Stalking in swamp during Florida BFRO expedition witnessed in Lake County, Florida

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My second night on the Florida expedition, I set up my camp in the hot area and had one of the most terrifying nights of my life. For the first two hours after dusk, I was by myself and heard what seemed to be three large animals, breaking branches and knocking on trees all around my camp; they moved in what sounded like a triangular pattern, came between me and my vehicle, which was only 20 yards away, and broke a branch that had to be thicker than my wrist. Later in the evening, we heard a very strange, gurgling sound that sounded like nothing I have ever heard before. All this was followed by a 25 second tree-knocking session that would have amazed anyone who heard it. These sounds had to be made by an animal with opposable thumbs; if they were made by humans, they would have had to have been able to navigate one nasty swamp in pitch black dark with the speed and agility of a cat. The guys that camped at that site the next night had audio recorders and got some. As for me...