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<v Speaker 1>Okay, I just opened my door because it's a nice

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<v Speaker 1>spring day, get some warm wind blowing through here, and

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<v Speaker 1>I'm covered up with chickens. Oh, they just quieted down. Okay, Hey, guys,

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<v Speaker 1>I've been going about a week. I've been down with COVID,

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<v Speaker 1>believe it or not, and man, this is the third

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<v Speaker 1>time I've had it, and it really got me down.

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<v Speaker 1>But I'm back with a really good story. I really

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<v Speaker 1>hope you guys enjoy this. It's kind of long, it's

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<v Speaker 1>a little drawn out, but I'm going to read the

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<v Speaker 1>whole thing because I think it's a good story, So

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<v Speaker 1>I hope you enjoy it. All. Right, here we go.

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<v Speaker 1>Growing up, I was into all things outdoors, hunting and

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<v Speaker 1>fishing and survival and all of that. My dad nurtured

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<v Speaker 1>my love for hunting. But hunting the season is just that,

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<v Speaker 1>it's seasonal. What's a boy to do the rest of

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<v Speaker 1>the year. My dad said I could do my part

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<v Speaker 1>in being a good conservationist by controlling the populations of

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<v Speaker 1>nuisance animals like blackbirds and crows. So I bought a

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<v Speaker 1>crow call and I went at it. The way it goes.

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<v Speaker 1>Growing up, you tend to make friends with people who

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<v Speaker 1>have similar interests. Had a buddy at school who was

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<v Speaker 1>into hunting as well. One day he told me of

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<v Speaker 1>something that was going on around his neighborhood. There had

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<v Speaker 1>been some sightings of what was described as a big

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<v Speaker 1>black cat or a panther, So of course we were

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<v Speaker 1>going to come up with a plan to hunt it down.

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<v Speaker 1>We never did follow through. It was just one of

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<v Speaker 1>those things that kids fantasize about. The supposed sightings were

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<v Speaker 1>one of the things that you want to believe, but

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<v Speaker 1>deep down you know that this kid is probably making

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<v Speaker 1>up the whole story, but you entertain the idea anyway

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<v Speaker 1>because you want it to be true. Hold on, let

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<v Speaker 1>me run this hen out of here. Yeah. Shoot, my

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<v Speaker 1>grandparents lived in the Seymour, Tennessee, which is right on

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<v Speaker 1>the Knox County line. That damn chicken came right back

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<v Speaker 1>in here. Yeah yeah, yeah, yet, all right, sorry about that.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like old times. My grandparents lived in Seymour, Tennessee,

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<v Speaker 1>which is right on the Knox County line and close

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<v Speaker 1>to where my friends lived. I stayed with them one

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<v Speaker 1>weekend and was out early Saturday morning sitting on a

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<v Speaker 1>fence line that overlooked a field, and I was doing

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<v Speaker 1>my best to call in some crows. I had been

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<v Speaker 1>there an hour, not having any luck getting anything within

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<v Speaker 1>shotgun range. Most people don't know it, but crows are

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<v Speaker 1>very smart and then they can see well. I was

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<v Speaker 1>looking out across the field when I noticed something coming

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<v Speaker 1>through the opposite fence line about two hundred yards away.

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<v Speaker 1>At first I thought it was someone's dog, and as

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<v Speaker 1>it was going up to a brush pile along the

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<v Speaker 1>fence and sniffing for game, it was jet black, and

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<v Speaker 1>in my mind it was a neighbor's lab about hunting

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<v Speaker 1>around sit. It started working its way up the intersecting

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<v Speaker 1>fence line where I was sitting at the corner. I

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<v Speaker 1>was hidden by hunting suckles that had overtaken the fence.

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<v Speaker 1>As it started getting closer, something started nagging at me

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<v Speaker 1>that something wasn't right. I guess the first thing that

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<v Speaker 1>triggered this feeling was its tail. It wasn't wagging or

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<v Speaker 1>bobbing straight out like a happy gold lucky dog does

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<v Speaker 1>when they're hunting. The tail was long and skinny and

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<v Speaker 1>kind of had a slithering movement. Then I noticed the ears.

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<v Speaker 1>They weren't long and floppy, but shortened upright and the

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<v Speaker 1>next thing I noticed was what sent me into a

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<v Speaker 1>tail spin. It was the eyes that were yellowish green

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<v Speaker 1>with black pupils. This thing was not a dog. My

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<v Speaker 1>mind started trying to explain what I was seeing, but

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<v Speaker 1>the best I could come up with was that someone's

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<v Speaker 1>exotic pet had escaped. Being as smart like, I stood

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<v Speaker 1>up and I yelled at it. Here, kitty kitty, Here,

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<v Speaker 1>kitty kitty, I shouted, Well, the cat jerked and said

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<v Speaker 1>toward me, and then turned and took off like a shot,

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<v Speaker 1>and it ducked under a fence and it was gone.

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<v Speaker 1>I was left sitting there questioning myself as to whether

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<v Speaker 1>or not this actually had happened. Years later, I was

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<v Speaker 1>taking my little cousin to his hunter safety course and

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<v Speaker 1>someone brought up a question about black panther sightings that

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<v Speaker 1>were by this time all over the state. The TWR

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<v Speaker 1>officer gave his rehearsed answer, which really didn't do his

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<v Speaker 1>profession any favors in my opinion. He said, in just

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<v Speaker 1>about every class I do, someone says they've seen one,

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<v Speaker 1>so I don't want to hear it. You don't see it,

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<v Speaker 1>and they don't exist, he said, as fog Horn. Leghorn

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<v Speaker 1>said that boy. I say that boy is educated far

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<v Speaker 1>beyond his intelligence. We do have bobcats, codes foxes, and

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<v Speaker 1>other predators. Why wouldn't there be enough squirrels, rabbits and

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<v Speaker 1>vons and the like to sustain a small population of

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<v Speaker 1>big cats. It's just common sense, really. I just wanted

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<v Speaker 1>to share this story as I can relate in a

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<v Speaker 1>small way how people feel when they are told they

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<v Speaker 1>didn't see a sosquatch when they know good and well

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<v Speaker 1>that they did. Thanks for the indulgence, and now for

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<v Speaker 1>my lame bigfoot encounter. When I was in my late twenties,

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<v Speaker 1>I had a couple of real good friends who were

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<v Speaker 1>eating up with turkey hunting about as much as I was.

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<v Speaker 1>Tennessee season is kind of short compared to deer season,

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<v Speaker 1>so when those few weeks rolled around, we tried to

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<v Speaker 1>plan a trip every weekend to make the most of it.

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<v Speaker 1>My buddy's wife would pitch a fit every time we

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<v Speaker 1>were heading out, though, which tended to put a damper

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<v Speaker 1>on the whole thing. One time we had a trip

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<v Speaker 1>planned to go to Big South Fork for a few

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<v Speaker 1>days in camp and turkey hunt and just hang out.

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<v Speaker 1>As expected, when we got to my buddy's house to

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<v Speaker 1>pick him up. The fight was already on. His wife's

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<v Speaker 1>grandfather was in the hospital and she didn't want him

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<v Speaker 1>to go hunting with us. Now, I know it sounds insensitive,

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<v Speaker 1>but in his mind this was just one more of

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<v Speaker 1>her many excuses to keep him on the apron strings. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>I talked her into letting him go, and if things

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<v Speaker 1>got worse with her grandfather, she could call and he

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<v Speaker 1>would come back home right away. I was pretty proud

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<v Speaker 1>of myself because I came up with a solution and

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<v Speaker 1>if she said no to that, well, it just looked

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<v Speaker 1>too much like she was just hard to get along with,

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<v Speaker 1>which she was. One factor I didn't plan on, however,

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<v Speaker 1>was that we drove in one vehicle. Big South Fork

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<v Speaker 1>is pretty vast, and I had found a spot that

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<v Speaker 1>was so far in the boonies that I figured we

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't be bothered by other hunters. Our camp was at

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<v Speaker 1>the end of a six miles of a narrow, twisting,

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<v Speaker 1>curving rival road that dead ended at an old cemetery.

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<v Speaker 1>It was twenty miles to the nearest town. We were

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<v Speaker 1>so excited about having the spot all to ourselves and

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<v Speaker 1>being able to get away for a guy's trip, and

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<v Speaker 1>we didn't plan on his wife actually calling him to

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<v Speaker 1>come back home. The first morning, we were on birds

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<v Speaker 1>but just couldn't close the deal. And when we returned

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<v Speaker 1>to our camp, we found a female cop waiting for us.

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<v Speaker 1>She didn't say why she was there, but she did say,

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<v Speaker 1>isn't it kind of weird to camp next to a cemetery? Well,

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<v Speaker 1>it doesn't bother us, I say, in my mind, those

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<v Speaker 1>dead folks weren't going anywhere until the Lord returned. Anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>we kind of got the feeling she didn't like us

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<v Speaker 1>being there, but we had a camping permit, so she

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<v Speaker 1>left us alone. Well, now, wouldn't you know it, my

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<v Speaker 1>buddy got the call. His wife's grandfather had gotten a

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<v Speaker 1>little worse. My buddy, whose vehicle we drove in, said

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<v Speaker 1>he would take him back, but that I could stay,

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<v Speaker 1>and since it was so late in the day, it

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<v Speaker 1>meant that he wouldn't be back until the following morning.

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<v Speaker 1>That was okay with me. I didn't mind staying by

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<v Speaker 1>myself there. That all sounded good until dark, and then

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<v Speaker 1>all those werewolf horror movies I shouldn't have watched when

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<v Speaker 1>I was a kid started creeping up on me, and

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<v Speaker 1>it was boring with no one to talk to, so

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<v Speaker 1>I decided to turn in early. I did have my

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<v Speaker 1>turkey gun loaded and sitting beside my sleeping bag, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just in case. I will also admit that when I

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<v Speaker 1>was a kid, I was infatuated with Bigfoot and I

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<v Speaker 1>read every book from the library that I could get

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<v Speaker 1>my hands on. One of my high school friends and

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<v Speaker 1>I even had a plan to go to the Pacific

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<v Speaker 1>Northwest sometime after graduation and hunt isquatch. Well, that never happened,

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<v Speaker 1>but I would be lying if I said that thoughts

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<v Speaker 1>of the old Skunk Ape didn't cross my mind that

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<v Speaker 1>night as I drifted off to sleep. Sometime later in

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<v Speaker 1>the night, something woke me up. It was a sound

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<v Speaker 1>of something outside my tent moving around. It wasn't a

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<v Speaker 1>small scurrying type noise, but something big and heavy. You

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<v Speaker 1>could hear gravel crunching under the load as whatever it

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<v Speaker 1>was stepping on and the foot rolled forward. I had

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<v Speaker 1>hunted my whole life, and I knew the difference between

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<v Speaker 1>two and four footed things and what they sounded like

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<v Speaker 1>when they walked. This had the cadence of a bipedal movement.

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<v Speaker 1>I knew it was something or someone. My brain cleared

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<v Speaker 1>from the fog of sleep, and I thought that maybe

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<v Speaker 1>my buddy had decided to come back early. But the

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<v Speaker 1>more I thought about it, I would have heard the

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<v Speaker 1>truck pull up, and he would have known better than

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<v Speaker 1>to slink and creep around outside the tent without letting

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<v Speaker 1>me know he was there. He knew me well enough

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<v Speaker 1>to know that I would also have a twelve gage

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<v Speaker 1>in there with me, loaded with three inch magnum turkey loads.

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<v Speaker 1>Plus the fact that I was camped next to a

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<v Speaker 1>cemetery didn't do much in helping me relax. I reached over,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's my shotgun over onto my chest, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just in case. About the time that I did that,

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<v Speaker 1>I heard whatever it was walk away. The next thing

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<v Speaker 1>I knew, I was awakened by the sound of my

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<v Speaker 1>buddy pulling up in his truck at daylight. I told

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<v Speaker 1>him about my night. We had a good laugh about

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<v Speaker 1>it and went on to finish our trip. No more

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<v Speaker 1>bigfoots or turkeys, unfortunately, but we had a great time

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<v Speaker 1>just being out there. I'll never know what it was,

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<v Speaker 1>but it was the closest I can say I ever

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<v Speaker 1>came to an encounter. When I was growing up, my

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<v Speaker 1>dad owned his own painting business for a little while.

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<v Speaker 1>I worked for him during the summers to earn money

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<v Speaker 1>and keep me out of trouble. I guess at the

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<v Speaker 1>peak of his career. He had a crew of guys

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<v Speaker 1>that worked for him, and one fellow was from Louisiana.

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<v Speaker 1>I was infatuated with Bigfoot as a kid, I guess

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<v Speaker 1>ever since I saw the six million dollar Man and

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<v Speaker 1>Woman episode with Bigfoot in them. Any show or movie

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<v Speaker 1>or book that had to do with Bigfoot, I was

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<v Speaker 1>all about that. This guy from Louisiana found out about

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<v Speaker 1>it and shared his own story with me, And it

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<v Speaker 1>began with his uncle, who was a renowned big game hunter.

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<v Speaker 1>This man had been all over the world to take

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<v Speaker 1>every sort of big game animal known to man. It

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<v Speaker 1>made a living guiding brown bear and Kodiak bear hunts

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<v Speaker 1>in Alaska. So it goes without saying that the man

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<v Speaker 1>was an alpha, a man's man. He was also from

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<v Speaker 1>Louisiana and he had moved back after getting tired of

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<v Speaker 1>his hunting exploits and he needed a break. There was

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<v Speaker 1>a certain swamp in Louisiana that was legendary for bigfoot activity.

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<v Speaker 1>All the locals knew it and considered it as part

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<v Speaker 1>of normal life. They didn't bother this creature, and it

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<v Speaker 1>didn't bother them. And the uncle heard of it, and

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<v Speaker 1>he decided that a bigfoot was one trophy he had

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<v Speaker 1>never taken, so he set out to go into the

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<v Speaker 1>swamp and try to bag himself a sasquatch. They found

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<v Speaker 1>him three days later on the outskirts of the swamp,

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<v Speaker 1>and he was nearly dead. He had had a heart

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<v Speaker 1>attack or a stroke. His gear was gone, and his

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<v Speaker 1>clothes were all torn and ragged. They said it looked

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<v Speaker 1>like he had aged twenty years and his speech was

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<v Speaker 1>slurred from then on from one side of his face

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<v Speaker 1>being paralyzed. It turns out that he had become the

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<v Speaker 1>hunted instead of the hunter, and a bigfoot had nearly

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<v Speaker 1>claimed himself a trophy. His nephew, my dad's employee, decided

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<v Speaker 1>he and a few of his buddies were going to

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<v Speaker 1>go back in for some revenge and possibly bag a

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<v Speaker 1>nice buck. At the same time, it was deer season

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<v Speaker 1>and this particular swamp was also known to be a

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<v Speaker 1>great area for big bucks. I guess everyone being afraid

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<v Speaker 1>to go into the swamp took a little hunting pressure

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<v Speaker 1>off and allowed the deer time to mature. The uncle

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<v Speaker 1>tried to talk him out of going, and he warned him.

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<v Speaker 1>When he was telling the story, he did his best

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<v Speaker 1>impression of his uncle's slurred, stuttered speech. Don't go in there.

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<v Speaker 1>That thing will get you is once alpha man's man.

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<v Speaker 1>Uncle begged. But he looked up to his uncle and thought,

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<v Speaker 1>if he could go in there and get the job done,

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<v Speaker 1>he would be impressed. So he decided to go in

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<v Speaker 1>spite of the warning. The day came when they planned

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<v Speaker 1>on leaving, and they loaded their swamp boats with gear

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<v Speaker 1>and they headed in. He thought, in all reality, a

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<v Speaker 1>bigfoot wouldn't mess with a group of men. In a

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<v Speaker 1>worst case scenario, they would come out of the trip

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<v Speaker 1>with some nice deer and plenty of tall tales that

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<v Speaker 1>they could reminisce about for years to come. But little

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<v Speaker 1>did he know the first night in camp would be

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<v Speaker 1>one to remember. He said, after the tents were all

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<v Speaker 1>set up and it was starting to get dark, the

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<v Speaker 1>bonfire was built and the beer started to flow, and

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<v Speaker 1>a good time was being had by all. Then things changed,

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<v Speaker 1>he said. The swamps were pretty noisy, with frogs and crickets,

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<v Speaker 1>and this one was no different. But all of a sudden,

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<v Speaker 1>an eerie silence fell over the area. Everyone noticed and

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<v Speaker 1>looked at each other, wondering what the hell was going on.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's when the smell hd them. Some god awful

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<v Speaker 1>rank odor filled the area. Now I realized that this

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<v Speaker 1>is a classic symptom of we're about to see sasquatch,

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<v Speaker 1>and most stories happened like this. And I also realized

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<v Speaker 1>I would be really easy to copycat these things and

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<v Speaker 1>fabricate a story. But this was in the middle of

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<v Speaker 1>the eighties, when you couldn't just hop on the internet

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<v Speaker 1>and find out this kind of information. It was also

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<v Speaker 1>before everyone was a researcher and there were groups groups

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<v Speaker 1>around every corner that investigated this kind of stuff. Oh god,

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<v Speaker 1>he is so right. After the foul odor smacked them,

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<v Speaker 1>Bigfoot just walked right into camp. He said. There was

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<v Speaker 1>a brief moment when everyone froze, and he could remember

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<v Speaker 1>the orange glow of the firelight reflecting off its eyes,

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<v Speaker 1>and then mass pandemonium erupted. Guys were running and diving

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<v Speaker 1>in boats, and shots were fired at the animal and

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<v Speaker 1>blind panic. It was truly a scene to behold. But

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<v Speaker 1>everyone made it to the swamp boats and the chaos,

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<v Speaker 1>and they lit out of there, some of them still

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<v Speaker 1>in their underwear. He said he didn't know if it

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<v Speaker 1>ran off as soon as the first shot was fired,

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<v Speaker 1>or if it was ever even hit with a round.

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<v Speaker 1>He was too busy trying to get down to where

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<v Speaker 1>the boats were beached. They did go back a couple

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<v Speaker 1>of days after they had gathered their courage up to

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<v Speaker 1>see if they could get their gear. He said. The

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<v Speaker 1>camp site was totally destroyed, but they salvaged what they could.

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<v Speaker 1>They left in a hurry, and they never went back. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>you could write this off as a guy trying to

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<v Speaker 1>impress the boss's kid or just humoring me when he

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<v Speaker 1>found out I was into bigfoot lore. But this guy

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<v Speaker 1>was a true believer. My dad told me later that

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of times some of the other guys on

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<v Speaker 1>the crew had teased him or told him that bigfoot

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<v Speaker 1>was just a bunch of crap and that this guy

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<v Speaker 1>would go ballistic. He would even call them outside to fight.

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<v Speaker 1>He was that serious about the subject. You typically don't

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<v Speaker 1>do that if you know you were telling a lie

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<v Speaker 1>or you don't believe it. Yourself. Heck, I believe there's

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<v Speaker 1>something to it, but I wouldn't fight over it. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>for what you do on your channel. I look forward

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<v Speaker 1>to the stories every time. God blessed. The man's name

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<v Speaker 1>is James Man. What a great set of stories. This

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<v Speaker 1>is so well written and put together. This intriguing secondhand story,

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<v Speaker 1>the black cat, the Bigfoot, the steps around, just everything

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<v Speaker 1>about it was great and I really appreciate James sending this.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a pleasure to read these kind of stories. Hey,

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<v Speaker 1>I wanted to let y'all know real quick that this

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<v Speaker 1>year at the Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Conference, I have not

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<v Speaker 1>been in two years because every time I go, I

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<v Speaker 1>lose money. I buy all this these souvenirs and stuff

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<v Speaker 1>to say, you have to sell something at that place

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<v Speaker 1>or they won't let you have a booth. But I'd

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<v Speaker 1>rent the booth, get hotel rooms. The last time I went,

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<v Speaker 1>I brought my family, my wife, my granddaughter, my daughter

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<v Speaker 1>in law, got all them rooms, bought all that stuff

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<v Speaker 1>for the conference, and I lost about twenty five hundred bucks.

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<v Speaker 1>And I swore then that I wasn't going to do

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<v Speaker 1>it again. But they for the first time they called

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<v Speaker 1>me and They asked if I would come and speak

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<v Speaker 1>at the Bigfoot conference, and I said, no, I don't.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't. I don't do that. I'm not big on

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<v Speaker 1>standing up in front of people. I mean, I'll do it,

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<v Speaker 1>but I don't. Uh. It's just not something that lights

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<v Speaker 1>me up. And then they I said, well, if you

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<v Speaker 1>did have me speak, what would you what's the what

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<v Speaker 1>do you want me to talk about? They said, well,

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<v Speaker 1>we want you to moderate a discussion between researchers. I said, man,

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<v Speaker 1>are you crazy? Speak for researchers hate me. They think

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<v Speaker 1>I make up all these stories and they think, uh, anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's pretty common knowledge in the bigfoot world, which

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not in that the Bigfoot researchers, the real serious ones,

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<v Speaker 1>they can't stand me. And I said, I'm the worst

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<v Speaker 1>person in the world to put up there between researchers.

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<v Speaker 1>And he said, well, we have another thing. It's kind

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<v Speaker 1>of a lesser responsibility, but you could kind of host

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<v Speaker 1>when people get up and tell their own encounters. I said, man,

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<v Speaker 1>that's right up my alley. This person had never listened

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<v Speaker 1>to my podcast, so they don't know what I do.

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<v Speaker 1>I said, that's exactly what I do on my podcast share,

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<v Speaker 1>I share encounter stories by real people, and I said

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<v Speaker 1>I would love to do that. And I said that

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<v Speaker 1>after he said they would cover my hotel room. I

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<v Speaker 1>think that's all they're covering. But still that's enough. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>my wife's not coming. It's just going to be me.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm trying to find somebody to go with me and

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<v Speaker 1>sit at my booth with me so when I get

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<v Speaker 1>up and speak, they can man my booth. And I've

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<v Speaker 1>asked Da Roberts. I've asked Jeff Crawford, a couple of

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<v Speaker 1>authors that you all know of that I've read on

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<v Speaker 1>this channel before, and maybe one or both of them

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<v Speaker 1>will show up. I hope they do. But I'm just

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<v Speaker 1>going to be there by myself, and it's just a

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<v Speaker 1>one day event. I don't I can't. It's at the

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<v Speaker 1>end of July. Just Google or search engine Smoky Mountain

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<v Speaker 1>Bigfoot Conference, Gatlinburg, Tennessee. You can buy tickets there. They

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<v Speaker 1>sent me an email they wanted me to send a

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<v Speaker 1>picture of myself to put on their flyer, and I

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<v Speaker 1>haven't done it yet. Their flyers probably already done, but

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<v Speaker 1>I'm just so slow about that stuff. I'm probably not

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<v Speaker 1>the most responsible guy in the world with that stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>But anyway, I'm going to be there. I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>host that as far as I know, unless they have

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<v Speaker 1>changed their mind. I haven't heard from them since May,

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<v Speaker 1>no since February. Maybe they've heard somebody else. I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll get in touch them this week, but right now,

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<v Speaker 1>as it stands, today is April fourteen, twenty twenty five.

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<v Speaker 1>Gotta file taxes tomorrow, don't y'all forget that. But as

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<v Speaker 1>of April fourteen, twenty twenty, twenty twenty five, I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be at the Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Conference in Gatlinburg and

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<v Speaker 1>late you live twenty twenty five, So if you can

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<v Speaker 1>be there, I'd love to see you. And I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 1>have a booth. Come by and say hi. I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 1>have some things to sell. I'm not sure what, but

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<v Speaker 1>probably not much because I don't want to lose money

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<v Speaker 1>on it. Anyway, I just want to let y'all know that.

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<v Speaker 1>So I appreciate you listening to the podcast, and we

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<v Speaker 1>will see you on the next one. Appreciate you