Most of the time I find walking in the dark exhilarating, especially on full moon nights. I always imagine that some guy, out hunting just like me, walked the same path 10,000 years ago and I am walking in his foot steps.
One time I did get a little nervous; My late wife hunted with me for years, I would put her tree stand on a tree for her with instructions to come down at dark so I could pack her stand for the trip home.
On night I went to pick her up and she was still up the tree. " Why didn't you get down?" I asked, "there is something out there and I am not getting down" she said, to which I replied, "nonsense, come on down".
About that time something about 40 yards away cut loose with the most ear splitting, blood curdling wailing scream I have ever heard. "I told you" she said.
I have heard bobcats scream, bears growl and panthers roar but have never heard anything like this. Every hair on the back of my neck was standing straight up.
The next time it screamed it had moved to about 50 yards away, then 75, 100, and finally on the far ridge.
My wife got down and we beat feet to the truck.
I have two friends who swear they have encountered a large, hairy, bipedial creature in this area on separate occasions so who knows.