Any ideas?
 

I was hunting up in George Washington National Forest this past Saturday (season opener here in VA). At about 5:30 am, I am pulling the strap tight on my second Lone Wolf climbing stick when I hear this unbelievable sound about 40 or 50 yards in the darkness ahead.

Basically, it sounded like a long, drawn-out WWWOOOOOOOW! It lasted about 4 or 5 seconds, and it was almost as loud as I could yelp at the top of my lungs, although I could never make a sound that loud that long. It definitely sounded feline to me. I’ve never heard a bobcat or mountain lion roar/scream. I’ve seen a bobcat in this area before, and I know more than one person who claims to have seen and/or heard a panther on this specific mountain. Any ideas?

RE: Any ideas?
 

Have you ever heard a coyote howl? Otherwise go to Google and search for "Panther sounds" and "bobcat sounds" etc until you find one it sounds like.

RE: Any ideas?
 

Sasquatch

RE: Any ideas?
 

LOL

Little far south for that fella...

I have heard plenty of coyotes howl (and saw one on my stand on Monday), and this is definitely not a coyote. Something about it really seemed feline to me. Thanks for the google suggestion, though.I just may do that.

RE: Any ideas?
 

I'm from VA too. I'd say probably a bobcat if it was, in fact, a feline. On the other hand, I have heard of some mountain lions near where I live, so you can't rule that out I guess.

RE: Any ideas?
 

Air4Andy: Thanks for the googlesuggestion. I founda very cool site, IMO, with lots of animal and other sound effects. Here is the web address, in case you're interested:

http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/soundfx/animals/BigCats.shtml

I still don't know which it was, based on these sounds, but it was just so loud, it was hard for me to believe an animalas small as a bobcatsmall could make such a loud, long, extended sound like that, just because of the lung capacity I would think was necessary.

Here are the closest sounds from that web page:
http://www.sound-effect.com/sounds1/animal/BigCats/BOB-CAT.wav
(the kind of second growl/scream, but it was more extended)

or this one:
http://www.sound-effect.com/sounds1/animal/BigCats/cougar3.wav
(again, it was more extended; at least twice as long)

RE: Any ideas?
 

Coyotes over run the place around there. Wouldn't surprise me if it was a cat. Could even have been a coon. Whatever it is it'sdangerous enough to take precautions from now on. You should be already.

Beautiful forest.

RE: Any ideas?
 

Sounds like a Screetch Owl. Them things will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

RE: Any ideas?
 

Not a screech owl, coonor coyote. I've heard plenty of those. And this was at least 5 times louder than any screech owl I've ever heard (although they ARE creepy-sounding, too). I'd bet my tree stand it was a cat of some sort. It had that distinctive feline growling owww...to it.

RE: Any ideas?
 

Sounds like you got it covered, it's a kitten. Why ask for ideas since you" know" it was a feline?

RE: Any ideas?
 

Yeah, kitten..that's it, a big, furry, cuddly kitten with a 110 decibel meow...it just wanted some milk and was a little gouchy...

My question is whether it was a bobcat or mountain lion. Bobcat is OK, mountian lion makes me a little nervous, although won't keep me off the mountain! just want to know what I've got there.

RE: Any ideas?
 

Do a search and you'll find that they have been sited there. Just a quick read gives you the right to protect yourself, but you cannot kill one if it is not threatening. You may have heard one, but I don't think you will if it decides to eat you for a snack. I'd always carry more than a bow there.

Know a farmer around there that has lost 2 sheep herds to yotes, gave up, and his kid took over 60 in one year. Va. pays money for the service and the kid did quit well.

Wish I'd have grown up there. Some wild country.