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Something lurking in my woods?


nowsheflies

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Hey, everyone, first time poster here. I joined a couple of years ago and am a constant reader, I'm just a bit quiet. For months now I've been trying to decide if I should post this or not but since summer will be here soon and I expect to be spending more and more time outside I'm going for it.

Let me first explain a little about my location. My house is literally surrounded by woods on all sides with a gravel road that cuts through in the front and leads to my driveway. Behind my house the woods go on for miles and miles and at some point goes into national forest land. Several yards down the road my cousin raises cattle and they graze in a small field. I'm way out in the country.

Back in November (2009) my fiance and I were laying out in the middle of our yard around 1 A.M. waiting for the Leonid meteor shower to start. It was a cold, clear, and very quiet night. We had been out for probably forty-five minutes or so and I was getting annoyed because I had only seen maybe one meteor and I was cold despite all the blankets I had. Suddenly--I know it's a cliche, but it really did happen all of a sudden--the quiet night was anything but.

Something starts crashing through the woods behind us. Anyone who's been in the woods at night knows what that sounds like especially in the fall when there are dry leaves on the ground. Whatever it was comes to the edge of the woods to the edge of the yard and and stops and starts making this God-awful "snorting" sound. Living where I do, I'm used to animal noises and I pretty much know what makes what but this sound chilled my blood. I've never heard anything like it. Then a minute later it stops the snorting sound and it starts walking back through the woods. I turn to my fiance and say "What the %*$# was that??" It's not so much what my fiance said but how he said it. His voice almost had a tremor in it. He sounded scared and just said "I don't know know." Aside from the fact that he's a pretty tough guy and I've never known him to be scared of anything in his life, he's the kind of guy who knows a lot, or at least thinks he does. So for him to be so baffled was unsettling.

We can hear the crashing again but this time it's coming from our left. It continues until it's in front of us, then a few seconds later it's to the right. I can't help but say "It's circling us." And it was fast too. I'm terrified at this point and insist we go inside. Fiance says no, I carried all these blankets and pillows out to watch this meteor shower and we're going to watch it. He also tells me to shush so he can listen. It's still crashing around and is behind us again. And I am struck with a thought that makes little tears well up in my eyes. Then my fiance opens his mouth and confirms my thought: "It sounds like it's walking on two legs."

I insist on going inside again but the crashing sound fades away and my fiance says it must be gone. It goes quiet again. The rest of the time we were outside was uneventful. The sky eventually became overcast and we couldn't see anything anymore so we gathered up all our stuff and went inside.

The next day we immediately went over all the things it could have been. A deer? No, that was in no way at all the sound a deer makes when it "snorts." An escaped bull from the field down the road? I guess it's not out of the realm of possibilites, it's just that those cows are extremely used to people and one time when one did get past the fence it had no problem walking right up to me (I helped, or tried anyway, getting it back). And I'm certain no cows got out that night because we almost always get a phone call asking if any has come up to the house (none ever has). It just didn't sound like a bull snort either. A wild boar? We don't have those in Virginia. I asked my brother who works for the US Forest Service and knows more about wildlife than anyone I know and he not only confirmed that we don't have wild boars but was also puzzled as to what it could have been. A bear? We had an extremely cold winter which started earlier than usual and again my bro said it was highly unlikely to be a bear.

So . . . I don't know. What I do know is that I don't scare easily. I love taking walks in the woods at night and I am very familiar with the usual animal (foxes, raccoons, owls, squirrels, even bobcats) sounds and not only was this sound new, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. There was just something about the very presence that scared the heck out of me.

Sorry this was so long and any thoughts are welcome!

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Wow, that's pretty intense.

Do you know anyone that could have been playing a prank on you? Even then, they probably wouldn't have been able to move as quickly as you explained.

Definitely a strange, but interesting experience ^_^

EDIT: Also, has anything like that happened since? Has anyone in your family, other then your fiance, experienced anything similar? I apologize if you answered these questions in your post, my eyes are quite tired at the moment :blink:

Edited by Sarka
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Wow, when i was reading it i was sure that it was like a scared wild boar or something, but they don't live there. I live in CT like two states down from you and we have small traces of wild boars, but idk if maybe one could have wondered up New England or something.

Well, that sure is a very creepy story, have you heard anything like it again after or before?

I looked on the web and found some blogs that people have said that they saw many strange creatures in the Virginia woods, like black panthers, and captive animals that have run away. Your animal could have been just that, a runaway captive animal??

Hope you find out what it was, and stay safe :)

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Hey again and thanks for the replies. I did consider that it could have been a prank or something but there really isn't anyone around here that would do that. My cousin who has the cows doesn't live on my road and my aunt and uncle (who live nearby) are in their late 60s and I can't see them stomping through the woods at one in the morning. It'd actually be cool if they did though, lol.

So far I haven't heard it again. I've sat on my porch on many nights since then and taken night-time walks and nothing. It just bugs me not knowing what it was. It very well could have been something totally normal it was just weird. And scary!

Oops, had to edit to add that so far no one else in my family has ever heard anything like it either, not around here or in any other nearby woody place.

Edited by nowsheflies
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Now I know what people are going to say as soon as I bring this thought of mine up. You say it was around 1 Am correct? Well thats pretty late, and whether we want to admit it or not you may have been tired. When your tired its hgily possible you imagined things. But then again you could just as easily been not imaginng things.

Now just because you don't live near anyone who would do something like this I know kids who will go deep nto the woods and get messed up. only to come out on the other side.

But thanks for the read, It was intresting. Forced me to turn a light on LOL! :unsure2:

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SeanBox, you are right, it was 1 in the morning and I could have been tired and imagining things. But I wasn't :) I had been super excited all day for the meteor shower because I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to celestial things. However, I'm also not the kind of person who gets all freaky defensive because I can't be sure of what it was or wasn't either. So I do appreciate all comments.

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It couldn't have been that scary since your boyfriend didn't wanna go back in the house. But do yall have pigs at all near there? Could've been a wild pig or something.

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I know that a couple of members have already possibly suggested wild hogs/boars, and you stated that there are no wild boars in that area. I live in Georgia, and my parents have a farm in the northern part of the state. There has been a migration of wild hogs into certain parts of North GA due to habitat encroachment. Do you think there may be a possibility of the same activity where you live in VA?

I have heard the hogs after dark, and they are quite noisy. They also snort and make godawful noises just beyond the treeline (as do the coyotes :unsure2:). Sometimes it is so easy to envision supernatural or wicked creatures lurking in the forest at night when in reality, there are just wild animals passing through.

I'm very curious about what was in the woods that night you & your fiance were trying to enjoy the meteor shower.

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I should've specified in my post. I didn't mean wild boars like what everyone else was saying, I meant a "domesticated" pig that escaped a farm or something and turned feral. That seems within the realm of possibility to me if there are farms and the like near there.

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I agree with kurethmu that it is more plausible for the creature to be a domestic pig turned feral. Personally I wouldn't live in ANY wooded area w/o a dog around. I'm what you would consider a mountain girl & use my dog(s) as watchers, protectors & yes even bait (no haven't had a dog killed yet TG). I'd rather bring my dog than a gun. Knowing me I'd end up shooting myself in a panic if I was surprised by a bear or pack of wolves. My dogs let me know whenever something is around & they do a good job of keeping wild things at bay.

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It sounds like an animal to me. The "two legs" part is intriguing, but sounds play tricks on the hearing, especially when there is no sight to link to.

Game officials have been known to fib about animals they don't want people knowing are there. Then some hunter shoots one. Here in Kansas for many years the Fish and Game kept saying there were no Cougars in the state. I personally saw one years ago, as did my wife in a separate incident. Many people saw them up around Lawrence. Then they started showing up in pics on the internet, even Night Vision pics. I don't know if F&G ever admitted to them or not, but their status as experts has been pretty well discredited.

Sounds like a Bear or a Pig to me. Pigs are not always the traditional "Wild Boar". You can have a few escape captivity and they quickly revert to forest hogs. We have them around here. In fact, my guess is that is more common than more traditional "wild" breeds. There is no way that it couldn't be a Black Bear either. A Cougar will make a lot of noise too.

Have you considered the possibility of it being a human?

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Well I can see it its not like you get to see something like that everyday. I woulda been hyped up for it to. Now It doesnt take a whole lot to spot a Shooting star during a shower, but maybe a heightend awareness for being on the lookout for them allowed you to hear something you wouldn't normally.

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Do you know that even though I thought of a wild boar I never even considered a domesticated pig turned feral? That does make sense, especially if they have a tendency to "stalk" people/animals/prey. I don't know anyone who raises pigs or even where the nearest farm is but that certainly doesn't mean one couldn't have been wandering in the woods for miles.

I think it's incredibly easy in the dark and cold to hear a scary noise and just immedeatly think "OMG!!11!!1 monster!" It's also fun to think what if. . . . Sure, it was most likely a regular animal but what if it wasn't? What if. . . .

Thanks for all the replies!

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*snip* Thank you for your insight, nognome. I've removed the other 80% of your post, which seemed to have been leftover from another forum or imageboard.

...also were the meteors you did see bright enough to light up the sky?this may have scared wildlife into an open space?

Edited by Paranormalcy
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  • 5 months later...

This sounds a lot like an experience I had with a cougar while camping in Big Sur. We were with another couple, and apparently we made camp within it's territory. Apparently they don't like that. We had just bedded down when I heard the other guy calling me to wake up. He said the camp was being stalked by a cougar. I didn't believe him at first, but it was easy to hear what he was talking about. It kept circling the camp, just beyond where the light from the camp fire left off. It was bounding in huge leaps, so that it appeared to hit the ground only every 8-10 feet. The sound was a lot like heavy footsteps, except sometimes it appeared to land high up on a tree trunk and reverse directions. This went on the better part of an hour. I still doubted the guy's word that it was a cougar, it sounded so two legged (although I sure didn't know what it could be if it wasn't a cougar). It was moving 'way faster than a person could. I ventured the opinion that it probably wouldn't approach the fire, and he said they had had one stalk their camp like this and eventually walk right out to about ten feet from them, sit down and scream at them. Eventually it stopped and we went to sleep. In the morning I looked for tracks. I didn't find any, but there was plenty of evidence it had been there in the form of broken branches and torn up forest loam. Back then a cougar attack on a person would have been pretty unusual, although not today.

Since I've been back here in Missouri I've been stalked by them several times while hiking. Those heavy footfalls are unmistakeable once you've heard them. Otherwise you'd suspect Bigfoot or the Jolly Green Giant. They can be really quiet if they want to, but sometimes they want you to know they're there. It took years for the State to finally admit they have returned here, despite many sightings, and numerous photos. Eventually roadkills got too common to deny. I don't know about your State, but they are turning up many places, and might be a possibility.

Edited by fatchance2005
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First , I am glad you are looking at normal possibilities , and not jumping on a Bigfoot bandwagon :)

Your place sounds identical to ours , but we are on the Oregon Coast....We sat out at night on the back deck , and there are some strange noises for sure......We have so many different animals here , it is impossible to know what is back there with each noise....I had set up a trail camera ( you should get one , they are fun )....All I get are deer , and for the last 4 months , the same deer....I had been posting the pics here , but have stopped for a while , they are all looking the same....

Anyway , your story reminds me of the wife and I sitting on the back deck........The damn Raccoons still make me jump when they start fighting in the dark......I also go for walks in the woods , I love it !

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I agree with the feral pig theory. I once watched a great documentary on pigs and they explained that it is very easy for a domesticated pig to turn wild. They even grow bristles just like a boar. Even if boars are not local wildlife, you could have a few running around the forests due to domesticated pigs.

The grunting and crashing through the brush sounds exactly like one. They are also very quick on their feet (or hooves), which could explain the "circling" feeling. As for it sounding like it was on two legs, that could have been the fear factor playing on your mind.

Great story! I would have been scared as well! :blush:

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What part of Virginia, if I may ask? I used to live in Augusta Springs, near Staunton, pretty far back in the woods. A friend of mine and I were camping in the front yard; and we had a similar experience. Nothing, nothing, and then this loud crashing and grunting that seemed to circle us for an hour or so. I couldn't make out from sound if it was bipedal, but I did get a couple glimpses of something pretty tall moving in and out of sight.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi. First time poster. I grew up in a creek/country area and have heard sounds at night that made my imagination go crazy. And honestly some things that I wish I could blame on my imagination. My opinion, pigs/boars are more afraid of humans than we are of them. Whether one time domesticated or not, an animal is not going to intentionally run to the edge of the woods and stop, only to go back into the woods and circle around to stop in front of you. It would run away or be afraid enough to run through the clearing, straight to the other side and be gone. Not hang around to see what's up. Animals are aware of humans way before we know they are even in the vicinity, the woods are their domain. The way that it did circle and match your position does lean towards a higher intelligence tham a pig. The grunting is odd. And that is where the pig/coyote theory comes in, but does not match the actions of whatever it was. I think you stated that you saw one meteor/comet that night so there was no light show to scare any animals. Your fiancee saw and heard it too and the way you described it it doesn't sound like a mass hallucination or whatever. It came up too suddenly and you both reacted the same, so there was no build up or time to freak each other out. In the middle of nowhere at night, easy to tell the difference between 2 and 4 legs. Although on a quiet cold night sounds are distorted, but once again the circling and the way it matched itself with your position doesn't make me lean towards a sick coyote or pig gone wild. LOL. Sorry. Have you thought of bigfoot? Is your area of native descent? Native American legends in that area? What you heard could have always lived in the woods but circumstances may of driven it out of its safe zone. I would be careful, animal or not, we have a sixth sense and yours and your fiancee's was trying to tell you something. And the speed at which it ran should be a warning that whatever it may be, it could be quicker than you. Also, did you check the area that you heard the noises from to see how the trees and grass were affected? I would be more aware during your night walks. But whatever it was chose to ignore you in the end and did no harm. Sounds like it was more curious than anything.

Edited by DonnasSister
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Wild pigs are definitely moving into Virginia and domestic pigs that have gone feral are a big problem. There is also an elk population in Virginia and you already mentioned bear.

I would say that you simply had an encounter with one of the natural critters in your area.

Reminds me of a few years back. My wife and I were awaken by the most God awful sounds coming from the trees in our backyard. Something was screaming, snarling, wailing, and all of the trees were shaking. My first thought was that there were a dozen or so monkeys running back and forth among the branches and screaming at each other. That is literally what it sounded like.

I grabbed my flashlight and rifle and went out to check it out. Guess what I discovered - two fairly large sized raccoons doing a little courting.

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Perhaps it could have been a couple of really fat **** possums? I read they can make snorting noises, although I do not know how loud. Also if there were a couple of them maybe that was why it seemed to be circling. ...Or not, Ilve only ever seen a possum once...when I ran it over by accident ;_; So I do not know much about them, except that I think they are cute. :D

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Perhaps it could have been a couple of really fat **** possums? I read they can make snorting noises, although I do not know how loud. Also if there were a couple of them maybe that was why it seemed to be circling. ...Or not, Ilve only ever seen a possum once...when I ran it over by accident ;_; So I do not know much about them, except that I think they are cute. :D

I love your avatar :blush:

Anyway, I'd have to agree with the feral pig theory.

But, if I wanted to use my imagination, werewolf came to mind. :rofl:

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