April 6, 2011...another foray into the forest in search of the legendary Sasquatch.
This time Stan and I were accompanied by our friends Chris Mason & Laura Richter (and the ever intrepid Belle). We had a good night. Cool, clear sky and a sliver of moon that cast the forest in a pale light in all but the deepest parts. Just to be different we entered the woods at a different location.
Again, I had no big hope of actually seeing Bigfoot. I suspect, if they're there, they know we've entered the woods and tend to keep back. What I wanted was to hear one scream! Mind you, not too close to me but still...
Two packs of coyotes battled it out from across the valley and there were plenty of owls but nothing I would classify as an unknown primate. We did, however, experience a couple of strange things. While I'm not prepared to state with certainty that these were 'squatch related, they were very odd.
In the ghost field we talk of feelings that make our hair stand up, feelings like we're being watched. I'm not one to experience that kind of stuff but at one point in the night I got the feeling that if I turned around someone...something would be standing right behind me. There wasn't. It was interesting though. Anyone who's spent time in the woods has felt this feeling before and, while it very well could be a natural defense of any animal, it's hard to ignore when you're looking for an 8 foot giant!
Further down the valley I was overcome by an odd "electrical" charge, akin to grabbing a low wattage, badly grounded electrical appliance. It was a powerful wave of something that made my skin crawl. As I was the only one who felt it I can't offer more than that but many Bigfoot researchers believe the big guy has a type of power (pyschic or otherwise) they use to intimidate. It was a curious sensation but, really, may have been nothing but my amped up imagination.
As we walked across a field Laura was hit by a small ball of wet mud that came from...well, I'm not sure. It was thrown, that much is certain.
Finally, as we neared our normal entrance, I began wood knocking. I got no response but Laura and I decided to walk up the hill to the spot where we'd gotten the weird "whoop" and the wood knock on our last visit. I tapped trees along the way and, for some reason, we sang Pink Floyd, "OK, just knock if you can hear me..." I'll laugh if Stan's out there some day and hears a gutteral rendition of "You Better Run"!
About halfway up the hill we heard something moving in the woods off to our left. It stopped when we stopped and continued with us as we walked. No idea what it was but, as we stood and listened for it at one point, from a few yards ahead we heard a sound. I can't really describe it, a series of clicks that were, obviously, coming from a lifeform of some type. As if someone were clicking their tongue against their teeth. Both of us heard it clearly. I answered but doing my best to mimic the sound. It answered. And then Belle ran up behind us. She paused and moved forward. As she neared the spot I thought the sound was coming from she crouched and stared straight ahead and then suddenly tore off past us and down the trail.
I'm not too proud to say we went for backup but, when the four of us returned to the spot, there was nothing to see, no sounds, no responses to our wood knocks or my horrible impression of Christopher Lambert in "Graystoke". Nothing.
Finally we returned to the car and Stan did sound blasts for a few minutes but, other than the coyotes, there was no reply.
I can't say what we experienced. I will lay odds that it, at least, could have been Bigfoot. But, again, nothing I could use to prove anything. Still though, another good night in the woods!
Showing posts with label Bigfoot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bigfoot. Show all posts
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Bigfoot Stakeout 3
March 30, 2011...
Once again into the woods with Stan. This time we were armed with his most sopisticated microphones and Nightshot video. The night was cold but very clear and as darkness settled around us the valley came alive with the sounds of owls and coyotes. We had high hopes after our last excursion.
As the coyotes yipped in the distance I was reminded of some of the recordings Stan's gotten in the past. Coyotes bark and something, something a little more gutteral, mimics them in reply. Stan's theory is that sasquatches are excellent mimics and often blend their "voices" into their natural surroundings. He has, in fact, recorded something answering his soundblasts in HIS voice. Intriguing.
The problem with Bigfoot is it's not a predictable beast and our vigil this night would, ultimately, be in vain. There was, as expected, no sighting and no odd sounds in the night. Still I enjoyed the night as talking theory with Stan is always a learning experiance.
At one point Belle the dog began to bark furiously and, while neither of us believed she had encountered Bigfoot, we wondered what she run up against. As we got in the car to leave it became quiet apparent...a skunk! Fun ride back to the house!
Of course I'll return but my work with the ghosts beckons this weekend so it won't be for a while. Better luck next time is, of course, our hope!
Once again into the woods with Stan. This time we were armed with his most sopisticated microphones and Nightshot video. The night was cold but very clear and as darkness settled around us the valley came alive with the sounds of owls and coyotes. We had high hopes after our last excursion.
As the coyotes yipped in the distance I was reminded of some of the recordings Stan's gotten in the past. Coyotes bark and something, something a little more gutteral, mimics them in reply. Stan's theory is that sasquatches are excellent mimics and often blend their "voices" into their natural surroundings. He has, in fact, recorded something answering his soundblasts in HIS voice. Intriguing.
The problem with Bigfoot is it's not a predictable beast and our vigil this night would, ultimately, be in vain. There was, as expected, no sighting and no odd sounds in the night. Still I enjoyed the night as talking theory with Stan is always a learning experiance.
At one point Belle the dog began to bark furiously and, while neither of us believed she had encountered Bigfoot, we wondered what she run up against. As we got in the car to leave it became quiet apparent...a skunk! Fun ride back to the house!
Of course I'll return but my work with the ghosts beckons this weekend so it won't be for a while. Better luck next time is, of course, our hope!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Messing With Sasquatch Part Deux
March 19 has always meant, to me anyway, the day Ozzy Osbourne's brilliant guitarist, Randy Rhoads, died. Last night the date took on new meaning. Last night I had, thanks to my friend Stan Courtney, my first encounter with what I believe to be Bigfoot.
It was the night of the "Super Moon" and I spent the afternoon at a paranormal discussion group. During the course of the day the discussion turned to the moon and many wondered if it's position, closest it's been to the Earth in 20 years, might have some affect on paranormal events. My friend Laura Richter and I decided we needed go investigate somewhere and see if activity was higher. But where?
Enter Stan...
Stan, as previously mentioned is a Sasquatch researcher who, over the years, has identified several hot spots for activity, one of which is withing driving distance for us. We asked if he was interested in taking a stroll through the woods. Of course he was and we made arrangements to meet him later.
The "Super Moon", sadly, was lost in thick cloud cover and, just before we got to Stan's house, it started to rain. Our night didn't look good but, undaunted, we donned rain gear and headed into the forest.
We spent approximately 2 hours in the deepest part of the woods and, mercifully, the rain stopped. It was a peaceful night and the sounds of frogs filled the night. East of us coyotes yipped but, otherwise, nothing caught our interest.
Finally we decided to change locations so that Stan could do some soundblasting. For those of you not familiar with the technique, Stan (armed with a megaphone) basically yells into the night and waits for a response. He has several locations where he's had results and we hoped tonight for similar responses. As we made our way out of the forest I decided to try banging sticks against trees, this is, according to researchers, a common method of communication among our giant, hairy friends and one Stan rarely does at the site.
All along the way out, about every five minutes, I smashed sticks into trees and nothing responded. Nothing, that is, until we hit path that would finally lead us to the car. Suddenly, to our right, something responded, smacking a stick loudly in response to my hitting a tree moments before. I was elated...Stan and Laura didn't hear it. A few minutes later, from our left...again in response to my smacking a tree, came a sound we all heard. An almost human "howl"...imaging the "ooooo" sound of every ghost you ever saw on Scooby-Doo...emitted from the woods; perhaps 100 yards out.
"They're escorting us out," Stan said. We waited a few minutes and discussed what the sound could have been. Having grown up in the woods; I am familiar with the sounds of the forest. This wasn't an owl or a coyote. It was almost the sound of a human voice imitating a coyote. That left, in my mind, two option. Either someone was in the woods with us at midnight or we may have encountered Bigfoot. We'd never be sure as whatever made the sound didn't come closer and never repeated it. I think it knew we were on the way out and it just wanted to hasten us along!
We drove to the first of the soundblasting locations with anticipation. Our first attempts brought no response. Stan figures if they don't respond after three attempts there's no need to keep trying so we drove to the second location; a location Stan's had excellent luck with in the past.
This spot is ideal. A clearing overlooks a valley with a wide path, about 100 yards long, running to the valley floor. Thick woods border the path. We stepped from the car and Stan bellowed into the megaphone. No response. Again. No response. Finally the third and final time. It was now nearing one A.M. and Stan let forth a roar which echoed through the valley. A few seconds later came the response. A howl, definitely not a coyote, followed quickly be five more howls that sounded like they were just down the hill...as if something was there watching us.
The sound was never repeated. Laura thought she may have seen movement down the path, just inside the tree line, but couldn't be sure. And while we waited there a little longer the sound was never repeated and we decided to call it a night.
I know, this doesn't constitute proof of anything. Stan may have recorded the sounds (as of this writing I haven't heard) but, whatever they were, they were not human, they were not coyotes. It was something I'd never heard before and, while I saw nothing, I'm inclined to believe we accomplished our goal of encountering Bigfoot.
I'll go back, hopefully when it's not raining, and I'll try the stick banging thing again. I'm not sure what I'd do if a Sasquatch emerged from the woods in response though. It would be the climax to a dream I've had since childhood (who hasn't wanted to see a Bigfoot?), then again it might help me break land speed records!
The quest continues...
It was the night of the "Super Moon" and I spent the afternoon at a paranormal discussion group. During the course of the day the discussion turned to the moon and many wondered if it's position, closest it's been to the Earth in 20 years, might have some affect on paranormal events. My friend Laura Richter and I decided we needed go investigate somewhere and see if activity was higher. But where?
Enter Stan...
Stan, as previously mentioned is a Sasquatch researcher who, over the years, has identified several hot spots for activity, one of which is withing driving distance for us. We asked if he was interested in taking a stroll through the woods. Of course he was and we made arrangements to meet him later.
The "Super Moon", sadly, was lost in thick cloud cover and, just before we got to Stan's house, it started to rain. Our night didn't look good but, undaunted, we donned rain gear and headed into the forest.
We spent approximately 2 hours in the deepest part of the woods and, mercifully, the rain stopped. It was a peaceful night and the sounds of frogs filled the night. East of us coyotes yipped but, otherwise, nothing caught our interest.
Finally we decided to change locations so that Stan could do some soundblasting. For those of you not familiar with the technique, Stan (armed with a megaphone) basically yells into the night and waits for a response. He has several locations where he's had results and we hoped tonight for similar responses. As we made our way out of the forest I decided to try banging sticks against trees, this is, according to researchers, a common method of communication among our giant, hairy friends and one Stan rarely does at the site.
All along the way out, about every five minutes, I smashed sticks into trees and nothing responded. Nothing, that is, until we hit path that would finally lead us to the car. Suddenly, to our right, something responded, smacking a stick loudly in response to my hitting a tree moments before. I was elated...Stan and Laura didn't hear it. A few minutes later, from our left...again in response to my smacking a tree, came a sound we all heard. An almost human "howl"...imaging the "ooooo" sound of every ghost you ever saw on Scooby-Doo...emitted from the woods; perhaps 100 yards out.
"They're escorting us out," Stan said. We waited a few minutes and discussed what the sound could have been. Having grown up in the woods; I am familiar with the sounds of the forest. This wasn't an owl or a coyote. It was almost the sound of a human voice imitating a coyote. That left, in my mind, two option. Either someone was in the woods with us at midnight or we may have encountered Bigfoot. We'd never be sure as whatever made the sound didn't come closer and never repeated it. I think it knew we were on the way out and it just wanted to hasten us along!
We drove to the first of the soundblasting locations with anticipation. Our first attempts brought no response. Stan figures if they don't respond after three attempts there's no need to keep trying so we drove to the second location; a location Stan's had excellent luck with in the past.
This spot is ideal. A clearing overlooks a valley with a wide path, about 100 yards long, running to the valley floor. Thick woods border the path. We stepped from the car and Stan bellowed into the megaphone. No response. Again. No response. Finally the third and final time. It was now nearing one A.M. and Stan let forth a roar which echoed through the valley. A few seconds later came the response. A howl, definitely not a coyote, followed quickly be five more howls that sounded like they were just down the hill...as if something was there watching us.
The sound was never repeated. Laura thought she may have seen movement down the path, just inside the tree line, but couldn't be sure. And while we waited there a little longer the sound was never repeated and we decided to call it a night.
I know, this doesn't constitute proof of anything. Stan may have recorded the sounds (as of this writing I haven't heard) but, whatever they were, they were not human, they were not coyotes. It was something I'd never heard before and, while I saw nothing, I'm inclined to believe we accomplished our goal of encountering Bigfoot.
I'll go back, hopefully when it's not raining, and I'll try the stick banging thing again. I'm not sure what I'd do if a Sasquatch emerged from the woods in response though. It would be the climax to a dream I've had since childhood (who hasn't wanted to see a Bigfoot?), then again it might help me break land speed records!
The quest continues...
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Messin' With Sasquatch
When I was about 8 I bought a book from one of those school book orders. Sadly I can't remember the name now but it was one of those books about strange creatures and weird goings-on. Not only did this forgotten book hook me on mysterious entities such as Springheel Jack and the Mad Gasser of Mattoon; it also began my obsession with Bigfoot.
I can recall sleeping out in my cousin's pop-up camper and, as boys will do, telling stories of monsters in the woods behind our houses to freak each other out. I remember riding horses through the woods around Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks and hearing the locals tell stories of the creatures that roamed those woods. Mostly I remember just wondering how, if such a beast existed, could it live undetected for so long?
While my interest in the paranormal took me in another direction; my love of the great ape-creature has never waned and, in recent years, I've renewed that interest with enthusiasm.
This stems from a couple of different things. First, a wide variety of reports I've heard centered around central Illinois. Second was my introduction to Stan Courtney. Stan is a serious researcher. He records nature sounds and that is how he stumbled onto the Sasquatch. I follow his blog, check it out and listen to these recordings yourself and tell me what you think. Some chilling stuff!
When I met Stan he offered to take me to some of his favorite "hunting grounds" and on March 19, 2010 the logistics panned out so I was able to meet him for an excursion into an area of he's had significant luck in over the last few years. I feel I must be vague here and not be too specific as to where we went but, suffice it to say, it was a deeply wooded area in central Illinois.
I've spent my share of time in the woods growing up and I've had my share of weird experiences there but I've never, to my knowledge, encountered a Bigfoot. At times I've felt I was being watched, I've had large animals of some kind follow me...I've even, looking back, heard the sounds of "claps" and rocks and sticks banging out there in the woods. All of these, according to researchers, are potentially signs there is a Bigfoot in the area.
All week the weather was beautiful. Mid-sixties, sunny. Of course, Saturday dawned overcast and cold with an 80% chance of rain. I had agreed to meet Stan at his home at eight that evening so all I could do was hold my breath and hope for the best. Of course it rained the whole hour drive to Stan's house and there were wind gusts of 30or so miles per hour!
Fortunately things had calmed by the time I got there and, while it was still cold and windy, at least the rain had stopped. We loaded into Stan's jeep and headed out. After winding our way through miles of country back roads, we arrived at our destination and disembarked. We took nothing into the woods with us save red flashlights, my camera and Stan's recording devices...and Belle, Stan's dog, who ran ahead of us to (hopefully) clear the way should a large ape be lying in wait across our path! Our objective this night was only to listen and, hopefully, record the sounds of a Sasquatch in it's natural environment.
As we drove to the spot Stan explained that there have also been sightings of large cats, panthers, in the area. I will admit this made me far more nervous than the Bigfoot reports. The idea of being mauled but a panther didn't appeal to me at all! Hopefully, I thouhgt, the dog was up to the task!
The woods were silent save for the constant wind and the loud chirping of hundreds of frogs who couldn't have been happy with the natural conditions of the night. No other animals made themselves known as we trekked through the dark, wet woods. Stan told me of events that had occurred while he, and other researchers, had explored these woods in the past.
There have been sightings here, he told me. One dramatic incident occurred a few years ago while the researcher was getting his equipment out of the car. He heard a noise behind him and, turning, noticed the creature scurrying down a large tree nearby. It his the ground with a plop and crawled on it's belly off into the woods. Other sightings have been far less dramatic, just fleeting glimpses of huge, hairy creatures hurrying across the flats or disappearing into the woods.
Footprints, some as large as 18 inches, have been catalogued here as well. None that were very castable unfortunately. The ground is swampy through most of the area we covered. Researchers have found evidence of nests, they have heard the creatures around them, they have experienced the oft-reported "foul odor" said to be a natural defense of the Sasquatch. And then there are Stan's recordings.
On these tapes coyotes yip and something is obviously mimicking them in the distance. Stan, himself, has bellowed through a bullhorn only to have his own voice returned to him 45 seconds or so later (it's on his site). We did try sound blasting later during our attempt but the strong winds made it almost impossible.
Stan and I walked through these woods for a couple of hours, listening. At one point I heard a weird squeal off to my left, another time we both heard an odd, warbling howl that may or may not have been feline.
As we made our way back, near midnight, we paused in a clearing and waited for Belle to catch up. From directly ahead of us we both heard two (for lack of better terminology) "coughs". Two quick, clear, "ack, ack". I've never heard anything like it, nor had Stan although he suggested it could have been a raccoon. Hard to say but it was the most unexplainable thing about our night.
Stan's recordings revealed all the odd sounds we heard but the wind distorted them and they're too indistinct to be of use. I guess hunting Bigfoot isn't that much different than hunting ghosts! Lots of time in your area of study with very little to show for it in the end.
But, like ghost hunting, patience is a virtue when it comes to the elusive Sasquatch and I intend to revisit the area with Stan in the near future. Stay tuned for more...
I can recall sleeping out in my cousin's pop-up camper and, as boys will do, telling stories of monsters in the woods behind our houses to freak each other out. I remember riding horses through the woods around Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks and hearing the locals tell stories of the creatures that roamed those woods. Mostly I remember just wondering how, if such a beast existed, could it live undetected for so long?
While my interest in the paranormal took me in another direction; my love of the great ape-creature has never waned and, in recent years, I've renewed that interest with enthusiasm.
This stems from a couple of different things. First, a wide variety of reports I've heard centered around central Illinois. Second was my introduction to Stan Courtney. Stan is a serious researcher. He records nature sounds and that is how he stumbled onto the Sasquatch. I follow his blog, check it out and listen to these recordings yourself and tell me what you think. Some chilling stuff!
When I met Stan he offered to take me to some of his favorite "hunting grounds" and on March 19, 2010 the logistics panned out so I was able to meet him for an excursion into an area of he's had significant luck in over the last few years. I feel I must be vague here and not be too specific as to where we went but, suffice it to say, it was a deeply wooded area in central Illinois.
I've spent my share of time in the woods growing up and I've had my share of weird experiences there but I've never, to my knowledge, encountered a Bigfoot. At times I've felt I was being watched, I've had large animals of some kind follow me...I've even, looking back, heard the sounds of "claps" and rocks and sticks banging out there in the woods. All of these, according to researchers, are potentially signs there is a Bigfoot in the area.
All week the weather was beautiful. Mid-sixties, sunny. Of course, Saturday dawned overcast and cold with an 80% chance of rain. I had agreed to meet Stan at his home at eight that evening so all I could do was hold my breath and hope for the best. Of course it rained the whole hour drive to Stan's house and there were wind gusts of 30or so miles per hour!
Fortunately things had calmed by the time I got there and, while it was still cold and windy, at least the rain had stopped. We loaded into Stan's jeep and headed out. After winding our way through miles of country back roads, we arrived at our destination and disembarked. We took nothing into the woods with us save red flashlights, my camera and Stan's recording devices...and Belle, Stan's dog, who ran ahead of us to (hopefully) clear the way should a large ape be lying in wait across our path! Our objective this night was only to listen and, hopefully, record the sounds of a Sasquatch in it's natural environment.
As we drove to the spot Stan explained that there have also been sightings of large cats, panthers, in the area. I will admit this made me far more nervous than the Bigfoot reports. The idea of being mauled but a panther didn't appeal to me at all! Hopefully, I thouhgt, the dog was up to the task!
The woods were silent save for the constant wind and the loud chirping of hundreds of frogs who couldn't have been happy with the natural conditions of the night. No other animals made themselves known as we trekked through the dark, wet woods. Stan told me of events that had occurred while he, and other researchers, had explored these woods in the past.
There have been sightings here, he told me. One dramatic incident occurred a few years ago while the researcher was getting his equipment out of the car. He heard a noise behind him and, turning, noticed the creature scurrying down a large tree nearby. It his the ground with a plop and crawled on it's belly off into the woods. Other sightings have been far less dramatic, just fleeting glimpses of huge, hairy creatures hurrying across the flats or disappearing into the woods.
Footprints, some as large as 18 inches, have been catalogued here as well. None that were very castable unfortunately. The ground is swampy through most of the area we covered. Researchers have found evidence of nests, they have heard the creatures around them, they have experienced the oft-reported "foul odor" said to be a natural defense of the Sasquatch. And then there are Stan's recordings.
On these tapes coyotes yip and something is obviously mimicking them in the distance. Stan, himself, has bellowed through a bullhorn only to have his own voice returned to him 45 seconds or so later (it's on his site). We did try sound blasting later during our attempt but the strong winds made it almost impossible.
Stan and I walked through these woods for a couple of hours, listening. At one point I heard a weird squeal off to my left, another time we both heard an odd, warbling howl that may or may not have been feline.
As we made our way back, near midnight, we paused in a clearing and waited for Belle to catch up. From directly ahead of us we both heard two (for lack of better terminology) "coughs". Two quick, clear, "ack, ack". I've never heard anything like it, nor had Stan although he suggested it could have been a raccoon. Hard to say but it was the most unexplainable thing about our night.
Stan's recordings revealed all the odd sounds we heard but the wind distorted them and they're too indistinct to be of use. I guess hunting Bigfoot isn't that much different than hunting ghosts! Lots of time in your area of study with very little to show for it in the end.
But, like ghost hunting, patience is a virtue when it comes to the elusive Sasquatch and I intend to revisit the area with Stan in the near future. Stay tuned for more...
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