BFRO #19804: Hunter reports unusual roars In South San Juan Mountains

📍 Location

📝 Description

The following is a report of unusual noises. First, I would like to qualify myself as a competent woodsman...certainly no 19th century mountain man, but one who knows his way around the outdoors. I was camping in the Rio Grande National Forest in Conejos County Colorado in September of 2005. For those famaliar with this geographical area, I was in a district of the forest known locally and on topo maps as 'Jacob's Hill.' I have hunted and camped in this area for many many years. It was in late September and I was sitting in front of my campfire around 9 pm when I heard the most bone chilling and indescribable wailing roar that I have ever heard. It was a very throaty sound and could best be described as an animal in agony. While I have never heard a mountain lion roar in person I have heard this and other "cat" noises on T.V. and this did not sound at all like those noises. The closest thing I could relate it to would be the noise of a hereford bull bellowing....but it was not that either. The sound continued uninterrupted for about 5-10 seconds and then ceased. Immediately coyotes from several different locales in the vicinity began howling and yelping as tho very disturbed. I did not hear the noise again during that particular outing. Now, fast forward 2 months into November in camp in the same location for the elk hunting season. Bear in mind that until this moment in November I had not mentioned this incident to anyone. I awoke at 4 AM one cold morning and noticed that someone else was awake and had built our camp fire again. Because I was going to get up in another hour or so anyway, I got up and stepped outside. It was my brother prowling around and I asked why he was up so early. He replied that he had gotten up to go to the bathroom and the weirdest thing had happened. I interrupted him immediately and told that before he told me what had happened I wanted to tell him about my experience. I related to him the very story I told above. When I was finished my brother just looked at me in amazement and said that is exactly what he had just experienced verbatim; right down to the coyotes reacting. He, like me, could not relate the sound to anything we had ever seen or heard.

🔍 Circumstances

First occasion....noneSecond occasion...none (but matching testimonies)

🌤️ Weather Conditions

9 pm....substantial moonlight but not a full moon. Weather, crisp clear and cool with a slight swirling breeze.

ℹ️ Additional Details

9 pm....substantial moonlight but not a full moon. Weather, crisp clear and cool with a slight swirling breeze.

🔗 Sources (1)

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