# What animal was making this growling snuffling sound outside my building the other night? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 26, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756 "2016-10-26T06:16:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/21 "2016-10-27T00:33:23Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Werewolf? There wolf. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/22 "2016-10-27T00:40:47Z")
Ring Wraiths? ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/23 "2016-10-27T00:53:01Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I’d bet on a coon. \ … Knowing there were two of them makes me lean towards 'coons. IME, they often move around / forage with a cohort or two. I’ve live-trapped coons quite a bit (to move 'em fat away from my veggie-garden) and more often than not, there would be a pair of coons in trap - not just one. Like the second coon to enter trap HAD to have had its nnose up the first one’s butt as trap was not meant for large/long animals. And coons can make some odd and varying sounds when they are ‘talking’ amongst themselves, or so I have heard. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/24 "2016-10-27T00:53:11Z")
House elves, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/25 "2016-10-27T03:45:30Z")
Trump? Or has that gotten old already? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/26 "2016-10-27T03:47:49Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > There wolf. Why are you talking that way? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/27 "2016-10-27T04:59:29Z")
Sometimes trapping local critters can present some interesting situations. Such as: [Two for one](https://get.google.com/albumarchive/109890283948725443096/album/AF1QipMUT_dHz_T8KCGPI_82tHFr5CvQwGzQ10DOeB9c) :rolleyes: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Magicicada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Magicicada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magicicada)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/28 "2016-10-27T05:48:46Z")
I am leaning towards it being raccoons, since it seems they make many interesting sounds, although I haven’t yet found a recording that precisely matches what I heard. I probably erred in describing the sound as a growl, because it was more continuous than a growl, more like a purr. For those who expressed concern, sightings of black bears are very, very rare in these parts, to the point of being mythical. I’ve known only one individual who even suspected the presence of one (by scent; she had formerly lived in Alaska and was familiar with the smell) and that was over 20 years ago and out in the boondocks. I double checked today with my most outdoor-expert friend, who actually lives near a conservation area, and after she stopped laughing she assured me that no, there are no bears here. I did remember to bring a flashlight with me (and by the way, when I flung open the door and yelled, I was still in the building behind a screen door). What’s really annoying is I own a night vision monocular which I also did not have with me, plus we have a trail cam, but it wasn’t set up because it has decided to take 3000 pictures in the daylight and none at night. Anyway, probably raccoons. Or werewolves. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/29 "2016-10-27T15:23:40Z")
So where is Rod Serling when he’s needed now? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/30 "2016-10-27T15:50:33Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > So where is Rod Serling when he’s needed now? Skulking about behind the building grumbling to himself. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/31 "2016-10-28T02:32:18Z")
Raccoon. I had the great misfortune to have an entire family living right around my yard–they’d seldom come into my yard because of the dogs, but they were all over the neighbor’s yard and up the huge ancient fir tree between our houses. One night the lot of them were up the tree and were either fighting or fucking (possibly both!) and making the most outlandish noises. Growls, snorts and squeals like pissed off pigs and general ruckus as they squabbled about. I have never before nor since heard raccoons make noises like that and I had no idea they could sound like battling pigs up a tree. I shone a maglight up there and saw the lot of them clinging to the branches and even though they stopped when I went out there, they went right back to it once I went back inside. Eventually I went out with the hose and ran into my neighbor from across the street–luckily, the hose broke up the snort party because my neighbor had his .45 pistol and was all ready to shut that shit down right quick. So yeah, raccoons, I’d bet on it. They hiss, too. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/32 "2016-10-28T14:11:54Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > So yeah, raccoons, I’d bet on it. They hiss, too. And they have a lot of teeth. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/33 "2016-10-29T17:32:05Z")
Scary clown? ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/34 "2016-10-29T18:08:10Z")
Frumious Bandersnatch? Vermicious Knid? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/35 "2016-10-30T02:22:07Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Frumious Bandersnatch? > Vermicious Knid? Perhaps an intoxicated person searching for his vorpal sword. ---
**Author:** ![Magicicada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Magicicada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magicicada)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/36 "2016-10-30T03:18:46Z")
My threads usually aren’t this successful. I’m rather thrilled with the responses. Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/37 "2016-10-30T03:24:10Z")
> [@Magicicada](#): > > My threads usually aren’t this successful. I’m rather thrilled with the responses. Thank you all. And, you ain’t dead. There is that, too! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/38 "2016-10-30T12:57:24Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > And, you ain’t dead. There is that, too! Don’t assume anything on All Hallows’ Eve. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/39 "2016-10-30T20:03:09Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > I don’t know if porcupines snort, but they’re nocturnal and not very big. > [Frequently asked Questions about Porcupines](http://allstateanimalcontrol.com/animals/porcupines/porcupine_faq.php#1) porcupines do make snuffling noises. And I’ve seen several dead ones this month, so they’re definitely out and about. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756/40 "2016-10-30T20:15:57Z")
[Badgers?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obC_jM5qnWI) I know, I know, you don’ need no stinkin’ badgers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-was-making-this-growling-snuffling-sound-outside-my-building-the-other-night/769756.md?page=1)