A listener writes “I had a strange experience about 20 years ago in northern wisconsin while camping with some friends and has bugged me ever since and wanted your take on it. There were 3 of us and when we went to check in, they must’ve figured 3 young guys from Illinois – probably going to be loud and what not, they’d give us the furthest site from the other guests as possible. I think there were over 200 sites. We might have gotten 200. The campground/resort didn’t hardly have anyone there either. I would guess 15% full but we sure didn’t mind.
The 3rd night there maybe, we got in from fishing and had started a campfire. 1 by 1 we tired out and went in the tent to sleep, my friend John being the first. The tent was maybe 10 feet from the fire. My friend Rich was sitting by the fire making s’mores when I was getting ready to turn in and I told him to be sure to put all the food away in the cooler and then the car too because of bears. I was dozing off in the tent lying closest to the fire and Rich came in about 30 minutes later.
The fire was still going a bit and the glow from it illuminated the side of the tent I was closest to. I was just lying there enjoying the night forest sounds and flicker of the firelight. Then I heard a raccoon or some small creatures enter the campsite. I woke Rich up and asked him if he forgot to put away the s’mores stuff. He said he forgot. We heard the critters going through what was left and we were kind of laughing and didn’t think much of it as it was all gone now anyways.
All of a sudden everything split from the campsite and got incredibly silent. I thought that weird but tried to stay awake. Maybe 10 minutes later I heard breathing. Very heavy, not snorting, but just heavy breathing – big lungs is all I knew. All this time otherwise dead silence. Whatever this was came into the site and walked between the tent and the fire. John was sound asleep and i woke Rich up to be ready for something. Neither of us wanted to see what was out there – I wish I would have but couldn’t do it. The thing blacked out the illuminated side of the tent as it passed and then proceeded to urinate on our campfire. It never bothered us or our tent. All I could focus on was the breathing, it was weird, and hoping it would go away soon. Shortly after it did and that was that.
What that thing was – I have to assume was a bear – but it has always stuck out as not right. Have you ever heard anything similar?
I also now live in northern wisconsin and twice I’ve seen those straight line trackways in the snow near my home. The 1st time on my property. Can’t rule out some bounding animal double tracks but just no evidence of that. Wish I would’ve taken pictures but I didn’t. And although there are plenty of owls around, last year I heard them calling to each other – I figured some mating thing – but the 1st time I started hearing it, it sounded like grown men making owl sounds. I thought who would be joking around like that middle of the day in gun country. Crazy loud and seemed to be on my property of 15 acres, but just out of range. And I hardly have any neighbors. I’ve heard of this owl sound imitation recently while listening to your shows and it reminded me of that. 800 lb owl sounds about right. It’s an owl like sound – but you clearly get the feeling that it is imitated. I thought this before I ever heard of bigfoot possibly being associated with it.
Definitely keeping my eyes out and thanks again for your show”
joe r
If i was a “bettin” man I’d say you had 8 foot, bi pedal, hair covered owls living nearby.
Cathy Y
Sounds exciting, but my mind is a little weird and the first thing that came to my mind after bigfoot was Smokey the Bear, only you can prevent forest fires! Lol he did put out the fire, right? …Not making fun of you just making light of situation, thanks for sharing….
Trent M
Instead of the old saying “Does a bear S*** in the woods?” it will be “Does Bigfoot pee on campfires?”. And you though your mind was a little weird, if so we all are. LOL
Kenneth K
If you’ve ever seen “the big chill” it’s not does a bear sh!t in the woods, it’s does a bear jo in the woods.
I don’t know about wisconsin, but bears in Pennsylvania don’t try to put out fires by urinating on them. Either it was a person peeing on the fire or an unidentified biped.
Doug K
Was wondering if their campfire had any strange odor about it afterwards the next morning. Thank you for posting this Wes.!!
Knobby
Why would a bear pee on fire? Maybe a sasquatch had observed campers dousing fire with water before and this was its futile attempt to diminish the light of the fire. Maybe that Smokey the Bear hat should be worn by Squatchy the Bigfoot.
Charles R
That is funny folks. My first thought also was imitating Smokey the Bear. The real purpose just may be so, that is to prevent a Forest fire although in Northern Wisconsin that is seldom a threat, but it can happen. At least it did in the Upper Peninsula a few years ago north of Newberry, MI. I have read of at least two encounters when a Sasquatch opened up a tent and urinated on the men occupants. Maybe one came into a building once and did this. Then of course Doug Hajicek the other day talked of his boy peeing off the deck and then rocks started to be thrown.
Listener it is neat to hear them imitate an Owl. I have heard the owl followed by a loon imitation. Mine was louder than an actual Owl and Loon would be and a bit off key. Initially it will leave you scratching your head, until you figure out what is really going on. Then it just may be scary if you are out alone.
mike u
Charles—Hi there I’m a fellow wisconsinite with a sighting in 1997 same year as you! Mine was in Elcho just north of antiego from my visual I believe it was a type 3 or 4 the non- patty type, can you confirm in miles the distance between your likely encounter to elcho if you feel comfortable revealing approx location without stating a name or area. Thanks for sharing
Charles R
Hey Mike U. I think you have me mixed up with the gentleman this thread is about. I hope he answers you. Very cool you had a sighting. I did have one in 1975 Nov. 15, opening day of deer season crossing a swamp in Roscommon County, MI. It was quite a long distance away though. Again I hope he answers you. Thank you for sharing.
mike u
I apologize Charles:-) it does intrigue me that there are sightings in the upper Midwest, my sighting was from a distance too and while hunting grouse, so my first reaction was why is this guy wearing all black in the woods during hunting season while I was standing there in blaze orange, I would guess from a distance you being a hunter mite of thought the same thing. It was not til after it was outta my sight i thought wait he was in all black and had absolutely nothing on his person, no backpack no hat no walking stick nothing, my final clue was the walk he had a walk like Brett Favre after winning a overtime game where he took 15 sacks, confident but spent, was yours obvious in 75 or did you have to revisit it afterwards like I did?
Charles R
Hi Mike U. Same as you, I had to revisit it. It was about 400 yards out there, maybe more. My thought were what is this guy wearing all Black doing, and it has no gun. One is required to wear orange somewhere. I was actally in a blind about 3 foot up which in Michigan at that time was illegal to be above ground. However my relatives starting with my Grandfather in the 1920 had hunted that area. In the ten years we hunted no one else ever came out there. This swamp is the headwaters of the Tittabawassee River. We covered several square miles, our group of Uncles and cousins and we hunted a bit off the ground because not even the DNR came out there. It starts to cross this swamp, which in November the water is usually froze in the morning and at best 36 degrees. It would be on higher ground, then I would loose it as it would be in water, then back up on high ground and back down in water, some of which could be over my head. Not even deer went into that swamp that I ever saw in 10 years, except to the edge where I hunted to get a drink, then back into the woods. . And it crossed 3/4 of a mile or more in less than 10 minutes – heck of a feat in that terrain. In 1975 no one ever talked about Bigfoots in Michigan. I told my father and uncles what I had seen when we met for lunch. They looked back and forth at each other and it was never talked about again. I had seen the Patterson Film in movie theaters and figured if they were out( and I was open to that ) they were in the PNW.
mike u
Charles–Wow, thanks for sharing that. Sounds like a very remote place where humans would not risk going into water that’s almost freezing without a very bulky pack and some supplies, your encounter is far longer then average, most are 15 seconds to 1 min,
That’s cool that you seen the p and g film in a theater. I always wonder what that was like …just a real short shockumentary film or they show other footage as well as p and g…any who I’m always thinking Wes should do a Wisconsin/ Michigan / MN episode -though I don’t think my sighting is quite show material maybe ours combined would be enough time to fill a slot on his show, but then again I really struggle hearing my voice broadcasted its like a phobia for me to listen to myself on a recording. But I love hearing about encounters from around here so thanks much for taking time outta your day
SHANNON D
Hmmm a bigfoot with a “smoky the bear” complex…
Kerry D
Most people use energy drinks, gels, or just plain old coffee, to get them through a workout at the gym. I use Sasquatch Chronicles podcasts and blogs. 🙂
Kenneth M
He knew it wasn’t human because the creature did not pass gas as it urinated! A true sign it was not a man!
Kenneth K
Almost peed myself laughing at this.
m99
That’s Nasty!
Scott P
I have snuck in peoples campsite before and pissed on there camp fire while eating a moon pie.
Kenneth K
? no you didn’t, you probably went into a campsite looking to get a creampie and were rejected.
Robert V
Hello,
Would like to know which campground. I’m from southeastern Wisconsin and I believe one was coming into my grandmothers yard. If a group of Sasquatch can live in Washington and Waukesha counties they could easily live in northern Wisconsin.
My son and I used to make campfires in the back of my Grandma’s yard. There were many times my son and I would get the feeling of dousing the fire and getting into the house. If my memory is correct the night my son witnessed a Sasquatch looking at him through a side window was one of the nights we made a campfire. I’m sure they have a strong sense of smell. When we cooked over the fire we cooked either hot dogs or marshmellows.
People have been supportive of the idea of a Sasquatch coming into my yard on this site and I’ve been critized by “non belief” a group of Sasquatch would live in these counties. Except if you a topical map…you’ll realize between the urban sprawl…the terrain is perfect for a Sasquatch to live during late summer and into fall. Sussex Wisconsin, Menomonee Falls Wisconsin, and in Holy Hill Wisconsin have had sightings. What I wish. Is those people living in the midwest would come forward. I’ve heard what ridicule people get when they say they’ve seen either a Sasquatch or a Dogman type of creature in Wisconsin and now in Minnesota. If anyone would stop and think about Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, and Ontario these areas have vast amount of Miles of undeveloped forrests and many areas of standing water. Including the great lakes. To think man has covered all of these areas is foolish.
The best place to capture a Sasquatch in my way of thinking is in a place where there is a low population and in a place where the general population wouldn’t think off looking. Like the upper Missippi area of Minnesota or Wisconsin, a state forest in Kentucky, or in the middle of Michigan, or in Arkansas. Back to my point. Really take a look at Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, and Ontario. These would be excellent places to capture a Sasquatch.
Bob
Julie D
We do have them here in Illinois. Throughout the whole state, north to south!
Robert V
I want to add one more thing…never follow an orb.
NW Mike
I went to school in southern Illinois. We had the stories of “The Big Muddy Monster” being spotted around Murphysboro, IL. The Shawnee National Forest is down there and there are plenty of places for sasquatch to live. One night I had “someone” run down the road in front of my car, in my lane, for half a mile at 35 miles an hour. “He” was dressed in all black, from head to toe, and had a hoodie on. All I could really see was his back and the bottoms of his “shoes” because they were lighter than he was. Who runs in front of cars at night, dressed in all black? Who runs at 35 miles an hour for half a mile? I’m not saying it was a squatch, but if it runs like a squatch and looks like a squatch…