Class 2 Encounter Report in Doddridge, AR, Case #03080033

close

Class 1a
Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.
1a A sasquatch/bigfoot specimen has been collected (alive or dead).
Class 1b
Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.
1b A report investigation results in a sasquatch observation or the documentation of clear tracks or other forms of physical evidence by an investigator.
Class 1c
Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.
1c An investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot by a very reliable observer is a distinct possibility, tangible corroborating evidence is documented, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 1d
Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.
1d A visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility involving two or more reliable observers, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 2
Class 2, Competency: Reports involving sightings by professionally trained or highly skilled observers.
2 Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is exceptionally trustworthy, professionally trained, and experienced in the outdoors and/or is accustomed to looking for and recording details (e.g., biologist, anthropologist/archaeologist, ranger, trapper/tracker/seasoned hunter, bird watcher, game warden, naturalist, law enforcement), and other explanations can be reasonably excluded.
Class 3a
Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.
3a Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is credible, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 3b
Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.
3b Unidentifiable vocalizations were reported and there is accompanying tangible evidence to possibly indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot, the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 3c
Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.
3c No visual encounter occurred, but physical evidence was found to indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot (tracks, hair, scat, etc.), the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.


Case: 03080033

Class 2

Bowhunter has early morning encounter while in hunting stand in Sulphur River Wildlife Management Area.

Report Details

Occurrence date: October/2000
Location: Miller County, AR
Nearby/Vicinity: Doddridge
Time / Conditions: 05:30 A.M. Partly Cloudy, Full Moon, around 50 degrees.
# of Witnesses: 1

Witness Account:
I scouted the area the day before and hung my ole' man climbing tree stand on a tree for the following morning's hunt. The only tree I could use was a small oak with a main fork that was about 12 feet off the ground and covered with poison oak. That means I could only climb up to that fork, and not my usual 20 or 25 feet which I usually like to hunt from. I'm not allergic to poison oak, so that wasn't going to bother me. I arrived early (4:45 A.M.) parked and got dressed. I've learned that to be a successful hunter, you have to be scent free. I dressed in my realtree leafy suit and lacrosse rubber boots, sprayed down with scentkiller and dowsed my boots with persimmon scent and walked to my stand (5:00 A.M.). The Moon was full and I could see with the use of my Streamlight (green light) pen light.

With the morning dew, I made no noise getting to my stand and without scaring game off with a large flashlight. I made it to my stand and found that the top portion was twisted around to the back of the tree and the bottom was moved to the base of the tree. Why did someone do this and not steal it? (5:20 A.M)

I was up the tree and had my bow in my lap with my arrow pointing away from me with it resting on my stand's gun rest. I pulled my earth scent wafers out and attached them to the outside of my back pack.

I was facing south with two big oak trees about 25 yards away. The clouds were moving fast and with the full moon, I could somewhat see in the dark.

I was very still and had everything camouflaged except my muzzy broadhead, on the end of my arrow. It was about 5:30 A.M. when I heard something walk up from behind me.

I turned slowly to see if I could see it. It was big and black and at first thought it was a couple hogs. They were too big to be hogs and I wondered whose cows were loose in the refuge. I was wanting them to hurry up and leave so they wouldn't scare the deer when something brushed up against my leg. I didn't hear anything climb up the tree with me so I kept still. I was looking forward when I saw a big black hand reach up and grab my muzzy broadhead. The hand was a shiny black and the fingers were huge! The palms were also black like a gorilla. When it grabbed my broadhead the razor blades cut him and it yelled like a bull! It was louder than a car horn and it was at my feet. It scared the crap out of me so I started yelling back.

And cussing! It ran off breaking trees and tearing down everything in its path. I sat there 15 minutes until it got daylight and left. I believe that I scared him/her as much as it scared me.

Hand/foot prints:
It was a big black hand and it reached up and grab my muzzy broadhead. It was shiny black and was like hands of a gorilla.

Sounds:
Breathing and a loud holler like a bull.

Additional observations:
Another time, I heard tree knocking, had something big walk up to me while hunting on river and it was breathing heavy ( looked for it but never saw it.} Also found one bare footprint by a small creek (it was a little bit bigger than mine, not like you see on t.v.) I had something throw something at me while I was on Sulpher River one time.

While wearing my leafy suit, I've had deer blow at me and not run. usually deer will blow and then run off. These deer will blow at me and then just stand there and watch me (only if my face is covered!!!!!) If they can see my white face then they immediately blow and run away. (The point is, the deer cannot detect me visually while I am in this leafy camo and fully covered. It's really hard to see me in this.)

Investigator's Observations

Investigator(s): Jerry Hestand

This investigation was conducted as a result of an incident that allegedly occurred in Miller County, Arkansas in the Sulphur River Wildlife Management Area in October of 2000.

I had the opportunity to interview this witness, an extremely experienced outdoorsman and bowhunter, several times over a period of a few months. His statement never altered and I believe he was truthful at all times.

The incident was an event that changed his way of thinking for sure, even though he had already experienced some incidents that were highly unusual.

While he was sitting in a climbing tree stand bowhunting before dawn, he heard something approach him from behind. He turned and saw the ?big black figure? approaching; his mind attempted to identify it as something with which he was familiar, such as hogs or cows. But just as he realized it was neither, he felt something brush against his leg and then he saw a large black hand, very similar to the hand of a gorilla, reach up and grab his arrow. Apparently the arrow punctured the hand, because the subject below him yelled and in the witness?s best recollection, ?it sounded like a big bull.?

The witness instinctively reacted by yelling as well, and the subject immediately fled, crashing through the surrounding trees.

The witness was completely shocked.

After the sun came up, the witness hurriedly left and did not return.

This area has long been a place of rumors and stories of an unknown animal that is said to walk upright like humans, but is covered in hair like the non-human great apes; it?s likely that such reports will continue to surface from here as other individuals choose to talk about their experiences. In my view, this report is likely one of the more credible reports to have originated from this area.

Photos

The hunter was in a tree overlooking this area.
The view of the surrounding area.
The Sulphur River flows one-quarter mile from the site.
TBRC Investigator Jerry Hestand interviewed the witness several times.

Map

Left Menu Iconmenu
WoodApe.org
Right Menu Icon