AboutWounded Knee Expertise I can advise on anything having to do with hiking and backpacking skills and equipment, including map and compass and orienteering skills. I cannot advise on the use of GPS devices. I cannot advise on car camping or group camping (10 or more people). My primary geographic expertise is in the US Northeast, but I know how to find information on hiking and backpacking just about anywhere.
Experience I've been hiking and backpacking for about 40 years, including ongoing section hiking of the Appalachian Trail (almost 1300 miles so far). I have hiked extensively in the New York Metropolitan Area, as well as various other areas from Virginia north, including upstate New York, New England, and Eastern Canada.
Publications New York Walk Book, 7th Ed. New Jersey Walk Book, 2nd Ed.
Education/Credentials Not applicable to this area of expertise.
Question This past weekend our boy scout troop was camping out in Harriman near the Dutch Doctor shelter and during the night we heard these very eerie cries coming from some animal deep in the woods. Do you know what animal (coyote, red fox, etc.) might be the cause of such a horrifying Halloween type scream? It almost sounded as if it was more than one animal making the noise. Is it possible that the noises we heard are part of a hunting ritual of the animals responsible for these skin crawling sounds?
Answer This is a bit beyond my area of expertise -- I'm a backpacking expert, not a nature expert -- but I'll give you my best guess. Your description sounds like coyotes, which I have heard once on the Appalachian Trail, but never in Harriman. I have heard that they are present in the park, however. It is also possible that it might have been some kind of bird, although most of the birds that I know of that make scream-like sounds live considerably further to the north, not around here. For additional information, I recommend that you consult a nature expert.
