1
00:00:05,900 --> 00:00:04,640
[Music]

2
00:00:10,590 --> 00:00:05,910
[Applause]

3
00:00:12,930 --> 00:00:10,600
[Music]

4
00:00:17,830 --> 00:00:12,940
[Applause]

5
00:00:21,990 --> 00:00:19,670
welcome to the best of first person

6
00:00:24,870 --> 00:00:22,000
episodes of phantoms and monsters

7
00:00:28,830 --> 00:00:24,880
please like subscribe and hit the bell

8
00:00:31,830 --> 00:00:28,840
icon so you'll be notified of all future

9
00:00:33,590 --> 00:00:31,840
uploads

10
00:00:35,030 --> 00:00:33,600
bizarre night at skull valley primitive

11
00:00:36,950 --> 00:00:35,040
campground utah

12
00:00:39,110 --> 00:00:36,960
my experience at skull valley primitive

13
00:00:39,430 --> 00:00:39,120
campgrounds in utah absolutely terrified

14
00:00:43,430 --> 00:00:39,440
me

15
00:00:45,350 --> 00:00:43,440
for good here's what happened

16
00:00:47,029 --> 00:00:45,360
the summer before last i took a road

17
00:00:48,470 --> 00:00:47,039
trip from my home in colorado up the

18
00:00:50,709 --> 00:00:48,480
west coast into canada

19
00:00:53,189 --> 00:00:50,719
my northernmost destination being fernie

20
00:00:54,709 --> 00:00:53,199
bc canada's i have family there

21
00:00:57,590 --> 00:00:54,719
i mapped out a series of free

22
00:00:59,430 --> 00:00:57,600
campgrounds to stay in instead of hotels

23
00:01:01,029 --> 00:00:59,440
i loved camping and it would help me

24
00:01:02,630 --> 00:01:01,039
stay on budget as well

25
00:01:04,549 --> 00:01:02,640
my boyfriend at the time also was

26
00:01:05,750 --> 00:01:04,559
traveling so we were planning to meet up

27
00:01:08,070 --> 00:01:05,760
in san francisco

28
00:01:09,670 --> 00:01:08,080
and get to seattle together i was doing

29
00:01:11,910 --> 00:01:09,680
the first bit of the trip with just my

30
00:01:13,590 --> 00:01:11,920
dog and my first planned campsite was a

31
00:01:14,149 --> 00:01:13,600
place called skull valley primitive in

32
00:01:16,550 --> 00:01:14,159
utah

33
00:01:18,070 --> 00:01:16,560
owned by the bureau of land management i

34
00:01:20,149 --> 00:01:18,080
found the site easily

35
00:01:22,149 --> 00:01:20,159
the camping spots are up a dirt hill so

36
00:01:23,990 --> 00:01:22,159
i took the first sight i saw as my car

37
00:01:26,390 --> 00:01:24,000
is not made for off-roading

38
00:01:28,310 --> 00:01:26,400
i set up my tent without any issues and

39
00:01:30,710 --> 00:01:28,320
changed into my hiking boots

40
00:01:32,710 --> 00:01:30,720
it was so hot i remember my poor dog had

41
00:01:33,190 --> 00:01:32,720
to have a cool towel down after i set up

42
00:01:35,270 --> 00:01:33,200
camp

43
00:01:37,190 --> 00:01:35,280
because he just couldn't get cooled off

44
00:01:38,710 --> 00:01:37,200
there were a ton of other campsites but

45
00:01:40,789 --> 00:01:38,720
hardly anyone using them

46
00:01:42,469 --> 00:01:40,799
there were two rvs i came across parked

47
00:01:44,149 --> 00:01:42,479
super far away from my site

48
00:01:46,389 --> 00:01:44,159
and i was definitely the only tent

49
00:01:48,310 --> 00:01:46,399
camper i decided to go take a hike

50
00:01:49,910 --> 00:01:48,320
around before the sun was down

51
00:01:51,830 --> 00:01:49,920
the campsite is adjacent to these

52
00:01:53,190 --> 00:01:51,840
mountains that rise out of flat ground

53
00:01:55,109 --> 00:01:53,200
and have what appear to be cave

54
00:01:57,830 --> 00:01:55,119
dwellings carved in the face of them

55
00:01:59,830 --> 00:01:57,840
i wanted to investigate so teddy my dog

56
00:02:01,510 --> 00:01:59,840
and i started off in that direction

57
00:02:03,190 --> 00:02:01,520
after only a few minutes of walking we

58
00:02:04,870 --> 00:02:03,200
hit a barbed wire fence

59
00:02:06,310 --> 00:02:04,880
i didn't think twice about becking under

60
00:02:07,590 --> 00:02:06,320
it and continuing onwards

61
00:02:09,589 --> 00:02:07,600
i just didn't think it would be a

62
00:02:11,270 --> 00:02:09,599
problem only a few yards

63
00:02:12,710 --> 00:02:11,280
after i had hopped the fence i stopped

64
00:02:14,470 --> 00:02:12,720
dead in my tracks

65
00:02:16,630 --> 00:02:14,480
an eerie and unusual sound was coming

66
00:02:18,229 --> 00:02:16,640
from the direction of the cave dwellings

67
00:02:19,990 --> 00:02:18,239
the best description i can give you is

68
00:02:21,670 --> 00:02:20,000
that it sounded like dozens of humans

69
00:02:23,510 --> 00:02:21,680
trying to howl like wolves

70
00:02:25,589 --> 00:02:23,520
like many people pretending to be a wolf

71
00:02:27,430 --> 00:02:25,599
pack and it sounded like its origin was

72
00:02:29,589 --> 00:02:27,440
inside the caves themselves

73
00:02:31,030 --> 00:02:29,599
my dog was as spooked as i was and had

74
00:02:32,869 --> 00:02:31,040
already started running back to the

75
00:02:34,710 --> 00:02:32,879
campsite when i turned around

76
00:02:36,470 --> 00:02:34,720
the sounds continued until i was well

77
00:02:38,710 --> 00:02:36,480
inside the camp perimeters

78
00:02:40,710 --> 00:02:38,720
the sun was almost completely set when i

79
00:02:41,350 --> 00:02:40,720
decided to let teddy out for one last

80
00:02:43,190 --> 00:02:41,360
break

81
00:02:44,710 --> 00:02:43,200
i was freaked out by what had happened

82
00:02:45,509 --> 00:02:44,720
and didn't want to be running around in

83
00:02:47,589 --> 00:02:45,519
the dark

84
00:02:49,430 --> 00:02:47,599
teddy is a dog that simply does not need

85
00:02:50,470 --> 00:02:49,440
a leash he is never more than several

86
00:02:53,110 --> 00:02:50,480
feet away from me

87
00:02:54,710 --> 00:02:53,120
so i didn't use one i zipped up the tent

88
00:02:57,030 --> 00:02:54,720
and walked him away from her sight

89
00:02:59,030 --> 00:02:57,040
and then suddenly he was just gone i

90
00:03:00,790 --> 00:02:59,040
couldn't see or hear any sign of him

91
00:03:02,710 --> 00:03:00,800
the sun had finished setting by the time

92
00:03:04,630 --> 00:03:02,720
i finally gave up screaming for him

93
00:03:05,750 --> 00:03:04,640
and returned to my tent which had not

94
00:03:07,350 --> 00:03:05,760
been left alone

95
00:03:09,350 --> 00:03:07,360
the tent had a broken zipper when i

96
00:03:09,910 --> 00:03:09,360
arrived and my stuff was stern about

97
00:03:11,910 --> 00:03:09,920
inside

98
00:03:13,030 --> 00:03:11,920
though nothing was missing i want to

99
00:03:14,790 --> 00:03:13,040
emphasize the fact

100
00:03:16,390 --> 00:03:14,800
that during this time period i noticed

101
00:03:18,550 --> 00:03:16,400
there were no nature noises

102
00:03:20,550 --> 00:03:18,560
no crickets chirping or anything at all

103
00:03:21,430 --> 00:03:20,560
and i felt what can only be described as

104
00:03:24,070 --> 00:03:21,440
complete dread

105
00:03:26,229 --> 00:03:24,080
sheer terror i was simply petrified i've

106
00:03:28,070 --> 00:03:26,239
never felt so scared in my life

107
00:03:29,830 --> 00:03:28,080
in fact i feel the same terror just

108
00:03:31,030 --> 00:03:29,840
writing this out it's truly the most

109
00:03:33,350 --> 00:03:31,040
scared i've ever been

110
00:03:34,470 --> 00:03:33,360
and i will never forget it i decided to

111
00:03:36,710 --> 00:03:34,480
grab my taser

112
00:03:38,470 --> 00:03:36,720
and keep trying to find teddy after a

113
00:03:38,789 --> 00:03:38,480
bit longer of whistling and shouting for

114
00:03:40,949 --> 00:03:38,799
him

115
00:03:42,470 --> 00:03:40,959
i realized he was not coming back so i

116
00:03:44,550 --> 00:03:42,480
headed into my tent

117
00:03:46,949 --> 00:03:44,560
i used some safety pins i had to pin it

118
00:03:49,110 --> 00:03:46,959
closed since the zipper was now broken

119
00:03:50,949 --> 00:03:49,120
this is where things get even weirder as

120
00:03:51,430 --> 00:03:50,959
i lay there trying not to totally freak

121
00:03:53,270 --> 00:03:51,440
out

122
00:03:54,949 --> 00:03:53,280
something started to violently shake my

123
00:03:56,789 --> 00:03:54,959
tent from multiple angles

124
00:03:58,710 --> 00:03:56,799
i could feel it then brush against my

125
00:03:59,750 --> 00:03:58,720
feet sometimes and the shaking was

126
00:04:02,070 --> 00:03:59,760
relentless

127
00:04:04,149 --> 00:04:02,080
at some point several hours later i

128
00:04:04,710 --> 00:04:04,159
heard my dog outside the tent and peeked

129
00:04:06,949 --> 00:04:04,720
out

130
00:04:08,789 --> 00:04:06,959
it was him i quickly unpinned part of

131
00:04:10,789 --> 00:04:08,799
the flap and he hopped in

132
00:04:12,550 --> 00:04:10,799
his behavior was definitely off and he

133
00:04:14,390 --> 00:04:12,560
reacted to the constant shaking of our

134
00:04:16,150 --> 00:04:14,400
tent even more so than i did

135
00:04:18,069 --> 00:04:16,160
neither of us slept that night and as

136
00:04:20,390 --> 00:04:18,079
soon as morning came we were gone

137
00:04:22,629 --> 00:04:20,400
i called my now ex boyfriend on the

138
00:04:23,350 --> 00:04:22,639
drive out and recounted exactly what had

139
00:04:25,110 --> 00:04:23,360
happened

140
00:04:26,870 --> 00:04:25,120
he started to google the location and

141
00:04:28,310 --> 00:04:26,880
found out that the area i had walked

142
00:04:29,350 --> 00:04:28,320
into is actually the site of an

143
00:04:30,870 --> 00:04:29,360
extremely small

144
00:04:33,430 --> 00:04:30,880
and impoverished native american

145
00:04:34,390 --> 00:04:33,440
reservation his hypothesis was that they

146
00:04:36,870 --> 00:04:34,400
had been watching me

147
00:04:38,710 --> 00:04:36,880
and decided to mess with me after dark i

148
00:04:41,350 --> 00:04:38,720
can believe this to some extent

149
00:04:42,390 --> 00:04:41,360
it's somewhat plausible i guess anyway

150
00:04:44,070 --> 00:04:42,400
that's my story

151
00:04:45,909 --> 00:04:44,080
it was the first and the last time i

152
00:04:47,909 --> 00:04:45,919
camped by myself during the trip

153
00:04:54,830 --> 00:04:47,919
and sadly i have not returned to solo

154
00:04:58,150 --> 00:04:56,390
tb

155
00:04:59,830 --> 00:04:58,160
creepy camping incident in cherokee

156
00:05:01,670 --> 00:04:59,840
national forest tennessee

157
00:05:03,510 --> 00:05:01,680
i have been holding this story in for a

158
00:05:05,350 --> 00:05:03,520
while and have tirelessly searched the

159
00:05:07,350 --> 00:05:05,360
internet to find another person who has

160
00:05:08,070 --> 00:05:07,360
experienced something similar but to no

161
00:05:10,230 --> 00:05:08,080
avail

162
00:05:11,909 --> 00:05:10,240
this story is entirely true and although

163
00:05:13,510 --> 00:05:11,919
i loved the campground i stayed at

164
00:05:15,510 --> 00:05:13,520
and the beautiful nature that was all

165
00:05:16,870 --> 00:05:15,520
around i'll have a tough time going back

166
00:05:18,469 --> 00:05:16,880
without finding out what the hell

167
00:05:20,150 --> 00:05:18,479
happened last time i went

168
00:05:21,670 --> 00:05:20,160
my girlfriend had invited me on a

169
00:05:22,629 --> 00:05:21,680
camping trip to indian boundary

170
00:05:24,870 --> 00:05:22,639
campground with her

171
00:05:26,629 --> 00:05:24,880
and her family a few months back this

172
00:05:28,629 --> 00:05:26,639
campground is in the cherokee national

173
00:05:29,510 --> 00:05:28,639
forest near a city called telico plains

174
00:05:31,270 --> 00:05:29,520
tennessee

175
00:05:33,430 --> 00:05:31,280
the first few days of the trip went as

176
00:05:35,830 --> 00:05:33,440
expected we hiked made s'mores

177
00:05:37,590 --> 00:05:35,840
and told scary stories but little did i

178
00:05:39,110 --> 00:05:37,600
know that i would be in one soon

179
00:05:41,510 --> 00:05:39,120
about halfway through the trip we

180
00:05:43,270 --> 00:05:41,520
decided to visit the local fish hatchery

181
00:05:44,950 --> 00:05:43,280
unfortunately when we arrived the gates

182
00:05:45,350 --> 00:05:44,960
were closed and there were signs out

183
00:05:47,830 --> 00:05:45,360
saying

184
00:05:49,670 --> 00:05:47,840
that it was closed due to covet 19. on

185
00:05:50,230 --> 00:05:49,680
the same bulletin board that these signs

186
00:05:52,390 --> 00:05:50,240
were on

187
00:05:54,070 --> 00:05:52,400
there was an oddly out of place and very

188
00:05:55,510 --> 00:05:54,080
unsettling picture of a fish with its

189
00:05:57,430 --> 00:05:55,520
face cut straight open

190
00:05:59,189 --> 00:05:57,440
yes the face was cut straight down the

191
00:06:01,270 --> 00:05:59,199
middle so all that could be seen

192
00:06:03,029 --> 00:06:01,280
was the skeleton of the fish there was

193
00:06:04,710 --> 00:06:03,039
text on the picture the dread look but

194
00:06:06,790 --> 00:06:04,720
it was in some strange font

195
00:06:08,070 --> 00:06:06,800
almost a creepypasta kind of font with

196
00:06:10,309 --> 00:06:08,080
characters like oh

197
00:06:11,990 --> 00:06:10,319
that itself wasn't all too weird just

198
00:06:13,670 --> 00:06:12,000
routed off as someone trying to play a

199
00:06:15,590 --> 00:06:13,680
prank and creep tourists out

200
00:06:17,430 --> 00:06:15,600
once we realized the hatchery was closed

201
00:06:19,270 --> 00:06:17,440
we decided to change our plans for the

202
00:06:21,430 --> 00:06:19,280
day and head to a swimming hole that my

203
00:06:23,350 --> 00:06:21,440
girlfriend's grandma used as a child

204
00:06:25,110 --> 00:06:23,360
we arrived to a beautiful clear creek

205
00:06:25,670 --> 00:06:25,120
with a rope swing tied to a tree on the

206
00:06:27,430 --> 00:06:25,680
bank

207
00:06:29,110 --> 00:06:27,440
an old lady sat in front of the tree

208
00:06:29,749 --> 00:06:29,120
smoking a cigarette with a rock in her

209
00:06:31,590 --> 00:06:29,759
lap

210
00:06:33,110 --> 00:06:31,600
as my girlfriend and i approached the

211
00:06:35,029 --> 00:06:33,120
creek we greeted the old woman who

212
00:06:36,629 --> 00:06:35,039
seemed quite friendly and that is when i

213
00:06:38,309 --> 00:06:36,639
noticed that she was using another

214
00:06:40,390 --> 00:06:38,319
smaller rock to etch something onto the

215
00:06:42,230 --> 00:06:40,400
larger rock that was in her lap

216
00:06:44,230 --> 00:06:42,240
she eventually left the creek side

217
00:06:46,230 --> 00:06:44,240
retreating to her camper which was about

218
00:06:48,309 --> 00:06:46,240
50 feet from the other side of the creek

219
00:06:50,309 --> 00:06:48,319
and joined her husband they both then

220
00:06:52,150 --> 00:06:50,319
sat outside their camper and lawn chairs

221
00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:52,160
facing the creek and it seemed as though

222
00:06:54,870 --> 00:06:53,840
they just watched us from a distance for

223
00:06:56,790 --> 00:06:54,880
a good while

224
00:06:58,390 --> 00:06:56,800
i didn't think too much of it sure it

225
00:06:59,749 --> 00:06:58,400
was creepy but they were just some

226
00:07:01,350 --> 00:06:59,759
harmless old people

227
00:07:03,430 --> 00:07:01,360
then i looked at the rock that the woman

228
00:07:04,550 --> 00:07:03,440
had been riding on the word look was

229
00:07:06,790 --> 00:07:04,560
carved into it

230
00:07:08,309 --> 00:07:06,800
i freaked out nothing else that was this

231
00:07:10,390 --> 00:07:08,319
strange happened throughout the rest of

232
00:07:11,029 --> 00:07:10,400
our trip but this day still boggles my

233
00:07:13,189 --> 00:07:11,039
mind

234
00:07:14,950 --> 00:07:13,199
i have no way of explaining these events

235
00:07:16,390 --> 00:07:14,960
and still have not heard of anyone with

236
00:07:18,230 --> 00:07:16,400
similar experiences

237
00:07:20,150 --> 00:07:18,240
but damn the woods are creepy and that

238
00:07:20,950 --> 00:07:20,160
is the last place i wanted to be scared

239
00:07:27,909 --> 00:07:20,960
to death

240
00:07:31,749 --> 00:07:30,230
saswitcher's cooking spirit my wife

241
00:07:33,350 --> 00:07:31,759
daughter and i went camping over the

242
00:07:35,430 --> 00:07:33,360
labor day holiday weekend

243
00:07:36,870 --> 00:07:35,440
we both took off work friday and headed

244
00:07:38,230 --> 00:07:36,880
off to meet up with a group of friends

245
00:07:38,870 --> 00:07:38,240
who were camping with their kids and

246
00:07:40,309 --> 00:07:38,880
dogs

247
00:07:42,469 --> 00:07:40,319
they were already out there and had

248
00:07:43,589 --> 00:07:42,479
found and a nice campsite that was big

249
00:07:45,430 --> 00:07:43,599
enough for a group

250
00:07:47,350 --> 00:07:45,440
just a spot off of a service road with

251
00:07:48,230 --> 00:07:47,360
primitive fire pit and not an official

252
00:07:49,990 --> 00:07:48,240
campground

253
00:07:51,430 --> 00:07:50,000
in total there were 10 of us seven

254
00:07:53,110 --> 00:07:51,440
adults and three tweens

255
00:07:54,950 --> 00:07:53,120
we were camping out in an area south of

256
00:07:56,629 --> 00:07:54,960
mount rainier just outside of the park

257
00:07:57,589 --> 00:07:56,639
boundary off of a road that would lead

258
00:07:59,670 --> 00:07:57,599
you to a locked gate

259
00:08:01,589 --> 00:07:59,680
that enters the park we knew at the end

260
00:08:03,589 --> 00:08:01,599
of the road was a luck gate because all

261
00:08:04,309 --> 00:08:03,599
the cars that went that way only to flip

262
00:08:05,830 --> 00:08:04,319
back around

263
00:08:08,070 --> 00:08:05,840
because it was only accessible to

264
00:08:09,749 --> 00:08:08,080
national park staff we set up our camp

265
00:08:11,510 --> 00:08:09,759
in a flat area that would fit our two

266
00:08:12,469 --> 00:08:11,520
tents that they had rake up for us prior

267
00:08:13,990 --> 00:08:12,479
to us arriving

268
00:08:15,830 --> 00:08:14,000
it was a bit closer to the road than

269
00:08:17,350 --> 00:08:15,840
their tents were they had set up their

270
00:08:19,029 --> 00:08:17,360
tents much further back

271
00:08:20,790 --> 00:08:19,039
once camp was set up we hung out with

272
00:08:22,469 --> 00:08:20,800
our friends while the kids played and

273
00:08:24,150 --> 00:08:22,479
had dinner around the fire

274
00:08:25,670 --> 00:08:24,160
just friends hanging out having drinks

275
00:08:26,309 --> 00:08:25,680
hanging around the fire and all was

276
00:08:27,990 --> 00:08:26,319
great

277
00:08:29,749 --> 00:08:28,000
we stayed up pretty late and everyone

278
00:08:31,670 --> 00:08:29,759
was getting tired and cold

279
00:08:33,589 --> 00:08:31,680
slowly everyone faded off to their tents

280
00:08:35,269 --> 00:08:33,599
into bed my wife was cold

281
00:08:37,350 --> 00:08:35,279
and went to warm up in the car and then

282
00:08:39,029 --> 00:08:37,360
proceeded to fall asleep in the car

283
00:08:41,110 --> 00:08:39,039
now my daughter and i are the last to

284
00:08:42,709 --> 00:08:41,120
wake out by the fire and she decided

285
00:08:44,470 --> 00:08:42,719
that she wanted to sleep in the car

286
00:08:46,630 --> 00:08:44,480
where it was warm with my wife

287
00:08:47,509 --> 00:08:46,640
i agreed that was okay after i attempted

288
00:08:49,190 --> 00:08:47,519
to wake my wife

289
00:08:51,110 --> 00:08:49,200
up and get her to come to the tent to go

290
00:08:52,790 --> 00:08:51,120
to sleep and she was out cold

291
00:08:54,630 --> 00:08:52,800
so i watched her go to her tent and grab

292
00:08:56,550 --> 00:08:54,640
her blanket and her sleeping bag for my

293
00:08:57,590 --> 00:08:56,560
wife as it was cold and i had turned the

294
00:08:59,110 --> 00:08:57,600
car off now

295
00:09:01,110 --> 00:08:59,120
she grabbed the stuff and zipped up the

296
00:09:02,870 --> 00:09:01,120
tent and off to the car she went

297
00:09:05,190 --> 00:09:02,880
i stayed up a little bit longer by the

298
00:09:06,550 --> 00:09:05,200
fire and must have dozed off momentarily

299
00:09:07,990 --> 00:09:06,560
because when i woke back up i was

300
00:09:08,870 --> 00:09:08,000
sitting in a camping chair by only

301
00:09:11,030 --> 00:09:08,880
glowing embers

302
00:09:12,630 --> 00:09:11,040
and it was pitch black only the cults of

303
00:09:13,590 --> 00:09:12,640
the fire glowing red glowing in the now

304
00:09:15,430 --> 00:09:13,600
dead fire

305
00:09:16,790 --> 00:09:15,440
i got up and found my way to the tent in

306
00:09:17,430 --> 00:09:16,800
the pitch blackness of the night and

307
00:09:19,590 --> 00:09:17,440
climb in

308
00:09:21,509 --> 00:09:19,600
and went to sleep i was exhausted and

309
00:09:22,470 --> 00:09:21,519
fell asleep as soon as i hid in that

310
00:09:24,230 --> 00:09:22,480
sleeping bag

311
00:09:25,829 --> 00:09:24,240
around 3 30 am i woke up to my

312
00:09:27,670 --> 00:09:25,839
daughter's 10 kind of wrestling

313
00:09:29,110 --> 00:09:27,680
and what sounded like two female voices

314
00:09:30,710 --> 00:09:29,120
talking really softly

315
00:09:32,230 --> 00:09:30,720
i listened intently trying to hear what

316
00:09:33,509 --> 00:09:32,240
they were seeing but i couldn't really

317
00:09:35,030 --> 00:09:33,519
understand anything

318
00:09:36,630 --> 00:09:35,040
there were no real discernible words

319
00:09:39,030 --> 00:09:36,640
coming out just mumbling

320
00:09:40,550 --> 00:09:39,040
then silence i figured it was just my

321
00:09:41,509 --> 00:09:40,560
wife and daughter finding their way to

322
00:09:43,670 --> 00:09:41,519
my daughter's tent

323
00:09:45,269 --> 00:09:43,680
not wanting to wake me up by being loud

324
00:09:47,030 --> 00:09:45,279
thank you my wife was just going to

325
00:09:48,949 --> 00:09:47,040
sleep in the tent with my daughter

326
00:09:50,550 --> 00:09:48,959
however now i'm up because my back is

327
00:09:51,910 --> 00:09:50,560
killing me because the air mattress is

328
00:09:53,269 --> 00:09:51,920
now flat at all

329
00:09:55,350 --> 00:09:53,279
as i lay there and what i can only

330
00:09:56,870 --> 00:09:55,360
describe is dead silence i hear cracking

331
00:09:58,310 --> 00:09:56,880
like sticks breaking or popping

332
00:10:00,389 --> 00:09:58,320
so i assume that the fire is still

333
00:10:01,910 --> 00:10:00,399
hanging on somehow then i hear something

334
00:10:03,430 --> 00:10:01,920
moving around towards the front of my

335
00:10:05,110 --> 00:10:03,440
tent and it stops

336
00:10:07,190 --> 00:10:05,120
something is directly outside the front

337
00:10:08,790 --> 00:10:07,200
of my tent i can feel it and sense it

338
00:10:10,550 --> 00:10:08,800
so i slowly raise up to a seated

339
00:10:12,069 --> 00:10:10,560
position and hear something breathe in

340
00:10:13,750 --> 00:10:12,079
and exhale a large breathe

341
00:10:15,590 --> 00:10:13,760
this is the heaviest breath i have ever

342
00:10:16,310 --> 00:10:15,600
heard and it was followed but what i can

343
00:10:18,310 --> 00:10:16,320
only describe

344
00:10:20,230 --> 00:10:18,320
is a very loud huff as if from a horse a

345
00:10:22,069 --> 00:10:20,240
cow or some very large animal

346
00:10:23,829 --> 00:10:22,079
i sat there frozen with fear trying to

347
00:10:24,710 --> 00:10:23,839
rationalize what it is i'm hearing and

348
00:10:26,630 --> 00:10:24,720
it stopped

349
00:10:28,230 --> 00:10:26,640
all i heard was the one deep inhale and

350
00:10:29,590 --> 00:10:28,240
exhale and that huff sound then

351
00:10:31,350 --> 00:10:29,600
everything went silent

352
00:10:33,190 --> 00:10:31,360
what followed next is l hitting a little

353
00:10:34,150 --> 00:10:33,200
ways off back from behind the area of

354
00:10:36,389 --> 00:10:34,160
our friend's tents

355
00:10:37,990 --> 00:10:36,399
and after that i heard nothing else no

356
00:10:40,069 --> 00:10:38,000
sounds of all no fire popping

357
00:10:41,670 --> 00:10:40,079
sticks cracking nothing i stayed there

358
00:10:43,190 --> 00:10:41,680
sitting up frozen with fear for what

359
00:10:44,790 --> 00:10:43,200
seemed like forever until i could tell

360
00:10:46,949 --> 00:10:44,800
the sun was coming up and that it was

361
00:10:48,710 --> 00:10:46,959
light out now i must stir up the courage

362
00:10:49,670 --> 00:10:48,720
and go outside and chuck the ground in

363
00:10:51,269 --> 00:10:49,680
front of my tent

364
00:10:52,949 --> 00:10:51,279
and that's when i noticed my daughter's

365
00:10:54,470 --> 00:10:52,959
tent unzipped and empty

366
00:10:56,389 --> 00:10:54,480
i panicked and rushed to the car and

367
00:10:58,470 --> 00:10:56,399
there they are in the car sound asleep

368
00:11:00,630 --> 00:10:58,480
i see not a single track nothing around

369
00:11:02,630 --> 00:11:00,640
our tents and everyone else is about 20

370
00:11:04,710 --> 00:11:02,640
to 30 yards away in their tents

371
00:11:05,670 --> 00:11:04,720
now i'm freaking the hell out who did i

372
00:11:07,590 --> 00:11:05,680
hear talking

373
00:11:09,190 --> 00:11:07,600
who was skulking around the tent what

374
00:11:11,110 --> 00:11:09,200
the hell was that breathing in front of

375
00:11:13,110 --> 00:11:11,120
me and huffing outside my tent

376
00:11:15,030 --> 00:11:13,120
what opened my daughter's tent super

377
00:11:16,470 --> 00:11:15,040
surely there is an explanation and i sit

378
00:11:18,470 --> 00:11:16,480
out there for at least an hour getting

379
00:11:19,670 --> 00:11:18,480
the fire going as our friends begin to

380
00:11:21,350 --> 00:11:19,680
get up and move about

381
00:11:22,949 --> 00:11:21,360
they slowly make their way to the fire

382
00:11:24,389 --> 00:11:22,959
and i immediately start asking them

383
00:11:25,910 --> 00:11:24,399
where were the dogs all night

384
00:11:27,990 --> 00:11:25,920
did you let them out were they sniffing

385
00:11:29,269 --> 00:11:28,000
around my tent did any of you wake up

386
00:11:30,710 --> 00:11:29,279
and were talking you're moving around

387
00:11:33,430 --> 00:11:30,720
and did you hear that oh

388
00:11:35,269 --> 00:11:33,440
no no and no they all replied i have no

389
00:11:36,870 --> 00:11:35,279
idea what that was talking softly and

390
00:11:37,750 --> 00:11:36,880
what was breathing and huffing right in

391
00:11:39,269 --> 00:11:37,760
front of me

392
00:11:41,190 --> 00:11:39,279
what the hell opened my daughter's tent

393
00:11:42,310 --> 00:11:41,200
in the night i watched her zip it shut

394
00:11:43,910 --> 00:11:42,320
and go to the car

395
00:11:45,750 --> 00:11:43,920
that breathe in huff was so scary it

396
00:11:47,350 --> 00:11:45,760
left me frozen with fear and i didn't

397
00:11:48,870 --> 00:11:47,360
move at all after hearing it and sat

398
00:11:50,710 --> 00:11:48,880
there as silent as possible

399
00:11:52,550 --> 00:11:50,720
not even wanting to breathe one of the

400
00:11:53,990 --> 00:11:52,560
scariest moments of my life something

401
00:11:55,750 --> 00:11:54,000
large and unknown in the darkness

402
00:11:57,750 --> 00:11:55,760
directly in front of me and only things

403
00:11:59,590 --> 00:11:57,760
separating us is a thin tent wool

404
00:12:01,190 --> 00:11:59,600
this all happened friday into saturday

405
00:12:01,670 --> 00:12:01,200
morning and we still have another night

406
00:12:03,509 --> 00:12:01,680
here

407
00:12:05,110 --> 00:12:03,519
i decided that i am not sleeping in the

408
00:12:06,629 --> 00:12:05,120
tents and neither are my wife and

409
00:12:08,310 --> 00:12:06,639
daughter tonight or ever again

410
00:12:10,230 --> 00:12:08,320
the rest of the day goes great hanging

411
00:12:11,910 --> 00:12:10,240
out having breakfast went into town

412
00:12:12,710 --> 00:12:11,920
ashford and went for a hike down the

413
00:12:14,870 --> 00:12:12,720
road to lake

414
00:12:16,550 --> 00:12:14,880
core lake basically just camping and

415
00:12:18,310 --> 00:12:16,560
hanging it's getting later now and

416
00:12:20,150 --> 00:12:18,320
although the sun is out and blue skies

417
00:12:21,590 --> 00:12:20,160
the canopy in our camping area is thick

418
00:12:23,269 --> 00:12:21,600
and even at the brightest point in the

419
00:12:24,150 --> 00:12:23,279
day was still pretty dark compared to

420
00:12:25,910 --> 00:12:24,160
road area

421
00:12:27,190 --> 00:12:25,920
as we are hanging out we hear woo wops

422
00:12:28,949 --> 00:12:27,200
way off in the distance

423
00:12:30,710 --> 00:12:28,959
and we are thinking what is that more

424
00:12:32,069 --> 00:12:30,720
time passes by and now a few of the

425
00:12:33,190 --> 00:12:32,079
people that were there when we arrived

426
00:12:34,790 --> 00:12:33,200
at camp have left

427
00:12:36,389 --> 00:12:34,800
just seven of us left and two of the

428
00:12:37,030 --> 00:12:36,399
seven were pretty much always in their

429
00:12:38,790 --> 00:12:37,040
tent

430
00:12:40,870 --> 00:12:38,800
so that left five of us out hanging out

431
00:12:42,710 --> 00:12:40,880
by the fire that's when dusk crept in

432
00:12:43,590 --> 00:12:42,720
and my buddy began working on dinner for

433
00:12:45,350 --> 00:12:43,600
all of us

434
00:12:47,030 --> 00:12:45,360
as we sat there from off in the woods

435
00:12:48,870 --> 00:12:47,040
between us and the park boundary towards

436
00:12:50,389 --> 00:12:48,880
the creek we hear these blood curdling

437
00:12:51,350 --> 00:12:50,399
screams and what type house that

438
00:12:53,269 --> 00:12:51,360
everyone heard

439
00:12:55,509 --> 00:12:53,279
we all stopped talking and fell silent

440
00:12:56,150 --> 00:12:55,519
and we all began to ask each other wtf

441
00:12:58,470 --> 00:12:56,160
was that

442
00:13:00,069 --> 00:12:58,480
we heard this about four or five times

443
00:13:01,509 --> 00:13:00,079
it sounded like a woman being murdered

444
00:13:03,030 --> 00:13:01,519
and hell type of sound

445
00:13:04,550 --> 00:13:03,040
then came a few tree knocks from the

446
00:13:05,990 --> 00:13:04,560
same general direction

447
00:13:08,069 --> 00:13:06,000
is someone messing with us out here

448
00:13:09,110 --> 00:13:08,079
everyone was thinking keep in mind it is

449
00:13:11,110 --> 00:13:09,120
a holiday weekend

450
00:13:13,350 --> 00:13:11,120
so tons of campers within a 15 mile

451
00:13:14,949 --> 00:13:13,360
radius so i called my buddy over and he

452
00:13:16,470 --> 00:13:14,959
hadn't heard the screams because he had

453
00:13:17,990 --> 00:13:16,480
been cooking on a skillet and had a

454
00:13:18,710 --> 00:13:18,000
propane lantern in front of him and

455
00:13:20,470 --> 00:13:18,720
behind him

456
00:13:21,829 --> 00:13:20,480
and they are loud we stand there and

457
00:13:23,750 --> 00:13:21,839
listen and don't hear

458
00:13:25,509 --> 00:13:23,760
we decide we will do a tree knockback

459
00:13:27,350 --> 00:13:25,519
closer to the road that divided us from

460
00:13:28,389 --> 00:13:27,360
the area we heard these vocalizations

461
00:13:30,310 --> 00:13:28,399
and knocks from

462
00:13:32,069 --> 00:13:30,320
that is when we heard it i got a chill

463
00:13:33,750 --> 00:13:32,079
down my spine to my core and the hairs

464
00:13:35,350 --> 00:13:33,760
raised up on my arms and neck

465
00:13:37,110 --> 00:13:35,360
we both looked at one another and at the

466
00:13:37,670 --> 00:13:37,120
same time asked did you freaking hear

467
00:13:39,269 --> 00:13:37,680
that

468
00:13:41,030 --> 00:13:39,279
i asked him what he heard and we had

469
00:13:42,629 --> 00:13:41,040
both heard what we can only describe as

470
00:13:44,629 --> 00:13:42,639
a minkie or gorilla sound like you would

471
00:13:47,829 --> 00:13:44,639
hear on discovery channel or something

472
00:13:49,509 --> 00:13:47,839
it was like sound it was far off but

473
00:13:51,350 --> 00:13:49,519
deep and rumbling sounding unlike what

474
00:13:52,710 --> 00:13:51,360
you hear on tv i once say it was like

475
00:13:54,310 --> 00:13:52,720
directed or focused to us

476
00:13:56,069 --> 00:13:54,320
i only say that because the other people

477
00:13:56,710 --> 00:13:56,079
were sitting behind us maybe only 10

478
00:13:58,710 --> 00:13:56,720
feet away

479
00:14:00,310 --> 00:13:58,720
and they didn't hear it only us now we

480
00:14:01,590 --> 00:14:00,320
are freaking the hell out and nobody is

481
00:14:03,189 --> 00:14:01,600
sleeping in their tents

482
00:14:04,870 --> 00:14:03,199
we don't want to say anything and freak

483
00:14:05,990 --> 00:14:04,880
everyone else because at this point they

484
00:14:07,509 --> 00:14:06,000
are already on edge

485
00:14:10,150 --> 00:14:07,519
i have been hiking and camping here in

486
00:14:11,430 --> 00:14:10,160
the pnw for almost 20 years now i have

487
00:14:13,189 --> 00:14:11,440
never experienced this

488
00:14:15,750 --> 00:14:13,199
while i was camping out with family and

489
00:14:16,230 --> 00:14:15,760
friends i am 39 years old from the east

490
00:14:17,750 --> 00:14:16,240
coast

491
00:14:19,590 --> 00:14:17,760
and have been shot at and chase that

492
00:14:21,189 --> 00:14:19,600
growing up in the ghetto i am a former

493
00:14:23,030 --> 00:14:21,199
us army infantryman who has spent

494
00:14:25,350 --> 00:14:23,040
countless nights in only a sleeping bag

495
00:14:27,110 --> 00:14:25,360
in a dugout sleeping hole and intense

496
00:14:28,629 --> 00:14:27,120
i am now afraid to ever sleep in a tent

497
00:14:30,389 --> 00:14:28,639
again after this weekend

498
00:14:32,230 --> 00:14:30,399
i have never really ever felt fear like

499
00:14:33,269 --> 00:14:32,240
i did that first night in all my time in

500
00:14:34,790 --> 00:14:33,279
the forests out here

501
00:14:42,550 --> 00:14:34,800
except when i was a kid in the woods

502
00:14:45,750 --> 00:14:45,110
was it the ozark howler i don't have any

503
00:14:47,750 --> 00:14:45,760
idea

504
00:14:49,670 --> 00:14:47,760
what i witnessed saturday evening but it

505
00:14:50,710 --> 00:14:49,680
was the most frightening experience of

506
00:14:52,949 --> 00:14:50,720
my life

507
00:14:54,389 --> 00:14:52,959
my wife and i were camping at an rv park

508
00:14:56,710 --> 00:14:54,399
near jasper arkansas

509
00:14:58,310 --> 00:14:56,720
and planned to be there for several days

510
00:15:01,030 --> 00:14:58,320
we arrived early saturday

511
00:15:02,629 --> 00:15:01,040
and got situated soon after my wife

512
00:15:04,949 --> 00:15:02,639
wanted to look around the area

513
00:15:06,790 --> 00:15:04,959
since she had never been in the ozarks i

514
00:15:08,550 --> 00:15:06,800
was born and raised in the mountains

515
00:15:10,790 --> 00:15:08,560
and was familiar with the terrain and

516
00:15:12,870 --> 00:15:10,800
wildlife after we tinkered around the

517
00:15:14,470 --> 00:15:12,880
campsite we decided to take a short hike

518
00:15:16,389 --> 00:15:14,480
through a nearby valley

519
00:15:18,150 --> 00:15:16,399
there were a few caves and caverns along

520
00:15:19,750 --> 00:15:18,160
the way but nothing where i would have

521
00:15:20,550 --> 00:15:19,760
guessed any large predator would be

522
00:15:22,470 --> 00:15:20,560
living

523
00:15:24,629 --> 00:15:22,480
after walking for an hour we started to

524
00:15:26,710 --> 00:15:24,639
head back towards the rv park

525
00:15:28,550 --> 00:15:26,720
not long after we started walking back

526
00:15:30,550 --> 00:15:28,560
down the trail something caught my eye

527
00:15:32,790 --> 00:15:30,560
on the right in a sassafras thicket

528
00:15:34,470 --> 00:15:32,800
my wife sensed it as well and stopped to

529
00:15:36,150 --> 00:15:34,480
look in the same direction

530
00:15:38,310 --> 00:15:36,160
i could see this dark four-legged

531
00:15:39,350 --> 00:15:38,320
creature moving back and forth slowly

532
00:15:41,430 --> 00:15:39,360
through the brush

533
00:15:43,189 --> 00:15:41,440
we immediately started to walk at a fast

534
00:15:45,189 --> 00:15:43,199
pace back towards the park

535
00:15:46,389 --> 00:15:45,199
this creature was moving along as well

536
00:15:48,870 --> 00:15:46,399
keeping its distance

537
00:15:50,629 --> 00:15:48,880
but tracking us this continued for what

538
00:15:51,590 --> 00:15:50,639
seemed like 10 minutes until we reached

539
00:15:53,829 --> 00:15:51,600
the clearing

540
00:15:54,790 --> 00:15:53,839
we got back to the campsite very shaken

541
00:15:56,389 --> 00:15:54,800
and nervous

542
00:15:58,310 --> 00:15:56,399
all my years growing up in these

543
00:15:59,509 --> 00:15:58,320
mountains and i had never seen anything

544
00:16:01,110 --> 00:15:59,519
comparable to it

545
00:16:03,509 --> 00:16:01,120
from what i could gather it was very

546
00:16:05,990 --> 00:16:03,519
large almost the size of a black bear

547
00:16:08,230 --> 00:16:06,000
but moved close to the ground like a cat

548
00:16:10,150 --> 00:16:08,240
it was also very dark in color

549
00:16:12,230 --> 00:16:10,160
we didn't say anything to others camping

550
00:16:14,710 --> 00:16:12,240
nearby the rest of the evening

551
00:16:15,990 --> 00:16:14,720
was very quiet and peaceful until around

552
00:16:17,350 --> 00:16:16,000
2 15 a.m

553
00:16:19,670 --> 00:16:17,360
we heard what sounded like a

554
00:16:21,590 --> 00:16:19,680
high-pitched howl coming from a distance

555
00:16:23,269 --> 00:16:21,600
it was loud enough to wake both of us

556
00:16:24,389 --> 00:16:23,279
and i noticed several campers were

557
00:16:26,470 --> 00:16:24,399
looking outside

558
00:16:28,550 --> 00:16:26,480
milling around and talking as well

559
00:16:30,790 --> 00:16:28,560
someone said it was just a coyote but

560
00:16:32,230 --> 00:16:30,800
that was not a coyote or anything else i

561
00:16:35,110 --> 00:16:32,240
had ever heard before

562
00:16:37,030 --> 00:16:35,120
the next morning we woke around 9am when

563
00:16:37,590 --> 00:16:37,040
i stepped out of the rv a woman walked

564
00:16:39,829 --> 00:16:37,600
up to me

565
00:16:41,749 --> 00:16:39,839
and asked if i had heard the howling i

566
00:16:42,389 --> 00:16:41,759
said that i didn't had no idea what it

567
00:16:46,310 --> 00:16:42,399
was

568
00:16:46,790 --> 00:16:46,320
that she believed it to be the ozark

569
00:16:48,230 --> 00:16:46,800
howler

570
00:16:50,550 --> 00:16:48,240
and that there had been a few sightings

571
00:16:52,870 --> 00:16:50,560
recently i knew the stories about the

572
00:16:53,430 --> 00:16:52,880
ozark collar but never believed any of

573
00:16:56,470 --> 00:16:53,440
it

574
00:16:58,949 --> 00:16:56,480
well my wife wanted to leave asap

575
00:17:00,710 --> 00:16:58,959
now i'm not sure what to think we came

576
00:17:01,509 --> 00:17:00,720
home today and i looked up the ozark

577
00:17:03,749 --> 00:17:01,519
collar

578
00:17:05,669 --> 00:17:03,759
there isn't much to go on i read your

579
00:17:06,549 --> 00:17:05,679
blog and thought you may want to get the

580
00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:06,559
word out

581
00:17:13,669 --> 00:17:08,450
is it possible this creature may live

582
00:17:17,110 --> 00:17:16,230
this is lon strickler if you like this

583
00:17:18,870 --> 00:17:17,120
program

584
00:17:20,230 --> 00:17:18,880
it would help us if you would give it a

585
00:17:23,110 --> 00:17:20,240
thumbs up

586
00:17:23,590 --> 00:17:23,120
then subscribe and click the bell icon

587
00:17:25,909 --> 00:17:23,600
so you

588
00:17:28,069 --> 00:17:25,919
get notification when we upload new

589
00:17:31,190 --> 00:17:28,079
first person encounters

590
00:17:33,590 --> 00:17:31,200
we have many more to come very soon and

591
00:17:35,990 --> 00:17:33,600
by the way if you have a suggestion