Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy

• Reports
• Texas
• Piney Woods
• Montgomery County
• New Waverly

Class 3b

Strange sounds and tracks found in the Sam Houston National Forest.

Report#

01040014

Occurred November 14, 2003

(Submitted July 14, 2004)

Witness Observation

Deer hunting at the edge of a field. Near dusk, a few does entered the clearing at the far end. They wandered toward me for a few minutes, then looked off to the north and ran back the way they came, returning into the thick woods. I waited, and as darkness fell, I heard a very loud sound, like a big tree breaking from that direction. I was puzzled, but not frightened. After dark, I walked out to my truck and left. Next morning before dawn, I returned. I saw nothing, but heard a mumbling or gibberish type of chatter coming from the thick woods near me. It lasted at least an hour and a half, but was intermittent. Close to midday, I walked the trail to find the source of the whispering or the loud noise I had heard the previous day, but found nothing except a dark hair stuck in a tree branch at about face level (maybe 5 1/2 feet above trail). Also a large area where the long grass had obviously been pushed down by bedding animals. I left a calling card (urinated on it). The woods are very thick, so it would be easy to miss something. About 3:00 PM, I went back to the clearing and waited. Near dark, I heard the gibberish sounds again. After a few minutes, I got annoyed by it, and yelled ("Who's out there?"). Nothing for 5 minutes, then it started again. It was now dark, so I turned on my light and walked toward the sound. It was intermittent, but seemed to maintain it's distance from me. I gave up and went home. May be totally meaningless, but thought I would report it. I make no claim that this was a Bigfoot incident, but it certainly was an odd occurrence.

I have returned to the location many times since, and found nothing. That is until a few weeks ago, and almost a year after my first "encounter".

October, 2004, same location:
Bow hunting, I spotted a few does on the way in, but could not get a clear shot. I passed. Later, kicked up something, but had no visual contact (probably a deer). Near dark, I decided to walk the fire trail quietly. A few hundred yards in, I found a somewhat human shaped footprint along the side of the firetrail. It was the same length as my size 12 EEE boot [14 inches], but quite a bit wider at the "toe" end. The "toes" also seemed to end rather evenly, and not the arched, rounded look of a human track. As I photographed, I noticed an odor, mild at first, and quickly becoming quite powerful. I would describe it as complex, layered. The predominant odor was of sour sweat. I could also smell decaying flesh, and a musky undertone. I finished photographing the best track (there were several other "impressions"), and photographed the woods directly behind me, from where I felt the odor emanated. I slowly and quietly walked back to my truck (20 minutes), and set my bow in the bed of the pickup as I retrieved my keys from my pocket. It was completely dark by now, and overcast. Something growled at me. It was close, maybe 25 yards. The growl lasted between 1 and 2 seconds. I waited a good 5 minutes staring at the woods where the growl came from, then reached to my flashlight and turned it on. Nothing. The woods are incredibly thick here, and I could hide from someone easily in there. I had at least expected to see eye-shine. I keep plaster in my truck after the former incident, last November. Although I was entertaining the thought of going back in to make a casting, the growl made me think better of it. Had I been carrying my sidearm or a rifle, I would have done so, but not with a bow in complete darkness. That growl, while not loud, sounded serious. I headed out to develop the film, then home.

Physical Evidence

One dark hair (not human, I feel certain) found about 5 1/2 feet above ground level in a branch. Lots of deer tracks, and hog sign in soft ground near the creek.

Sounds

Gibberish. Like a hushed whisper, only carried much farther. Not one word could be made out, just meaningless chatter. A very loud sound of a tree breaking the evening before.

Time and Conditions

5:00 pm - dusk, clear and cool. National Forest, a cow pasture and house about 3/4 mile further down the road.