Something is screaming in the woods.

[WoodlandWoman]

I have no idea what it is. I can't even describe it. I've never heard it before. It only occasionally does a single scream/call. Once it let out a double scream. I wish my neighbor would quit mowing, so I could hear better. The woods are about 40 acres and it's not really close.

My first thought was, "What the heck was that???"

My next thought was, "Great, some new predator!"

I've lived here around 20 years, so I'm kind of surprised to hear something unusual. Sure, now that I'm typing this, it quit.

 

[LynnGrigg]

Does it sound like a human being tortured? Bobcats sound like that. The first time I heard one it made my skin crawl and I really was afraid to take the fourwheeler back through the woods to get home. Good thing my husband was doing the driving. I'd have slept in the open field on a haybale til dawn if it had been up to me.

 

[Forest_Nymph]

I wonder if it could be a fox...

Around here, and usually at night, they prowl around and call out in what sounds like a scream. It sounded more like a large bird, but one day I actually saw it and heard it as it screamed/yelped around the yard and then meandered off. It appeared to just sending out a signal of his territory. I found out that their den is less than a 1/2 mile away... None have bothered my flock (yet). I'm always watchful!

Keep your eyes and ears open... it will call again for sure.

Sylvia

 

[chickbea]

Fisher cats make god-awful noises, as do bobcats.

 

[6chix]

My bet is on the Fisher cat. We have a few around here, good thing none of them have found my flock.

 

[silkhope]

http://www.bigcatrescue.org/bobcat.htm

We had to search for this the other day as my neighbor had one, she thought, in her yard. Did it sound like this? As soon as you open the page it makes the sound.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I've seen red fox here and my husband has seen a bob cat. Both in our woods, near the house. It's been awhile, though. I don't know what either one sounds like. I guess I should see if I can find anything on the web.

It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up a little. It had the quality of the call of a big cat, but was a little scratchier sounding, like a raccoons voice, rather than clear.

I really appreciate your responses. The chickens are locked up. They can come out later in the day, when we can hang out with them, with the dogs. No running around having big fun digging and dust bathing in the flower beds without a security detail, today!

 

[SpottedCrow]

I would say a bobcat, I've heard that it sounds like a woman screaming...
http://www.woonsocketcall.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15513405&BRD=1712&PAG=461&dept_id=24361&rfi=6
This was in the local newspaper too...
Sounds like these babies are BIG trouble, YIKES!!!
http://www.pbase.com/falcon8826/fisher_cat

 

[KrisRose]

When I first moved into my house everything was nice and quiet.
Then fall came and I was curled up in bed with cold air coming in from an open window and I heard this terrifying noise come out of the woods across the road! I was at that window for at least a couple of hours thinking no wonder I got this house- Bigfoot lives in the woods!!!!

Turned out it was my neighbors bull Elk which go into rut in the fall!

 

[Chelly]

Perhaps Islandchick? Found a posum in the nest box (It wasnt' me I didn't find anything today)