YEAR: 1995

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: Opening weekend of Bowhunting (Elk)

STATE: Oregon

COUNTY: Umatilla County

LOCATION DETAILS: South of Ukiah and just below Tower Mountain. GPS coordinates were 45 08.169 North Lat. 118 36.255 W Lon.

OBSERVED: I was Bowhunting with my Husband, Father-in-Law and 14 yr. old brother-in-law. We had just set out on our evening hunt, having arrived at camp the day before. We split into two groups, My husband and I headed uphill, my FIL and BIL downhill. An hour or so after we split up, my husband and I heard a "scream" below us and seemingly centered in heavy area of brush/trees in a hollow at the base of the hill. The scream was long and very gutteral. The hair stood up on our necks. We went to locate FIL and BIL. Upon meeting them, they told us that they too had heard it. My young BIL was more than a little shook up. His dad had left him near a tree to see if he could jump some Elk towards him. Both were very close to the sound since they had been downhill from us. My BIL felt it was very near to him and was very relieved when his dad showed up to check on him after hearing the scream. We spent a little time that night trying to determine what it was. My husband and FIL have spent most of their lives hunting/fishing and camping in various areas of Oregon, this one in particular. They hadn't heard anything like it. It was too deep for cat and my FIL swears it wasn't a bear. I listened to the tape on your site and although it was similiar, the sound I heard was a little deeper and more gutteral.

ALSO NOTICED: Nothing else unusual heard or seen.

OTHER WITNESSES: Bowhunting for Elk. Hiking uphill towards a ridge.

ENVIRONMENT: Lodgepole Pine thickets with some heavy Doug Fir timber, surrounding brushy and older clearcuts