What wild animal makes a sound like a man snoring?

I am placing my question here because I don't know where else to place it.

The animal I am trying to identify, is not anything mythological, or anything even close to being unnatural, I am sure. I believe it is a very common wild animal, but it is a new sound for me.

I live in rural South Florida. I have over 130 acres of wood/swamp land around me. I laugh when people talk about the peace and quiet of the country, because while it may be peaceful, the country is far from quiet, especially after the sun sets.

The first time I heard it was around 21:00 on Saturday night. It is very difficult to make out direction or distance when you live in theses woods, but lets say it sounded like it was about 200 feet away. It was a new sound and first I thought is was the sound of a horse snorting, but after listening for a while, I realized that it wasn't that at all.

The next night I heard it again but it was further away and I couldn't make it out at all. I just knew it was strange. So I called in reinforcements. My mother couldn't make it out either, but she said it sounded like someone snoring. Bingo! That was exactly what it sounded like.

Now I noticed that my dogs were spending more time sniffing about at night, and marking more areas, but I really paid no particular attention to it, until Monday morning when I let them out, and they took off like bats out of hell, straight into the back 40. They would not come back no matter how much I screamed. They are Ridgebacks, and well, Ridgebacks, when they decide they don't agree with you, they follow their own minds.

What was even more peculiar, is that my female is scared of her own shadow. She won't even chase a rabbit, and running is something for peasants; she trots. She doesn't run, until Monday. So, something is out there. I just don't know what. I have been listening to sound tracks of almost every wild critter known to these areas. Some of them are close, but no cigar.

What animal should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

My spouse.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree
My dog too

Wild boar?

do razorback hogs sometimes get asthama

no earthbound animal makes that snoring sound as a natural thing... It has to be a distressed critter
and sick animals are shunned by the Animal Kingdom, so even that explains your domesticated critters' reactions to this interloper

Prolly a squatch.

I don't know where you are, but hedgehogs sound exactly like that. They sound like sleeping tramps in your garden.

My old dog, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and my then housemate used to flop out on the sofa and snore in unison.

I honestly couldn't tell one from the other. The fact that your dogs are interested may suggest that the creature responsible is another dog.

Animals can be very hard to identify from the noises they make. We had what I thought was some sort of duck or crow making a racket outside for several evenings and it turned out to be a squirrel

originally posted by: kosmicjackWild boar?

We have plenty of wild boar. They are all over the place, I chase them out of my yard all the time, and my critters barely blink at them, when they go on their family strolls. So I pretty much know what they sound like, unless they have started doing something new.

But to be honest at this point I am trying to attach the sound to them, only because I have nothing else.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

You should look up local fauna in your area, im sure a website will give you a list, then try to match animal sound with animal sound board or something.

Googled this soundboard Animal Soundboard

Hogs and sometimes large cats can make noises similar depending on what they are doing

But Like others have said id probably go with hogs

originally posted by: St Udio
do razorback hogs sometimes get asthama

no earthbound animal makes that snoring sound as a natural thing... It has to be a distressed critter
and sick animals are shunned by the Animal Kingdom, so even that explains your domesticated critters' reactions to this interloper

I didn't think about that. I guess it could be a boar that is ailing, but I could have sworn that I heard another critter answer the closer critter, but much further away. I tried to tape it, but the other night noises are so loud that they drown out much of the sound on my lousy little tablet recorder.

I will listen again tonight, listening for the familiar mixed with the familiar, like a hog with swine flu.

originally posted by: Hecate666
I don't know where you are, but hedgehogs sound exactly like that. They sound like sleeping tramps in your garden.

That was the only animal out of all the ones I listened to, that sounds the most like what I am hearing. but I have never seen or even heard of anyone else ever seeing a hedgehog in these parts.

originally posted by: luciddream
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

You should look up local fauna in your area, im sure a website will give you a list, then try to match animal sound with animal sound board or something.

Googled this soundboard Animal Soundboard

Already did that. In fact that is one of the sound sites I am using.I am grateful for all suggestions, so thanks for taking the time to help.

My guess would be a wild hog or an alligator.
Possibly a skunk ape.

originally posted by: Hecate666
I don't know where you are, but hedgehogs sound exactly like that. They sound like sleeping tramps in your garden.

Because there is so much wooded land, open fields, and dirt roads, people are always dumping stuff out here. The trash is bad enough, but the number of animals they drop are criminal. My neighbors and I both will feed the poor strays that show up in our yard, and if we can't keep them, or find homes for them, we call in animal control.

We don't have much trouble with cats. They don't fare well for long, out in these woods, unless they are big enough and mean enough, to hold their own with our bobcats and our panthers. I guess someone could have dropped some hedgehogs. I just can't see how they would have gotten that far from the roads in one piece.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

I would hazard a guess of a wild boar.And in the area you are in,that would not be without reason. Boars snort and snuffle and get louder if there is a threat. Everything is a threat in their book. My sister in law had one come after her and her young daughter one day when she lived down there. All she was trying to do was get in the apartment,and she heard this snorting and snuffling with growling and started backing for the door as quick as she could. Got in in time to see this thing come out of the woods by her home ready to fight.

I know this might sound a bit silly, but could it be a smuggled in Lyrebird? I've heard they can mimic all sorts of strange sounds.

Or the more likely, still might sound silly, African Grey Parrot?

Only reason for saying either of those is because of the wooded areas.

On a similar note...our terrier snores. When we first got him and he was in bed with the wife I thought it was her snoring. Until I went through and saw it was actually him.

Please keep in mind these are just ideas so you can freely have a laugh at them if you want and I won't be offended

originally posted by: TerryDon79
I know this might sound a bit silly, but could it be a smuggled in Lyrebird? I've heard they can mimic all sorts of strange sounds.

Or the more likely, still might sound silly, African Grey Parrot?

Only reason for saying either of those is because of the wooded areas.

On a similar note...our terrier snores. When we first got him and he was in bed with the wife I thought it was her snoring. Until I went through and saw it was actually him.

Please keep in mind these are just ideas so you can freely have a laugh at them if you want and I won't be offended

Why would I laugh? I am asking for help because it is a puzzle for me.

I have lived in these woods for 15 years, and I just have never heard this sound before. Not saying the animal making the sound is new, it may be just moving through the area, or chased from their previous homes, because of the urban sprawl, which is starting to make its impact felt on all of us beasties. Two legged, four legged, no legged; we are all feeling the impact.

So your guess is just as good as mine at this point. Thanks for your help.




I would just like to have an idea of what it is, because the sound is so unusual. I haven't heard it doing the day yet. The earliest I have heard it is at dusk and late into the night.

Alligator.