Crytpid – Appalachian Paranormal Experiences

“Gifting” Experiment

Surveying the recent flood damage in our area, my partner and I came across a child’s toy resting almost ..“purposefully” atop a mass of driftwood that had been lodged on a “low water” bridge.

The area has a history of strange occurrences (Bigfoot sightings and vocalizations, large black cat sightings, etc), this was one of the reasons we were in this area so it was decided to do an experiment with “gifting”.

Gifting has become a popular tactic among some in the the Bigfoot research community, this entails leaving something as a gift for these “creatures” in the hopes that they may gain familiarity with the person/persons leaving the gifts. Thus increasing the likelihood of capturing evidence of their existence.

Many times food items are left but also small trinkets such as small toys or anything that would be of interest to a curious animal. It has been reported sometimes items are left by these creatures in place of the original gifts, as a form of exchange . Small unusual rocks, stick “folk-art” pieces and bird feathers are among some of the items that have been left as sort of an exchange supposedly.

Given the obvious problems with leaving any sort of food item (any number of animals would be drawn to this) we decided to leave our newly reclaimed toy in hopes of enticing a response.

A stump was chosen in close proximity to railroad tracks and a river we were walking along. The toy was placed out of sight of the causal walking person but not so much as to be completely hidden from a particularly curious creature.

Stay tuned for updates…

Super Natural Sightseeing

Brushes with the paranormal can, and do happen in every imaginable setting. In our forests, on our roads, in our homes, and probably the most disturbing, in our bedrooms.

It can happen anywhere, at any time, but there is certain landmarks that tend to attract higher levels of activity than the baseline of other locations. Such landmarks include, but are not limited to: bridges, railways, military-installations, bodies of water, burial and effigy mounds, and crossroads.

While each of these areas can, and do spark their own theories as to what makes these places supranatural hotbeds—at this time, let us focus on the latter, and leave the rest for a time each can be explored in the detail they deserve.

Intersection of Worlds

Crossroads have a long and storied history in the annals of supernatural lore. Exercutions, and subsequent burial of the condemned, as well as burial of those that had committed suicide, often took place at crossroads. The belief being that their restless spirits may be confused, and so not be able to return to aggress the living.

Perhaps this reasoning arose from belief in the occult significance of crossroads; that being, they are the intersection of: paths, ideas, and worlds, and they represent, decision, indecision, and confusion.

These ideas are not regulated to superstition of the past, but are alive to this day in a number of pop-cultural references. One such instance is that of the legendary blues artist Robert Johnson, who it is said made a Faustian bargain for mastery of the guitar. The sight of his contract signing, the intersection of Hwy 49 and 61, in Rosedale, MS. Whether or not Mr. Johnson made such a bargain, only he and “Ol Scritch” could say with any authority. Nevertheless it as been referenced numerous times in musical and dramatic portrayals, assuring the crossroads will remain “a place of power” in humanity’s collective subconscious for years to come.

To be Seen or Not to be Seen

While some of the beliefs in the significance of crossroads can be seen as logical in the ethereal

sense, the same should not hold true in the world of cryptid creatures. Yet, this does seem to be the case, but why?

In the cryptid world, let us take for instance the currently in vogue Dogman. These creatures are reputed to be the ultimate apex predators, yet they are spotted by motorists at an inordinate rate, and not surprisingly at crossroads.

Predators do not like to be seen, so one would logically think a creature with honed predatory senses, and with above animalistic intelligence, (if not telepathic abilities) would be more than capable of remaining unseen. That is unless being witnessed is not a concern, but may in fact be the desired.

Collapsing the Wave Function

In quantum field theory the role of the observer is a place of fundamental importance in weaving the fabric of reality.

Lacking the expertise or the desire to do so, we will refrain from going into great detail with the theory, suffice it say, it appears observation affects the material-world, if only on the smallest (for now) scales (see the double slit experiment). Does this explain the “feeling of being watched”, one has to wonder. It also begs the question, is the purpose of paranormal encounters, in fact to be observed?

William Francis “Slick Willie” Sutton, a prolific 20th century American bank robber, is attributed as saying, when asked by a reporter why he robbed banks, “Because that’s where the money is”. In this vein, perhaps experiences happen in these areas because, that “is where the people are” more often. These entities desire to be observed, and in so doing, some type of subtle quantum energy/information is transferred giving them realization, or existence in the material world.

It has been theorized that some paranormal entities feed off the fear generated in persons that encounter them. Perhaps only certain types of entities need or desire the energy generated by fear, and some portion of energy is obtained whenever observation occurs regardless of the emotional response. It may be as simple as, to exist, it they must be observed.

Encounter on a Dark Road

This happened to my father when he was a young man of 18. While walking home one night, a particularly cold and dark-night, he had one, if not the most terrifying experiences of his life.

The wind was blowing hard and cold, he didn’t have a hat so he had the collar of his coat turned up and was walking slightly bent forward into the wind. There was no moon that night, and it was very dark, so he was more or less making his way by feeling the graveled road under foot. You must understand at that time he was still living with my grandparents and their small farm/ranch was way back in the hills, miles from any paved road or neighborhoods.

He was making his way, his hands in his pockets and leaning forward into the wind when all at once he walked headlong into “something”. In a reflex action he through his hands into an outstretched position and in so doing he grabbed two-hands full of hair. He was a good sized man at 6’2″ and with arms outstretched he said it was like walking into, and grabbing a “wall of hair”. He later recalled the hair was quite long, several inches, long and thick enough to get a good hold.

He took off down the frozen creek that ran alongside the graveled road, and said whatever it was, took off up the hill on the opposite side or the road. He was understandably terrified at the time, but in his telling, after the passing years, he found some humor in how he navigated the frozen creek, “busting his ass” ever few steps, but making a hasty retreat nonetheless.

With the morning light, he returned to the sight of the encounter, this time well prepared for whatever he may encounter; armed with a rifle.

The trail the creature made, while tearing its way up the hill could clearly be seen, but after the terrain leveled-out a bit, and with the ground being frozen, after a short way the trail was lost.

My father was an avid “outdoorsman”, not as much for recreation as for necessity. He knew what was in the woods, or thought he did, but he could never think of what this thing could have been without invoking Bigfoot. Over the many tellings of this story, over many years his story never wavered.

Bulletproof Cryptids

One of the otherworldly attributes assigned to the Dogman in many encounters, is their seeming invulnerability to even a firestorm of bullets. In many cases, these bullets were fired from the weapons of experienced hunters and woodsmen, whom are all-too-familiar with their weapon’s capabilities and damage potential. Yet, after taking fire from these high-powered rifles, there seems to be little to no effect, other than in a few cases the target is knocked-down only to rebound and make a fleet-footed retreat.

There is no “natural-animal” on the American continent that can take a relative close-range round from the weakest of “hunting-rifles” and not present immediate, and obvious indications of trauma. Yet this is exactly what is reported in many cryptid meets firearm encounters, Dogman and Sasquatch alike. This peculiarity would seem to lead to a preternatural conclusion.

Interestingly, the concept of being bulletproof is not unknown in the realm of esoteric knowledge. One such instance is recounted in the annals of White Bull, the nephew of the legendary Lakota War Chief, Sitting Bull. While lesser known than his uncle, White Bull was a fierce warrior in his own right. He was present at the battle of Little Bighorn, and was purported as being the man who killed General Custer that fateful summer day.

White Bull’s stated the bulletproofing ritual was an intricate process conducted by his tribe’s “Medicine-Man”, and while he goes into some detail of the steps in his recounting, the end result was much like that which is seen in many firearm vs. cryptid accounts. Upon the rituals conclusion, to test its effectiveness, he and his fellow participants would take time about firing his pistol ( a pistol he asserts had brought down many buffalo) at one another at close range. While the impact would knock them off their feet, and would leave tremendous bruising, their skin would remain intact, no blood was drawn.

If we taken at his word, this bulletproofing ritual would seem to lend credence to the “skinwalker” theory as an explanation to the upright canine enigma.