Howls heard at night near home outside Guilderland witnessed in Albany County, New York

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In mid July, I was sitting at my computer at night, playing a computer game, with the television on behind me. I was watching my sister's dog while they were on vacation, and she was laying down in the other room. At perhaps 7pm or 8pm I heard a howl in the distance, very far behind my house. This is not uncommon, since there is a heavily wooded area where there are hills, and bears often live in the area. A call from a mother to a cub is not unheard of, especially in evening hours. I made sure the dog was in the house and then went to the back and shut the back door. I was not scared of anything getting in, but the dog often will run through a screen door to get to honking geese passing by, a neighbors dog or even a rabbit if it sees one in the back yard. I heard the same, distant howl again a few minutes later and dismissed it. I went back and played my video games for another hour, and then I heard the sound again, but it chilled me more so then I can ever explain in words ...