Pot calls and cold weather

[hoythunter]

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I've hunted some pretty cool mornings this year temps in the low 40's and cant get much sound from my slate and glass calls until it warms up thean they run fine. Is this normal or am doing something wrong? Strikers and surfaces are properly conditioned and I leave them outside overnight before hunting to get acclimated to the temprature.

[EZ]

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Other than damp mornings affecting slate some, temperatures should not affect performance at all if they are properly conditioned.

[ChesterCopperpot]

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Coldest weather I hunted this year was 28, but I’ve never had any issues with any pots or surfaces. I don’t leave them outside. Wonder if that’s affecting them? I’ve had real damp mornings affect slates some, like mountain in a cloud can’t see ten feet fog damp, but even that didn’t affect them much.


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[bbcoach]

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I hunted Wisconsin this spring.  We had some 24 and 28 degree mornings and pot calls played as advertised.  I've also hunted in South Dakota in the snow.  I used a slate, crystal and aluminum with zero problems.  As stated from others, I've only had my slate give me any problems when it is damp.  My pots and strikers stay in my vest until they are used.  Vest will stay inside until it is put on in the morning.  I'm wondering, by leaving your vest outside, if your strikers are the problem.  What I mean is, are the strikers gathering some moisture by being left outside at night?  My suggestion is keep the vest inside, put it on inside and see if your problem goes away. 

[Greg Massey]

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I use handwarmers to keep mine warm in cold weather, also use them on those really humid conditions also. You will find that handwarmers are turkey hunters best friend. Same with keep box call warm.. Keep those calls warm gets you the maximum sounds out of your calls.. Try this trick next season...

[hoythunter]

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Thanks for the suggestions. Will give them a try.

[zsully]

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I have the same issue and this year i finally figured out my issue. When the temps were cold I was gripping my striker tighter so I could “feel” it better. That killed the sound just like you’re talking about. Once I made the conscious effort to loosen my grip the calls would play perfectly. If I had to guess I’d say you’re probably gripping the striker too tight just like I was when my hands were cold.

[bbcoach]

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I have the same issue and this year i finally figured out my issue. When the temps were cold I was gripping my striker tighter so I could “feel” it better. That killed the sound just like you’re talking about. Once I made the conscious effort to loosen my grip the calls would play perfectly. If I had to guess I’d say you’re probably gripping the striker too tight just like I was when my hands were cold.

I didn't think about the gripping of the striker.  Since you brought that up, are you using heavier gloves like 40 gram thinsulate?  This would give you very little feel on the strikers.  Also you maybe deadening the sound of the pot if you lay the heavier gloves on the edge of the pot. 

[hoythunter]

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Good point about the grip that may very well be my problem. I also take my gloves off when I call.

[BDeal]

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I havent seen it in the cold so much but there are times on humid mornings that I have major issues with pot calls and strikers. Its happened a couple of times this year. Typically an hour or 2 later everything works well again

[zsully]

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I have the same issue and this year i finally figured out my issue. When the temps were cold I was gripping my striker tighter so I could “feel” it better. That killed the sound just like you’re talking about. Once I made the conscious effort to loosen my grip the calls would play perfectly. If I had to guess I’d say you’re probably gripping the striker too tight just like I was when my hands were cold.

I didn't think about the gripping of the striker.  Since you brought that up, are you using heavier gloves like 40 gram thinsulate?  This would give you very little feel on the strikers.  Also you maybe deadening the sound of the pot if you lay the heavier gloves on the edge of the pot.

I never use a glove on my right hand. I have the nomad gloves without the finger tips but I still can’t get those to feel right

[PALongspur]

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For serious hunting, I prefer calls in plastic or composite pots for this very reason.

[BDeal]

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I have a plastic pot aluminum call and it behaves just like my wood pots. When the humidity or dew point is just wrong on certain mornings mine doesn't work unless i rough it up every several minutes.

[Crghss]

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In South Florida with our humidity I have problems with ceramic & slate sometimes. In SD this year it was in 20’s and I did have some trouble with slate, think is was humidity. Humidity also seems to effect striders made of harder woods, won’t always grip the surface.

Never have problems with crystal or glass.

I wear very thin gloves but almost always take them off when calling.

[vt35mag]

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I've found the colored slates seem to keep their sound better when the temps get low or the humidity gets up.

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