20. #20
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    HH glad to hear it. I've had to use their repair service a time or two and their turn around time is super fast. Just because I've had to use the repair service doesn't mean the products were bad, I just wore them out except for one caller. I had a CS24 for a while and killed a pile of coyotes over it. Then one day the remote quit working. I sent it back and they sent me a brand new remote. Two weeks later the caller went belly up. I sent it back and they replaced it with a new one. The next week both the caller and the remote went out. By this time I was more than a little frustrated. Mike Dillon who is one of the owners calls me personally and tells me he wants to make things right. He said he would walk down to the assembly room and custom build me a caller himself. He did and I've had that caller now for several years and it has been trouble free. How often does the owner of a multi million dollar company show that kind of service and integrity to their customers? This was all long before Mike even knew who I was. They have me for a customer for as long as the Dillon's own Foxpro.

  21. #21
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    Might be Mike Dillon who I've talked to - never knew his last name.. Anyway - like you, I just flat wore this keypad out. Coon hunting differs a bit in that I may make 20 + sets a day and may change calls a minimum of 3 -4 times per set- bound to be hard on "buttons".. and I thought $36 was more than fair. I'm about to give them a call right now.. later..

    Edit: It was their system that crashed. Information was verified and remote will be shipped out today. Try to get that done with a "chinese" call..
    Last edited by HideHunter; 11-17-2016 at 10:21 AM.
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

  22. #22
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Bwana's Avatar
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    Impressive customer service for sure.

    Hey BS, I trashed some of my messages so you should be good to respond now.

  23. #23
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    Skyz... Buddy and I decided we needed a back-up call. Put in a call to AllPredators to order an Inferno and ended up with a Banshee.. It was on sale - what can I say.
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

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    HH - Did you get the standard list of calls or pick your own? That looks like a sweet caller.

  25. #25
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    HH, I like the Banshee a little bit better anydangway!

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    I picked my own Cards.. I went heavy on Raccoon sounds and barnyard animals. Honestly, had a hell of a time picking 100 calls.. that's a bunch.

    Hope so, Troy.. After I had asked a number of questions about the Inferno, I ask the guy to be honest, "What do you think?" He said. "If I'm being honest - spend another hundred and get the Banshee" - then gave reasons.. Sold me.
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

  27. #27
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    My CS24 is just the top grade version of the Banshee and I've killed countless critters over it.

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    I am currently running the wildfire with an external speaker.. but looking at some of the new better options..

  29. #29
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
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    Cards01, I really like my CS24, but these days it collects a lot of dust because I really, really, really like my Shockwave. Being able to have stereo sound and direct the sound in two different directions has been a great feature. If you really want super loud you could always buy a Krakatoa, but it's a pretty big speaker to pack around. If you don't travel much from where you park and where you hunt then it's not really a factor. I usually hike a fair bit so I like a caller I can fit in my day pack, the Krakatoa would be too much for my pack because diameter of the flare, on the speaker, would be too big. Frankly I've never had a calling situation where either the CS24 or the Shockwave left me wishing for anything louder, as they are both pretty stinking loud on full volume.

  30. #30
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    One week.. from the time I contacted FoxPro until my remote was back in my hand.. Unbelievable service in this day and age. Parts, labor and shipping - $36 bucks. New Banshee should be here Wed..
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

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