WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.799 Welcome to Big for Society. If you have bigfoot activity 2 00:00:02.879 --> 00:00:06.120 to report from the same areas discussed in this episode, 3 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:09.640 please reach out to me directly after this episode. And 4 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:12.199 if you'd like to be on the podcast to discuss 5 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:15.359 a personal bigfoot encounter, please reach out to me directly 6 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:18.239 at Bigfoot Society at gmail dot com. Do you wish 7 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:20.879 there was more Big for Society to listen to every week? 8 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:23.600 Well there is now. If you become a supporting member 9 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:27.000 over at Patreon, you get a special members only episode 10 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:32.280 every single week on Wednesdays, and sometimes even more episodes. 11 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:34.799 Head on over to patreon dot com. Forward slash the 12 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:37.799 big for Society, and now let's get on with the show. 13 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.600 All right, Bigfoot Society, You've got the privilege of talking 14 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:44.200 to Jeff today. Jeff is an individual that reached out 15 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:47.799 to me after I had requested to see if anyone 16 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:51.759 had had bigfoot encounters in the Chattahoochee National Forest. He 17 00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:55.679 reached out through email wanting to share something that had 18 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:58.200 happened to him, and we've already been talking in the 19 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:00.640 pre interview a little bit in side like it was 20 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:05.040 a pretty traumatic experience. So welcome to the show. Jeff 21 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:07.000 how's it going today. 22 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:07.640 Thank you. 23 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:10.640 It's an honor to be on your show, Jeremiah. I 24 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:11.439 appreciate it. 25 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:16.000 Thank you, Thank you. I appreciate that as as well. 26 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:20.680 You know, Jeff, I'm going to say, if there's anything 27 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:24.480 that you would like the listeners to know about you 28 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:28.120 for contact wise, feel free to share that as well. 29 00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:31.560 But I will go ahead and give the floor over 30 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:34.239 to you and feel free to take us back to 31 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:35.359 when this all happened. 32 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.599 I'll start with the context of my background. 33 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:40.640 I mean, I grew up in the wilderness, a lot 34 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:42.239 at chaffelt of backwater basin. 35 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:43.799 When I was younger. 36 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:46.799 My parents had we had one hundred and eighteen acres, 37 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:50.439 and our neighbors had a thousand or more acres of 38 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:53.719 small playing and remote wilderness. So I spent a lot 39 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:56.319 of time as a youth in the woods in the Chaffelaya, 40 00:01:56.799 --> 00:02:00.719 and then obviously meandered on later in my career that 41 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:03.200 I would go to remote places. I was a paramedica 42 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:05.680 in New Orleans for eleven years, and then I got, 43 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:08.159 you know, burned out with after Hurricane Katrina and the 44 00:02:08.199 --> 00:02:10.879 Horizon spill, and went on to to just go do 45 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:13.280 international safety, which is what a lot of my medical 46 00:02:13.319 --> 00:02:15.879 bodies do. And I had a partner that you know, 47 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:18.400 brought me over to Africa, and I was working as 48 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:20.319 a company manager. So I got to see all different 49 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:24.280 types of wilderness creatures, you know, lions up in Yon 50 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:27.319 Carry Game Reserve. I went four times into the game reserve, 51 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:29.680 so I got to see elephants, and I got to 52 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:31.840 see all different types of animals, and I got to 53 00:02:31.879 --> 00:02:34.680 learn about, you know, the primates. I was, you know, naturally, 54 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:37.199 when you're in Africa, you're curious about those kind of animals. 55 00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:39.479 And you find out that the guerrillas aren't just in 56 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:42.560 the Vangi or in the mountains areas. They're all over. 57 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:45.120 They have lowland guerrillas. When I went down toward the 58 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:48.479 areas of Abraca in the southern part of Nigeria and 59 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:51.800 southwestern and northeastern part of Nigeria's it, I traveled a 60 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:54.599 lot around Africa, and like I said, I've done a 61 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:57.240 lot of international work Indonesia. I got to see a 62 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:00.199 lot of different animals, species and all of that. I 63 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:02.000 never seen anything like I saw in the in the 64 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:06.199 Chattahoochee that was that was something I guess I'll start 65 00:03:06.280 --> 00:03:09.479 that we ended up moving up here in twenty twenty 66 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:15.400 into into the Appalachian southern Southern Appalachian Mountains up in the. 67 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:17.319 Northwestern part of Georgia. 68 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:19.960 And one of the things that caught my eye was, 69 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:21.919 I was I had saw I was working on a 70 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:24.199 project at the time. I was right now on a 71 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:28.360 project and I saw your your presentation about northwest Georgia, 72 00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:29.879 and it was like, oh my goodness. I said, I 73 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:34.199 had this this experience up there on the Yellow Mountain Trail, 74 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:37.159 and I guess I'll just go go from there with that. 75 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:38.159 Jeremiah. 76 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:43.639 It was June eleventh, twenty twenty two, and I was, you. 77 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:45.199 Know, there was a lot. 78 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.120 I was working on a project, A lot was going on, 79 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:49.439 and typically what I do is I just take a break. 80 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:52.120 Me and a wife had been had been talking in 81 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.240 the morning about some things, and you know, I kind 82 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:56.800 of ed said, look, I need a break from from 83 00:03:56.800 --> 00:03:58.400 this and I'm going to go for a walking on 84 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:02.240 a trail. And I've done this, you know, thousands of times. 85 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:05.280 It's nothing I haven't done before. And there's been some 86 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.000 times when I get out there, when I get out 87 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:11.199 on especially these beautiful Appalachian mountains, you know, the wildlife, 88 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.719 the scenery, the peacefulness of everything. I'll stay out there, 89 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:17.319 you know, almost still dark, and sometimes I've got my 90 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:20.079 butt shewed by my wife for being a little too late, you. 91 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:22.519 Know, and my mother in law and father in law. 92 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:25.759 But what happened was I went out on a new 93 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:28.120 trail and I broke all the rules. And I should 94 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:31.319 have known better, because I mean, part of my career 95 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:34.920 doing paramedica and doing consultation work for some of these 96 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:38.079 old companies was teaching them about seeing a wearing and 97 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:39.759 scene safety and those kind of things. 98 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:41.199 So I went up there. 99 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.759 This was supposed to be a you probably heard this before, 100 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:45.879 supposed to be a thirty minute walk. 101 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:48.560 Just go do a walk on this trail. Figured i'd 102 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:49.000 go up. 103 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:51.680 To the peak of a yellow mountain and come back down. 104 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:54.600 And I got I got out there, and I didn't 105 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:56.800 bring my day back with me. I didn't bring any 106 00:04:56.920 --> 00:04:59.279 water because it was just gonna be a quick hike 107 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:03.399 cup And I got on the trail and I found 108 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:05.759 weirdly enough, I got to the top and I find 109 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:08.560 this this little cairn at the at the top. The 110 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:12.680 trail doesn't have doesn't get partly any activity, which was 111 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:14.480 kind of curious for me too, because it's like, wow, 112 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:16.399 this is like people don't really come out here all 113 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:18.480 that much. And then you look at the designage of 114 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:21.000 the places kind of kind of run down and broken 115 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:22.199 off and that kind of stuff. 116 00:05:22.279 --> 00:05:24.680 So I, you know, just said. 117 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:28.040 Well, I thought it was a great experience to be 118 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:30.480 able to see, you know, these ancient trees in this. 119 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.000 Particular area I was at. So I went down. 120 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:37.000 Past ADDIE's Gap and went into what they called Chestnut Mountain, 121 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:40.959 and I'd found these beautiful waterfalls and the cave systems 122 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:44.120 and everything, and was having a pretty great adventure. I 123 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:47.839 found these towering blueberry bushes and you know, waterfalls, like 124 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:50.720 I'd said, the cave systems, and then I said, well, 125 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:53.120 I've started realizing I'd been out there more than thirty minutes, 126 00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:56.079 and the wife would get concerned. So I turned back 127 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:58.959 around to go back up, and I don't know how 128 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:03.079 it happened to this day. I still get clowned about 129 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:05.199 it from the family because I'm usually not want to, 130 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:05.680 you know. 131 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:06.480 Make a mistake like that. 132 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:09.079 But I came back up and was going down the 133 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:11.560 trail and started walking and said, I figured, all right, 134 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:13.959 I'm going back over passing the cairn, I'm going back down. 135 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:17.279 And I got on the trail and realized these trees 136 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:20.759 didn't look the same and the forest didn't look the same, 137 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:23.240 and I realized that I was going in the wrong 138 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:26.639 direction of where I had originally came from, and so 139 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:29.879 I went back around. And of course where I'm at 140 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:32.120 up there, there's no phone services nowhere for me to 141 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:35.279 look at my topographical map or anything like that. So 142 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:37.160 I said, okay, I'll just go back around this way. 143 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:42.519 But what I have experienced before in the Appalachian Forest was, 144 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:44.560 you know, when you get on a trail, out of 145 00:06:44.600 --> 00:06:47.639 your trail out if you go for days. So it 146 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:50.480 was like a little concerned at the time, but not 147 00:06:50.680 --> 00:06:54.759 overly concerned. So I came back up around, and I 148 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:57.519 don't know how, I zigged and then zagged back across 149 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:01.519 these trails for about about another hour, and I was realizing, 150 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:02.040 how you know. 151 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:02.839 Starting to get a little. 152 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:06.439 Bit more concerned, and then I finally figured out a 153 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:08.680 way to get to a steep enbank and came back 154 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:11.399 around to the sub what I would I would find 155 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:14.000 out later on, was the southern part of Cooper's Creek, 156 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:16.720 and it was getting to be dark, and I was like, 157 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:18.399 oh boy, I'm really going to get it for being 158 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.000 being late now. And I followed what I thought was 159 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:23.879 a path that was going to bring me right out, 160 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:25.879 and it wasn't. It was another hour and a half 161 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:31.680 before I actually reached down near a seldom used forestry road, 162 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:36.639 like just an offshoot. And by this time I was like, okay, 163 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:39.480 it's getting to be about ten o'clock. The moon's coming up. 164 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:42.439 I'm really like starting to feel it now. I'm like, 165 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:44.240 oh boy, I don't really done a number here, but 166 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:47.399 at least I found the forestry road, and where I 167 00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:50.319 was at I made the mistake of thinking I was 168 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:53.000 going north, which is going to bring me back up 169 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:57.000 to Multi Gap Road, and I had another at least 170 00:07:57.000 --> 00:07:58.800 six seven miles to walk to get to where my 171 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:02.079 vehicle was and and where Yellow Mountain was up on 172 00:08:02.120 --> 00:08:05.519 the Duncan Ridge. So what ended up happening was I 173 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:11.079 made the mistake and went south and ended up going 174 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:14.279 right into the Southern Port, heading toward Morganton and such as, 175 00:08:14.279 --> 00:08:16.959 and not even realizing it, and you know, it was 176 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:20.920 ten o'clock at night, I was on my my third 177 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:23.240 I was I was heading I realized where it was 178 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.160 by this time, because I recognized that one of the 179 00:08:25.160 --> 00:08:27.759 forest rills me and my wife had taken near Cooper's Creek. 180 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:32.360 And then I crossed past the creek and kept going, 181 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:34.840 and I just figured, all right, I'll just meet it 182 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:37.000 out here, final phone seeing, and I'll just call and 183 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:39.919 get get my you know, get my wife or somebody 184 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:41.960 in the family to come pick me up, you know, 185 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:44.039 and I'll have a lot of explaining to me once 186 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:44.720 I get home. 187 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:47.519 So so around the first. 188 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:50.799 Bend, I didn't, I didn't there. It was very well moonlight, 189 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:53.360 and you could see, you know, you could hear water, 190 00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:56.120 you know, gurgling in the in the nearby creek to 191 00:08:56.200 --> 00:08:58.759 my right. You could see they where it was inclining 192 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.320 up into the mountains to my left, and you could 193 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:03.919 see animals obviously moving around in the forest, you know, 194 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:07.080 which is quite common there with where I was at. 195 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:11.960 So I was making my second turn and not thinking 196 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:13.799 of it, and just wanted to just get on out 197 00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:15.960 of the woods, trying to conserve my battery, not using 198 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:17.320 my light and just using the moon light. 199 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:18.720 When I made the. 200 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:22.480 Third bind, I saw a shadow or something go across 201 00:09:22.519 --> 00:09:24.519 the road, and I just took it to be either 202 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.519 a deer or a bear or just you know, because 203 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:28.519 that's they're quite common around here. 204 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:30.600 And and didn't think none of it. 205 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:34.600 And a weird thing had happened just before I got 206 00:09:34.600 --> 00:09:37.639 made that third bind. There was and I was still 207 00:09:37.639 --> 00:09:40.759 in my head thinking that I'll you know that that 208 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:42.799 I was heading toward Mulky Branch and then I'll just 209 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:46.080 get on Mulki Branch got roaded and I saw an 210 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:48.600 offshoot trail and it was a fork in the road, 211 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:51.279 and it was you know, something said, you know, don't 212 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:55.480 take that that particular trail, so I was gonna take it. 213 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:57.240 I was thinking, well, maybe I'll just take a short cut. 214 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:59.679 I'll cut out all this this extra distance and I'll 215 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:01.240 be able to across through the woods and up on 216 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:03.919 the other side over there. But I decided not to 217 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:06.240 A good thing I didn't because it was on the 218 00:10:06.279 --> 00:10:08.759 third bend that I was coming that. 219 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:11.879 Something just below me on that. 220 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:14.720 Particular trail, which was right next to us until some 221 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:16.480 kind of a creek or some kind of waterway at 222 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:20.440 the time, something moved and I didn't think. 223 00:10:20.360 --> 00:10:21.759 I first, you know, it moved. 224 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:24.960 I didn't think much of it, but it stomped, and 225 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:27.240 when it stopped, it shook and it shook the ground, 226 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:29.240 and I was like, goodness, that's a big bear, you know. 227 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:31.879 That's the way I was thinking. Was still wasn't thinking 228 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:35.559 anything else but bear or something big, you know, Except 229 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:37.960 it stomped again, and I said, wait, it's not on 230 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:41.000 four legs, it's on two. And it shook the ground again, 231 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.960 and it's you know, kind of I was like, at 232 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:45.679 this point, I'm like the way they's getting a little closer, 233 00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:47.960 and it ain't scared, So I'm gonna holler at it 234 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.679 and holler bear. So hey bear, Hey bear. And I 235 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:52.919 made fun of people all the time about this, Oh yeah, 236 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:55.799 that's going to stop a bear. But I hollered again, 237 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:57.879 and I mean I hollered loud man, I mean I 238 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:00.679 usually I let my voice go it, you know. And 239 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.639 it kept moving forward, not even phased at what I 240 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:08.039 was doing, and I said, this is one big animal 241 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:10.120 that's that's not scared of people. 242 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:12.840 So I said, okay, well we're just going to go 243 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:14.279 around and just mose. 244 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:16.039 I almost thought about running back, and I said that 245 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:17.320 would have probably been a bad idea. 246 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:18.840 So at this. 247 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:23.840 Point, it kept coming forward and I just man, I 248 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:26.639 didn't know what to think, so at for a moment there, 249 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:29.360 I clicked my light on and shined my light up, 250 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:31.799 and when I did, there was a group of trees. 251 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.000 It's just like yesterday. There was some laurel bushes. 252 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:37.480 There was a sweet shrub bush right in there, right 253 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.720 next to the road system, and then there was a 254 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:43.799 it was a dumb tree, I guess. And this hand 255 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.639 comes up and breaks a branch right right above me, 256 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:49.039 and I'm like, and the first thing is it's a hand. 257 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:51.200 That that that freaked me out right off the back. 258 00:11:51.799 --> 00:11:53.879 The second thing that freaked me out about it was 259 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.519 the height of the hand from the base of where 260 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:01.440 it was coming from. You know, it was if I 261 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:04.320 had to guess, I mean, just an estimate, the branch 262 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.759 from the road to the to the top had been 263 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.799 at least from where I was gathering. From from where 264 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.279 this thing was standing, it would be at least eight 265 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:15.159 to nine feet. And I was like freaked out already. 266 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:18.279 But then it was you know, I'm thinking Paul, expecting Paul, 267 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:20.919 not hand, and it was a primate hand, and it 268 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:22.720 was the biggest thing I ever saw in my life. 269 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.919 And I've seen guerrillas before, man zoos out in the wild, 270 00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:29.000 you name it. And when I saw that, I ain't 271 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:30.799 gonna lie to you, I paniced. I ran like I ran, 272 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:32.879 Like I tell people all the time. I ran like 273 00:12:32.919 --> 00:12:34.600 the devil. Hi stuff was chasing me, and I ran 274 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:36.639 and I didn't. I did not look back, And I 275 00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:39.879 tell you that was the the I think. By the 276 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:44.480 time I finished running, almost almost tripped over a to 277 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:47.279 a box turtle on the way heading out, I didn't 278 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:49.240 even the whole time. I kept thinking this thing was 279 00:12:49.240 --> 00:12:51.759 gonna probably jump out and come after me. But I 280 00:12:51.799 --> 00:12:52.720 was scared to death. 281 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:52.960 Man. 282 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:55.120 I ain't never been scared of any animal in my life. 283 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:57.519 But when you see something like that, now that size, 284 00:12:58.120 --> 00:13:00.559 in that setting, and you're by yourself, and there's I 285 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:03.399 had nothing, no weapon of any sword, and I don't 286 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:05.120 I don't even think a gun would have done. 287 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:07.919 Anything to this. But by the time I'd finished running, 288 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:11.080 I didn't stop. I mean, IM was heaving. 289 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:13.879 By the time I must have gone ten ten at 290 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:17.080 least ten miles from when I gathered just he even dry, 291 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:20.159 even you know, throat feeling like I had sandpaper in 292 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:22.759 it because I was exhausted. But I kept kept on 293 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.919 up on hiking through and running, and I finally came 294 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:29.320 out into an open area, an open field, and I 295 00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:32.000 opened it looked like an open pasture where there was 296 00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:36.440 moonlight and there's mountains all around, pine covered mountains. And 297 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:40.080 I looked over to my left and realized i'd shine 298 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:41.720 my light up because I couldn't really see it. But 299 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:44.639 I saw a sign and the science showed that Cooper's 300 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:48.080 Creek Wildlife Management Area. So I was like, WHOA, I said, 301 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:50.039 how in the heck did I get this far? And 302 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:52.559 I didn't even at the time, I didn't realize it, 303 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:55.600 but I had come out out near Morganton and such as, 304 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:59.320 which was way way far from where I, you know, 305 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:01.320 from where I was at and you know, from my 306 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:05.039 from my hometown. And when ended up happening, it was 307 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:07.399 I don't know how to how to explain the rest 308 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:09.440 of it. That I came out there still was no 309 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:13.000 phone signal. It was the creepiest, eeriest feeling, you know, 310 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.519 realizing after I got my wind that that where I 311 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:18.720 was at was, you know, it still had me creaked 312 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.600 out that there might be things still out there coming 313 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:22.679 and I just kept on moving. But there was a 314 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:28.600 beautiful church, uh beautiful Appalachian church down and I saw 315 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:30.879 a sign which kind of to me that hasn't The 316 00:14:30.919 --> 00:14:34.159 word providence has a dual meaning for me now. Providence 317 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:37.759 for me means you know, with with with my writing 318 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:39.840 and all this, you know, you know, the home of 319 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:44.720 Heart Phillips Lovecraft. But also for me, Providence is that church, 320 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:48.039 that moonlit night where I got to come out and 321 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:52.279 see this sign in this place and finally get some 322 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:56.480 semblance and then get back to civilization. But totally freaked out. 323 00:14:56.519 --> 00:15:00.159 Well what I still trying to process even even now. 324 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:04.080 And I got to to the to an asphalt wrote 325 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:07.120 about half an hour later, and I almost made a 326 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:09.159 mistake and was going to go south again when I 327 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:11.159 went said no, no, no, I'm going this. I'm going right 328 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:13.840 to start of the north, and I managed about about 329 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:15.960 fifteen twenty minutes later, I managed to get a text 330 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:19.720 to my my very very worried wife, and it was 331 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:23.720 almost one in the morning, and man, I found the first, 332 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:26.080 I hate to say, the well in the woods when 333 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:27.879 I had gotten the hydro when I was getting turned around, 334 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.679 i'd drink some of the spring water up there and 335 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.440 it was the finest. 336 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:33.200 Like I told Dave, Maccara when I. 337 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:36.919 Reported to him a couple of days later, the water 338 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.039 up here was the best water I ever drank in 339 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:41.399 my life. And then I said, you know, and then 340 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:44.759 and down and then waiting for my family was probably 341 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:46.919 one of the creepiest things I ever had to do, 342 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:48.919 waiting for somebody to come and get me. 343 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:51.879 And I was I wasn't going to report. 344 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:55.120 Because I was embarrassed more than anything getting lost and 345 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:58.440 then running into you know, I run into an obviously bigfoot. 346 00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:01.600 I was embarrassed on on that. But then you know, 347 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:05.159 I'm still you know, trying to process it all. And 348 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:08.879 my daughter at the time, Caitlin, had had kept in, 349 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.519 you know, telling me, I need I need to report 350 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:13.200 I need to report this. I need to report it 351 00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:15.799 to the to the to the Bigfoot place, which is 352 00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:19.320 just down the road from us. And that's when I called. 353 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:20.639 And I you know, at the time, I didn't know 354 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:22.320 how I was gonna approach it. But mister Dave was 355 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:24.919 the day of care, was was great. The way he 356 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.440 actually it was kind of a funny thing, Jeremi. He 357 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:30.440 he starts with, oh, so you saw faral people, and 358 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:32.320 I went like they got fair of people like I 359 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:33.960 freaked out. I was like, you got fair of people 360 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.840 out of here, which I have to seeing a big foot. 361 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:38.559 I mean, I mean, I'm open for anything these days, man. 362 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:42.039 But that's pretty much the extent of what happened. It 363 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:45.200 took me, I guess it must have taken well after 364 00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:47.919 getting I got my butte about the family they really 365 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:51.240 torn to me. But uh, it took me about it. It 366 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:53.600 took me a couple of weeks to get my knees hurt, 367 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:56.399 my body eight and and all of that. And then 368 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:58.320 once we might mean the father in law said down 369 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:01.159 it had been at least it must have. I must 370 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:03.840 have checked at least twenty seven miles zig zagging back 371 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:07.200 and forth across the mountains, and you know, totally trying 372 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.759 to figure out where I was to get out of 373 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:12.240 get out of there. But just you know, simple goofy 374 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:15.119 mistakes like that, you know, and you get you turned around. 375 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:16.839 But never, in my wildest means I think I was 376 00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:18.359 going to run into something like that out there. 377 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:18.519 Man. 378 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:24.480 That is such a fascinating story. It's also a great 379 00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:29.960 cautionary tale. It is something that you know, people will say, yes, 380 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:32.400 you know, we hear stuff like that. You know what 381 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:34.960 could happen even if you're only going out for half 382 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:37.400 an hour. Make sure you got a day pack. That's 383 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:40.079 what I try to do myself. You never ever know 384 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:44.119 what you could get yourself into. And I think you're probably, 385 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:48.039 you know, one of the luckiest guys in a while 386 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.480 down there that nothing did happen to you and you 387 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:54.799 were able to get to get back, So yeah, good 388 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:55.119 for you. 389 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:55.400 Man. 390 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:59.759 Regarding the hand that you saw that was about eight 391 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:04.160 to nine feet up, were there certain details that you 392 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:08.160 first saw that made you think, oh, this is some 393 00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:10.559 kind of huge primate hand up here. 394 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:12.200 Yeah. 395 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:17.119 The nail color and the decreases, that's what what threw me. 396 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.640 And then obviously the hair. The hair was more like 397 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:22.440 you know what I'm saying, I mean, gorilla handed. It's 398 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:25.880 just it just blew my mind. It was like, let 399 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:27.759 me wait up. You know, I'm thinking bear claw, you know, 400 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.160 bear scratching on a blog or whatever, and he's just 401 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:32.720