High Humidity and Copper/Aluminum

[Strick9]

Here in the Lowcountry of SC I have noticed over the years that the early morning humidity really affects these materials running right. Early morning haze and they just don't run right. after 10 am or so when the humidity has burned off they sound terrific.

Anybody else had this experience? I have tried all kinds of strikers to get them to run on wettish days with no luck..

This does not apply to Lights Out Al btw as its anodized. Actually just let go of my Dawkins for this very reason and letting go of my Prairie Copper for the same.. Any tips other than chalking all the time? Just curious as they sound great during the day.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Some guys carry a cig lighter along just for that, they warm the surface up and it holds the heat to dry the surfaces, warm just the center of the surface. Some also use a hand warmer in a Ziploc bag, keep the call in there when not using it, that'll keep a lot of the moisture off the playing surface.

[M,Yingling]

one of the main reasons I send out one of my  fiber rod strikers out with the metal surface calls for the ones who hunt in the humidity

[outdoors]

I USE SLATE MYSELF ,,I THOUGHT USING MY THERMACELL  , ONLY THINKING OF THE HEAT NOT THE REPALANT THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE
BUT IM WORKING ON A SALUTION TO THIS

[West Augusta]

I flip my calls upside down to keep the dew and fog off of them and slide my strikers up my shirt sleeve to keep them dry.
I also carry a lighter but seldom use it.

[Smooth_Operator]

David I deal with the same here in the upstate.  I like to sit my pots on the ground beside me and will turn them over to prevent getting dew, etc on the surface but even then as the warmth of my hand touches the pot (especially on aluminum/copper) the pot tends to "sweat"...if it's going to be a humid morning I will keep my pots off the ground and on my person, inside my vest so that they stay warm and dry.  If that doesn't work I just pull out my carbon striker as Mike mentioned, that I received with one of his copper pots, and that thing will run under water, lol...

[Strick9]

I think I might be done trying to use them altogether after reading all the responses. I may try one of yours Mike just to give it one more shot. The last thing I really need is something that needs more attention just to run correct. This morning I had to keep the windshied wipers plowing and it wasn't even raining. The crystal ran perfect and the boy almost died on film but hey we had fun.

I already have a video camera, microphone, decoys and usually a fidgety hunter beside me and thats a plenty to worry with.

[jlewis4390]

I have a anodized aluminum call I believe it is a blood wood striker and it can sing even  under then kitchen faucet .....I guess I will c about while hunting but it runs under water without missing a beat

[Strick9]

Yea not talking anodized it runs always. but doesn't get the high front end notes and the roll over is good but tends to grunt more than break to rasp which isn't a bad thing but it doesn't seem to spark the birds up in my areas. I am looking for a call that sounds like the Dawkins does freshly chalked but one that runs in all conditions and without having to put make up on it and turn on the curling iron just to get her out to dinner ya know.

[grayfox]

Yea not talking anodized it runs always. but doesn't get the high front end notes and the roll over is good but tends to grunt more than break to rasp which isn't a bad thing but it doesn't seem to spark the birds up in my areas. I am looking for a call that sounds like the Dawkins does freshly chalked but one that runs in all conditions and without having to put make up on it and turn on the curling iron just to get her out to dinner ya know.

Know what you mean.  Have the same problems here in Alabama.  I'd start with getting a Cotton Mouth striker from Cane Creek calls.  Has an acrylic tip & runs on most calls when wet.  That striker with an aluminum or slate in the morning is what I use.  That morning dampness with the high humidity will make a good call sound bad.  Of all the strikers I rotate in & out of my vest the Cotton Mouth always stays put.

[TauntoHawk]

I prefer ceramic, anodized alum, and crystal because they are the least temperamental surfaces.