The witness has agreed to come on the show!
A report from a listener “I am a police officer and I had an encounter (an aggressive one ) as an 11 year old in 1994 inside the border of the smokey mountain national park. I was on a camping trip with my family and a group of friends consisting of 5 other boys and my younger sister and brother. We were hiking a trail (a rather remote difficult one as I recall) I was temporarily separated from the group to tie my shoes and as they rounded a bend in the trail I looked to my right (down hill) and observed what in my mind at the time was a HUGE gorilla standing only about 50 ft from me . When it observed me observing it it immediately bounded up hill and onto the trail ahead of me cutting me off. I cannot describe how terrified I was.
In an attempt to get away my instinct and I don’t really know why was to go uphill and around to where I could yell down at my friends. I felt like if I stayed were I was I’d be killed! So began about a 3 hour ordeal in which I effectively was lost. People began to search for me. The whole time I walked along a ridge line above the trail occasionally hiding from this thing. The entire time it shadowed me. When I would stop it would stop . I did not have a “visual” of it most of the time and only actually saw it from the shoulders up 1 time after my initial sighting.
I feel like it was attempting to “herd” me away from safety. I was finally able to walk back onto the trail after 3 hours but only after I heard it farther and farther away and above me. It was raining by this time and I was a total mess completely terrified and exhausted. My folks were pretty pissed and of course worried. When they asked me why I had gone off the trail I told them I was chased off by a bear to which I think a park ranger told my parents that that didn’t make sense. Anyway if you’d like to hear some of the details I’d be willing to talk to you about it ”
Jan W
Amazing he was able to keep his cool under such horrific circumstances. Terrifying and once again, the last in line. So glad he is here to tell the tale.
Frankie P
Wonder why he told the ranger it was a bear instead of a gorilla? Maybe at that time he didn’t think of gorilla… poor kid. I bet his family and group were as frightened as he was.
Patricia R
Don’t stop alone to tie your shoes, or let yourself become separated from the group , by being last in line!
Mountain lions are also known to pounce on people who are bending over like that—it’s the chance they wait for when they pounce on an animal whose head is down, drinking at a watering place.
They go for the exposed neck from behind.
We assume we would see these animals and creatures who are larger than we are—but don’t forget, as I’ve heard it mentioned on the show—“They are carnivores–they kill for a living.”
And we have to remember–we are mammals, too—-we are made of meat, however crude that may sound.
Mary W
There’s that either first in line or rear position vulnerability thing! I’d loose my mind if that happened to one of my sons! We are part tribal sonar least my kids wouldn’t have the fear of being judged by me. I can say that we had camped in an area where sasquatches travel and we all seen them but each of us were alone at the time . You never know how your kids will hold up to the unexpected . I’d be proud After I got over the initial fear , knowing that he kept his cool and didn’t melt down. Makes u wonder if part of you vacation planning requires researching the park for sighting and puruzing the 411 book ? I can’t wait to hear the show but though is s going to strike a few nerves. Ty Wes ! Wes will your bro ever tag team on some up comming shows? I miss his input! Ty
Scott Perry
Can’t wait!
Robert P
Squatches must love bears. They take all the blame.
Steven B
It is definitely “pass the buck” for Fish and Game – In Ontario Canada, coyotes get/got the blame for bear killed livestock in the Southern portion of the province – a family friend is a farmer and a few years back he had a bear killed calf – no yodel dog tracks at all but good sets of bear prints. Game warden comes out and reports it as coyote kill. “Don’t worry. You’ll still get your money for livestock killed by wildlife predation” The reason being is the Provincial government didn’t want to have to admit there was a rise in bear related incidents after the cancellation of the spring hunt.
Laura K
Can’t wait for this one! Grew up in Northeast Tennessee and had my own Class B encounter as a kid. Too close to home…
Dave T
Wow, so lucky to get out of that one and not end up a 411 story. Can’t imagine being 11 yrs old and being stalked by a squatch.
Philip W
No wonder your a Police Officer now , to have had the courage and common sense to survive this encounter marks you out to be somebody special !
PATRICK
Thank you officer for your willingness to come on the show.
Robert W
Missing 411! Without some quick actions he would and could have become a statistic. By the way any updates on Dave Paulides interview? Wes sent me an e mail that Dave was occupied with his new book. Wes any more news??