WEBVTT 1 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:13.000 After sixty eight years of running through the hills, hunting 2 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:16.239 and hiking and exploring the back roads of Oregon with 3 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:20.800 my dad, I was skeptical about the existence of bigfoot. 4 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:25.879 Then in July twenty and nineteen, I had my first encounter, 5 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.719 and it was not exactly a friendly one. When I 6 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:33.399 graduated from high school, I enlisted. I ended up spending 7 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:36.719 a total of twenty seven years in the Navy, the Army, 8 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:41.079 and the Army Reserves. What After getting back home and 9 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.079 a brief break, I returned to my civilian job as 10 00:00:44.119 --> 00:00:48.759 a licensed practical nurse working for our local VA medical center. 11 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:52.960 Once I settled back down, I resumed my explorations of 12 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:56.640 the back country up until two thousand and seven, and 13 00:00:56.679 --> 00:01:00.280 then I had a stroke. The things we were those 14 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.880 two overseas had started to get the better of me. 15 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:07.079 With my background in the outdoors, you could say that 16 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:09.840 I know just about every big animal that roams our 17 00:01:09.959 --> 00:01:14.439 forests and hills and mountains fairly well. That was true 18 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:17.680 until the summer of two thousand and nineteen, when something 19 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:21.480 happened to me that changed my life. In two thousand 20 00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:25.400 and nineteen, my big timecat became ill and passed away 21 00:01:26.599 --> 00:01:29.560 as it had been our practice since the nineteen sixties. 22 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:32.040 I took him to be buried in the place where 23 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.920 we buried the rest of our pets over the years. 24 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:39.319 The pet cemetery is located on the shores of a 25 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:44.359 spring fed fire helipad, a place that firefighting choppers can 26 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:48.239 fill their water buckets. The hill overlooking the pond is 27 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:52.640 covered with beautiful trees and a mixed understory of brush. 28 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:55.159 After a stop at the quarry to pick up some 29 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:58.599 large rocks to cover a new grave, I drove up 30 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:01.000 to the pond and pulled on to the trees where 31 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:04.680 I had been burying my cats as they aged and 32 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:12.520 passed away. Our tomcat was named Thomas Chatting Yeager or 33 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:17.800 Thomas the shadow Hunter in the English. Thomas got extremely sick, 34 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:19.919 and no matter what we tried to do for him, 35 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:23.000 he just kept getting worse. It was as if his 36 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:27.120 body was eating him alive. I finally could not handle 37 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:29.319 watching him get sicker by the day, and at the 38 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:32.080 ripe old age of five, I had the vet put 39 00:02:32.120 --> 00:02:34.680 him to sleep while I cradled him in my arms. 40 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:37.919 I took him home, where I fixed him a box 41 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:41.120 for a coffin and wrapped him in his favorite little towel, 42 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:43.280 and then I drove him up to lay him to 43 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:48.120 rest next to his friends, Tiger Too and Shadow. It 44 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:50.319 took a while for me to dig the small grave. 45 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:52.439 It was hot and it was dry, and I was 46 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:56.719 having difficulty breathing that day, we were having the driest 47 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:02.280 year for some time. I was finishing up burying Thomas 48 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:05.400 when I heard small branches breaking, as if something big 49 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:09.400 and heavy had stepped on them. About that time, the 50 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:13.680 breeze changed direction and I caught a musky scent. I 51 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:16.639 thought maybe a bear was circling behind me, so I 52 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:20.240 drew my pistol and I chambered around, and when I did, 53 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:24.000 all hades broke loose. There was a loud huff, and 54 00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:28.479 something took off stomping through the brush. A bear can't stomp, 55 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:32.759 neither can a big cat. As the creature began stomping 56 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:35.919 and crashing through the brush behind me, it stayed just 57 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.960 out of sight. When it was across the pond, it 58 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:43.439 pushed a twenty foot tall snag tree over. Whatever this 59 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:47.319 thing was. It continued grunting and huffing and stomping its feet, 60 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:50.639 and the sound resonated like it was hitting a drum. 61 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:55.159 I finished up and I was gathering my tools when 62 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:58.680 whatever this thing was through a big rock across the pond. 63 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:01.599 I didn't see where it came from, but I got 64 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:04.039 wet from the water and the mud that it splashed 65 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:07.879 near the bank. This rock was the size of a watermelon. 66 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:10.520 And I threw my tools into my pickup and I 67 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:14.520 got in and started to drive out of there. As 68 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:16.560 I made it to the road, an eight foot long 69 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:19.720 and nearly four inch thick branch landed in the bed 70 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:22.839 of my pickup truck. Now I really wanted to get 71 00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:26.079 out of there. I had two more intersections to make 72 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:29.000 before I was on the main road out. I made 73 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:32.279 that first turn without anything else being thrown at me, 74 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.240 and I was approaching a tight spot where the brush 75 00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:39.000 was thick and the road was marshy. When I got 76 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:42.120 to the type spot, a large rock gouged into the 77 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:45.399 hood of my car, came crashing through the windshield, and 78 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:49.720 finally landed on the front passenger seat. This rock was 79 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:54.079 later weighed in at eighty pounds. I managed to get 80 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:58.439 out of there and home without any further contact. The 81 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:01.519 branch showed that it had been work by hand. One 82 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:04.759 end looked to have been sharpened by rubbing against an 83 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:09.399 abrasive rock. When I got home, I went to see 84 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:13.240 my insurance agent about getting my windshield and hood replaced 85 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:17.519 or repaired, and I had to share what happened with him. Well, 86 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:20.000 they replaced both the windshield and the hood, and the 87 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:22.600 adjuster rolled it up as if I had hit a 88 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:26.079 large animal. Well, I went back up there to check 89 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:28.399 on the graves of my pets and to plant some 90 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:32.199 wildflower seeds nearby, and when I got there, I found 91 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:35.439 a large flat piece of river washed rock sitting on 92 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:39.720 top of Thomas's grave. The nearest place to find such 93 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:44.079 rocks is nearly five miles away as the crow flies. Well. 94 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:46.439 I went ahead and planted the seeds and the bulbs, 95 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:48.920 using the water from the pond to moisten the ground, 96 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:53.480 and then I headed back out. I reached that same 97 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:57.480 tight spot in the road going out, and another rock 98 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:00.920 hit my windshield. This time it took a two inch 99 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:04.759 divot from the windshield on the passenger side. I have 100 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:07.279 not been back up there since, nor have I heard 101 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:10.720 any stories coming from the many hunters and loggers who 102 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:15.040 hunt that area. I can't say that I'm a complete 103 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:18.000 believer but at least I now believe that there are 104 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:21.759 some very big and strong creatures living somewhere in those hills. 105 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:24.800 Or maybe they were just passing through. I'm not sure. 106 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.399 Maybe they were angry because I was near the only 107 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:32.040 water source in the area. There are many what ifs 108 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:37.160 on this subject. I never saw the creature during this encounter. 109 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:40.720 I did smell him, I did hear him, and I 110 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:43.959 was on the receiving end of its anger. I don't 111 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:47.079 believe these creatures are all that friendly, and I think 112 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:51.560 they can be extremely dangerous. After my stroke, I have 113 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:55.560 had some mobility issues. When I'm up in those hills 114 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:59.920 indulging in my hobby of nature photography, I go fully loaded. 115 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:03.360 I may be in my seventies now, but I will 116 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:05.560 not be run out of the mountains I grew up 117 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:08.800 running around in with my dad by man or beast. 118 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:12.199 I will be making a trip up there this winter 119 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:15.720 to check on things, maybe plant a few more bulbs 120 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:20.160 and wildflower seeds. Take care and be safe and stay healthy. 121 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:23.319 As for those who do not believe what I have 122 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:26.560 related here, all I have to say is I was 123 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:30.279 there and you were not. This is signed Shelley of 124 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:34.439 the Pacific Northwest Shelley. That's a great story. I really 125 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:37.800 appreciate it. Spend a lot of time in the military, 126 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:40.879 got out, had a stroke, and then you deal with 127 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:45.160 a bigfoot while you're burying a pet. Oh man. Terrible luck, 128 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:47.519 terrible luck. But I hope things are going good now. 129 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:50.560 And I love your attitude at seventy when you say 130 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.000 you ain't being run out of those woods, no way. 131 00:07:53.600 --> 00:08:01.639 I agree with you. Appreciate you sending the story. Thanks, Hey, 132 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.279 thanks for clicking on the video or the podcast and 133 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:10.160 whatever app you're using. I really appreciate it. Two quick announcements. One, 134 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:15.160 I've got a friend of mine whose father passed away recently. 135 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:18.759 The man was I believe in his late seventies, maybe 136 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:24.199 early eighties. He had two Border colligues, two female Border 137 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:28.680 colleagues that are about four years old. His widow, his 138 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:33.879 wife who he left behind after death, she can't keep 139 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:36.360 up with these dogs. He was able to keep up 140 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:39.559 with them, and he loved Border colleagues, and these are 141 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:41.840 good dogs. I'm gonna try to put a picture of 142 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:44.399 them in the video here so you can get an 143 00:08:44.440 --> 00:08:46.960 idea of what they look like. But he's wanting to 144 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:50.200 find a good home for these border collies. So if 145 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:53.679 you are interested in a couple of free border collies, 146 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:58.559 send me an email, and I don't know, put put free, 147 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.919 put border collies or colleagues in the subject line, so 148 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:04.879 it'll catch my eye and I'll put you in touch 149 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:07.919 with the owner's son, who is trying to find a 150 00:09:07.960 --> 00:09:11.120 new home to get the responsibility of these dogs off 151 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:13.919 of his mother. So that's the first thing I wanted 152 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:18.759 to announce. Second is Today is July twenty four, twenty 153 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:23.799 twenty five. Tomorrow night, I'm going to Gatlinburg Saturday, the 154 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:28.399 twenty six, I will be at the Smoky Mountain Bigfoot 155 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:32.080 Conference in Gatlinburg. I'll have a little booth there and 156 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:35.159 I'm supposed to speak at one o'clock, not really speak, 157 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:38.600 but kind a host of storytelling hour for people to 158 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:43.559 stand up and give their own experiences. And I talk 159 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:46.159 to the organizers. They don't I don't know if they 160 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:48.559 have anybody lined up or I probably don't, so we'll 161 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:51.679 ask for hands and if they're no hands, go up, 162 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:54.480 which is likely to happen. I'm going to tell a 163 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:58.360 couple of stories. I guess. I don't know. I'm not 164 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:01.480 a real good public speaker at all, so I'll give 165 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:03.399 it a whirl. I ain't scared to do it, but 166 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.320 I'm just telling you ahead of time. I'm not very 167 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:10.159 good at it. So if I stumble on my words 168 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:14.559 or half of what I say makes no sense, just 169 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:17.360 forgive me. Give me some grace on that. So, if 170 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:19.679 you can make it out to the Smoky Mountain Bigfoot 171 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:24.879 Conference in Gatlinburg this Saturday, July twenty six, I think 172 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.480 it goes from nine nine in the morning until six 173 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:30.879 in the evening, come on out, love to see you, 174 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:34.679 and my oldest son's coming with me. I don't have 175 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:39.039 hardly anything to sell. I've got some really good books. 176 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:42.080 I've got about twenty books that a friend had written 177 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.360 and sent to me. Matter of fact, if I have 178 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:48.480 to talk take up time in my hour on stage, 179 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:50.639 I may read a couple of stories from his book, 180 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:53.480 and I got stickers to give away. I think I've 181 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:57.080 got some key chains left from the last time we 182 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:00.320 went there. Anyway, the point of me going to start 183 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:03.720 to sell you stuff and make money, but the YETI 184 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:06.399 brother sent me some soap to sell because I know 185 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:09.279 people enjoy the soap. Anyway, I'm just rambling on. I 186 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:10.600 want to let you know I'm going to be there, 187 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:13.200 and if you can be there, come on by. I'll 188 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:15.440 tell you a story. It's we used We used to 189 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:19.360 goose hunt up in western Kentucky and southern Illinois, and 190 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:25.080 I goose hunted one year with the UH, a former 191 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:28.679 governor of the state. I can't remember his name, but 192 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:31.799 I knew I know he was a governor. I didn't 193 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:33.919 live in Kentucky at the time, so I didn't know 194 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:37.080 who the governor was, but I met him, hunted with him. 195 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:42.720 Went back to Western Kentucky four years later, walked in 196 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:46.879 the clubhouse way before daylight, and that governor was there, 197 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:49.159 and he walked right up to me and said, cam, 198 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:53.200 how you doing. My friend? Now, it's a politician. He 199 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:58.000 didn't know me from Adam, but he remembered my name 200 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:01.679 from four years ago. I'm sitting in a duck bline 201 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:04.360 with him for about eight or ten hours one day. 202 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:08.000 That's amazing. You could tell me your name right now 203 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:11.759 and fifteen seconds later, I forget it. I don't have 204 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:15.480 that ability. I probably should develop it, but it's sixty 205 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:19.840 three years old. I'm probably it's getting kind of hopeless 206 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:22.039 that I'm going to develop that ability. So anyway, the 207 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.399 point is, if I've met you before and I don't 208 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:27.559 remember your name, don't take offense to it. Just remind me. 209 00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:30.799 It'll jog my memory. But I'd love to see y'all 210 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:35.120 out at the Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Conference this Saturday, July 211 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:39.639 twenty six. Pretty sure you can buy tickets online. Gatlinburg 212 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:42.159 is a great place to go, So come for the 213 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:45.360 weekend or come for just the day, doesn't matter. All right, 214 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.440 let's move on with the podcast. Thanks for indulging all 215 00:12:48.480 --> 00:13:02.559 those announcements. All right, here we go. In the year 216 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:05.399 two thousand and one, my boys played on the same 217 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:08.600 little league team with the girl who lived next door. 218 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:13.039 They played for the Pirates. The coach of the Pirates 219 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:16.279 was a wonderful man, along with his wife who always 220 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:20.159 provided snacks to the kids after the game. His dad 221 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.360 was also involved with the team. He kept the score 222 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:26.879 and kept the kids in line in the dugout. The 223 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:29.840 mother of the little girl next door and I would 224 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:32.840 always sit together on the bottom row of the bleachers. 225 00:13:33.639 --> 00:13:37.480 This particular may day started out as usual. I got 226 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:40.679 the kids off the bus, did their homework, and I 227 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:44.240 met my neighbor at the bleachers for the game. We 228 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:47.200 got ourselves situated in the stands when we noticed the 229 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:51.559 coach's dad walking our way. He had his green windbreaker 230 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:54.759 and his pirates had on, with his clipboard in his hand, 231 00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:58.320 looking like he was ready to get the game underway. Hello, 232 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:02.279 mister Inn, how are you, I greeted him, but mister 233 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:06.799 N walked by without even making eye contact. I kind 234 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:09.399 of shrugged it off, and my neighbor said, he looks 235 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.720 like he's in a mood today. He probably didn't hear you. 236 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:16.320 A few minutes later, the coach went to the dugout 237 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:19.039 and got the kid's attention. He told them to sit 238 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:22.840 down and that he had a very important announcement. He 239 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:26.279 turned to the bleachers with tears in his eyes. I'd 240 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:29.000 like you all to know that my dad passed away 241 00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:33.919 in his sleep last night. This game is for mister N. 242 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:38.559 Let's win this, he said to the kids, riling them up. 243 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:42.279 My neighbor and I stared at each other, both of 244 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:45.840 us puzzled. We did just see him, didn't we, I 245 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:49.279 asked her. She sat there with her eyes wide and 246 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:52.639 her mouth hanging open, and when she could finally speak, 247 00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:57.399 she said, yes, we just saw him. Clear as day. Okay, 248 00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:02.320 well that was a h That was a little ambiguous, sir. 249 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:05.200 That's not the word. Hard to figure out whatever the 250 00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:08.000 word is for that, but I think I get it. 251 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:10.840 It's a ghost story. It's one of those stories that 252 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.200 just kind of makes you think very good. Thanks to 253 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:19.320 the writer for sending it. My husband and I have 254 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:22.519 had many dogs over the years, and we have loved 255 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:26.480 all of them. In twenty sixteen, we got a husky 256 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:31.200 German shepherd puppy that was thirty three percent wolf. She 257 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:34.240 was a wonderful puppy from the very first day. She 258 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:37.840 was easy to housebreak, and she was smart. She never 259 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:41.720 met a person she didn't like. Her name was Luna. 260 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:45.279 She would take walks up our road with my husband Roger, 261 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:48.000 and people would stop and talk to her and pet her. 262 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:50.879 Roger taught her to get out of the road when 263 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:54.279 a car was passing. She loved kids, and she loved 264 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.879 riding in a car, and sometimes we would take her 265 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:00.320 to McDonald's to get her a hamburger. We would go 266 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:04.159 outside each night she and our other dog, Gypsy. They'd 267 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:06.159 get out of the yard and run the hills from 268 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:10.120 time to time. Eventually we put a shot collar on 269 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:13.320 them to keep them in the yard. They didn't get 270 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:15.519 out much, but when they did it was because the 271 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:19.799 fence was down or their collar batteries needed changing. We 272 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:22.080 were watching them one day and I saw Luna go 273 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:25.919 through the fence. Gypsy couldn't figure out how to get through, 274 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:28.519 so Luna reached through and grabbed her collar in her 275 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:32.519 mouth and she pulled her through. One day, my husband 276 00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:35.000 and I got food poisoning and we didn't know the 277 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:38.039 fence was down. And when I was feeling a little better, 278 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:40.679 I checked outside for our dogs and saw they had 279 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:44.399 gotten out. We knew if Luna heard our vehicle, she 280 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:47.120 would come running for a ride, so I drove around 281 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:52.399 and searched, but I couldn't find her anywhere. After three days, 282 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:55.960 Gypsy came running through the gate and ran under the porch, 283 00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:59.360 scared to death. We knew something bad that happened to 284 00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:02.960 them because she hid under the porch for three days. 285 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:06.640 We kept waiting on Luna, but she never showed up. 286 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:09.920 I put up signs and all the stores around us 287 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:13.839 showing her picture and where she was lost. I posted 288 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:17.000 her on ten or more sites on the internet too, 289 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:22.359 and had several leads that unfortunately led nowhere. She was 290 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:25.279 in heat when she disappeared. We were going to breed 291 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.960 her one time before having her fixed, but we never 292 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:31.400 got to. My husband thinks someone may have shot her. 293 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:34.319 I think someone took her and dropped her far enough 294 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.039 away that she couldn't find her way home. It's been 295 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:40.480 four years now and I still post once in a 296 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.960 while and I look everywhere on the off chance that 297 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:46.799 I see her. It's terrible not knowing. I hope that 298 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.839 if someone has her there, good to her. She was 299 00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:53.200 such a loving dog and we still miss her. We 300 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:56.960 were her pack, and we knew that she loved us too. 301 00:17:57.160 --> 00:17:59.519 You can use my name if you want. Who knows. 302 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:02.920 Maybe someone will hear and respond and we will finally know. 303 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:08.640 And she signs Debbie Hankins. Uh, I'm trying to find 304 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:13.839 If she says where they live, No, I don't see it. 305 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:16.079 If you guys heard it in the story, then you know. 306 00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:19.920 But this is a tough, tough, tough thing to go through. 307 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:23.839 Our dogs kind of run wild out in this area, 308 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:28.200 but they stay close. We only have little dogs left. 309 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.160 We used to have big dogs. Well, we have one 310 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:33.440 big dog left, but my other two big dogs they 311 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:36.160 stuck around. There was really no other place for them 312 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.720 to go to eat, so they just kind of stuck around. 313 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:43.799 But man, if my lab or my little pit bull 314 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:47.519 that had passed on now had gotten out and run away, 315 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:51.400 I don't know. Anyway, I don't want to tell stories 316 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:53.680 about me. I'm just kind of comparing the way I 317 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:56.960 would feel to her. Let's go talking about my dogs 318 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:00.839 and concentrating on her dog. This is a horrible thing 319 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:02.359 to go through, and you spend the rest of your 320 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:05.319 life wondering where that dog went, what happened to it, 321 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:09.440 And you know, sometimes we never know. Maybe she'll show up. 322 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:12.359 Stranger things have happened with dogs. I hope they do. 323 00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:15.519 There's a good story, is a good true story. No 324 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:18.599 reason to doubt this, like some of the Bigfoot stories. 325 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:23.519 But thank you Debbie for sending this. I really appreciate it, 326 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:30.039 and I hope you find your dog. I have always 327 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:33.839 believed in Bigfoot, but I also believe that it lived 328 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:37.880 far away from me. Recent incidents have led me to 329 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:41.640 think differently. I have a hunting camp four hours north 330 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:45.079 of Toronto now. I've been going there for forty years now, 331 00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:48.440 and I've been hunting there for twenty five. I've seen 332 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:51.839 everything that the bush has to offer for game and tracks, 333 00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:56.599 or so I thought. Last fall, while moose hunting, my 334 00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:59.400 brothers and I were sitting on a large beaver pond 335 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:03.279 close to our camp. We were hanging out watching the 336 00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:05.720 sun go down and we were just having a talk. 337 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:10.160 When it was almost sundown, we heard a loud, screaming roar. 338 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:15.880 It lasted ten seconds. Thirty seconds later it repeated. This 339 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:20.039 happened for a full ten minutes. We talked about what 340 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:23.279 it could be, but none of us could explain it. Later, 341 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:26.839 I found a scream online that sounded like it. It 342 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:32.279 was a recording from northern Ontario in Sue Lookout in 343 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:35.480 the spring of twenty twenty. There's a trail in our 344 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:39.119 camp that does a fun four mile loop. It was 345 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:42.200 mostly muddy and swampy and full of tree litter from 346 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.319 a long winter. There are no year round homes in 347 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:50.200 this area, only cabins and hunt camps. To ride this trail, 348 00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:52.680 we had to winch many trees off of it and 349 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:57.039 sometimes cut them to do so. At the halfway point, 350 00:20:57.079 --> 00:20:59.920 we came across two sets of bipedal tracks that went 351 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:04.119 for fifteen yards in the melting snow. I joked and 352 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:06.599 said there were bigfoot tracks, but I couldn't get them 353 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:10.599 out of my mind all day. By that night I 354 00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:14.839 was obsessed. Why were there giant bi beetle tracks that 355 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.000 far back in the bush. Who would have climbed over 356 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:22.079 all those trees in snow shoes? It ate me up 357 00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:24.240 all night, and by morning I had to go back 358 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:27.960 and see for myself. When my family and I found 359 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:30.680 them the next day, I measured them against my own 360 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.039 foot and found that they were nearly an inch longer 361 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:37.519 than my size eleven hunting boots. The strides were unusually 362 00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:41.000 long too. I was able to mimic the step, but 363 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:47.519 only very awkwardly. At three point thirty am, strange things 364 00:21:47.559 --> 00:21:52.160 started happening. There was no wind and the sky was cloudy, 365 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:56.519 making for a dark, moonless night. To access the barbecue 366 00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:59.680 on our porch, you have to either scale the half 367 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:02.480 wall five feet off the ground or come through the 368 00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:07.440 screen door. The barbecue moved, waking all of us up 369 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:10.920 from a deep sleep. As we sat there listening, we 370 00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:14.720 heard it move again. We kept listening, and then everything 371 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:18.079 went quiet. A couple of minutes later, it moved again. 372 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:22.160 In the past, i've experienced when a bear miss us 373 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:25.240 with our barbecue and it will clumsily knock it over. 374 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:28.480 We didn't have any guns with us this time of 375 00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:30.920 the year, but there was an led night lamp on 376 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:34.440 the table for nighttime emergencies, so I turned it on, 377 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:37.680 but from my bed it caused a reflection on the 378 00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:41.480 window and I couldn't see through. We were all freaked 379 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:45.000 out from talking about Bigfoot before bed, and none of 380 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:47.519 us was brave enough to leave our bunks to check 381 00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:51.440 it out. But we settled into the stillness again, and 382 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.799 to my horror, my young son said that he saw 383 00:22:54.839 --> 00:22:57.880 a large man looking in the window. He said he 384 00:22:57.960 --> 00:23:00.480 must have a black hoodie on, because all he could 385 00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:03.440 see was the large outline of its shape and the 386 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:07.279 lighter color of its face. My son said he looked 387 00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:09.839 inside the cabin for a minute and then he walked 388 00:23:09.880 --> 00:23:12.759 out of view. Well, that couldn't be. There was no 389 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:16.720 one for miles. A few minutes later, we heard scratching 390 00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:20.720 noises under the cabin. If I had to describe it, 391 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:25.000 it sounded like fingernails scratching on a floor joist. Well. 392 00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:27.279 This happened about every three or four minutes for the 393 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:30.400 next hour and a half and finally at four point 394 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:35.640 thirty am, it all stopped. By daylight, we all had 395 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:39.119 to pee, and thankfully the sun had come up. We 396 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:42.240 were all scared to leave the camp at first. After 397 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:45.279 opening the door, I immediately saw a strange track in 398 00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:49.319 the driveway. It was right behind my pickup. My dog 399 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:52.400 went straight to it and I pushed him away to investigate. 400 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:56.079 It was a large, barefoot track. I could see the 401 00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:59.160