YEAR: 1998

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 12

STATE: Indiana

COUNTY: Owen County

LOCATION DETAILS: Within Boundries of Wolf Cave Nature Preserve at McCormick's Creek State Park near Spencer Indiana.

NEAREST TOWN: Spencer

OBSERVED: A very low moan/howl was heard with a duration of 5 or 6 seconds. This initial moan was followed by a dog barking and a number of shorter low grunt like sounds. The sound was at an estimated distance of 100 yards to 500 yards northwest of our position.

OTHER WITNESSES: Myself 28, a brother-in-law 33, and our two 4 year olds (boy and girl) decided to take a nighttime hike to Wolf Cave which is about 3/4 mile from the family camping area of McCormicks Creek State Park. Our group hiked to the cave and briefly explored the mouth of the cave. The children wanted to go into the cave, but the dad's not being in the mood to crawl around in the dirt at night, decided no one would go far into the cave. We sat in the cave mouth talking for about ten minutes and then decided to hike back. About a tenth of a mile from the cave the moan was heard by the two fathers in the direction of behind us to the right. I initially heard the sound quite clearly but not wanting to alarm the children I said nothing. About two seconds after the noise my brother in law, a LT. in the US Army, asked me what the sound was. I replied "I don't know". We then heard a dog bark farther away and some short deep noises in the vicinity of the first moan. He then asked me if I thought the sound was made by an animail and I again replied "I don't know". About 10 steps later I suggested we put children on our shoulders and "make some time". He agreed. No further sounds were heard.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: The time was approximately 10:30 p.m. CDT

ENVIRONMENT: The terrain inside Wolf Cave Nature Preserve is thick dedideous forest (mostly ash and oak). Like much of southwest Indiana, the area is very hilly and filled with a many ravines, limstone rock out croppings and cliffs. The cave and surrounding area is quite heavily visited during the day. The cave itself is small and had nothing to do with the sound. The Owen State Forest borders the Park and the whole region is fairly roadless and borders the White River. When the sound was heard by our party we were walking up the side of a ravine near the back of the preserve