# Dan Thompson Red Desert



## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I bought one last night at the new Cabelas store. Tried it this morning, I really like it. I personally like it better without the tube, just the mouth piece. I found it is very sensitive to the amount of air being blown thru it, once I figured that out it sounded good.
Also it works as good as all the rest of the howlers I have, It didn't produce either, LOL. I will figure it out.
I am beginning to think Illinois coyotes don't talk to each other and they don't know what a howl is, dumb coyotes.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Its a good call, you do have to work the reed though and get it broken in. I had mine good and responsive and then the mouthpiece fell out on a hunt. Ordered a new one-but it's not as good as the old one yet. Gotta play around with it more.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

so far I like mine, but it still hasn't called in a coyote


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## CoyoteBlitz (Apr 11, 2007)

How do you break in a reed?


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

CoyoteBlitz said:


> How do you break in a reed?


Blow on it a lot, put it through all it's ranges. I also like to take the reed with my thumb (while I'm watching TV or something) and flick it up and let it smack the toneboard. I do this repeatedly. If you watch Randy Anderson's videos and you look at the closeups of his call when he is bringing it to his face you will notice the reed curves upward quite a bit. This allows it to scoop air and you get more versatility. If the reeds bows DOWN toward the townboard that is what you want to avoid.


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## ILcoyote_amateur (Dec 26, 2007)

Fallguy,

I'm getting a red desert howler shortly, (thanks santa for the gift card). How hard would you say it is to learn to use? I've used other open read calls with little success. Besides getting the reed to curve up, what else will help the call sound better? Any good practice ideas?


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Practice with it alot. Learn where the different pitches occur on the reed. Also, most howlers will have a point where there is a "break" in the sound. Learn where that is on your toneboard so you can use it or not use it, depending on what kind of a howl you are doing.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I also have noticed that if I put my lips on the reed it makes a different sound than if I use my teeth. I think I am making all the right sounds, but I cannot get anything to answer or come in. I had better luck with my ELK megaphone howler, I didn't have anything show up, but I got responses. Although someone on here warned me I might be making the alarm call instead of what I wanted. Nothing since.


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