Report 24373: Hunter scouting for elk hears stick breaks & a loud scream-howl close to his tent near Randle

I went on an overnight backpacking trip with my son. We hiked about 4 miles down the trail and then hopped off the trail and down a hill to a small lake off of the trail a ways. We setup camp and then went scouting (looking for elk). We returned that evening, started a fire then went to bed in the tent. At 4:00 AM I awoke to some noise, I always awake easily while camping due to concerns of bears getting into our food. I heard some branches break about 50 yards from the tent and then an extremely loud scream/howl noise I have ever heard. I don't know how to explain it, but it was nothing I've heard before. I grabbed my pistol and flashlight and sat quietly in the tent. After a couple of minutes a heard a couple more branches break and that was it. We planned on leaving at 5:00 am to catch the elk while they were out feeding, but I decided to head out at that time. We packed up our stuff and left at 4:30. Yes, it freaked me out and we got out of there.