Anyone know if raccoons scream?

[OHChick]

So last week, DH and I were heading out of town. We had an early flight, so I was taking the dogs out at 3:45am or so, and my coonhound mix, refused to come back in. He was on the scent of something and just would not budge. So I left him out for a while, went back in, had a bite to eat, came back out, dog still refused to come in. So I'm standing there in the pitch black dark, waiting on the dog and I hear something that sounds like a child screaming, VERY LOUD. But then it died off to more of a dog noise. So I am thinking an owl? A kid? A dog? Then I hear it again. So I drag my dog into the house, scream at DH, something is in the barn, grab a gun, and he comes out, thinking I'm crazy and he hears it too. We thought maybe one of the neighbor's little dogs was tangled in the electric fence, or it was a coyote or something. So we high-tailed it down our yard, and running out of the drainage ditch is a coon. He scampered off thru the fence. We drove on down to the barn (its a ways from the house) and checked all the critters, they were all fine. But on red alert, staring back toward the house.

We googled the raccoon scream and it said they can make a funny noise, has anyone ever heard that before? Frankly, if I never hear that noise again it'll be too soon! Scared the life out of me!

And while I was gone, my chickens decided to nest so deep in the dirt of their temporary home, they made a hole under the side of their stall. So tonight I need to fill that in so nothing can get them. Silly chickens.

Anyway, that is my story.

Was just curious if anyone else has had a similar experience.

 

[chickenfeathers]

Found this:

http://www.sound-effect.com/sounds1/animal/Treeanimals/RACCOON.aif

 

[Chatychick]

I have heard them hiss and growl, I am sure they can scream if they are in pain or trying to lure something to them. I know that panthers scream like a woman, it will raise the hacklles on the back of your neck when you hear that. So dont know for sure if they can or not...I know possums hiss also but a coon who knows...

 

[OHChick]

Quote:
Chickenfeathers, nope that's not it. Thanks for trying though. The sound I heard would make you pee your pants.

Or just about did me. Terrifying. LOL Of course I am not a country girl, this whole living so far out in the boonies thing is new to me.

 

[LynnGrigg]

Bobcats have a horrible scream. It sounds like a woman being murdered to me. I get chills just thinking about it. Also I have heard rabbits scream. I wonder if the raccoon was just there coinsidently and something else made the noise.

 

[robin416]

They make a wide range of sounds, just ask my dog who had one hanging from her neck. My two dogs rousted up a coon during the day, the snarling, barking and screaming going on was not to be believed.

My mistake was me being in the barn, them down in the creek and me not being able to see them. Thought the two dogs had gotten in to a fight. I told them to knock it off. The Redbone came right up, my Keepher headed up the creek. As she passed me I saw the coon hanging from her neck just screeching like all get out.

I called her back, by that time my husband was there with a maddox. I still don't know how he did it but he got the thing off her neck and killed it. Not a scratch on my dog at all.

 

[ivan3]

They make horrible yowling sounds when mating that might be mistaken for a dog/other beastie. Mating coons at this time of year would be unusual.

The mama coons will `chitter', whistle at their offspring, and they have quite a range of barks/growls/hisses/yelps.

Only pred in this neck of the woods that really screams would be the Barred Owls (will go on for thirty minutes at a time sounding like a recital being performed by every imp in hades).

 

[steffano2]

How about a fox screaming:

http://users.pandora.be/dedeyne/redfox-distress.wav

 

[bobbieguyette]

I was thinking fisher cat myself when they scream it sends shivers down your spine and sounds like someones getting killed the way they go on about it

 

[McGoo]

Might sound silly, but it may have been a barn owl on the prowl. They do sound just like a baby screaming. If you listen to the typical sound at this link and imagine it over and over... that may be what you heard. I have experienced barn owls at night and it send goosebumps all over and you just can't get any sleep.
http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Tyto&species=alba:/