Some Field Reports

[Branco]

Ky Woodsman: Some examples. Years ago when I finally found the general area where two groups - each headed by a BIG male - bedded about 2 miles apart on ridges alongside different creeks, I then I found out that about dark the males would follow the separate creeks down to where the creeks came together. The males would call, meet, then forage down the bigger creek about a mile  to the creek's junction with a river. While discovering all that, at one time I got too close the bedding area of the eastern group, and played some calls. Dead trees were pushed over on the side of the high ridge above me. The trees falling were not meant to be threat, just a warning. So I began walking out. When I thought I had gotten far enough away to satisfy them I stopped and put on a set of Hunter's Ears just to listen. I heard one walking in the brushy creek bed where I had been. The sounds stopped, so I waited. I played a bit of a call, and immediately heard a deep, menacing growl from a brush covered rock cliff across the creak, and only a few yards behind me. That was a threat. Had I stayed, he would likely have beaned me with a rock.

 

All the field work up there was done alone. I began camping alone within 200 yards of the creeks's junction, and staying a few days at a time. I left food for them, and they eventually accepted my presence. They pranked around with me at night, and the western group's male finally walked up to the back of my camper shell at 2 AM one night. Not aggressive at all. 

 

It got to the point they would hear me driving in, and be down on the creeks when I got to the camp site. No other aggressiveness during the first year or so. Then I made the mistake of trying to slip up on the western group at their cold spring watering hole about noon on a very hot summer day. The "ole man" saw me coming and threw a raging fit. Never heard anything like before. He was flat mad and aggressive. After listening a few seconds, I started back to camp. He came down off the ridge throwing big rocks and breaking tree and limbs. When he got to the bottom of the hollow, he began to calm down a little, but I kept walking, and he didn't come after me. Had I not left (I heard others - two I think - run away from the spring before he threw the fit), I think he would have tried to hit me with a rock. They didn't hold a grudge, I still camped there.

 

After about two years, I had so many of my relatives and friends that wanted to try to see or hear them that I took some folks up there many times. Two things I learned; they did not like me bringing people around, and if there were women in the groups (which there were most of the time) they would really put on a show for them. (I had got to the point that I didn't play calls anymore at that spot. If they were in hearing distance they would be waiting close by, if not I would make particular vocalization. If they didn't respond vocally, or didn't show up I figured they were somewhere eating.

 

When I had a relative holler one night, he got a very aggressive response from the west male. (I believe there were three women and two men there.) We never  heard a sound out of the male BF, but that sucker slipped to within twenty yards of us and was standing behind a very thick area of brush. We were quiet and listening, until one of the women whispered to another, and caused her to laugh out loud. That's when the big male came crashing through that thicket like a mad bull, We were in the trucks in seconds. Just about the same thing happened twice more; once at the same location, and once at a location nearer to the eastern groups area. In all three cases, there we women in the group. 

 

All of those are where I had previously interacted with the critters. I and a married couple got run out of the woods in Jackson County WV. There was no question about needing to leave. Another fit-throwing male. I have encountered  two other groups in AL - one by accident and the other on purpose - that were overly aggressive, but in both those cases they were family groups.

 

Bottom line: You will dang sure know when they want you to leave; if they really wanted to do you harm, you would never hear a thing until the last second. I think Coonbo or anyone else who has messed with these boogers will tell you the same thing.

[the parkie]

Branco, were you ever tempted to take a recording device, camera or video camera with you over this period?

[Branco]

I had a small digital camera hidden on me most of the time. For the first few years I had a small digital recorder in my camper shell at night by an open window. (Wasn't worth much.) Then I had a small cargo trailer built to my specs as a "one man" camper. When received, I rewired it so that everything was operated from an on-board deep cycle marine battery. I built, wired and installed an electrical panel board with switched circuits with voltages reduced as needed for particular equipment, and outlets for infrared lights and sound amplifiers on top of the camper, and two security cameras with two monitors beside my bed. I converted a small TV reception dish to an amplified sound dish that sat about 50 feet from the camper. It was connected through the panel board to a tape recorder (45 min record time each side). I depended on the clicking "end tape" sound to awaken me and turn the tape over or put in a new one. I missed a lot of good sounds that woke me up AFTER the tape had ended. (Slept through one good one though that the recorder picked up.)

 

I now have a dandy; the Zoom Hnex. I can let it run all night, and it don't miss much. Won't be using the infrared light much now, have a small Covert brand "black-out" cam to set up facing the food prep area and rear end of the trailer.

 

It's been a long, tiresome learning process, and I won't be able to do it alone much longer. That's why my reports and responses to questions like yours are so tediously long; I want to make it easier for those that's just getting into this wacky hobby to bypass the mistakes I've made, and consider the things that have worked for me. 

 

Regards, and thanks for your patience.

[Sunflower]

I agree with you when you mentioned how many instances involve either food source, water or their kids in the vicinity.  We have found the same common themes.  They will take advantage of rock outcroppings as well.  I believe they will dig down under them and create a dry and safe environment for the little ones.  I whistled to them one afternoon and heard nothing for several minutes.  We decided to leave and try again later.

 

As soon as we turned our backs we heard a small twig being stepped on I knew they had been watching.  I told hubby to put the camera on his head with the lens pointed at them but without turning around.   It worked and in this amazing tangled mess of vines and downed branches and trees, was a very small black one holding onto a vine looking at us.

 

This area is almost on top of a creek and we see deer and turkey regularly.

[the parkie]

Branco

I consider your posts thorough, detailed and extremely interesting and wouldn't want them any other way. Like many others here I can't get enough of them, but don't want to impinge on your time in the woods!

Thanks for the info and the best of luck with your various new gear, I hope it can enable you to obtain better clarity.

[Branco]

Sunflower: From what you have seen in your area; could you tell me if the adult BF there fit any one or more of the three very general descriptions shown below?

 

1. Height at least 8', fairly long and coarse red, reddish brown, blonde, brown, very dark brown, grey or a mix of grey with any of the colors just mentioned, very heavily muscled all over, wide shoulders (3 to 4 ft), arms that appear to be longer in proportion to its height than that of a typical human, legs that appear shorter in proportion to their height than those of a typical human, and a head positioned close to the shoulders with a noticeable brow ridge and is larger and more dome shaped than that of a typical human's head,

 

2. Height more than 8', long and noticeable coarse and straight hair that might appear reddish in bright sunlight and very dark brown under other lighting conditions, less muscled than that described above and actually much thinner in overall body mass, legs and arms that appear to be of a length proportionate to its height, and a head (with noticeable neck) that is more oval shaped with less noticeable brow ridge and seemingly with eyes that are minimally recessed, or;

 

3. Height noticeably less than 8', short, fine hair black hair that is typically curly or wavy and lying close to the body, very stout body but not as massive as in #1, but more so than that in #2, arms and legs that appear to be noticeably longer in proportion to those of a typical human, and with a more ape-like head, slight brow ridge and noticeably recessed eyes, and more often travels in quadrupedal fashion than the other two.

 

 And a final, picking-your-brain question if you don't mind. Do you have knowledge of, or heard credible reports of  BF that have an affinity for water in remote sections of deep streams and are seldom ever seen except in close proximity to those places. (Reportedly they also have an insatiable appetite for field corn in the "roasting-ear" stage.)

 

If you have time to respond, but don't care to post your reply, drop me a PM.

Regards 

[Sunflower]

Branco,

 

You have a pm.

[JKH]

 

Branco

I consider your posts thorough, detailed and extremely interesting and wouldn't want them any other way. Like many others here I can't get enough of them, but don't want to impinge on your time in the woods!

Thanks for the info and the best of luck with your various new gear, I hope it can enable you to obtain better clarity.

Seconded. I love reading these reports, the detail makes them invaluable.

[Gotta Know]

Branco, I found the bolded passage in this paragraph very interesting, as I'll explain in a moment:

 

"When I had a relative holler one night, he got a very aggressive response from the west male. (I believe there were three women and two men there.) We never  heard a sound out of the male BF, but that sucker slipped to within twenty yards of us and was standing behind a very thick area of brush. We were quiet and listening, until one of the women whispered to another, and caused her to laugh out loud. That's when the big male came crashing through that thicket like a mad bull, We were in the trucks in seconds. Just about the same thing happened twice more; once at the same location, and once at a location nearer to the eastern groups area. In all three cases, there we women in the group."

 

I have read in other places that observed (close up) behavior of the females by the males is often very rough, with the females in a clearly submissive position by heirarchy. And, we all know that many claim they not only have a language, but understand OUR language as well. In the cast of this animal having snuck so close to the group, what are your thoughts as to the possibility of this creature very literally eavesdropping on the conversation? Even if he did not understand the actual words, I suspect that this male had his ego bruised when these women laughed and he felt himself the target of derision. He then acted in a manner of intimidation as he might with his own species. Thoughts? Would he have acted the same if it were only men--even if laughing?

 

As always, your reports are much appreciated.

[Guest lightheart]

Gotta Know, I too was struck by this particular behavior. I find myself totally accepting the idea that the big guys are some type of ancient hominid but am somehow still surprised when a recounted behavior is very human. LOL

[Branco]

Gotta Know & lightheart: As I think back on some other incidents of unusual aggressiveness that occurred in AR, AL & WV when I (and other men) were in the field at night with women present, I can't yet really decide if the BF did those things to "show out" - a macho thing - or whether they actually resented the women not taking their presence seriously. I'm going think about  your questions and comments. (Of course you know if I express my thoughts later, I'll catch flack for not having proof of "an assertion of fact."  :-) 

[Branco]

The RFP Research Project - Report of Encounter

 

Date Report Submitted: July 25, 2007

 

Date of Encounter: During late summer in the late 1980's.

 

Time of Incident: About 9:00pm.

 

Weather Conditions: Typical clear summer night with a full moon.

 

State: Alabama

 

County: Talladega

 

Nearest City or Town: Sylacauga

 

Location: Kahatchie Mountains at location known to local residents as Flag Pole or Merkel Mountain.

 

Nearest highway or road: US Hwy 280, 3 miles to the east. Talladega County Road 036 (Odens Mill Road) 1.5 miles to the south, and County Road 034 lies 2 miles to the southwest.

 

General Land Use Description: A timber company has owned the land for about 50 years. Until 1996 hunting on the land was by permit only. The land was leased to a hunting club in 1996.

 

General Terrain Description: The area is within the foothills marking the southwest termination of the Appalachian Mountains. It consists of high, rock ridges cut by spring fed branches and small creeks. At the time of this encounter the lower elevations were covered by large hardwood forests with the slopes forested with longleaf pines.

 

Nearest Lakes or Streams: The Coosa River (Lay Lake) is approximately 4 miles to the west. Cedar Creek passes 2 miles to the south and South Kahatchie creek lies 2 miles to the west. There are various springs, small branches and several large man-made lakes within a mile of the sighting location.

 

Witness Profile: The witness is in his mid 50's. He is employed as a millwright by a large mining and materials processing company. He has fished and hunted in the area since a child.

 

Activities of Witness Prior to Encounter/Incident: The witness, his son and his step-father had driven to the site to release a pack of Beagle hounds being trained as "deer dogs". They arrived just after dark. (Training dogs at night to run deer outside of the deer season was a common practice at the time. It was not considered illegal if the hunters carried no firearms.)

 

They released the dogs near a small beaver pond, and the dogs struck a trail immediately. The dogs started running toward one of the man-made lakes. About 1/2 mile from the truck the dogs quit the trail. After a few minutes the step-father and the son of the witness decided to drive over to the lake in the step-father's truck to see if the dogs had come out of the woods there. The witness had driven his Jeep to the site, and stayed in case the dogs came back to their release point.

 

Details of Encounter / Incident: A few minutes after his step-father and his son had driven away, he heard limbs breaking and the sounds of something walking in the nearby woods. He thought the sounds were being made by the dogs returning, but he waited several minutes and nothing came out of the woods. He then started calling the dogs. A few more minutes later he noticed two of his dogs running toward the Jeep from up the road. The dogs were whining and had their tails tucked between their legs. He could tell the dogs were acting scared. The dogs and their actions were clearly visible in the bright moonlight.

 

When the dogs arrived at the Jeep he heard limbs breaking in a tree no more than 10 yards from his position. As he watched, something jumped from one tree to another, each tree being about one foot in diameter. From the second tree, the creature leaped to the ground and ran off on two feet.

 

At that point the witness quickly loaded  the dogs and drove off to find his step-father and son.

 

Photos or Drawings Made? None.

 

Description of Related Sounds: None, except as described above.

 

Description of Animal: The witness stated the animal was approximately five feet tall, covered in long hair and had a "human-looking" form.

 

Description of Related Scents / Odors: None detected.

 

Other Details: According to members of the group that now hold the hunting lease for this property, and local residents, there is something that "hangs out" in this area of the mountains. People raccoon hunting in the area at night have heard "strange" screaming sounds and have smelled "strange" odors at times. One member of the hunting club said that back in 1997 he and a friend were riding horses on the Flagpole side of the mountain when something began "hollering" and making grunting noises in the wood about 50 yards from them. Whatever was making the sounds followed them for about one half mile. They finally let the horses run at full speed to get away from unseen entity. They reportedly had to fight to control the horses during that flight. 

 

Historical Notes: In October of 2003 the witness was squirrel hunting about one mile from the above described sighting area. He was walking down an old road about dark when something started making deep, long growling from the hillside above him. He stated the sounds originated close to him, but he could not see through the foliage to determine what was making the sounds. He reportedly left the area in a hurry.

 

Investigator's Notes: This witness previously mentioned his encounter to several area residents. In most instances, he was laughed at and his statements were not taken seriously. The witness has allowed the publication of the account of his experience in the hopes that other residents of the area who have also had similar encounters will report them.

 

Report received from M.G., Field Researcher/Investigator, The RFP Research Project, and compiled by Tal H. Branco.

[Branco]

Background info: These incidents occurred on same property where a family's multiple encounters with the "Black Thing" occurred. 

-------------

The RFP Research Project - Report of Encounter

 

Date Report Submitted to the RFPRP: The initial report of this latest series of events was received about 8:00 PM, Tuesday, January 23, 2007.  The investigator has been in telephone contact with the witnesses during their own investigations of the situation there.

 

Date of Initial Encounter: January 22, 2007

 

Time of Incident: Between 8 & 9pm.

 

Weather Conditions: Cloudy at the time. It had rained earlier in the day, and a hard rain commenced later that night.

 

State: Alabama 

 

County: Not disclosed at the request of the witnesses, their  families and area residents. 

 

Nearest City or Town: Not disclosed.

 

Location: These and other related encounters occurred in the Northwest quarter of the State.

 

Nearest highway or road: Not disclosed.

 

General Land Use Description: Rural farmland which contains poultry and cattle production operations intermingled with some land devoted to timber production. 

 

General Terrain Description: Rolling hills with bluffs along the creeks.

 

Nearest Lakes or Streams: A large spring fed creek adjoins some of the family property, and the creek empties into a large man-made lake a few miles from the site.

 

Witness Profile: The primary witness is a 17 year old male area resident who is a senior in high school. He is a friend and classmate of a male member of  family on who's property this and many other such encounters/incidents have occurred and been reported for nearly fifty years. 

 

Activities of Witness Prior to Encounter/Incident: The witness was visiting with his male friend of the same age who lives with his family on a farm that was once used as an egg-production poultry operation. After the poultry operation ceased, the boys converted the operation's "egg room" into their personal "hang out".  The boys were listening to CDs and studying in that room when the boy who lived on the property decided to walk back to his room in the residence to get another music CD. While that boy was inside his home the other boy walked outside the egg room to relieve himself.

 

Details of Encounter / Incident: When the boy walked outside and a few steps from the door he began to relieve himself. He suddenly heard the loud, repetitive sound of metal being beaten against metal coming from a metal-sided building about 20 yards away. That small building had been used as a woods shavings storage area when chickens were raised on the property. (The wood shavings were used to cover the chicken house floor to keep down dust and to make the floors easier to clean in preparation for a new batch of chickens.) The boy was startled by the sound and looked intently in the direction of the building. Although it was nighttime, he was able to see a very large and dark man-like shape that appeared to be standing motionless behind the shavings shed. The young man then became terrified when he realized the figure was too large to be a human, and that the creature was staring at him. Before the boy could react, he saw the creature turn quickly and began to run across an unfenced pasture toward the county road that runs north and south in front of the property.

 

The boy then quickly darted back inside the egg room, closed the door and waited for his friend to return. After the other boy arrived, the witness told him about the incident. The two boys went  to the residence, got firearms and lights and went back to the "shavings" building to investigate the incident. The shavings building was entirely open on the front side so that a truck could be backed into it to unload shavings.  On one of the back corners - where the animal had been standing when the boy first saw it - they found the metal that had been crushed. The damage started about 5 feet from the ground and extended for about 2 feet up the corner toward the roof. The boys looked closely for hair adhering to the damaged metal but saw none.

 

They were able to see partial tracks in the wet, grass covered ground and followed them to the opposite side of the county road. Both boys stated the tracks were spaced widely apart as if the creature had been running. They stated that only heel and the ball and toe sections left impressions in the ground. In the ditch across the road they found a 6" X 8"  metal "nest bottom" which the animal apparently carried and dropped there from the shavings building. The animal's tracks were seen in the grass and weeds along the fence on the opposite side of the road, and they could see where the animal stepped over the fence. They stated the animal has left a "path of destruction" when it plowed through the thick underbrush that bordered the road.

 

Description of Animal: The young witness stated he could only see an outline and shape of the animal, and the shape was a uniform dark color and 7 to 8 feet tall.

 

Additional Notes and Observations: While the boys were alongside the fence where the animal crossed the road and went into the woods, the mother of the boy who lived there drove home and saw them and their lights. The mother confirmed the boys were in a very excited state as they related the details of the incident to her.

 

The next morning, after a hard rain, the boys went back to cast what tracks they had seen, but the rain had altered them considerably and no casts were made. During that time they found tracks that showed the animal had walked  to the shaving shed from the direction of a large uninhabited area that includes a spring fed creek and heavily forested bottomland east of the family property. 

 

Late in the afternoon on Friday the 26th, the two boys and some school mates, and the father of one of the school mates, searched the area through which the animal passed on his way to the shavings shed on the previous Monday night. They found the trail crossed a fence and entered a partially cleared cattle pasture. The land just inside the pasture had areas of thick brush and timber. The group separated slightly looking for sign. Two of them spotted a large footprint and alerted the others. In looking and circling the area, they discovered a "wallowed out" depression in the brush and grass below some large trees. The depression was reportedly as large as a grown cow, but in an area not typically used by cows as a bedding area. The depression appeared to be strategically located to provide concealment on three side and afford a view of the old chicken barn, shavings house, the egg room and the family residence.

 

While looking closely for tracks, they found a recent trail made through the underbrush and started following it. After walking a few yards the group suddenly heard something moving ahead of them. They stopped and then heard two deep, ominous growling sounds which were soon followed by a sharp whistling sound. As the group then started to slowly make their way toward the sounds, they all saw a very large body quickly move from concealment in a thicket and dart out of view through the brush.

 

The group followed the trail left by the animal in the brush, and it led them in a very wide circle but stayed in the same general area rather than leading to the large, dense creek bottom a few hundred yards further east. While following the trail, the group found another of the 6" X 8"metal "nest bottoms" on the ground. The metal had been bent into a "V" shape, but showed no signs of having been used as a tool for any purpose. 

 

As it was nearly dark, the search was called off. One of the he witnesses called the writer that evening to report the day's events.

 

Photos or Drawings Made?: None.

 

Description of Related Sounds: There were no vocalizations heard during the encounter on the night of the 22rd.

 

Deep growling and a sharp, loud whistling sound was heard by the group searching for sign on the afternoon of the 26th. (These same sounds have often been heard by members of the family who live on this and the adjoining property.)

 

Description of Related Scents / Odors: None noticed.

 

Historical Notes: See the Multiple Encounters Report (The"Black Thing") of November 2006.

 

******************************************************************************

Report received and recorded by: Tal H. Branco, Field Researcher/Investigator, The RFP Research Project.

[Guest]

Thanks for posting more great reports Branco. Any idea what it was doing carrying around the metal "nest bottoms" or what it would use them for?

[Branco]

Thanks for posting more great reports Branco. Any idea what it was doing carrying around the metal "nest bottoms" or what it would use them for?

You are welcome. I don't have a clue  about those nest bottoms. Playing with them I suppose. He may have used one to drag across the metal paneling on the shavings shed just to scare the kid. But something carried off some more into the woods. Strange!

 

They do beat on the side of metal buildings when they're messing with folks at night. Many people have reported it; and its happened to me twice; once in the river bottoms and once in the mountains. Old abandoned machinery shed and a big metal gatepost on a NF road.