Some guy on a hunting show is using a small enclosed squeaker as his “bait” for predators like a dirthole set. I remember my dad used to have a small black/white cylinder that took a 9 volt and continuously let out a squeak every so often. I think it had a picture of a bobcat on it. Anyone remember what these were called and why you dont hear about them? The concept seems legit, i would put it nearby to get them within range of a dirthole with actual bait.

Grit guy on here Tom makes them . I feel they work better for bobcats than canines

DWC
I’ve been making them for almost 20 years now, they work great or I wouldn’t still be making them !

You may PM for more info, might be some on here who talk about using them

I have used them to great effect for otters. The caveat is they both intrigue and spook otters. They won't get any closer than about 5-6 ft. But they will travel 50 -100 ft from water to check them out. I used to blind set them on trails on their way up to investigate. Tracks would tell me that at about 6 ft they would circle back and forth trying to get a better vantage point to see what was squeaking, but would never go right to the edge of the hole.

I wasnt thinkin of putting right at set location, just close enough to try and get them to within 30-50 feet. I dont have cats tho, anyone have any luck with them on coyotes?

I'm not trying to sell them here, people know about them already here for the most part.

I would like to clarify about them just a bit though

You need to know your target pretty well to use them for quick use other wise your learning curve will be longer, cats are curious and will move right in on them, canines are cautious and will circle them out about 20 yards or so, otters are like cats but more cautious as has been said above, your sets should be in front of the units, gators don't care, they want what's making noise, badgers will run up on them, lion's will walk off with them, bears like to play with them, there is actually no predator that will not react in some way to them, or advance on them, the units will not make them step on your set, you still need to set up correctly, the units merely bring interested predators into the area.
So you must set the units up where you feel comfortable using them against theft as well, cause people will search them out as well. Most canines will circle, come back circle some more, using their nose, so you must set out away from them, cats are just cats, big or small, most will advance right in on them, sit a while listening, looking then get frustrated and charge them or move away and come back.

Squeakers don't care about location, and most targets will investigate them, you should always set accordingly to the targets personality and need to survive. Don't let people tell you they will not bring animals off location or previous trails, I've to many testimonials telling me how much more ground has been opened up to users because of the units calling as well as my own use of them for many years.

I've made custom units for other targets for uses' as well, have been surprised at how the units and sounds will perform on many other types of situations besides the general use of fur harvesting. Sound is an amazing thing !!

Since the yotes are circling downwind, i can see how good placement could put them within a few yards of a set. Are they more leary of a set once theyre already cautious of the sound? See an increase if sets worked from farther away ect?

I've used Tom's squeakers for more than a decade. Years ago I did a lot of offseason testing with them and trail cameras so I could see predator reaction to the squeaker. Most of my use has been for cats and I have some locations where I have proven to myself over and over that they are essential for certain sets to connect. One example that comes to mind is a pass in a low range of hills. I set that location every year and it's usually good for 2-6 cats. Several years in a row I set that spot without a squeaker and it went without a catch for weeks, then install a squeaker and BAM! Catches are made.

As some have said, there is a bit of a knack to getting optimal use out of them. For cats, I have always had better luck catching the cat as it "hunts" the squeaker. Once it gets close enough to determine there really isn't a wounded critter there, the cat loses interest and will wander off. As a result, I like to set the squeaker up and then set all the trails coming to it. In the saddle I mentioned earlier, I put the squeaker in a rock pile in the saddle and then catch the cats on the trails coming to the pass. Of course, for every rule there is an exception. I've had cats carry off the squeaker and I've caught them at sets where I knew they could tell there was no thrashing rabbit to be had. But year in and year out, my best cat catches have always involved squeakers, good lure and a visual attractor that compliments the squeaker (for example, a feather fluttering in the breeze or a tuft of faux hair dangling in close proximity).

Grey fox have no rules. They will find the squeaker and carry it off if it isn't tied down.

Coyotes are interested, and sometimes curious, but I've found over the last 5-10 years that with the increased number of varmint callers, most coyotes are pretty cautious when approaching a rabbit sound. My best locations are out away from the squeaker. Put the squeaker in a little brushy ravine and then make subtle sets on elevated spots where coyotes will want to stand and stare at the squeaker. Or hide it in tall brush and then gang set the open areas downwind of the squeaker where the coyotes will pace back and forth.

And Tom makes a good product. Very reliable, sturdy enough for trappers to use, and they have good battery life.

Good post...I’ll add that raccoons are interested in them too..gang set the trails and get ready for business.

Wanted to add, with the otters the chirping sound from the caller I used was a fairly good imitation of a distressed otter pup. They were reacting to that I think rather than a potential meal.

I have never used an imitation squeeker at a trap location,but have squeeked out a lot of red foxes in winter to shoot after they have initially been spooked off a trail by the skidoo.

I used squeakers quite a bit when they first came out. Like others have mentioned, I quickly found out that a coyote would not approach one very close, but they were frequently called into the general area. I gang set the area, and caught several doubles. Squeakers in dirt holes did work for cats but like many Oregon trappers, my dirt holes frequently filled with water from the constant rain. I then searched for hollow logs to hide the squeaker, bingo. I had one log that was good for 2 or 3 cats every year. I never attracted an otter, to my knowledge, but I did catch a beaver once, when I spotted cat tracks cross a beaver dam and set nearby. The down side to them was dead batteries, broken wires, and the aforementioned wet drowned units.

Lions really like them the ones Gritguy makes.

I think squeakers would be very effective for at least getting predators to your sets. If I did predator work, I believe I’d have some squeakers in my tool box.


Anyone that doesn’t think squeakers can quickly attract predators must not have ever had a rabbit in a foothold. They get hammered in a hurry

Yep. That was the one.

I have 6 of GritGuy's squeakers. Been using them for years.

I've always made regular predator sets (gang setting with 4 to 6 sets in a very small area) with a sqeaker near the center tied on a tree limb well off the ground.


They work!