YEAR: 2012

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: 10/6/2012

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: La Salle County

LOCATION DETAILS: Near Matthiessen State Park.

NEAREST TOWN: Utica

NEAREST ROAD: RT 178

OBSERVED: We were sitting around a campfire in our yard with our 3 dogs, when we heard coyotes howling-- nothing unusual. We see tracks and hear them frequently. The coyotes were howling and were then joined by a lower, deeper howl. We assumed that it might be a wolf joining in the howling, but authorities deny there are wolves in Illinois, too. We are experienced outdoor people. We do a lot of hiking and outdoor activities. We frequently spend time in northern Wisconsin and have seen and heard wolves in the wild. This scared us so badly that we went back to the house. So, we didn't see anything, just the vocalizations.

OTHER WITNESSES: There were 2 of us, my husband and I. We were sitting outside with a campfire and our 3 dogs-- Australian Shepherds

OTHER STORIES: They have been documented on the BFRO website

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Between 9 and 10 PM. It was very cold for October and clear

ENVIRONMENT: Wooded, near the Vermillion River. The farmer next door has cattle. There is lots of wildlife in the area-- coyotes, deer, raccoons.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

In summary:

• The vocalization was much deeper and louder than a coyote.
• At about the same time the family was awakened at 2 a.m. by something that banged two or three times on the outside wall of the house.
• The house has a five foot chain link fence that totally surrounds the home. It has been noticed that in two areas it has been mashed down as if something very heavy had been crashing into or climbing over the fence.

About BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

Stan Courtney has a special interest in wildlife audio recording. He has attended numerous BFRO Expeditions. See Stan's blog StanCourtney.com for recordings he has collected over the years.

Stan Courtney can be reached at illinois@bfro.net

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