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Possible early morning whoops and knocks heard at a Forest Service cabin
The witness stayed overnight in a rented cabin with two children. After the children fell asleep, the witness lay awake on an uncomfortable cot and twice heard a whoop followed seconds later by a wood-knock sound from the southeast. The sounds seemed close and no source was seen; the forest had otherwise been quiet all afternoon and night.
Late-night frog hunters experience possible territorial behavior north of Rimrock
The witness and two companions were walking upstream frog gigging at night when they noticed a musky odor and heard heavy movement ahead in dense brush. Three rocks were thrown from above across the creek, followed by crashing movement across the water and another rock landing nearby in the creek. An unseen very large mover then rushed toward them through thick brush, prompting the group to leave for their vehicle.
Campers awakened by possible late-night screams north of Woods Canyon Lake
A couple camping on the Mogollon Rim reported being awakened in the early morning by very loud, long screams echoing in a nearby canyon. Both spouses listened for several minutes before briefly leaving the tent and returning to sleep. The next morning the husband walked toward the sound and reported finding a large teepee-like structure of heavy cut poles with no stumps nearby. On the second night no screams were heard, but the wife reported hearing large movement in the woods while the dogs remained uneasy.
Early morning fisherman hears possible howl near Hawley Lake
The witness was fly fishing alone shortly after sunrise along a stream feeding into Hawley Lake. He heard a single very loud, long vocalization that he first called a scream and later described as more of a howl, saying he could feel it in his chest. He did not feel threatened, continued fishing for about another hour, and heard nothing else unusual.
Campers on Mount Graham are frightened by late-night visitor
The witness was camping with extended family in multiple tents when awakened after midnight by rhythmic tapping and footsteps moving around the tents. A dog in camp whimpered, and relatives in another tent reported footsteps, heavy breathing, and two individuals apparently communicating before one screamed. The witness and his father exited their tent within seconds and saw nothing. Around 4 a.m. the camp again heard rocks clicking and chattering from dense woods about 50 yards away.
Campers on Mount Graham experience possible intimidation behavior
The witness family was tent-camping at a site on Mt [name withheld]. Between 1 and 4 a.m., after the husband re-entered the tent, the witness and her daughter saw a tall thin figure walk quickly past the tent in the dark and heard slipper-like footsteps on the road. The witness later heard loud chewing and lip-smacking behind the tent and noticed an unfamiliar animal smell. The sounds lasted about 20 minutes and stopped without footsteps after a distant camper door was heard.
Several possible vocalizations heard south of Jacob Lake near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
Two companions on a motorcycle camping trip in the North Rim area were sleeping in separate tents when loud screams woke them about 2:30 a.m. The screams continued for several minutes from an estimated 40 yards away and were followed by the snap of a limb. Neither witness saw the source, and the reporting witness stated the sounds were unlike anything heard in a lifetime of hunting and fishing.
Camper hears possible late-night vocalizations in the Knoll Lake area
The witness was camping overnight near Lake Knoll with three children. In the middle of the night the witness was awakened by loud, repeated scream-like bursts and stayed awake the rest of the night. Later the witness heard additional sounds likened to animals fighting while the surroundings were otherwise silent.
Possible encounter disturbs a camper in a high country forest
The witness was camping with relatives and was awakened around midnight by rhythmic stick-cracking sounds that moved closer and farther. He dressed silently and exited his trailer to investigate, after which the knocking stopped at a distance and a double whoop sounded from the direction where he shined his flashlight. He interpreted the sequence as involving two animals, with one acting as lookout. No tracks were found during a search the next day.
Possible vocalizations heard in the Bradshaw Mountains (w/recordings)
The witness was camping alone overnight and heard repeated strange calls late at night over about 35 minutes that seemed to move closer. The sounds did not match known local animals to the witness. The witness captured part of the sounds on a digital voice recorder and searched the area the next day without finding other campers.
Several early morning vocalizations heard at Wheatfields Lake
The witness and his girlfriend were camped on the east side of Wheatfields Lake with relatives, awake in their tent caring for a child before dawn. They heard loud low roars from near the west side campground repeated 5-6 times for about 10 seconds each, followed by dogs barking, then one more call about 30 minutes later. The witness stayed awake while the others slept, and companions in camp said the next morning they had not heard the calls.
Long howls heard just outside Prescott
The witness and spouse were in their bedroom with the window open late at night when they heard prolonged howls from a distance. The howls repeated over several minutes and prompted neighborhood dogs to bark. The couple said the sound did not match familiar wildlife and later felt it closely resembled a howl sample on a website.
Former US marine and friends describe possible intimidation behavior while camping on Mt. Graham
Six people were camping and talking late at night when they heard distant moaning howls that grew closer and more aggressive over about an hour, accompanied by branch-breaking sounds close behind camp. They turned on vehicle headlights, after which the sounds stopped, and they slept in their vehicles. The next morning they found several large pine and fir branches broken behind the camp.
Hunters have camper shaken and hear whoops on the North Kiabab
Two brothers were camping overnight in a popup camper while on a grouse hunting trip. In the middle of the night the camper was shaken several times, prompting one witness to go outside with a flashlight. He heard something walking in the timber but saw nothing when he shone the light, then after returning inside heard a series of loud whoops from a distance.
Trailer shaken and objects thrown at campers on the north rim of the Grand Canyon
On a Friday night during an archery-hunt camping trip, the witness and a relative sat by the campfire while two unseen presences circled the camp, breaking branches, pacing, and making heavy footsteps. Small rocks and sticks were then thrown into camp, including a softball-sized rock that landed nearby, followed by impacts on a food box and the trailer. Others sheltering in the trailer also heard footsteps, breaking branches, impacts, and a heavy sigh, and later a branch-like object was dragged across the trailer roof.
Campers report harassment on the Mogollon Rim near Knoll Lake
The witness was reading in a parked van at a remote wooded campsite while a companion napped. After prolonged bark-tearing and movement sounds followed by silence, a long thick branch flew from the trees and struck the van's side mirror with enough force to shatter it. The witness saw its straight trajectory and concluded it had been thrown rather than fallen. Both occupants then watched and listened but detected nothing further at that time.
Heavy footsteps and screams heard near Bear Canyon Lake
The witness was camping overnight in a tent with two companions. Around 4 a.m. the witness woke to loud heavy footsteps moving away from camp and found the tent door half open with a damaged zipper. The witness searched with a spotlight, saw no one, and noted the steps stopped while a foul odor like dirty feet and urine lingered. Earlier that night the group had heard loud screaming and growling amid barking dogs.
Knocks and whooping sounds heard north of Clint's Well
The witness was tent-camping with companions near Clint's Well when wood-on-tree knocks woke him around 3 a.m. He then heard about three whoop-like sounds over roughly ten minutes before it went quiet. A companion in a nearby tent reported hearing the same noises, and a next-day search found no sign after rain.
Possible evening vocalizations heard near Snowbowl
The witness and a relative were doing sunset photography from a parking lot above forested hills. They heard an extremely loud single scream or roar coming from the forest several hundred yards below, on two occasions that evening, which others in the lot also noticed. The sound was described as starting low and building, with power and a chorus-like quality that seemed beyond a single human, and did not match any known animal to them.
Possible early morning vocalization at Fool's Hollow Lake
The witness was camping overnight with family and friends at a lake near Show Low. At about 3:45 a.m. the witness awoke to a very loud, prolonged, angry-sounding howl from a distance, followed by the sound of a rabbit in distress. A friend camping with the group also said the unfamiliar sound woke him.