WEBVTT 1 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:13.439 Twenty years ago, a deer hunted southeast of Fort Worth, Texas, 2 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:17.719 outside the town of Palestine. We hunted on over ten 3 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:23.519 thousand acres of woodland forests leased by Texas Parks and Wildlife. 4 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:26.000 On one of my hunting trips with my friends, we 5 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.559 ate and geared up for a day of bow hunting. 6 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:31.600 It was four point thirty am and I was going 7 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:35.399 to put up my tree climbing stand. Along the trail 8 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:41.000 were old growth oaks and pine trees and thickets. Halfway 9 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:43.640 to my hunting location. In the thicket next to me, 10 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:46.840 I heard a loud noise and it sounded like someone 11 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:51.000 or something heavy lifting itself off the ground. The only 12 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:53.799 light I had was when I had strapped on my head. 13 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:56.880 I turned to the left and looked into the thicket, 14 00:00:57.000 --> 00:00:59.640 but it was too dense to see through, and at 15 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:02.039 first I thought it was a wild hog, because a 16 00:01:02.039 --> 00:01:05.280 couple of mornings earlier, I ran into a bunch of those. 17 00:01:06.519 --> 00:01:09.079 I side stepped three or four steps to my right 18 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:12.920 with heavier footsteps. The creature did the same and made 19 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:17.000 a snorting noise in my direction. I'm six foot three 20 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:19.920 inches tall and I weighed two hundred and twelve pounds. 21 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:24.560 Whatever made that noise was bigger than me. Every hair 22 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:28.120 on my body stood up. MY compound bow and five 23 00:01:28.359 --> 00:01:31.879 arrows were the only weapons I had. I pulled one 24 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:34.560 of my arrows from the quiver, brought the arrow to 25 00:01:34.599 --> 00:01:37.079 the string, and had the bow in the firing position 26 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:39.799 if I had to, I was going to fight to 27 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:43.599 the death. I side stepped again to my left three 28 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:46.920 or four steps, and the creature did the same. I 29 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:49.079 looked into the thicket in front of me, and I 30 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:52.120 told whatever was there that if it did not hurt me, 31 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:55.640 I wouldn't hurt it. And I slowly turned to my 32 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:58.840 right in the direction of the trail, and I started 33 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:03.000 walking away. I looked over my shoulder and I saw 34 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:06.239 nothing behind me, and I did not hear any footsteps. 35 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:09.319 I finally made it to my tree, and I climbed 36 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:11.319 up to the stand and I hunted the rest of 37 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:16.000 the day without any other events after that incident, I 38 00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:19.840 only went hunting when I had some daylight. The next year, 39 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:24.039 Texas Park's and Wildlife gave up the hunting lease. We 40 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:26.520 heard that it was too expensive and was turned into 41 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:30.520 a private hunting club. I had never heard of bigfoot 42 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:33.800 until last year. When I came across your channel. It 43 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:36.800 makes me wonder what if this had been a bigfoot. 44 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:40.960 I really enjoy your channel more than any other. Thank 45 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:43.960 you very much the way your voice aw He goes 46 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.840 on say nice things about me. I appreciate that his 47 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:50.520 name is Jim. Jim. I appreciated Jim heard something in 48 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:54.280 the woods. No way it was a pig, No way 49 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:56.520 it was any other kind of animal, because it was 50 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:01.159 just too dang big, and it was snorting match his steps, 51 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:04.479 and I bet he did have a bigfoot encounter. Thanks 52 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:09.199 for the story, Jim. Okay. Short intro. Welcome to the podcast. 53 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:12.639 My name's Cam Buckner. This is the Dixie Cryptid Podcast. 54 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:17.280 You can also find the podcast out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 55 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:21.400 wherever you get your podcast by doing a search for 56 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:25.919 what if It's True podcast. In this podcast, I've got 57 00:03:25.960 --> 00:03:29.879 one dog man's story, one bigfoot story, and a real 58 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:32.879 treat at the end, So you're gonna have to wait 59 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:35.199 for that. But the last twenty minutes or so of 60 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:38.360 this podcast are fantastic. You'll just have to get there 61 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:41.319 to see what it is. All right, here we go. 62 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:48.080 All right, we got a dog man's story. The writer 63 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:53.919 titles the story juvenile, delinquent dog man. He claims it's true. 64 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:58.280 He wants to be anonymous. Long ago, my parents owned 65 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:01.800 a well maintained single wise trailer that included all the 66 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.879 amenities already connected. The property was an hour and a 67 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:08.759 half away from our home and was located at three 68 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:12.800 thousand feet. The area was good for hiking, hunting, and 69 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:18.000 getting away from city life. Two basque shepherds worked at 70 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:21.480 a nearby ranch and pastured their flocks of sheep near 71 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:24.959 the dirt path leading to our property, and on weekends, 72 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.720 gliders rode the mountain thermals and sometimes the sky was 73 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:32.759 filled with colorful hot air balloons. It was a beautiful 74 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:37.600 little bubble with little interference from the outside world. The 75 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:43.920 local neighbors added no end of color. A retired railroad worker, oh, man, 76 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:48.120 I'm having trouble saying that a retired railroad worker on 77 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.480 a wager had dragged two pullman cars up that narrow 78 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:54.720 mountain dirt road, and his dwelling looked like a railroad 79 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:59.120 station with cars on tracks beside the station. One of 80 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:01.720 the local firemen had designed his house to look like 81 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:04.839 a fire station, and two older women lived in a 82 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:09.360 small two story Victorian style house, perfectly painted blue with 83 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:14.439 white trim. The residents on the main road had wired 84 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:18.839 phone service and were replete with off grid power sources 85 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:23.360 of various designs. Long before off grid power became popular. 86 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:27.519 There was plenty of space separating the neighbors, so the 87 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:31.680 evenings were quiet, with the occasional friendly visit from the sheriff, 88 00:05:31.879 --> 00:05:36.279 whom I got to know well. One late autumn weekend, 89 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.560 with perfect weather, my wife and I, still a young 90 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:43.800 married couple with a highly energetic toddler daughter, decided to 91 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:46.160 go to the mountains before the snow set in or 92 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:50.800 the rain made the dirt roads undrivable. We arrived prepared 93 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:53.639 for a relaxing, short weekend, and we spent much of 94 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:57.000 the first day enjoying ourselves and keeping a close eye 95 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:01.879 on our daughter. At sundown, the mountain temperature dropped quickly 96 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:06.120 and we went inside for dinner. After our daughter finally 97 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:08.319 went to sleep, my wife and I watched the full 98 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:13.160 moon rise through the windows. At this elevation, it looked huge, 99 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:17.199 and as expected, we heard the coyote soon start singing. 100 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:22.319 It quickly escalated into chaos and then went abruptly quiet. 101 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:25.839 All the clamor got me, thinking that I'd be more 102 00:06:25.879 --> 00:06:28.800 comfortable if I were armed, but I only had bird 103 00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:32.439 shot in my shotgun. I headed out to the van 104 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:35.920 to grab some double buckshot, and when I reached the 105 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:38.959 bottom of the stairs, the moonlight showed me half a 106 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:43.800 dozen codes staring at me from twenty feet away. I 107 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:46.920 backed up against the trailer to keep them from encircling me, 108 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:50.240 while thinking about how to use four shots I had left. 109 00:06:51.319 --> 00:06:54.040 We stared at each other for what seemed like forever, 110 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:59.519 until the strangest thing happened. The Alpha sank to his 111 00:06:59.639 --> 00:07:03.720 belly and started a doggy crawl toward me. The other 112 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:07.360 five pac members followed in turn, and when the Alpha 113 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:11.439 reached me, he rolled onto his back, demanding a tummy rub. 114 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:16.480 One after another, they all did the same. I wondered 115 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:20.399 if these were somebody's exotic pets or just full moon crazy. 116 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:24.120 I kept my distance, though, and the coyoties crawled away, 117 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:28.040 and they got up and disappeared into the woodline. I 118 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:31.519 ran to the van and grabbed my bandolero and slug barrel, 119 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:35.040 and I sprinted back to the trailer. I swapped out 120 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:39.120 the barrels and loaded the magazine in record time. My wife, 121 00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:43.000 who had watched the dog's strange behavior from inside the trailer, 122 00:07:43.079 --> 00:07:46.240 hugged me. That was the craziest thing I've ever seen, 123 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:49.920 she said, and I shrug, trying to project a false 124 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:53.079 sense of calm. They had to be in somebody's pets, 125 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:57.879 I said. After calming down, the quiet night air was 126 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:02.319 suddenly riven with ear split howls and growls that shook 127 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:06.519 the trailer like an earthquake. It wasn't from the coyotes, 128 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:10.439 though the howls were far louder and deeper than any 129 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:15.079 animal I'd ever heard. The vocals were followed immediately by 130 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:18.560 two shotgun blasts, the crack of two rifle shots, and 131 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:23.120 then total silence. Within a half an hour, blue lights 132 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:25.959 were flashing at the bottom of the road, with radio 133 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:29.959 traffic breaking the silence. It was all too much for us, 134 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:33.200 and we decided to head home early. My wife and 135 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:36.039 I grabbed our sleeping daughter and got in our vehicle 136 00:08:36.360 --> 00:08:39.799 and cautiously navigated the road, cut into the side of 137 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:44.039 the mountain, and finally reached the main road. Two squad 138 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:47.039 cars lit up the intersection, and both of the shepherds 139 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:51.519 were on the scene. One of them spoke excitedly in Bosque, 140 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:55.879 while the other one translated. It seems the Bosque speaking 141 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:59.759 shepherd was returning from a pizza run, and upon return 142 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:03.559 he saw two wolves heading for the sheep. He yelled 143 00:09:03.559 --> 00:09:05.879 at them, and one of the wolves lunged at him 144 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:09.320 in his truck. There were scratches on the driver's side 145 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:12.360 door to prove it. The wolf tried to eat the 146 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.039 double barrel and lost the back of its head to 147 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:20.320 two shotgun blasts. The translating shepherd had opened fire on 148 00:09:20.440 --> 00:09:23.600 the other wolf with his thirty thirty. He claimed he 149 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:26.679 hit the other wolf twice, but it still carried off 150 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:31.960 a small sheep. Feeling braver with extra people, I got 151 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:35.039 out of the van and I was still clutching my shotgun. 152 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:38.360 The sheriff, who had become a friend of mine, nodded 153 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:42.279 for me to follow him. He lifted a plastic tarp 154 00:09:42.360 --> 00:09:45.919 and he showed me the shepherd's double barrel inserted into 155 00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:50.720 the longest canine snout I had ever seen. After a moment, 156 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:55.360 he motioned toward the front paw. I was speechless. It 157 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:58.120 looked more like a hand with claws than a paw 158 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:02.360 of a wolf. I have no doubt those claws left 159 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:05.279 their mark on the truck door. Now, I never thought 160 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:08.440 that wolves ran in this area, much less got that big. 161 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:12.840 The sheriff dropped the tarp over the animal and wished 162 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:15.799 us to safe journey home. And I got back in 163 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:17.679 the van and looked at my wife, and I said 164 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:22.919 wolves were after the sheep. A week later, I received 165 00:10:22.919 --> 00:10:26.799 a letter with no return address. Inside was a local 166 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:30.519 mountain newspaper clipping, and it stated that there had been 167 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:34.919 a wounded bear causing problems in the area. The county 168 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:38.080 had hired three professional hunters who tracked the bear for 169 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:41.240 three days before ending its reign of terror, and the 170 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:45.720 carcass was immediately disposed of. A handwritten note at the 171 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:48.720 bottom stated that the boasque had removed the sheep from 172 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:51.480 the pasture and would no longer go near the ranch. 173 00:10:53.159 --> 00:10:56.639 That following spring, my brother and his fiance wanted to 174 00:10:56.679 --> 00:10:58.679 go with my wife and me up to the mountains 175 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:01.919 for a day trip to see the snow. I agreed 176 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:05.879 under the hard boundary of leaving well before sundown, and 177 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:09.879 that we both would be heavily armed while our daughters 178 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:12.559 spent the day with Grandma. The four of us arrived 179 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:16.360 at the single wide. The remaining snow was still plentiful 180 00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:18.960 and untouched, and as soon as we were out of 181 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:23.039 the vehicle, I noticed some movement at the tree line. 182 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:27.159 Two female coyotes wandered out and found a bare sunny 183 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:30.279 spot to lie down. One of them looked over at 184 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:33.440 us and gave us a low bark, and ten attention 185 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:38.840 seeking puppies quickly attacked us. The wives were elated, and 186 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:41.120 one of the coyote mothers looked at me as if 187 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:44.399 to say, they're your problem. Now I'm taking a nap. 188 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.480 Twenty minutes later, she barked again, and all the puppies 189 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:51.799 ran back to their mothers and disappeared into the tree line. 190 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:55.600 It was yet another bizarre experience I added to my 191 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:59.320 mental list of things that had happened there. It was 192 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:02.960 a beautiful and strange property, tucked away from the world, 193 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:08.720 with a population of eccentric neighbors, both human and k nine. 194 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:12.279 That summer, a fire destroyed the trailer and the two 195 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:16.399 hundred acres. The cause was listed as arson and no 196 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:20.679 suspects were found. For the next seven years, the entire 197 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:25.840 ranch erupted into fierce wildfires every summer. We only went 198 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:29.240 back once to view the damage. My mother finally sold 199 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:32.600 the ravage land to a land consolidator for a pedtance. 200 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:36.759 Often think back to that night that those wolves attacked 201 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:40.720 the shepherds after listening to your channel, I believe two 202 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:43.840 juvenile dog men had come out to try their hunting 203 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:48.399 skills and paid dearly for their inexperience. Oh man, that 204 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:52.759 was a cool story. He actually saw a dead I 205 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:56.120 guess it was dog. It was a dog man. Some 206 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:59.440 guy stuck his shotgun. One of the shepherds stuck a 207 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:02.879 shotgun right in the snout and kill the dog man. 208 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:06.000 And they had it laying there under a tarp. Then 209 00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:09.559 I don't know. Then they give this fake story about 210 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:13.240 a bear being there and the shepherd's leaving. I don't know. Man, 211 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:15.919 you got to wonder how these things happen. It's really 212 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:19.399 really kind of interesting. It's a really good story. It's 213 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:22.840 a real intriguing and creepy story. But I loved it. 214 00:13:23.159 --> 00:13:28.320 I sure appreciate the writer for sending it. Okay, this 215 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:32.159 last story is going to be the first chapter from 216 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:34.759 a novel. Well, let me tell you how I came 217 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:39.000 across this. This guy sent an email to me. Is 218 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:41.840 about a year ago and y'all. I have over two 219 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.600 thousand emails in my inbox, and I just kind of 220 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:47.919 I don't always open emails the minute I get them, 221 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:50.759 and sometimes I'll go for two weeks and not even 222 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.559 look at my email account. And then when I go 223 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:56.039 looking for stories to put in the podcast, I just 224 00:13:56.120 --> 00:14:00.440 kind of roam around my inbox. It's like you just 225 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:03.759 couldn't believe how full it is. But I came across 226 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:08.759 this one today. And the author's name is Chris Kitchens. 227 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:11.799 Chris was in the Marine Corps and when he got 228 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:14.480 out uh uh. He says, he's on the road a lot. 229 00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:17.320 But he wrote a book and he's interested in cryptids 230 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:21.159 and bigfoot and other things, other paranormal things. And he 231 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:24.639 wrote a book called Elusive Piece. I'm gonna read you 232 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:27.679 the first chapter of it because it's really good. You 233 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:30.159 guys would like to read these type of stories. I 234 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:33.960 think you'd love this book. Again. It's called Elusive Piece. 235 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:39.000 The author's name is Chris Kitchens. The link to the 236 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:42.759 to the uh to the book on Amazon will be 237 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:45.919 in the description. And I hope you buy it and 238 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:49.080 support him and read it because it's uh in this 239 00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:52.000 first chapter would keep me hooked and make me want 240 00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:55.320 to read the whole book. So let's uh, let's read 241 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:57.240 the first chapter. I think you're going to like it. 242 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:01.759 After retiring from the Marine cor Josh landed the job 243 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:05.519 of a lifetime with the Arkansas Department of Natural Resources 244 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:09.960 as a nuisance animal control officer. While the job was 245 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:13.080 not a full time position, it did come with several perks, 246 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:15.440 the main one being that he had time to work 247 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:19.799 on their ranch in Cove, Arkansas. Josh met his wife, 248 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:24.960 Emily while on his third deployment to Afghanistan. Recently promoted 249 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:28.480 to lieutenant colonel and nearing her twenty year mark, she 250 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:30.679 was able to get a billet at the Little Rock 251 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:33.879 Air Force Base to finish her career, which worked out 252 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:40.159 great for their plans. Although Josh truthfully believed Emily about 253 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:43.679 the sisquatch encounter that she had while growing up outside 254 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:47.519 of Bayview, Idaho, he often teased her over the sasquatch 255 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.799 movies and shows that she made him watch and the 256 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:53.759 podcast that she liked to listen to about the subject. 257 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:58.679 While Josh thought bigfoot was a possibility, he never dreamt 258 00:15:58.679 --> 00:16:00.799 that he would come face to face with one in 259 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:05.759 his lifetime. After all, the only actual proof that existed 260 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:09.480 was the video from northern California shot back in nineteen 261 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:14.960 sixty seven, Josh was dispatched to Waite in Arkansas, where 262 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:19.519 ranchers were reporting livestock attacks from an unknown predator, and 263 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:23.399 their efforts to thwart the attacks, along with identifying and 264 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:28.759 terminating the predator, were going nowhere. Little evidence was left 265 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:31.799 after each attack, and with the ground being rocky and 266 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:37.080 hard track, impressions were all but impossible to find. The 267 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:40.279 animal had hit several chicken houses in the area, leaving 268 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:44.039 only feathers and the heads of the chickens. Although cattle 269 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:46.919 were present, none of them had been attacked at this point. 270 00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:52.000 Occasionally some feed went missing, and if dogs were around, 271 00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:55.039 they were either scared of this predator or it was 272 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:59.399 stealthy enough to avoid the dogs. This led Josh to 273 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:02.320 believe that a large cat was in the area, so 274 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:07.599 he opted for his integrally suppressed three hundred AAC Blackout 275 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:12.000 with low variable powered optic with four magazines of his 276 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:15.920 handloaded one hundred and eighty grain soft point AMO, along 277 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:19.640 with his night Hawk Custom nineteen eleven and four sixty 278 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:25.319 rollin as a secondary firearm. As per his personal standard 279 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:29.039 operating procedures. His custom made four and a half inch 280 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:32.400 fixed blade field knife was a staple on the back 281 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:35.160 of his battle belt he wore while in the field. 282 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:39.960 After meeting with the rancher from the most recent attack 283 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:43.440 and going over the area, Josh parked his truck where 284 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.519 the rancher said it would be out of their way, 285 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:49.440 and he proceeded to gear up for the hunt. Carrying 286 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.240 enough water and food for a week in his pack, 287 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:55.640 Josh headed toward the nearest tree line with the confidence 288 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.079 his tracking skills would lead him not only to the 289 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:02.440 animal that he was looking for, but also identify what 290 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:06.960 he was looking for well before he encountered it. Large 291 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:10.480 cats are very stealthy, blending in extremely well in their 292 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:14.400 environment and having an uncanny ability to stalk their prey 293 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:18.759 while being stalked themselves. And while cougars and panthers and 294 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:22.000 mountain lions or whatever the locals referred to them as 295 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:25.319 were not common in the Arkansas, the game and fish 296 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:29.799 had recently recognized them as being in the state. Josh 297 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:32.119 had seen a few back in his youth, and like 298 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:36.519 many others, knew they had been here for years. The 299 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:40.000 ranch bordered the Ozark National Forest, and though it was 300 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:43.880 still spring, much of Arkansas had experienced a mild winter, 301 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:47.920 which meant many trees bloomed early. The forest in the 302 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:52.279 area consisted primarily of hardwoods, and being in the mountains, 303 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:55.559 the underbrush wasn't as thick as in the lower areas 304 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:59.000 by the streams and rivers or the Delta region of 305 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:03.319 eastern Arkansas. All Josh gowered the ground for any sign 306 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:08.000 of the animal as he began to search. Checking his 307 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:11.279 position on the GPS, Josh knew he had a couple 308 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:15.160 of hours before sunset. He wanted to make camp prior 309 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:18.440 to nightfall, and began scouting for a defensive spot to 310 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:23.279 make camp. Like discipline was crucial with the probability of 311 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:26.480 a cougar in the area. He would be relying on 312 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:29.839 his thermal imager and night vision clip to see what 313 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:32.319 he may not be able to see with his naked eyes. 314 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:37.079 Josh had found a small pocket against a rock outcropping 315 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:40.279 that would be perfect. There was only one way in 316 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:43.880 should whatever may be lurking in the night decide to attack. 317 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:48.160 He set about running some fishing lines with bells attached 318 00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:51.519 around the perimeter to act as an early warning system, 319 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.200 and After ranging several reference points, he started making his supper. 320 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:59.920 He still had self service, so he checked in with 321 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:02.480 with Emily to let her know that he was okay, 322 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:06.279 and he sent her the coordinates of his location. And 323 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:09.759 as Josh relaxed by the small fire he'd built, he 324 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:14.279 was checking his GPS information. He was a little shy 325 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:16.960 of two miles away from where he'd crossed the fence, 326 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:20.079 yet had covered six miles as he worked the area 327 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:24.039 looking for tracks or clues. He finally picked up the 328 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:27.160 trail he was currently on after finding some feathers and 329 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:31.079 chicken parts. While this wasn't much to go on, he 330 00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:34.480 felt confident he was on the right track. As the 331 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:37.880 sun settled behind the mountains, he snuffed out a fire. 332 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:40.839 He did not need the flames to interfere with his 333 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:45.920 night vision. Closing his eyes, Josh left the darkness of 334 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.960 the woods enveloped him. This was when he felt like 335 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:51.960 he was most alive and the forest and away from 336 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:55.799 all the noise. Even small towns emit a lot of 337 00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:00.319 noise pollution and focusing his hearing, the forest was coming 338 00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:04.599 alive with the night critters that inhabited it alone. Coyote 339 00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:08.039 yelped in the distance as the crickets chirped their serenade. 340 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:11.599 With the exception of whatever was killing the chickens and 341 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:17.599 making the larger livestock animals nervous, all was well. After 342 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:20.960 scoping the area with the thermal for a few hours, 343 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.240 Josh settled in to get some sleep, and he was 344 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:28.200 startled away by how quiet the forest had become. He 345 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:30.680 checked his watch and it was four twenty five in 346 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:34.920 the morning. Josh strained his ears, listening for the slightest sound. 347 00:21:35.799 --> 00:21:38.200 It was as if a switch had been flipped or 348 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:42.440 putting on sound suppression ear muffs. There wasn't any noise 349 00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:46.640 at all. Moving as slow and quietly as he could, 350 00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:50.119 Josh powered the thermal on and began scanning the area, 351 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:54.440 and he saw nothing. He eased around to a sitting position, 352 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:57.160 with his back leaning against the rocks he had set 353 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:00.599 up in. He placed his rifle where he could shoulder 354 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:04.359 it quickly, and he waited. It would be another hour 355 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:07.839 before the sun would begin rising, and the moonlight was waning. 356 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:12.160 Josh was reaching for his water when he heard it, 357 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:18.000 a feminine voice that said help me. The voice sounded strange, 358 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:23.559 almost mechanical. He sat there in silence, listening intently, he 359 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:26.680 couldn't have heard a voice, as there wasn't any direction 360 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:30.279 from which it came. That's it, Josh thought to himself. 361 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:34.480 I've officially gone off my rocker. He had no longer 362 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:38.079 finished that thought when he heard the voice again. Please hurry, 363 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:42.039 was what sounded in his head. The voice was followed 364 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:45.480 by what sounded like a loud thump against a tree. 365 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:48.440 Slinging his pack over his shoulders, he now had a 366 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:53.559 direction to go toward. Walking cautiously with his rifle at 367 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:56.640 the low ready, Josh made his way toward where he 368 00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.799 believed the noise had come from. Don't be alarmed when 369 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:03.240 you crest the knoll, he will not hurt you. Another 370 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:07.920 voice said. This was a different voice. Again, it was 371 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:11.960 mechanical in nature, but it was just different. Trying to 372 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:16.240 control his breathing, Josh was experiencing a severe adrenaline dump 373 00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:18.960 to his system, and the senses seemed to be in 374 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:22.920 hyperdrive and the air seemed to be bristling with electricity. 375 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:27.319 The nole was now less than one hundred meters away, 376 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:31.599 and he was closing quickly, scanning the woods for any 377 00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:34.359 sign of the movement, and sweeping his weapon to check 378 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:38.240 behind him every fifth step. Josh was moving quickly as 379 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:43.599 a sense of urgency seemed to overcome him. Nothing could 380 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:46.079 have prepared him for what he was about to see. 381 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:50.119 As he topped the knoll, Josh almost lost his balance 382 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:53.200 as he came to a sudden stop, lunging backward to 383 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:56.559 help offset his forward momentum at what was laying there 384 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:02.680 before him. It was a very pregnant female sasquatch. Her 385 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:06.039 hair was auburn in color, and what skin was exposed 386 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:09.559 around her faced, hands, and breasts, and feet was leathery 387 00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:13.799 tan colored. Her hazel colored eyes were large and soft, 388 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:17.000 and as he looked in them, he could see pain, fear, 389 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:23.480 and intelligence. Something is wrong, she said. Lowering his weapon, 390 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:27.640 Josh wondered, how's this possible? He said it out loud. 391 00:24:28.440 --> 00:24:33.039 Please help quickly, was her reply. Josh knew she hadn't 392 00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:36.200 said the words verbally, yet the words were crystal clear 393 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:39.519 in his head, and he set his weapon down, dropped 394 00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:43.640 his pack, and began digging his medical kit out. Scanning 395 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:46.559 the area, he noticed another one peeking out from behind 396 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:50.519 a tree. This one was larger, and Josh figured that 397 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:53.279 one to be a male. I won't hurt you, the 398 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:57.839 voice tried to reassure him. Please help her, the voice pleaded. 399 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:01.400 He put on a pair of nitral gloves and with 400 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:05.160 his medkit in hand, Josh stated sympathetically as he could, 401 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:07.839