WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:09.480 So in the summer of nineteen ninety two, I was 2 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:12.199 wrapping up a full week of army maneuvers in the 3 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:17.920 swamps of Fort Polk, Louisiana. On my first breakaway, I 4 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:21.399 decided to drive ninety five miles to Angelina County in 5 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:25.480 East Texas to visit my family. My first thought was 6 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:28.120 to stay on the farm with my grandfather, but I 7 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:32.000 decided instead to stay with my aunt and uncle. My 8 00:00:32.119 --> 00:00:35.320 cousin was there with his wife. They were about my 9 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:39.479 age and had the same interests as me. My cousin 10 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:42.000 owned a really nice bass boat that he kept there 11 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:45.439 at his mom and dad's, and that was what interested 12 00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:50.399 me the most. I rolled in around eight o'clock that evening. 13 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:53.200 Everyone was glad to see me in. I was glad 14 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:56.640 to get a good meal. Afterward, we sat around the 15 00:00:56.679 --> 00:00:59.759 living room and talked about all the fishing spots on 16 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:04.359 the lake where we'd be heading the next day. About 17 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:07.959 ten o'clock, my cousin's wife started pestering him to take 18 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:10.040 her out to the old saw mill to see who 19 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:13.480 was out there. I could tell my cousin was getting 20 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:16.920 frustrated with her. He wanted to get an early start 21 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:19.879 on fishing the next day. He need a good night 22 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:24.159 sleep for that, but she was insistent, and eventually he 23 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:28.400 gave in. Well, I grabbed my personal firearm and stuck 24 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:30.920 it down the small on my back and headed out 25 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:34.480 with them. The old saw mill was where the young 26 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:37.000 adults in our area liked to go and hang out. 27 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:41.040 Most nights, someone or other could be found out there 28 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:44.439 with their cooler, sitting around a campfire and telling stories 29 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:49.040 and cutting up, or just listening to the radio. Sometimes 30 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:52.480 someone would show up with a guitar and entertain us. 31 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:55.879 Mostly it was just a place we could go that 32 00:01:56.040 --> 00:01:58.079 was far enough out of the way to keep us 33 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:02.120 out of trouble and out of the sheriff's There's no 34 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.599 straight route to the old saw Mill. We bounced down 35 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:08.919 the highway that ran alongside the lake to the next road, 36 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:13.120 and then to another that led to the blacktop that 37 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:16.879 led to another, until eventually we turned onto the dirt 38 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:20.120 road that dead ended at a grassy parking area where 39 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:24.240 everyone parked. From there, we had a short hike up 40 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:28.719 the trail to the mill. The first thing we noticed 41 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:32.000 was the absence of vehicles. There were two ways to 42 00:02:32.039 --> 00:02:35.039 get to the sawmill, so it wasn't absolute that no 43 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:39.800 one was there. This just happened to be the main way. 44 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.159 The second route involved an eight mile walk from the 45 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:46.680 main road followed by a four mile hike through the woods. 46 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.719 If anyone was up there, they would probably have parked 47 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:54.199 their vehicles here. He got out of the truck, and 48 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:57.919 I noticed the moon was only half full. Of course, 49 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:01.560 none of us geniuses remembered to bring a flashlight. But 50 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:06.000 did we let that stop us? Of course not. We 51 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:08.680 headed down the hundred yard trail and came to the 52 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:12.960 first building of the old mill. The sawmill itself was 53 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:17.199 built in eighteen ninety nine and was made of solid concrete. 54 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:22.199 In total, there were four concrete buildings. As we'd walked 55 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:24.400 the trail, I couldn't help but notice that all the 56 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:27.520 normal night sounds were missing. But I didn't let that 57 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:31.039 bother me. I told you nobody would be here. My 58 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:35.240 cousin said to his wife, come on, let's go. We 59 00:03:35.319 --> 00:03:39.120 all hesitated. Maybe we thought if we stood there long enough, 60 00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:43.400 someone would show up. I really don't know. After about 61 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:45.120 a minute, we heard a rock hitt the front of 62 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:48.319 the building closest to us, and it landed close to us. 63 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:53.080 Stop throwing rocks, I told my cousin, I was a 64 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:56.400 little frustrated by our useless trip, and it showed in 65 00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:01.199 my voice it wasn't me, he spat. By then I 66 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:03.400 looked at his wife, and she gave me a shrug 67 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:07.879 as if to say, wasn't me either. Just then a 68 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:11.560 second rock hit the building and landed even closer to us. 69 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:16.160 Stop fooling around, I demanded, can't you see you're upsetting 70 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:20.560 your wife. It isn't me. My cousin insisted, and he 71 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:23.560 pulled his wife into his arms, and she wrapped hers 72 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:28.800 tightly around him. I was watching them embrace when a 73 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:33.240 third rock hit the building, making us all jump. Okay, 74 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:37.279 so it clearly wasn't them. Somebody or something in the 75 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:42.160 woods directly behind us was throwing rocks. My cousin and 76 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:45.000 his wife were getting more and more nervous, but I 77 00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:49.519 was trying to remain calm. I unholstered my gun and 78 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:53.759 prepared for action. Thanks for the training, Uncle Sam, I thought. 79 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.000 Even so, I was totally unprepared for what happened next. 80 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:03.199 Fifty yards away, there was a loud tapping sound, like 81 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:07.800 something hitting a hollow log. It wasn't random. It was 82 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:12.639 like some form of communication almost like Morse code, except 83 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:15.600 it wasn't any Morse code I knew, and I'm pretty 84 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:20.240 well trained in it. It went on for fifteen seconds 85 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.480 and then it stopped. The whole time I was scanning 86 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:28.000 the woods trying to locate the source. Then something answered 87 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:31.920 it from the opposite direction. This time it sounded like 88 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:37.040 two rocks being hit together. The feeling of being surrounded 89 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:40.720 kicked in, and my cousin muttered something like we got 90 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:43.240 to get out of here now, and as he and 91 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.319 his wife took off in a dead run back to 92 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:49.160 the truck, I was the only one armed, so I 93 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.600 took up the rear at a slightly slower pace, checking 94 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:56.600 our six as we moved. I didn't want whatever was 95 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.000 out there communicating to follow us and attack us from behind. 96 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:03.680 And I made one complete turnaround as we were heading 97 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:06.519 down the trail, and there where we had just been 98 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:11.680 standing were three extremely large shadowy figures staring down the 99 00:06:11.720 --> 00:06:16.160 trail at us. The sound of the truck door slamming 100 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:19.319 motivated me to turn and run at full speed. My 101 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:22.560 cousin had it started and was already grinding gears in 102 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.360 his hurry to get out of there. I think he 103 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:27.920 would have left me there to face those things. If 104 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:31.000 I hadn't made a death defying leap into the bed 105 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:34.800 of his truck. I smacked my face hard on the 106 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:38.720 spare tire, but I made it. My cousin must have 107 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:41.319 been doing it eighty miles an hour driving out of there. 108 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:44.879 It wasn't until we hit the pavement that he finally 109 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:49.240 stopped and yelled for me to get inside. We didn't 110 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:51.120 say much at first when I got in there, but 111 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:55.879 I finally had to ask, what was that? I don't 112 00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:00.360 want to talk about? It was his only response. Back 113 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:02.600 at my aunt and uncle's house, my cousin and his 114 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:05.480 wife went straight to bed, and I put my gun 115 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:07.600 away and I sat down in the living room with 116 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:10.680 my aunt and uncle, who were still up watching TV. 117 00:07:12.199 --> 00:07:15.399 My aunt recognized right away that something was wrong, so 118 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:18.680 she asked me what had happened, and I didn't hold back. 119 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.199 I told them the whole story. Ah, it's just some 120 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:25.120 local kids up there messing with you, my uncle said. 121 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:28.519 But I told them there weren't any other cars, and 122 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:31.360 the other way in was a damn long hike in 123 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:34.480 the dark. No one in their right mind was going 124 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:36.959 to walk that far just to throw rocks at people. 125 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:42.120 It wasn't until twenty twelve that I finally pieced the 126 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:45.199 whole story together, and I took my brother and his 127 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:47.720 three kids up to the sawmill so they could see 128 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:52.160 the place for themselves. We walked around into the second 129 00:07:52.199 --> 00:07:55.279 building and saw something that shocked me to my core. 130 00:07:56.360 --> 00:07:59.480 There on the floor was something that looked like a 131 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:02.680 huge net with a really bad gamey smell to it. 132 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:06.959 That's when it hit me back in nineteen ninety two, 133 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.279 those things had probably moved in and set up house. 134 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:13.319 They were probably just trying to get us out of 135 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:16.920 there so that they could go to bed. And that's 136 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:20.920 the end of his email. That's a great story. I mean, 137 00:08:21.639 --> 00:08:24.199 you know, I mean, and all these years later that 138 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:26.759 nest still being there or do they still live there? 139 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:30.600 One thing his uncle said, no, I can't remember who 140 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:33.279 said it, but nobody's going to walk through the dark 141 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:37.080 to prank you. The idea of people pranking other people 142 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:40.399 on these bigfoot stories, it's not happening. I said that 143 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:45.360 earlier in this podcast, but it's true. Okay, Thanks Steve 144 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:50.039 for sending this story. It was fantastic, great encounter. Appreciate 145 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:54.440 you sending the story. Man okay, I'd like to welcome 146 00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:58.799 Matt from Short Stories by Matt. He has agreed to 147 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:02.000 do a guest nar a spot in this video. I 148 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:03.919 think he did a wonderful job. The name of his 149 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:07.480 channel is short Stories by Matt. I love his channel. 150 00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:10.159 He tell some great stories. All right, let's go on 151 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:12.720 with it. Matt. Here's the story that you did for us. 152 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:17.720 Thank you. This story is really really cool. It's thrilling, 153 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:20.039 to say the least. It's the title of the day. 154 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:23.320 I'll never forget. Thank you for giving me a voice 155 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:27.240 so that my story can be told. My name is Bill. 156 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.720 That life changing day was March eighth, nineteen seventy six. 157 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:36.240 I was visiting my aunt's property in Arkansas to care 158 00:09:36.279 --> 00:09:39.159 for her home and animals while she traveled a little 159 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:42.639 rock for an operation. Her spread of property butted right 160 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:46.600 up to the Washita National Forest. That's right up my alley. 161 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:48.840 As I grew up on the doorstep of the Great Lakes, 162 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:53.039 surrounded by hundreds of acres of wetland. I was number 163 00:09:53.120 --> 00:09:55.519 eight of chin children, and I was raised on the 164 00:09:55.559 --> 00:10:00.120 water and in the woods, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, you 165 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:04.000 name it. Every day was a new adventure. I was 166 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:06.639 so fortunate at such a young age to live in 167 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.200 and learn about the great outdoors and be taught the 168 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:13.000 ultimate lesson, you don't have to be rich to be wealthy. 169 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.440 Truth be told, This is the first time I've ever 170 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:19.440 mentioned this date, let alone, or wrote about the events. 171 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:22.799 I will tell you since they occurred. I'm sixty one 172 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:25.879 years old and have been through so many truly painful 173 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:30.000 things of my life, from being involved in deadly automobile accidents, 174 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:33.600 to being stabbed, to having my fingernails tore off and 175 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:37.120 my nail beds re formed. And yet none of that 176 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:39.919 ever made me shake or consume me with the pain 177 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:45.200 of fear. Well, as I recount this, I'm shaking. Forty 178 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:48.440 four years ago, my life was changed in the mere 179 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:50.919 one day it took for these events to play out. 180 00:10:51.799 --> 00:10:55.159 Everything I learned to love about the outdoors, the hiking, 181 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.559 the camping, the joy of being out in God's country, 182 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.480 all ripped away, gone forever. Let me tell you now 183 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:05.879 about what happened to me and what saved my life. 184 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:08.879 It's early in the morning of March eighth, nineteen seventy six. 185 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:12.480 I woke up at about four am, excited to get 186 00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:15.960 the day started not because it's my birthday, but because 187 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.559 it's a day for exploring in the National Forest. I 188 00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:23.120 set off feeling great to get my necessary chores done. 189 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:25.759 I ended up heading for the forest at about six 190 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:29.279 forty five am. I was in the forest after about 191 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:32.960 forty five minutes. I can't put into words how exciting 192 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:36.200 it was and how beautiful the surroundings were. It was 193 00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:39.799 quite overwhelming. The only way I could describe the feeling 194 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:42.559 I had would be the same feeling of being lost 195 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:49.039 without water for days and suddenly finding water and drinking up, happy, thankful, 196 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:54.639 nearly euphoric. I didn't need any trails or walkways because 197 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:58.960 I had my trusty Compass backpack of supplies and water 198 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:02.720 and my three fifty seven Colt Python I just got 199 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:07.000 as an early gift. Now. To be completely honest, I've 200 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:09.960 always been a go go go kind of person, even 201 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:13.000 from a young age. I was diagnosed with MANNIK as 202 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:15.200 a kid and had to learn techniques to slow down. 203 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.200 It made me a bit accident prone, so in my 204 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:22.399 head I kept saying Bill, slow down. Being in the 205 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:26.679 woods made me feel truly at beasts. It didn't matter 206 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:31.200 if it was hot, cold, rains, snow, or sunshine. Being 207 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:35.279 in the woods was my domain, and I absolutely loved it. 208 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:38.679 Little did I know at this point that it would 209 00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:43.240 all change today, my birthday of all days. In my 210 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:47.440 excitement of being there, I was covering ground like a madman. 211 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:51.919 In just a short time, I had covered nearly four miles. 212 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:55.440 I heard what sounded like equipment coming off the distance 213 00:12:55.879 --> 00:12:59.399 and cross what seemed to be a logging road. After 214 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.159 a couple more hours, the elevation had changed quite a 215 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:05.480 bit from being mostly uphill. I was fine with that 216 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:09.360 because my trip back would be easier. At this point, 217 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:12.399 it's about ten thirty a m and I had covered 218 00:13:12.440 --> 00:13:15.320 a lot of ground. There were no trails that I 219 00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:17.519 could see, so one might call my route in the 220 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:20.399 backwoods way. But I did find it a little strange 221 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:24.440 that I didn't see much wildlife. About half an hour 222 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:28.759 later I made it to the ridge. The view was incredible. 223 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.759 As I made my way to it, I spotted what 224 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.399 was making the equipment noise earlier. There was a logging 225 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:40.240 operation and several acres of timber were gone. I remember thinking, 226 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.840 how the heck are you allowed to do this in 227 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:46.799 a national forest. I found out later that there was 228 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:49.759 a fire that destroyed a lot of the area, and 229 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:52.919 for every tree the operation took, they planted three in 230 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:56.879 its place to preserve the forest. I decided to linger 231 00:13:56.919 --> 00:13:59.799 on the ridge another half hour and then start the 232 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:02.919 t back down. As I took a few steps back, 233 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:05.639 I was stopped in my tracks by something that truly 234 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:09.480 shocked me. To my right, there was a ten point 235 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:12.440 buck lying dead in the crotch of a tree about 236 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:17.200 twelve feet up. Its head was twisted around and appeared 237 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:20.759 to barely stay attached. As I was trying to make 238 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:23.080 sense of what I was seeing, I heard someone in 239 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:26.679 the distance yell. The man was about a quarter mile away, 240 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:30.080 so I started making my way towards him. As I 241 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:33.039 was heading for the man that was yelling, I heard 242 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:37.240 another strange yell from the direction behind me. It was 243 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:41.840 a growl hoff scream mix. At this point I could 244 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:45.080 communicate with that man. The first thing out of his 245 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:49.840 mouth was what in blazes was that? I replied, my friend, 246 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:52.879 I have no clue. He asked if I spent much 247 00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:55.519 time up here, and I told him no, this was, 248 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:59.480 in fact, my first time hiking up here. He retorted with, 249 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:03.559 here's that a fact? I said, yes, that's a fact. 250 00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:06.360 I believe he was going to tear into me until 251 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:08.360 he saw my coat and the holster on my waist. 252 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:11.759 He asked if I was lost, since this was my 253 00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:14.480 first time here, because I was hiking well over ten 254 00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:17.799 miles from anyone. I was taken aback because I figured 255 00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:20.600 I had only gone about six or seven turns out 256 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:24.519 I was actually thirteen miles deep in the forest. I 257 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:27.840 told him I arrived yesterday to Arkansas from Ohio. I 258 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.919 explained how I left my aunt's property earlier this morning 259 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:35.000 for an exploration hike because I'm an avid outdoorsman. He 260 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:37.480 apologized for acting the way he was when I got 261 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:40.840 to him. He explained that the operation had equipment that 262 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:46.279 was sabotaged, several thousand dollars in damages, and on top 263 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.559 of it all, his boss shot a ten point buck yesterday, 264 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:52.480 left it for a chainsaw, and when he got back 265 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:56.240 it was gone. He had already feel addressed, and there 266 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:00.000 were seven men there, and yet it still mysteriously disappeared. 267 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:03.840 I say, I'm sorry about your equipment, but I think 268 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:07.120 I can help with the deer. At that time, a 269 00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:10.480 truck pulled into the clearing the loading area. I guess 270 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:13.080 He walked over and talked to the boss, and they 271 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:17.080 both looked at me and started walking my way. Hi there, 272 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:20.120 my name is Carl. I understand you may know something 273 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:22.720 about my deer that walked away. I said, I do, 274 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:24.840 but you'll have to follow me up to the ridge 275 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:27.360 line to see it for yourself. Well, he said, let's go. 276 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:31.000 We were chit chatting around the area in the equipment 277 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.799 damage and what not for about twenty minutes. As we 278 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:37.120 slowly made our way up, we got to the spot 279 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:41.759 where the deer was and I was completely shocked it 280 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:45.320 was gone. I think they both must have thought I 281 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:48.279 was full of beans. Just as we were heading back down, 282 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.799 the first fello I talked to said in a strange tone, 283 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:56.919 Oh my god, they're about twenty feet from us. Was 284 00:16:57.000 --> 00:17:00.919 the buck about ten feet up in another tree. All 285 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:04.039 three of us were stunned. The fellow that shot the 286 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:06.720 deer could verify it was the actual deer he shot, 287 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:09.559 and the other tree I originally found it and had 288 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:13.200 blood in the crotch. No more than three minutes later, 289 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:16.519 we heard a strange noise about fifty feet away that 290 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:20.160 I will never forget. At the same time as the noise, 291 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:22.559 one of the men said he was glad I had 292 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:24.759 a pistol and exclaimed that we need to get the 293 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:27.720 heck out of here. Upon getting back to the area 294 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:30.359 where we had started from, the other workers gathered for 295 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:33.400 what appeared to be their lunch break. We all started 296 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:36.480 talking about the crazy things that took place. One of 297 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.880 the workers asked if I saw what made that horrific 298 00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:41.960 scream we heard, and I told him I didn't. What 299 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:46.240 he said really caught my attention. He said, you wouldn't 300 00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:48.240 catch me hiking in this area unless I was in 301 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:51.279 a tank. It was the way he said it that 302 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:55.799 made me realize he wasn't joking. I learned the contract 303 00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:58.680 these folks had was with the state and was a 304 00:17:58.680 --> 00:18:01.880 bit strange. The man running it said that four workers 305 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:04.799 had already walked off the job, and three other contractors 306 00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:07.680 in the area wouldn't even place a bid. They had 307 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:10.759 traveled one hundred and forty five miles to take this contract. 308 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:15.279 With that being said, I was on my way now. 309 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:18.079 I had an uneasy failing, so I decided to take 310 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:19.079 the logging road. 311 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:19.400 For a while. 312 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:24.400 As I headed back down, the forest seemed eerily quiet, 313 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:27.759 but I was going a route I hadn't taken before 314 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:31.200 and was unfamiliar with the area, so I counted it 315 00:18:31.240 --> 00:18:34.200 off as no big deal. About two miles down the 316 00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:36.519 road there was a cutoff on the side of the 317 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:39.920 road used for loading logs. The left side had a 318 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:42.839 steep grade going up, and on the right side, after 319 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:47.160 the cutoff's edge it was just as steep. Heading down, 320 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:50.039 there was a giant stack of trees, about four or 321 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:53.480 five hundred that was ready to be loaded. A skid 322 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:56.599 was parked there ready to load them as well. I 323 00:18:56.680 --> 00:18:58.759 knew there would be a great view from the top 324 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:02.200 of the stack if I set my backpack down, grabbed 325 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:06.160 my binoculars, and started climbing. As I was climbing, I 326 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:08.680 was thinking about the day's events and how I will 327 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:12.759 have an epic story to tell. Boy, oh boy, would 328 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:17.000 that be an understatement. Upon getting to the top, I 329 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:19.519 noticed immediately that I could see nothing at the rear 330 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:23.880 for support. Whoever stacked these must be good, because there 331 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:27.359 was a pretty darn steep drop. As I walked to 332 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:29.680 the rear of the pile, being ever so careful where 333 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:32.839 I stepped, I was shocked to find that there were 334 00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:35.599 three trees growing there that were meant to serve as 335 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:39.640 a backstop for the timber. All three trees were pulled down. 336 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:44.960 I instantly knew three things. This was done on purpose, 337 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:49.359 it was not done by any logger, and I was 338 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:53.119 in extreme danger. I turned to go back carefully to 339 00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:56.359 get off the timbers and heard some tree branches snap, 340 00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:58.640 as if someone were walking down below to my right, 341 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:01.680 just out of sight. I was also hit at the 342 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:05.759 same time with an awful smell. I yelled out, hullo, 343 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:09.960 some one tore down your supports. Then I yelled, hey, 344 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:15.519 it's me Bill. No response. It hit me as I 345 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:19.240 started assessing the situation. Why would they approach from the 346 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:22.359 forest up a steep grade and not the logging road. 347 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:26.599 I was struck with a scared, uneasy feeling, so I 348 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:31.200 slowly unholstered my pistol. I could hear a pin drop, 349 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:34.880 it was so quiet. Then a loud, deep huffing sound 350 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:37.559 that absolutely did not come from any man ripped through 351 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:40.920 the silence. I knew I needed to safely get off 352 00:20:40.920 --> 00:20:44.079 that stack and make my way quickly to a safer location. 353 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.680 I take about three steps forward when my leg goes 354 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:53.599 through an opening. That's when the true horror began. Suddenly 355 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:56.799 I was thrust into a life or death situation, being 356 00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:59.559 caught on a fast paced landslide of tons of timber. 357 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:03.079 I remember thinking I was tumbling down with the trees, 358 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.880 that if I just stayed on top, I'd survive. I 359 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:10.319 knew my wrist or arm was broken immediately and my 360 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:14.799 movement would be severely limited already. When I finally stopped rolling, 361 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:18.160 I thought how lucky I was, how God protected me 362 00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:21.720 because my head wasn't crushed. I had to try to 363 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:24.160 reach my left arm because I had been torn open 364 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:27.200 and I was losing a lot of blood, but laying there, 365 00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:32.279 I was unable to move. I clearly remember thinking to myself, Bill, 366 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:35.440 you are no stranger to injuries, but I've never been 367 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:39.319 pinned by trees before. This was life or death because 368 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:43.119 my injuries and blood loss. I was laying on my back, 369 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:47.000 facing up with three trees across my chest. The weight 370 00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:51.279 and pressure was absolutely incredible. I didn't realize it at 371 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:54.480 the time, but from the point the tree started sliding 372 00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:57.880 to the points I stopped was about thirty feet and 373 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:01.720 the steep incline made matters worse. Two of the trees 374 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:04.480 across me were about the size of a basketball, but 375 00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:06.799 the other was about the size of a fifty five 376 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:11.079 gallon drum. They showed no mercy by kindly sliding off me. 377 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:14.799 Due to how I was pinned down, it wasn't apparent 378 00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:17.880 to me how beat up I really was. This took 379 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:21.119 place about five miles from the logger site and about 380 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:25.319 seven miles from my aunt's property. I couldn't help but think, 381 00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:29.960 why me? What could be worse than this? What happened 382 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:32.480 over the next eight hours would make this day once 383 00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:35.599 in a lifetime. As I was laying there trying to 384 00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:38.920 assess my situation, I realized immediately that I needed to 385 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:41.160 calm down and try to figure out how bad I 386 00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:45.519 was injured, especially with how much I was bleeding. After 387 00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:48.279 several minutes, I could tell the bleeding got under control, 388 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:51.319 but that my collar bone and wrists were broken. My 389 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:54.000 lower body was injured, but I couldn't tell how bad, 390 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:57.559 and I assumed I had broken ribs, but it was 391 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.960 hard to assess that being smashed in place by giant trees. 392 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:04.759 I knew I was in serious trouble. It needed to 393 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:09.319 get help fast. I had no supplies, water, first aid, 394 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:14.079 or gun. I was helpless. I knew it would only 395 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:15.960 be a couple of hours before the workers would be 396 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:18.400 headed down the road, so I was desperate to figure 397 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:21.920 out a way to get their attention. I remember hearing 398 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:25.319 someone or something just before I fell, so I listened 399 00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:29.720 carefully for a while, but there was total silence. An 400 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:32.359 hour or so had passed and the pain setting in 401 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:36.680