Screaming or howling in Plumas County, California

It was completely dark where we were. We had quite a large fire lit at the time. Nothing was found. Approximately at 9:00 pm at night after dinner we were all around the fire cracking jokes and laughing quite a bit. We go on the trips to the Granite Basin area at least twice a year. My friend Mark owns mineral rights to several mines in the area. The area is catacombed with several mines. Also noted, the area has many streams and creeks with beautiful clear water. Also noted, this is a very healthy forest with much new growth. Anyway, we were talking and laughing (my friend Mark is a loud person) and I have said that more than once how far I can hear him. All of the sudden he comes to me and says, "Andrew, shut up and listen." Mark seemed a bit riled up so I did what he asked. What I heard next, I will never EVER forget. It was this horrible screaming sound that I have heard before on my download from the Art Bell radio show. The one where you hear the sound he talks about saying, "Bigfoot experts have confirmed this sound." And how "you would never, ever, want to hear it in the dark of night in the woods." It was the SAME SOUND!!! I am sure of it. Would stake my life on it. It was farther away than the screams on the recording and could be missed if you were to talk. But make no mistake, once we all shut up, and we did, we all heard this. It even repeated like the screams in the recording. Someone suggested perhaps a coyote. No way, Mark and I are experienced woodsmen, and I have been inches away from bears while backpacking in Yosemite and have coyote's where I live! I know what a wolf sounds like. This was not even close to those sounds. Also noted, as soon as Mark originally told me to shut up and listen, we both verified the sound as being the one in the recording at the same time!!! It was that unmistakeable. We have listened to numerous recordings and the one stated above is the only one that sounded like the calls, screams we heard that night. Also noted, the noise changed briefly on one call and sounded (don't laugh) like someone strangling a cat. Also noted, it almost seemed like it heard us because the sound would stop and someone would make a joke and we would laugh and then we would hear it immediately after making noise. Also noted, could not judge distance but it seemed like it was a couple of miles away (just a guess). Also noted, the sound came from above the basin where we were. We had taken a 12-gauge [shotgun] out, and fired it twice after this went on for a few minutes. Heard no more sounds after this. We do not hunt animals (we do not believe in shooting animals) we target-shoot and go skeet-shooting. We would never ever want to shoot one of these animals, save of course using a camera. Also noted, the night before, early in the morning, I heard what sounded like someone walking around our camp very softly and carefully. I did not even think about it at the time and it was too damn cold to even want to get out of my tent. No prints, smell, or any sighting was observed. I asked if anyone was out at the time and the answer was no. Also noted, I was pretty shaken after hearing this unnerving sound. I pretty much stayed by the fire the rest of the night. Looked often into the darkeness but saw nothing. No other animal sound was reported the rest of the night. After I got home I played the sound to the rest of our camp group, they all verified that it "sure did sound like what we heard." Although, some of the guys had trouble digesting this. But still verified what I am saying here about the same sound. Also noted, it was opening weekend for hunting season but did not see anyone.