BFRO #12333: Possible vocalization in the Blue Ridge Mountains

📍 Location

📝 Description

My buddy and I were camping on July 2, 2005, in the [Blue Ridge mountains] of western NC, several miles outside of [a mountain town]. At midnight, we were preparing to retire for the night to our respective tents, when we heard a prolonged howl which was about as far away from us as the 1994 Columbiana, OH, howl (on the BFRO website) seemed from its source. At least, that's the best way I could determine the distance from us. This howl was at least twice as long (I want to say even longer) as the Columbiana, OH, howl. I'd estimate the howl we heard to be more or less ten seconds long. It was the length of the call, as much as it was the deep tone and strength of it, which attracted our immediate attention. It just didn't seem to quit. It wasn't interrupted, either, like if the creature took a breath and then continued. This went on continuously for around 10 seconds. Although we only heard the one howl, it was so loud (for its distance from us) and so prolonged, and gained strength at the end instead of waning, that we were rather shaken by its magnitude .... commenting to each other that nothing human or zoological that we knew of, could possibly have made that noise.I have studied/researched Sasquatches since grad school in Idaho in the mid-1970's, even though my degree is in Literature/English. I roamed the Rockies of the NW every chance I got for most of five years, looking for evidence, tracks, sign, sounds, anything......found zilch. This is the first experience I have had, and even though auditory, it was exhilirating. Both my friend and I were struck by the animal-like characteristics of this howl, and tried to think of things which might have made the sound, OTHER than a sasquatch. No, we decided quite without hesitation, it couldn't have been a machine-made sound (like a siren) because it was too low in tone. No, we decided, it couldn't have been fireworks, as they tend to "scream" and then wane, whereas this howl was low in tone and went on for a number of seconds (beyond 5 or 6 secs.) and gained momentum and strength toward the end, so we ruled fireworks out. Since it was July 4th weekend, that's why this was a consideration. No human could make that loud a howl for that period of time.... human lung capacity way too small, we concluded.And, on we went, trying to explain to each other the howl/sound by some origin other than a sasquatch. He and I had been joking and talking for the past several years about perhaps encountering one, hearing one, etc., but never really expected this to happen. When it did, we wanted to try to cover all the potentialities for the source of such a sound, and a sasquatch is all we could come up with, esp. Since I had heard the Columbiana Ohio sound on your website, and was immediately reminded of it when hearing (and replaying in my head) that sound on 7/2/05. We went back to that same campsite a few weeks later, hoping for a "repeat performance," but no such luck.We had a lab-mix retriever with us both times. The night we heard the sound, the dog became very animated, very intently listening to that distant howl, but because it was so far away, it didn't seem too bothered by it, though it DID move off into the forest toward the direction of the howl, but soon returned. Both the dog and we maintained something of a vigil that night, but no other indications of that critter's presence were made known to us.

🔍 Circumstances

One witness was involved, and that was Jack ------ (my hunting partner who, at this point, shall remain unnamed due to privacy concerns....he may not mind, but I'd need his permission before revealing his identity). He and I were sitting around our campfire, just before retiring for the night. It was midnight, we know, because we checked our watches when we heard the howl. No drugs or alcohol were involved. We were camping that weekend to track for deer sign for the upcoming bow season, opening in a few weeks' time (early Sept.).

🌤️ Weather Conditions

Midnight.....quiet, calm, light drizzle threatened now and then.......We were expecting to hear some fireworks from somewhere in the distance since it was 4th of July weekend, but never heard any at all. But, we were waaaayyyy out there in the forest.

ℹ️ Additional Details

Midnight.....quiet, calm, light drizzle threatened now and then.......We were expecting to hear some fireworks from somewhere in the distance since it was 4th of July weekend, but never heard any at all. But, we were waaaayyyy out there in the forest.

🔗 Sources (1)

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