. Then I picked up on a distant challenge howl and they shut up. Probably the young of last year down on the creek and the challenge howl was a crusty old seasoned veteran, and they shut up rather than deal him. 
But I barely heard that challenge howl in the distance....the hearing is going with age. Last week I went out one night and did some roadin' with my locator siren sounds and got no come back back howls. Now I'm wonderin' if maybe I got some, and couldn't hear 'em. I've got a pair of amplified hearing protector muffs, with a pretty good volume control and I guess it's time to start wearing them in the field. I kinda hate to have to do that b'cause I've tried to be pretty minimalist about what I carry around out there. I generally take my bag stool with my caller, knife, a piece of rope fer draggin and maybe my cell phone, or camera. Adding the muffs will make that little stool a bit tight to pack stuff in. 'Sides that, as I get older I find I want to pack less and less weight around out there! Kinda like my little pop up blind, it works really good for concealment, but I quit using it b'cause it's a pain in the arse to pack around!
Part of getting older I know........but it sucks!!!!!!!
