What the heck makes a low pitched ugly growl in the night?

[Dftodd]

Without a doubt Tasmanian Devil. Didn’t you watch Loony Toons growing up?

I have heard raccoons really make a racket. If you have ever heard a rabbit buy the farm that will get your attention. You hear that stuff this time of the year when sleeping with windows open. I’m always tempted to yell out the window QUIET when I get woke up.

Rabbit suddenly buying the farm, when it's dark, and really quiet.... well that will make the hair stand up on your booty.

Wife and I heard one go when we were out walking the dog after dark. It was about three weeks before she would venture out with us after dark again.

When she finally did, I shined the flashlight across the field. The 9 pair of eyeballs shining back at us, kinda freaked her out. It was a herd of deer. But after that, it's just me and dog going for walks after dark.

 

[California]

OP is in the desert, unknown how close neighbors might be. Do hungry Badgers on the hunt approach homes? Do Badgers contract rabies and get confused which might have made it more likely to be on a porch?

Not desert here. I'm an hour north of San Francisco, similar climate, mild with ocean fog some mornings. The first rain since Easter was this week, typical for California, but 40 inches of rain per year is average. The photo below shows what the orchard looks like this time of year.

As for badger on the porch - now I think what I saw last week was an earlier encounter with the badger. I thought I heard raccoons getting into the tabletop bird feeder before midnight and turned on the porch light. Something ran across so fast I couldn't recognize it but it was bigger than a raccoon. It had to crouch a little to make it under a table and was heavy enough to impact the table, as he fled. I saw bandit-eyes like a raccoon, and otherwise coloring and nose like a german shepherd. Not thinking badger since I had never seen one, I assumed it was the coyote we see occasionally. Now with this discussion of badgers, that seems to be the explanation.

Orchard photo - dry late fall before first rain, but not desert. And sufficient weeds etc for the badger to hide behind as he snarled at me.

 

[Diggin It]

Not desert here. I'm an hour north of San Francisco, similar climate, mild with ocean fog some mornings.

OK. I had you mixed up with the desert guy that's been posting lately. So, a more temperate climate reinforces my Badger thoughts.

 

[timasch]

Current wife of 42 years if i said or did something hours ago that did not sit well with her.

 

[Alien]

One of the scariest sounds I have heard is several koalas warning each other to back off. It sounds like a bunch of wild boars coming at you. First time I experienced it I headed for the house real quick. I wasn't taking any chances.

 

[Diggin It]

I heard something from a groundhog I was trying to smoke out of the burrow that could be similar to what the OP heard. It was NOT happy. And they're sort of related to the Badger in some ways.

 

[Alan W.]

"Need a picture of the critter". To get a picture of a badger and still remain at a safe distance. Going to need some fairly specialized photo gear. Plus - badgers are definitely a night time creature.

Long ago I accidentally walked up on a badger. I was about 15-20 feet behind him. He was digging at the base of an old, dead pine tree. When he finally heard me - he pivoted and smiled at me. I was so scared - I didn't realize I'd pissed my pants until I was safely back in the pickup.

In all my life - I had never seen so many pearly white, sharp teeth. I'd never heard a sound like that coming from any animal. I truly thought I was about to be dead meat.

Needless to say - badgers DO NOT like being approached from behind nor quitely.

Ive known a few women like that.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Not desert here. I'm an hour north of San Francisco, similar climate, mild with ocean fog some mornings. The first rain since Easter was this week, typical for California, but 40 inches of rain per year is average. The photo below shows what the orchard looks like this time of year.

As for badger on the porch - now I think what I saw last week was an earlier encounter with the badger. I thought I heard raccoons getting into the tabletop bird feeder before midnight and turned on the porch light. Something ran across so fast I couldn't recognize it but it was bigger than a raccoon. It had to crouch a little to make it under a table and was heavy enough to impact the table, as he fled. I saw bandit-eyes like a raccoon, and otherwise coloring and nose like a german shepherd. Not thinking badger since I had never seen one, I assumed it was the coyote we see occasionally. Now with this discussion of badgers, that seems to be the explanation.

Orchard photo - dry late fall before first rain, but not desert. And sufficient weeds etc for the badger to hide behind as he snarled at me.

North of San Francisco. Is that close to The Castro District?

 

[bunyip]

One of the scariest sounds I have heard is several koalas warning each other to back off. It sounds like a bunch of wild boars coming at you. First time I experienced it I headed for the house real quick. I wasn't taking any chances.

Bull koalas roaring during mating season sound fearsome too, cute and cuddly they do not sound, a friend had a dog growling under his verandah and found it was a rather snotty tiger snake, they also make some strange noises.

 

[/pine]

Just curious...how many have ever had a ground hog on their porch...?
LMAO...!