Blake writes “My name is Blake. I’m a cinematographer working in Los Angeles, CA. I shoot everything between TV pilots to studio CFO meetings. Though, I’m a Hollywood professional (in the stereotypical sense) I’m originally from south west Missouri on the edges of the Ozark Plateau. I grew up on an Arabian horse farm in a house built in the 1820’s. My family owns about 100 acres with much of it is used for horse pasture while most is still thick woods and surrounded by more.
I was introduced to your podcast almost two years ago by my step dad. He’s a professional technology salesman and far more worldly and traveled than I’d assume the ‘average’ Bigfoot believer is. But… as an experienced hunter, he has had eerie personal experiences on our family land that have made him a believer. He’s had no true sightings, but after hearing a number of your guests… I think I have.
I’m not sure if you want me to write my entire experience in detail, but I can give you the general gist:
In either the early fall or a late summer evening of 2008 or 2009 (ending of my High School years) while walking between my girlfriends house and my grandparents where I was living, I was stalked by a large, dark furred creature.
It always kept just inside the wood line (even as I made a wrong turn and had to back-step), only walked while I walked (hindsight giving the impression it was on two feet), terrified two large neighboring great dane dogs (known for barking at everything), and I actually saw it.
As I made it the first few yards into grandparent’s driveway, I heard its steps break from my pattern and take huge strides behind me (I can’t confirm if it sounded bipedal or not). I turned around, maybe 15yrs from it, as it stood completely silhouetted by moonlight at the road’s edge. I saw it had just stopped its motion when I turned by how it seemed to finish its last lean from a step and straighten its head toward me.
It was easily just shy of 6ft and on all fours. From my seconds of view, it seemed like a huge upper body to a smaller rear. But in hindsight, it could have easily just been a hunched and squatting humanoid shape. I couldn’t see its face or the full shape of its head, given its posture. But I know it was looking straight at me. And intentionally very still.
The two seconds I looked Directly at this thing immediately triggered a fear I’ve never had before. Ever. I tore off and sprinted the last 10 yards to the basement door, flung myself behind it, locked everything I could, and slid a can of nails ahead the door. Maybe as a signal chime or maybe just out of panic. I stood ahead that door for close to an hour. Just waiting.
I still don’t know how I slept that night.
Since the experience, I’ve told multiple close family members and tried to rationalize what it could’ve been. Like some family have hypothesized, I figured it could’ve been a large black bear (now rare to the area), a Massive rogue mountain lion (maybe distorted from the view and at least one rogue lion was confirmed passing through the area years later), or a huge stray dog.
Honestly, it didn’t feel like anything I’ve ever been around before. It didn’t feel natural. Granted, I’ve never been ‘hunted’ before. But this Thing did not hold the proportions or characteristics of any of those animals. Or, anything I’ve ever heard of.
Just months after it happened there was a local report that made the local news of a “large creature” that was possibly “dog like” seen. Happened to be associated with a random burn patch in an open field which lead some folk to calling it a “Hell Hound.” I started to think that’s what I saw.
Up to just about a year ago, I heard on one of your interviews a man mentioned he thought a bigfoot was a Buffalo at first glance by how it hunched in proportion. With that and your recent interviews mentioning “dog men” all possibly correlated or confusing one for the other really made me think; I think I saw a bigfoot.
That’s my little story for you. I’m sure you get about a thousand a day, but thought I’d share it someone who doesn’t think I’m nuts.”