YEAR: 2011

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: November

DATE: 19

STATE: Michigan

COUNTY: Jackson County

LOCATION DETAILS: It was off Sharron Valley Road where the river is at on the north side of the road about a good mile back into the area.

NEAREST TOWN: Jackson

NEAREST ROAD: Sharron Valley Road

OBSERVED: Had a very unusual experience while deer hunting. I had shot a deer and spine shot it, it was doing a death scream until I dispatched it. I then field dressed it and was on my way out when I began hearing a terrible scream unlike anything i have ever heard before. It was heading right into the area I had just shot and field dressed the deer It continued the screaming for about five minutes getting closer and closer, I was about probably 200 yards from where I had field dressed the deer and could tell it was right there where I had just got the deer, needless to say I got out of there as fast as I possibly could, now I can't say that I have ever seen any sign of anything unusual there although I have never looked. I have heard trees fall on occasion while in my stand and it was calm out, never really gave thought to why they fell. Also on several occasions I have been followed out of the woods, I would walk, it would follow, I would stop it would stop. Now we do have bobcats in the area and I have heard they will do this and have heard them. I know whatever it was I heard that night was no bobcat. To this day I still have never heard a scream like that anywhere and do not hunt that area anymore. It spooked me bad enough that I avoid the area now.

ALSO NOTICED: An occasional tree falling for no reason I could think of. Have been followed out of the woods on more then one occasion, other than that nothing else has struck me as being unusual.

OTHER WITNESSES: No i was alone.

OTHER STORIES: Not that I have heard of, no.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: At dusk getting dark, it was cold outside and had no snow on the ground at that time, was a very mild winter that year.

ENVIRONMENT: The area is covered with large pines, lots of hard woods swamps, fields and valleys and a river that goes through the area,

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Richard Knox:

The area where the witness had his encounter is near the border between Jackson & Washtenaw counties, on private land bordered on the north by the Raisin River and on the west by a state game & wildlife area. There is a power-line corridor on the north side of the river, which runs from the northwest to the southeast, which provides any animal a clear and unobstructed route through this particular area, while the abundance of deer, wild turkey and pheasants provide an adequate food source.

During the 2011 hunting season, the witness had just shot a deer and while walking towards it, the deer began to scream. Upon reaching the deer, the witness finished it off and began to field dress it, when another more frightening scream originated west of his location, within the state game & wildlife area. Each subsequent scream was louder than the previous, indicating that whatever was doing the screams was heading in his direction. He quickly finished, packed up the meat and immediately left the area toward his vehicle.

Approximately 200 yards from where he had field dressed the deer, he realized that whatever was making those loud screams was now at the gut pile, where he had field dressed the deer. He hurried along out of the woods to his vehicle and quickly departed the location.

During our conversation, the witness stated that the screams sounded like they were coming from something that was crazy or insane, but also something he has never heard before. I emailed the witness a couple of sound files that contained vocalizations for him to listen to and compare to what he heard that day.

After listening to the files, the witness identified the screams in the second file as being “real close” to what he heard in the woods that day.

Shrieks and Moan Howl

The witness stated that since that day, his perception of the woods has changed dramatically. He had heard trees falling on numerous occasions while hunting and not thought twice about what caused them to come down, especially on those calm days. He has been followed out of the woods on more than one occasion by something that moved when he moved, stopped when he stopped, but he always chalked it up to being a bobcat or some other forest animal being inquisitive. Now, he is no longer certain.

About BFRO Investigator Richard Knox:

Richard is a designer for a power company that services the majority of Lower Michigan. He is a former Emergency Medical Technician & Volunteer Firefighter. He enjoys camping, hiking and Geocaching with his wife, kids and grandkids. He and his wife attended the 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018 Michigan Upper Peninsula Expeditions.

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