WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.060 --> 00:00:01.659 Hello, friends. 2 00:00:02.180 --> 00:00:04.940 Steve Stockton here with you. Today, we're bringing you something 3 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:10.060 just a little bit different. National and State Park Bigfoot Encounters. 4 00:00:11.570 --> 00:00:13.750 Join me. Let's take a walk and see. 5 00:00:16.030 --> 00:00:18.510 For many years, we've heard of the phenomenon of Bigfoot 6 00:00:18.570 --> 00:00:22.429 roaming our state and national parks in the United States. Certainly, 7 00:00:22.469 --> 00:00:24.309 the most popular is brought to our attention by the 8 00:00:24.350 --> 00:00:28.399 infamous Patterson-Gimlin film regarding a possible Bigfoot that was coined 9 00:00:28.539 --> 00:00:33.820 Patty back in 1967. Line horseback, camera in hand, shooting 10 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.899 footage for an entirely different film, Roger Patterson and Bob 11 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:41.179 Gimlin accidentally stumbled upon this enigmatic creature roaming in northern 12 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:44.439 California's Bluff Creek, of which they later claimed to be Bigfoot. 13 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:48.770 Over the years, many articles, books, and television shows had 14 00:00:48.810 --> 00:00:51.390 jumped on board to either help to support or debunk 15 00:00:51.909 --> 00:00:55.429 the existence of Bigfoot or even the Patterson-Gimlin film itself. 16 00:00:56.409 --> 00:00:59.210 Many groups and a new breed of researchers soon developed 17 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:01.840 to explore our national and state parks in an effort 18 00:01:01.859 --> 00:01:06.269 to discover and prove the existence of this creature. Popular science, 19 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:10.090 at best, regards Bigfoot more of an imagination, or in 20 00:01:10.129 --> 00:01:12.969 some cases a giant ape or some kind of missing link. 21 00:01:13.909 --> 00:01:16.629 Despite the many videos and encounters that have matriculated over 22 00:01:16.670 --> 00:01:20.650 the years, Bigfoot in most circles has been deemed mostly folklore, 23 00:01:20.989 --> 00:01:23.829 or some sort of hyper-exaggerated. 24 00:01:22.909 --> 00:01:24.549 Imaginations by the people involved. 25 00:01:25.640 --> 00:01:28.079 These folks are mainly researchers who have spent years in 26 00:01:28.140 --> 00:01:32.349 our national parks and state forests, including novice Bigfoot enthusiasts 27 00:01:32.390 --> 00:01:35.909 who spend weeks and weekends trying to get that video, picture, 28 00:01:36.370 --> 00:01:39.870 or audio of the whoops, yells, footprints casting, or even 29 00:01:39.950 --> 00:01:43.780 hear a popular wood knock. Today, we do not explore 30 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:47.079 the existence of Bigfoot, but concentrate on these encounters by 31 00:01:47.099 --> 00:01:49.400 the groups of men and women who proclaim to have 32 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.260 had a variety of encounters in our national and state parks. 33 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:55.730 These stories are not subject to research only. but by 34 00:01:55.750 --> 00:01:58.219 the many folks who simply camp out or explore these 35 00:01:58.250 --> 00:02:04.319 great American parks. First up, Salt Lake National Park. According 36 00:02:04.340 --> 00:02:07.180 to USA Today, this park in Ohio claims to be 37 00:02:07.239 --> 00:02:09.419 one of the most heavily saturated areas in the state 38 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:13.530 of Ohio for Sasquatch or Bigfoot sightings. Two hikers, who 39 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.129 we'll call John and Larry, decide to spend the afternoon 40 00:02:16.169 --> 00:02:18.389 in this national park, as they often do, to be 41 00:02:18.430 --> 00:02:20.789 with Mother Nature and explore all that she has to offer. 42 00:02:21.849 --> 00:02:23.870 The two men had grown up together and often made 43 00:02:23.930 --> 00:02:26.030 this a monthly ritual to go off and hike upon 44 00:02:26.069 --> 00:02:29.389 their favorite trails. Throughout the years, the two friends had 45 00:02:29.430 --> 00:02:31.800 never experienced what was lurking in the shadows for them 46 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:36.039 on this sunny winter day in January of 2012. We 47 00:02:36.060 --> 00:02:38.479 should not be here, John had exclaimed as he and 48 00:02:38.500 --> 00:02:40.560 Larry came upon a shadow in the woods that stepped 49 00:02:40.620 --> 00:02:42.039 out of the tree line to give them a full 50 00:02:42.099 --> 00:02:45.509 view of something that today is hard to imagine. To 51 00:02:45.550 --> 00:02:48.909 their disbelief, a hairy, upright creature, standing about seven and 52 00:02:48.930 --> 00:02:51.610 a half feet tall, emerged and was walking on two legs. 53 00:02:52.810 --> 00:02:54.469 The two men looked at each other, and for that 54 00:02:54.530 --> 00:02:57.280 brief moment of glancing at each other, their terror heightened 55 00:02:57.349 --> 00:03:00.280 as this possible Bigfoot had disappeared back into the depths 56 00:03:00.310 --> 00:03:05.199 of the tree line. Next up, New River Gorge National Park. 57 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.259 This encounter was reported by Billy Humphrey and his wife 58 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:11.360 Sheena out of Danese County, West Virginia, less than a 59 00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:16.080 mile from this newer American National State Park. This encounter 60 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:20.099 took place in October of 2019. Billy Humphrey has stated 61 00:03:20.139 --> 00:03:23.439 time and time again, quote, Bigfoot does not exist and 62 00:03:23.460 --> 00:03:25.900 you would have to be crazy to think otherwise, end quote. 63 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:29.039 More or less the words that Mr. Humphrey stated during 64 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:33.319 an interview with a local newspaper from his hometown of Denise. Humphrey, 65 00:03:33.580 --> 00:03:35.919 a former U.S. Marine, avid hunter, and coal miner from 66 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:38.759 his hometown, keeps going over and over what he encountered 67 00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:41.300 during preparation of his hunting blind a mile or so 68 00:03:41.460 --> 00:03:44.520 away from his home. In setting up his deer stand 69 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:47.280 roughly nine feet off the ground, Billy had spread an 70 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:49.539 assortment of food several feet away from the blind in 71 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:52.789 the hopes of drawing some deer into view. Upon returning 72 00:03:52.830 --> 00:03:55.090 several hours later to his blind, he noticed that all 73 00:03:55.150 --> 00:03:58.939 the food was gone. Frustrated at his finding, Billy once 74 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:02.300 again scattered more food in the hunting area. Surely, there 75 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:05.400 were rodents ranging from squirrels, opossums, raccoons, and deer in 76 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:07.759 the area, but to gobble up his bait so fast 77 00:04:07.900 --> 00:04:11.860 seemed highly irregular. This time, Billy spent the second night 78 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:14.500 in his stand to investigate just who or what these 79 00:04:14.539 --> 00:04:18.720 culprits were. Then that night, an eerie and unsettling feeling 80 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:21.019 came over Mr. Humphrey, so much so that he sent 81 00:04:21.079 --> 00:04:24.740 a text message to his wife, Sheena. Then, suddenly out 82 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:27.439 of the darkness, something approached him directly in the back 83 00:04:27.459 --> 00:04:30.589 of his blind, and he imagined what was a heavy footfall. 84 00:04:31.769 --> 00:04:34.350 Billy is up nine feet, and his blind, remember, has 85 00:04:34.410 --> 00:04:36.389 attached a light to the top of his tree stand. 86 00:04:37.230 --> 00:04:39.129 The movement now moved from the back of him and 87 00:04:39.170 --> 00:04:41.290 passed directly in front of the stand, which cast a 88 00:04:41.329 --> 00:04:44.230 large shadow in front of him. Billy had thought this 89 00:04:44.329 --> 00:04:47.339 more than likely a bear, But the next morning, Billy 90 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.720 had described the night's events and asked Sheena to join 91 00:04:49.740 --> 00:04:53.079 him after she got off from work. Sheena agreed, and 92 00:04:53.139 --> 00:04:55.639 approximately at 4 p.m., they left for the hunting site. 93 00:04:56.579 --> 00:04:59.540 After reaching the location, the couple waited till nighttime to 94 00:04:59.579 --> 00:05:04.300 be on high alert. After 15 minutes past sunset, Sheena. 95 00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:09.180 Exclaimed to Billy, There he is. There's who, Billy retorted. Bigfoot, 96 00:05:09.379 --> 00:05:10.040 Sheena replied. 97 00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:12.720 Billy reached for his cell phone and claimed he had 98 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:14.980 snapped a picture of what appeared to be a Sasquatch. 99 00:05:16.410 --> 00:05:19.769 The Bigfoot turned towards the couple, moaned loudly, and then 100 00:05:19.829 --> 00:05:23.110 disappeared into the darkness of the forest. Billy Humphrey did 101 00:05:23.170 --> 00:05:25.269 not go back to this location for over a month, 102 00:05:25.670 --> 00:05:28.470 still disheveled from his experience, and when he did, he 103 00:05:28.509 --> 00:05:30.610 found his tree blind that had been nine feet above 104 00:05:30.629 --> 00:05:35.009 the ground, tattered and torn to pieces. Next, we have 105 00:05:35.029 --> 00:05:38.970 the Shoshone National Forest. Wyoming, 1972. 106 00:05:38.970 --> 00:05:40.899 While at Wild. 107 00:05:40.689 --> 00:05:44.360 River Range in the Shoshone National Forest, fishing game biologist 108 00:05:44.930 --> 00:05:47.709 John Mayanzinki, who works for the state, happened upon a 109 00:05:47.769 --> 00:05:51.430 very intense Bigfoot encounter. While his first thoughts was that 110 00:05:51.470 --> 00:05:53.670 of a bear that came upon his campsite to investigate 111 00:05:53.689 --> 00:05:56.790 all the freshly cooked food, which emitted an intense aroma 112 00:05:56.850 --> 00:05:59.569 in the fresh Shoshone air, John had been tucked away 113 00:05:59.610 --> 00:06:02.350 in his tent after a fine evening of eating some bacon, beans, 114 00:06:02.529 --> 00:06:05.629 and a fresh half-pot of coffee. The time had gotten 115 00:06:05.670 --> 00:06:07.379 away from John as he was poised for a good 116 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.879 night's sleep with the next day's planned event of getting 117 00:06:09.939 --> 00:06:12.360 up early and trying to snag a few trout from 118 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:15.379 the crystal clear river that ran through the range. The 119 00:06:15.420 --> 00:06:17.600 moon was high and bright. John figured the time to 120 00:06:17.639 --> 00:06:21.100 be close to midnight, when suddenly he heard a rough-sounding 121 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:24.680 grunt and a shadow move up alongside his tent. The 122 00:06:24.699 --> 00:06:27.110 shadow appeared to be moving slowly and was lower to 123 00:06:27.170 --> 00:06:28.709 the ground when the movement stopped. 124 00:06:30.029 --> 00:06:30.269 Mr. 125 00:06:30.310 --> 00:06:33.310 Mayan Zinke raised his right hand and smacked at this 126 00:06:33.410 --> 00:06:35.930 animal through the tent wall, while yelling and shouting rather 127 00:06:35.970 --> 00:06:38.009 loudly at this apparent bear, paying him a. 128 00:06:38.009 --> 00:06:38.769 Good night's visit. 129 00:06:39.709 --> 00:06:41.699 The smacking at the animal and shouting out through the 130 00:06:41.740 --> 00:06:44.279 tent seemed to ward off the bear, but only by 131 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:47.560 a few feet. After a few minutes, the creature returned 132 00:06:47.850 --> 00:06:52.029 two more times up close to John's tent. The third time, however, 133 00:06:52.230 --> 00:06:55.529 was much different. The body or shadow that loomed close 134 00:06:55.569 --> 00:06:57.790 to the ground was now standing upright on its legs. 135 00:06:58.670 --> 00:07:01.189 The image cast in the shadows was not wobbling like 136 00:07:01.250 --> 00:07:04.850 a bear. Instead, it stood firm and taut. This was 137 00:07:04.910 --> 00:07:07.370 no bear, John thought aloud. Then he struck out towards 138 00:07:07.389 --> 00:07:09.939 this creature, hitting it through the tent, when suddenly an 139 00:07:10.100 --> 00:07:12.459 arm covered in hair came crashing down on top of 140 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:16.069 the tent. Just before the tent collapsed, John noted that 141 00:07:16.129 --> 00:07:18.810 at the end of this hairy, outstretched arm was that 142 00:07:18.829 --> 00:07:21.649 of a human-like shaped hand and certainly not the paw 143 00:07:21.670 --> 00:07:25.050 of a bear. Distinctly, there appeared to be four fingers 144 00:07:25.170 --> 00:07:28.870 and an opposable thumb. This was definitely no bear. The 145 00:07:28.889 --> 00:07:31.009 crashing down of the tent seemed to ward off this 146 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:34.959 humanoid-type intruder. After John got out from beneath the tent, 147 00:07:35.180 --> 00:07:37.620 he stumbled over to a still-lit fire, sitting in an 148 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:40.279 upright position with a firearm within his reach, where he 149 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:43.689 drifted off to sleep. John was awakened by the sounds 150 00:07:43.740 --> 00:07:47.079 of something hitting the ground all around him. Rather quickly, 151 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:50.160 he noted that the falling items were pine cones. After 152 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:52.879 realizing that the closest pine tree was several yards away 153 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:55.279 and there was no breeze in the air, John realized 154 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.480 that someone or something was actually throwing these cones at him. 155 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:01.040 John continued to look from tree to tree when he 156 00:08:01.100 --> 00:08:04.639 finally found his nemesis. That tall, upright figure indeed was 157 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:06.579 tossing out pine cones in his direction. 158 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:08.639 Having had enough, John. 159 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:10.680 Slowly started to walk down the trail and away from 160 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:13.579 what he today believes was a Bigfoot. John did report 161 00:08:13.620 --> 00:08:15.959 this to the local DNR in the area and was 162 00:08:16.019 --> 00:08:17.949 pleased to find out that this was not the first 163 00:08:17.990 --> 00:08:20.970 type of strange activity to be reported in the Shoshone 164 00:08:21.069 --> 00:08:27.250 National Forest. Goethe State Forest Denise DeShanes has seen at 165 00:08:27.290 --> 00:08:30.120 least one Bigfoot in her time spent in Goethe State 166 00:08:30.149 --> 00:08:33.100 Forest and has captured many images on video and still 167 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:36.379 photographs during her long walks in this Florida state park. 168 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:39.559 Denise had first started exploring the forest while riding on 169 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.679 horseback throughout her years discovering what nature had to afford her. 170 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:45.419 She readily admits that she never really paid much attention 171 00:08:45.470 --> 00:08:48.169 to her surroundings as she was enjoying riding the trails 172 00:08:48.210 --> 00:08:51.590 and observing nature. When back problems surfaced for Denise, she 173 00:08:51.629 --> 00:08:53.730 had to give up her endeavors riding her horse but 174 00:08:53.750 --> 00:08:56.950 was determined to still take to the woods. So, Denise 175 00:08:56.990 --> 00:08:59.289 began hiking the trails of the Goethe State Forest to 176 00:08:59.330 --> 00:09:02.389 continue her love of nature. This is where her observance 177 00:09:02.509 --> 00:09:05.419 and attention to detail came into much better focus during 178 00:09:05.460 --> 00:09:08.980 these long hikes. Denise's sole encounter came upon a trail 179 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:10.940 where she felt as though she was being flanked from 180 00:09:10.980 --> 00:09:14.399 inside the wood line. A rather tall and shadowy figure 181 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:17.080 seemed to be pacing her steps while trotting about her path. 182 00:09:17.659 --> 00:09:20.240 The tree line was dense and Denise started rapidly taking 183 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:23.240 snapshots and recording video along the wood's edge as well 184 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:26.059 as the trail in front of her. Denise was reported 185 00:09:26.139 --> 00:09:27.960 as saying, I know that they are there. 186 00:09:28.139 --> 00:09:29.450 Walking along the side of me. 187 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:32.730 The key word here is they, as Denise claims that 188 00:09:32.750 --> 00:09:36.090 there is more than just one. After hundreds of photographs 189 00:09:36.129 --> 00:09:38.909 and lots of video, Denise is convinced that she has 190 00:09:38.950 --> 00:09:40.129 had several encounters. 191 00:09:40.769 --> 00:09:42.269 She goes on to explain that these. 192 00:09:42.169 --> 00:09:44.580 Creatures appear in many of her stills, and to help 193 00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:47.720 cooperate or explain these images, she sent off her findings 194 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:51.659 to professional photographers and even the BFRO, or the Bigfoot 195 00:09:51.779 --> 00:09:56.029 Research Organization. Among these photos included large figures standing and 196 00:09:56.049 --> 00:09:59.370 lurking behind trees, along with several large footprints that seem 197 00:09:59.490 --> 00:09:59.970 unusually large. 198 00:10:00.299 --> 00:10:00.899 To be human. 199 00:10:01.580 --> 00:10:04.799 Responses back from the professional photography outlets can neither deny 200 00:10:04.850 --> 00:10:07.629 nor confirm the photos, but do agree that there is 201 00:10:07.809 --> 00:10:11.629 something captured in the photos. The BFRO did offer some 202 00:10:11.669 --> 00:10:14.649 conclusions in regard to possible Bigfoot sightings in the Gothi 203 00:10:14.690 --> 00:10:18.419 State Forest. A witness report in 2012 stated that there 204 00:10:18.460 --> 00:10:21.120 were unusual scrape marks going high up into a tree. 205 00:10:21.740 --> 00:10:24.779 The markings seemed unusual and could not be identified as 206 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:27.000 to what type of animal it was and they were 207 00:10:27.019 --> 00:10:30.929 deemed unidentifiable. The same witness reported that hours later he 208 00:10:30.990 --> 00:10:33.250 felt as though he were being flanked and watched from 209 00:10:33.269 --> 00:10:36.750 the tree line, much like Denise's earlier report. Further, his 210 00:10:36.789 --> 00:10:38.970 report goes on to read that growls and grunts were 211 00:10:39.009 --> 00:10:43.000 heard along with the finding of some very large footprints. 212 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:45.120 In 2005, from the same state park as reported by 213 00:10:45.139 --> 00:10:48.649 the BFRO, two hunters made claims to have actually seen 214 00:10:48.710 --> 00:10:51.950 not one but two skunk apes, which is another name 215 00:10:52.009 --> 00:10:55.480 for Bigfoot in Florida, watching them from a distance for 216 00:10:55.500 --> 00:10:59.179 approximately 10 minutes. The hunters made claims to also seeing 217 00:10:59.220 --> 00:11:03.860 rather large non-animal footprints. With the many reports and claims 218 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:06.759 of Bigfoot activity in the Goethe State Park, it makes 219 00:11:06.830 --> 00:11:12.309 it a hotspot for today's Bigfoot enthusiasts and researchers. The 220 00:11:12.350 --> 00:11:15.509 next story comes to us from Palmetto State Park. The 221 00:11:15.549 --> 00:11:18.679 writer goes on to say, Upon hiking the Palmetto State 222 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.379 Park in the state of Texas, my husband and I 223 00:11:21.419 --> 00:11:24.980 decided to venture down the San Marcos River Trail. It 224 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:27.720 was a beautiful and crisp February day and the fresh 225 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:30.559 air filled our lungs as well as the fabulous fragrances 226 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:34.179 that only Mother Nature can provide. We were the only 227 00:11:34.299 --> 00:11:36.850 ones on the trail and as we progressed, we decided 228 00:11:36.889 --> 00:11:40.490 to walk down the San Marcos Riverbank. While we approached 229 00:11:40.509 --> 00:11:43.389 the river, my husband and I noticed large sets of footprints, 230 00:11:44.009 --> 00:11:46.909 unusually large for feet, but we really did not give 231 00:11:46.929 --> 00:11:49.289 it a second thought as we were enjoying the beautiful 232 00:11:49.330 --> 00:11:51.110 scenery while listening to the sounds of the. 233 00:11:51.070 --> 00:11:53.299 Birds and other wildlife that surrounded us. 234 00:11:54.029 --> 00:11:55.769 My husband was trailing in back of me as we 235 00:11:55.809 --> 00:11:58.190 decided to proceed back up the sandy bank to get 236 00:11:58.250 --> 00:12:01.879 up to the trail. Then, angrily, my husband shouted out 237 00:12:01.889 --> 00:12:04.039 to me that someone had thrown a rock at him, 238 00:12:04.179 --> 00:12:07.480 landing only a few feet behind him. I had blown 239 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:09.500 it off thinking that my husband was just joking and 240 00:12:09.539 --> 00:12:11.899 trying to get a rise out of me, but once 241 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:14.210 we reached the top of the hill, My husband had 242 00:12:14.250 --> 00:12:16.950 made mention that he was not joking, and a rock 243 00:12:17.009 --> 00:12:20.009 perhaps the size of a baseball came extremely close to him, 244 00:12:20.309 --> 00:12:23.820 nearly hitting him. As we continued down the trail, we 245 00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:27.179 heard strange noises in the background, like the breaking of 246 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:30.320 tree branches and sounds that frankly appeared just to be odd. 247 00:12:31.139 --> 00:12:32.639 We both brushed it off due to the fact that 248 00:12:32.659 --> 00:12:35.360 it was wildlife, and we just decided to continue enjoying 249 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:39.389 the day. Later, while still hiking the San Marcos River Trail, 250 00:12:39.470 --> 00:12:42.440 we heard a very strange howl. There had been quite 251 00:12:42.460 --> 00:12:44.419 a few cows in the area and thought that perhaps 252 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:47.759 this had been the source of the strange sound. However, 253 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:50.100 my husband, being in the slaughter business, knew every sound 254 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:52.440 that a cow could make and this was definitely not 255 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:55.610 one of them, according to him. We came upon a 256 00:12:55.629 --> 00:12:57.509 fork in the trail that now picked up the Mesquite 257 00:12:57.549 --> 00:13:00.029 Flats Trail, so my husband and I had decided to 258 00:13:00.070 --> 00:13:04.110 take this new path. After several minutes hiking this trail, 259 00:13:04.350 --> 00:13:07.529 that strange howl once again rang out in the near distance. 260 00:13:08.529 --> 00:13:11.070 My husband and I tried not to panic. We stayed 261 00:13:11.110 --> 00:13:15.889 calm and again attributed the odd vocalization to wildlife. Several 262 00:13:15.909 --> 00:13:18.629 minutes down the trail, we crossed an adjacent trail and 263 00:13:18.649 --> 00:13:22.330 approached a bridge that we crossed over. Upon crossing the bridge, 264 00:13:22.370 --> 00:13:24.269 we heard the sound of a loud snap, which kind 265 00:13:24.289 --> 00:13:27.620 of sounded like a firecracker going on. We then realized 266 00:13:27.629 --> 00:13:29.669 the sound was that of a rather large tree limb 267 00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:33.440 falling to the ground. Then we heard running through the woods. 268 00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:35.899 The running did not sound like that of a human 269 00:13:36.019 --> 00:13:38.759 nor the sound of an animal. It was extremely hard 270 00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:42.330 to place what this was. The heavy footfalls pounded the 271 00:13:42.370 --> 00:13:44.909 ground and we knew this was close as literally we 272 00:13:44.950 --> 00:13:48.509 could feel the vibration underneath our feet. Now we were 273 00:13:48.549 --> 00:13:53.009 starting to get scared. Then I saw it. Looking towards 274 00:13:53.049 --> 00:13:55.629 the tree line, an extremely tall and dark figure was 275 00:13:55.690 --> 00:13:59.509 moving fast between the trees and brush. The figure was 276 00:13:59.570 --> 00:14:02.769 much too stealthy to be a person. In fact, it 277 00:14:02.789 --> 00:14:05.350 was neither long nor lean. It was not close to 278 00:14:05.370 --> 00:14:08.350 the ground like perhaps a deer or cougar. It was 279 00:14:08.409 --> 00:14:10.269 on two legs and had a girth much. 280 00:14:10.190 --> 00:14:11.429 Wider than that of a bear's. 281 00:14:12.549 --> 00:14:15.429 Then this creature disappeared from sight, kind of like it 282 00:14:15.529 --> 00:14:18.899 vanished before my eyes. My husband and I decided to 283 00:14:18.940 --> 00:14:20.379 walk back across the bridge. 284 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:21.860 To where we heard the large limb fall. 285 00:14:22.659 --> 00:14:25.299 Our effort was for naught, as we could not locate 286 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:29.679 anything that could substantiate that crashing sound. Then, for one 287 00:14:29.700 --> 00:14:32.120 last time, I looked back towards the area where I'd 288 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:35.309 seen this creature. In the distance, I saw what appeared 289 00:14:35.330 --> 00:14:38.990 to be a huge black stump. However, This was not 290 00:14:39.029 --> 00:14:42.070 a stump. Directly in front of my eyes, this stump 291 00:14:42.289 --> 00:14:45.049 rose straight up on two legs, and almost immediately as 292 00:14:45.129 --> 00:14:50.169 it rose, it quickly disappeared back into the forest. My 293 00:14:50.210 --> 00:14:52.470 husband and I decided it was time to leave while 294 00:14:52.490 --> 00:14:55.570 we still had the chance. This is an encounter that 295 00:14:55.610 --> 00:15:00.629 will never be forgotten. Next, we have Hunting Island State Park. 296 00:15:01.629 --> 00:15:03.669 Dan and Beth, a brother and sister, along with their 297 00:15:03.710 --> 00:15:06.980 friend Eddie, were spending the afternoon at the lighthouse exit 298 00:15:07.059 --> 00:15:10.799 at Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina. It was 299 00:15:10.820 --> 00:15:14.200 the summer of 2022 in the month of August. The 300 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:17.090 day's plans were to investigate the lighthouse as, according to 301 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:19.919 local legends, this property has been haunted from the early 302 00:15:20.710 --> 00:15:23.370 1900s and the trio, avid ghost hunters, had read many 303 00:15:23.429 --> 00:15:27.190 reports of apparent activity during the afternoon hours. For many 304 00:15:27.210 --> 00:15:30.250 ghost hunters, this is highly irregular and so they decided 305 00:15:30.289 --> 00:15:33.059 to give it a try. What was not foreseen by 306 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:35.490 this group of young adventurers wasn't going to be exactly 307 00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:38.750 what they had hoped to find. Dan, driving with Beth 308 00:15:38.809 --> 00:15:41.070 alongside him in the front seat and Eddie sprawled out 309 00:15:41.110 --> 00:15:44.750 in the back of the spacious 2019 Chevrolet Denali, were 310 00:15:44.789 --> 00:15:48.690 taking in the beautiful coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. The 311 00:15:48.730 --> 00:15:51.610 roadway drastically took a rather sharp curve along the interstate 312 00:15:52.090 --> 00:15:54.389 when Danny had abruptly applied the brakes to the vehicle, 313 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:57.720 literally sprawling Eddie almost up into the front seating area. 314 00:15:58.789 --> 00:16:00.809 Both of the passengers turned to Dan and asked what 315 00:16:00.830 --> 00:16:02.730 in the world he thought he was doing, but all 316 00:16:02.750 --> 00:16:04.710 he could do was to motion them to look directly 317 00:16:04.769 --> 00:16:07.529 out in front of the Denali. The group looked in 318 00:16:07.590 --> 00:16:11.269 amazement at the vision of a brownish-black-haired covered creature standing 319 00:16:11.330 --> 00:16:13.860 six feet tall, breaking to the other side of the road, 320 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:16.659 disappearing into the tree line on the opposite side from 321 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:20.700 the coastline. The creature walked upright and swiftly on two legs, 322 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:23.460 giving the young adults only a second to process what 323 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:27.370 they had just experienced. After the beast had disappeared, the 324 00:16:27.409 --> 00:16:30.289 group gathered in amazement and came to the determination that 325 00:16:30.309 --> 00:16:33.330 they did not see a ghost as originally planned, but 326 00:16:33.389 --> 00:16:38.659 in fact had spotted the elusive Bigfoot. Next up, we 327 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:42.100 have the Uhari National Forest. Sometimes when it comes to 328 00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:46.000 Bigfoot encounters, not all have to be long, scary, unthinkable, 329 00:16:46.059 --> 00:16:49.919 or unbelievable. For the many encounters as reported either by 330 00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:55.309 the BFRO, the Bigfoot Research Organization, or other references or guides, Typically, 331 00:16:55.370 --> 00:16:58.090 we come across the Bigfoot that crosses the road, the 332 00:16:58.129 --> 00:17:01.190 rock-throwing creature from the woodland, the hunter that lined up 333 00:17:01.250 --> 00:17:04.170 a creature on his telescope sight on his rifle, or 334 00:17:04.190 --> 00:17:06.869 even something as simple as finding and casting of large 335 00:17:06.910 --> 00:17:11.000 footprints in the forest. This encounter is a little different. 336 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:14.779 The writer continues, My encounter in the Uhari National Forest 337 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:16.920 is of a creature that I simply will never forget, 338 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:20.299 and for me, it acts as mental stability for the 339 00:17:20.339 --> 00:17:23.309 need to be told that I'm not going crazy. There 340 00:17:23.349 --> 00:17:25.730 is a form of comfort level when hearing about people 341 00:17:25.769 --> 00:17:28.970 and their encounters while out in the woods. Whether it 342 00:17:29.009 --> 00:17:32.349 be hiking, hunting, fishing, or camping, they all provide a 343 00:17:32.369 --> 00:17:35.130 certain peace, knowing that I am not the only one. 344 00:17:35.930 --> 00:17:38.819 It was June 18th of 2020 when I experienced what 345 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:41.619 I believed to be a Bigfoot. While traveling north down 346 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:44.779 Highway 109, just parallel to a set of railroad tracks 347 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.900 approximately 200 feet away, is when I became a believer 348 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:52.619 of the enigmatic Bigfoot. Paying attention to the road ahead, 349 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.119 it was just getting dark enough as to where using 350 00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:58.799 the headlights still was an option. I chose to turn 351 00:17:58.819 --> 00:18:01.089 them on as I knew soon enough darkness would fall. 352 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:04.529 Just as I switched on my headlamps is where this 353 00:18:04.630 --> 00:18:07.750 massive and tall figure, at least 8 feet tall, had 354 00:18:07.789 --> 00:18:09.910 very quickly jumped out directly. 355 00:18:09.490 --> 00:18:10.509 Into the middle of the road. 356 00:18:10.529 --> 00:18:13.410 To my disbelief in what I was seeing, I slowed 357 00:18:13.450 --> 00:18:15.269 down to get a better look at whatever this was 358 00:18:15.329 --> 00:18:17.960 in front of me. This creature was covered in black 359 00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:21.140 hair from head to toe. There was a differentiation in 360 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:24.279 the color between the face and hands. As I came 361 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:27.119 a bit closer, the hands were darker than the lighter 362 00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:30.900 complexion of the face. When I say hands, I mean hands. 363 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:34.400 I easily took note of four fingers and an opposable thumb. 364 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:37.809 The face looked human, in fact, so much that it 365 00:18:37.890 --> 00:18:40.390 reminded me of a very large person, much like the 366 00:18:40.430 --> 00:18:43.769 pictures of the Neanderthal man in history books. As I 367 00:18:43.789 --> 00:18:46.849 was getting closer, this giant creature took a huge leap 368 00:18:46.930 --> 00:18:48.990 and disappeared across the railroad tracks. 369 00:18:48.930 --> 00:18:49.759 Into the woodland. 370 00:18:51.569 --> 00:18:54.829 This next story comes to us from the Manistee National Forest. 371 00:18:55.990 --> 00:18:59.569 The writer says, June 15th, 2018 will go down as 372 00:18:59.589 --> 00:19:00.869 one of the most traumatic. 373 00:19:00.509 --> 00:19:01.289 Days of my life. 374 00:19:02.029 --> 00:19:04.329 I wanted to surprise my girlfriend Cindy with a fishing 375 00:19:04.369 --> 00:19:07.269 trip to Cadillac, Michigan that backs up to the Manistee 376 00:19:07.309 --> 00:19:11.339 National Forest. Cindy, not much of an outdoors person, much 377 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:13.740 to her chagrin, was not all that amused at my 378 00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:17.640 surprise that I had bestowed upon her. Reluctantly, she agreed 379 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:21.210 mostly to appease me So off we drove down Interstate 380 00:19:21.210 --> 00:19:24.720 75 towards Cadillac. Once we arrived, I'd rented a small 381 00:19:24.779 --> 00:19:27.000 cabin of which included a small bass boat to take 382 00:19:27.079 --> 00:19:29.859 on the lake to start our adventure. We got on 383 00:19:29.900 --> 00:19:32.299 the lake at approximately 10 o'clock that morning, and the 384 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:35.740 day began. Lake Cadillac is a huge lake that's surrounded 385 00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:38.359 by many homes, small retail shops, and. 386 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:39.319 A smaller industry. 387 00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:42.769 It's a community that thrives on both local businesses as 388 00:19:42.849 --> 00:19:46.799 well as out-of-towners to help keep its economy thriving. After 389 00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:48.849 an hour or so of fishing the lake, Cindy was 390 00:19:48.869 --> 00:19:50.450 getting bored as we just knocked on the door. gotten 391 00:19:50.509 --> 00:19:53.049 any bites, and for a person's first attempt at fishing, 392 00:19:53.430 --> 00:19:57.380 this was not going as anticipated. With little to no success, 393 00:19:57.960 --> 00:19:59.960 I decided to travel across the lake to a canal 394 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:03.599 that connected Lake Cadillac to Lake Mitchell. Moving through the 395 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:06.759 man-made canal and boating into Lake Mitchell, I'd noticed that 396 00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:09.319 the buildup of homes and businesses was much less than 397 00:20:09.380 --> 00:20:12.019 on the Big Lake. Keeping in mind that this lake 398 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:15.019 is sizable but not nearly as populated along the shoreline, 399 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:17.740 we proceeded through Lake Mitchell and found a spot in 400 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:21.309 the southwest corner of what locals call Mitchell Bay where 401 00:20:21.349 --> 00:20:24.769