Bigfoot or an animal? Eerie sounds from Oregon swamp frighten residents

There's something lurking in a swamp on the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon.

It's probably a fox or a cougar but it sounds like a monster. A monster that will eat you whole. When a resident recorded the late-night sounds, the effect was a shudder from everyone who heard it, residents told the Oregonian.

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The eerie noises that emanate from the darkness sometimes sound like screams, at other times like low roars. Several residents, including Sylvia Minthorn, called the local housing authority to report the sounds.

At least if something drags them off into the forest like in a horror movie, we can't say we weren't warned.

However, local wildlife experts say animals that aren't possessed by Satan make creepy sounds too. For example, a YouTube user uploaded this video of a fox barking.

But Minthorn says she's heard foxes bark and the noises that keep her awake are much different.

Residents of the area around the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington have a lively tradition of sharing Sasquatch folklore. OregonBigFoot.com is just one of the website's dedicated to documenting the search and naturally, selling Bigfoot art.

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When the sounds began, rumours quickly began circulating that a young Bigfoot had been separated from the clan and the sounds were its plaintive call for help.

Giant, hairy hominid or not, that's one neighbour you shouldn't invite over for coffee.