Report # 55604 (Class B)
Submitted by witness on Friday, September 16, 2016.
Two hunters experience prolonged tree shaking and rock throwing near Nordegg
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YEAR: 2016
SEASON: Summer
MONTH: September
DATE: 6
PROVINCE: Alberta
COUNTRY: Canada
LOCATION DETAILS: Black Stone Gap area, North West of Nordegg, Alberta. 1.5 miles North of Old Trapper's cabin.
NEAREST TOWN: Nordegg
NEAREST ROAD: Forestry Trunk Road
OBSERVED: We were out bow hunting in the Black Stone Gap area north west of Nordegg, Alberta and had something happen I can't really explain. We set up camp about 9:30 Friday night Sept 9, 2016 and started a fire to cook dinner. We hear noises coming from the tree line about 25 yards away and got out the shot guns figuring it might be a bear. After about a 1/2 hour of hearing something moving in the bush, my buddy fired a round into the air to try to scare it off. Not 20 seconds later a rock the size of a soccer ball came flying out of the bush and landed beside us and a tree started to shake violently back and forth and another rock came out of the bush at us. This went on for a good 20 minutes with 17 rocks being thrown. We packed up camp and left. I've hunted all my life and I know bears can shake trees but they cant throw rocks 25 yards. I don't know if I should report this here or not but I'm trying to figure out what the hell happened that night it scared two experienced hunters and made me not want to return to one of my favorite spots to hunt.
ALSO NOTICED: Just something moving in the bush then rocks being thrown
OTHER WITNESSES: 2 building a fire to cook dinner
OTHER STORIES: No
TIME AND CONDITIONS: 9:30 pm it was dark and there where clouds and showers
ENVIRONMENT: Foot hills spruce forest mixed with popular trees
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Beckie B.:
At approximately 9:30pm on September 9, 2016, the witness and a trusted hunting partner arrived in the Black Stone Gap area near Nordegg, Alberta. Shortly after arriving at the site, the witness and hunting partner started a fire to prepare supper. Almost immediately, both hunters began to hear leaves crunching and 'something big' moving through the bush approximately 25 yards away at a nearby tree line. As experienced outdoorsmen, the witness and the hunting partner both assumed that the noises were being caused by a bear. The hunters retrieved their shot guns as a precaution. The sounds of movement, crackling leaves, and breaking of branches continued from the same location for approximately a half hour. In an attempt to scare off the presumed bear, the hunters fired off a round from the shot gun into the air.
Immediately following the shot, a spruce tree in the tree line where the noises had been coming from began to shake violently, followed closely by a soccer ball sized rock being thrown from the same area seconds later, landing close to the hunters. The tree shaking as well as the rock throwing continued for a full 20 minutes with a total of 17 rocks being thrown towards the hunters. Throughout this entire time, no vocalizations of any type, growling, huffing, or screaming, were heard.
The witness and hunting partner packed up their camp within the 20 minutes while the tree shaking and rock throwing were continuing and vacated the area. In the rush to leave the area, the witness left a cell phone on a stump in camp. Although witness is a lifetime hunter and has been into the area frequently over the past 25 years, there was extreme hesitation to return to the location to retrieve the phone. Prior to this encounter, the witness had felt the feeling of being watched in this area, but had never felt threatened like on this occasion.
A variety of alternatives and scenarios were considered by the witness such as other campers/ hunters shaking the tree and throwing rocks, however this was ruled out due to the remoteness of the location and the high level of danger to other humans still remaining concealed after a shotgun was fired into the sky approximately 25 yards away. The possibility of a bear or cougar shaking the tree was also considered and rejected due to the occurrence of prolonged rock throwing that accompanied the tree shaking.
After a number of emails and phone call with the witness, I determined that witness was credible and very familiar with the area. The witness was a lifelong hunter who was camped in a fairly remote area which he had visited frequently over a 25 year period. The hunting partner refuses to discuss the experience.
About BFRO Investigator Beckie B.:
Beckie has been active in the outdoors throughout her life in Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and currently Alberta. This love of nature led to degrees in science with a specialization in animal biology and education where she develops and supervises environmental education programming. She is very experienced in wildlife identification, biology and behavior and is an active hiker and camper. She has attended 2015 British Columbia, 2016 Alberta and 2016 British Columbia expeditions.
Report # 38116 (Class A)
Submitted by witness on Sunday, December 9, 2012.
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A boy's summer encounter in a Saskatoon patch in Strathcona Island Park, next to Medicine Hat
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YEAR: 1972
SEASON: Summer
MONTH: August
DATE: 26
PROVINCE: Alberta
COUNTRY: Canada
NEAREST TOWN: Medicine Hat
OBSERVED: On September 2nd 1972 we were at Strathcona Island ark which is outside Medicine Hat, Alberta. About ten of us went to swim in the river [Saskatchewan River].
In the afternoon going back to the campsite I ran ahead of the rest down a winding path. I came to a stop when I smelled what I can only describe as a wet dog that rolled in a garbage dump for a couple of weeks. I then heard brush moving to my right. I turned and looked and saw a large black furry animal facing a Saskatoon patch.
I could see the crack of its rear end sitting on the ground and its shoulders and pointy head leaned away from me. [In its sitting position it] was about 5 to 5 and a half feet in height and 4 feet wide at the shoulders, and about 30 feet away.
Its fur was long and shaggy and oily. This thing just did not move at all, which going to Banff a lot and seeing black and grizzly bears, was not common. Suddenly a quiet grumbling chatter came from it, to which my brain translated it as get away from here. I turned and ran south, continuing down the trail. As I ran I could hear the thing smashing through the trees, with a smash, smash, smash sound. No one else heard or saw anything.
ALSO NOTICED: Later in the Fall I saw an article about teenagers who saw a bigfoot north of Seven Persons along the creek ravine. When I checked a map I found out that the Seven Persons creek flows into the South Saskatchewan at Strathcona park.
TIME AND CONDITIONS: Sunny with cumulus clouds.
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Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Cori Bowhay:
The witness was 8 years old in 1972 and had been swimming in the South Saskatchewan River with family and friends at Strathcona Island Park in Medicine Hat, AB. The group was leaving the beach to return to their fire pit for hot dog lunches. Our young witness went racing ahead of the group to get back.
As he ran along the winding trail from the river to the picnic site the witness was stopped in his tracks by a foul smell. He described this has being putrid and unlike anything he'd smelled; The smell was like a wet dog had rolled in garbage. It was so awful and he was trying to figure out what it was.
A small rustling drew his attention to a massive, black back seated at a patch of Saskatoon bushes. The witness explained that this creature had a conical shaped head sloping into broad shoulders with no visible neck. It didn't look like a bear. And it remained frozen, as did the witness.
He estimates that the shoulders were at least 4 feet across. The creature was sitting, and the witness noticed he could see the crack of its buttocks where it sat on the ground. From the top of the head to the bottom of its backside, the witness guessed was about 5 feet. He figured that the creature weighed about 600 pounds (about the average weight of a male grizzly bear).
The witness, however, was certain the creature was no bear when it emitted a gargling, chattering sound. When he later discovered the Sierra Sounds this was very similar to what he had heard as a child.
He emulated what he had heard and it was very reminiscent of the the "samurai chatter" heard in the Sierra Sounds recordings.
Immediately the witness got a clear message in his mind to "Run! Run away!". And so he did, as fast as he could to the picnic site. This was when the creature also made it's escape and he could hear it stomping away through the forest. When the rest of group finally arrived he asked if they had seen or smelled anything but no one else had.
The area where this incident occurred is on the edge of the city of Medicine Hat in southeastern Alberta. Strathcona Park is a picnic and day use area. Even today, the area remains undeveloped to the SW of the river valley. If a creature like a bigfoot or a bear were going to be in the area, eating late summer berries along the river valley is the most likely place you would find one in this region.
What strikes me as interesting about this possible sighting is that the creature remained still, it didn't turn to look or sniff in his direction. And then it chattered at him. This was certainly an experience that stuck with him his whole life.
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About BFRO Investigator Cori Bowhay:
Cori is an avid outdoors woman and would rather be outside with her dog than anywhere else. She enjoys camping, hiking, biking, fishing and yoga. Cori holds a business degree with a background in sports, marketing, promotions and sponsorship.
In 2013, Cori discovered the BFRO and began to research sasquatch. She has since spent many hours in the field looking and listening for signs of bigfoots on private trips as well as the following BFRO Expeditions:
2013- Alberta and British Columbia
2014- Alberta and Washington Cascades
2016- Alberta and British Columbia
2017- British Columbia
2018- British Columbia
Report # 59728 (Class B)
Submitted by witness on Friday, July 20, 2018.
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Hiker finds possible tracks in Indian Ridge area of Jasper National Park
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YEAR: 2018
SEASON: Summer
MONTH: July
DATE: 15
PROVINCE: Alberta
COUNTRY: Canada
LOCATION DETAILS: Straight down from “the gap” in the meadows of the Indian Ridge hike. Once at the bottom of the scramble, wall slightly northeast. Right before a very small creek that runs from the top (snow melt I assume)
NEAREST TOWN: Jasper
NEAREST ROAD: Highway 93
OBSERVED: I was hiking in Jasper National Park in Indian Ridge. I walked to the edge of the ridge and proceeded to descend down by “the gap”, an opening in the ridge wall. Very few people take the path I did.
As I reached they bottom of the scramble, I was in the beginning of the meadows. Again, since I was not on a marked trail, there was no path to follow. So I began walking across the meadows towards the other side, and upon the trail I was once on. A couple minutes into my walk I came upon what I believe is a footprint. A large footprint at that. The largest animal in that area is a grizzly bear. And the print does not resemble there’s, for shape or size. I continued walking along and about 30 minutes or so later I stumbled upon what looks like a partial imprint of the same footprint. About the same size in length at least.
I crossed the meadows completely and took a panoramic photo of the beautiful hike I just did. And while I was showing my boyfriend a rough area about where I saw the print, he noticed a black spot at the bottom of the ridge/scramble. It looks like it could be some cave. It just seems a bit odd of a spot though. As the jasper tramway is a popular tourist spot. Although not very many make it to the Indian ridge hike area, which begins further down the same mountain that it is on.
ALSO NOTICED: Roughly same size marking further down ( partial, but still the same length) and noticed in two separate photos what looks to be opening to small cave
OTHER WITNESSES: No one
OTHER STORIES: None
TIME AND CONDITIONS: 1:48 pm. Sunny sky. Few clouds. 22-25 degree weather.
ENVIRONMENT: Bottom of mountain ridge. Beginning of the meadows
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Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Cori Bowhay:
I spoke with the witness via phone to learn more about the report. She had taken the Jasper SkyTram and hiked to the adjoining Indian Ridge. From there she descended the ridge via “The Gap”- a steep scramble into the meadow below. This is a infrequently taken path and most hikers continue further along the ridge to an easier decent. The area is all above treeline and the elevation is approx 2500m. While crossing the high mountain meadow she came across a very large track in the grass. She explained that right away she knew it was much too large to be a grizzly bear. The track was not recent, it seems to me that it was least a week old if not more based on the dryness of the mud. As she was hiking alone this frightened her to think something so large could also be in the area. She continued further through the valley and came across a second partial impression of similar size. After initial analysis the second track appears more likely to be a double stepping bear print but it is ambiguous.
I asked the witness to send me measurements of her hand (used for scale in the photos) and calculated the approximate size of the full track to be 15 inches long and 6.5 inches wide. She had told me she estimated the track to be 15-18 inches long so this matched the witness's initial guess. The track photo is interesting as there are five clearly defined toes in a wide spread. The heel is quite deep into the now dry ground (was once muddy) and shows evidence of slippage. Which could also explain the widely spread toes. Many other suspected sasquatch tracks show the same features.
It’s hard to tell from the photos exactly what may have left them but the witness was credible and the location remote enough that it is unlikely someone left it as a hoax in hopes it would be discovered. This witness is an avid outdoors woman and has just returned from a 5 day solo backpacking trip near Nordegg (didn't see any bigfoots, darn!). She also noticed a possible cave entrance on the mountainside in one of her photos from the day of the track find.
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About BFRO Investigator Cori Bowhay:
Cori is an avid outdoors woman and would rather be outside with her dog than anywhere else. She enjoys camping, hiking, biking, fishing and yoga. Cori holds a business degree with a background in sports, marketing, promotions and sponsorship.
In 2013, Cori discovered the BFRO and began to research sasquatch. She has since spent many hours in the field looking and listening for signs of bigfoots on private trips as well as the following BFRO Expeditions:
2013- Alberta and British Columbia
2014- Alberta and Washington Cascades
2016- Alberta and British Columbia
2017- British Columbia
2018- British Columbia
Report # 59610 (Class B)
Submitted by witness on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.
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Retired mail carrier reports sundown knocks and responses on east flank of Rockies near Calgary
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YEAR: 2018
SEASON: Spring
MONTH: June
DATE: 12
PROVINCE: Alberta
COUNTRY: Canada
LOCATION DETAILS: As in the above description. On highway 66.
NEAREST TOWN: Bragg Creek
NEAREST ROAD: Highway 66
OBSERVED: I thought that I would send you a message about what happened to me last night. June19, 2018.
I had decided to go out into Kananaskis country to take pictures of the setting sun behind the mountains. I had found a spot on Highway 66 where there was a pull out, so I could set up my tripod on firm ground. (pavement) I had gotten there earlier than I needed to so that I could prepare my equipment.
As I was sitting in my car waiting for the right amount of sunlight I heard a wood knock but didn’t think anything of it. (The car was turned off) I also heard a lot of birds.
When I heard the second knock I thought ok “what is that”. I then went to the back of my car and got out a baseball bat that I had in my vehicle. I then went and did a wood knock myself thinking “Yea like I’m going to get a reply”. About 2 minutes later I got a knock, but it seemed to be a little closer. The first one was like 2 kilometers away and this one was about 1 kilometer away. I then went and hit a different tree to make it sound like I was a different one. This one was answered from even closer to me like maybe 800 meters. I thought great I will try again, but delay on doing it right away. I did a knock and went back to my car to get my camera just in case. Nothing happened so I grabbed my camera and was walking across the road to see if I could see anything to take a picture of what ever was there when a knock came from about 300 meters away. This was all happening on the north side of the road. I went back to my vehicle and got the bat again and struck another tree, this time I heard a scream-howl from the south side of the highway (the side I was on) about 2 KM’s west followed almost right away by another tree knock on the north side again about 300 meters away.
All of this happened between about 9:45 and 10:45 at night.
This was pretty much the end of all of this.
Chuck [B.]
ALSO NOTICED: A howl
OTHER WITNESSES: none
OTHER STORIES: No
TIME AND CONDITIONS: 2145 to 2200 Hours
ENVIRONMENT: Mountainous,River near it,Vehicle pull out, forest, provincial park
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Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Cori Bowhay:
I spoke to the witness via phone and we enjoyed a pleasant chat about his encounter and about sasquatches.
The witness is a retired mail carrier and is working on his photography as a sort of side business and hobby. He had driven up Highway 66 past Elbow Falls in Kananaskis Country to a location he could catch the sun setting over the mountains. Once his camera gear was set he sat with the windows open to wait for the right lighting. This was when he heard one single knock in the distance.
After 1-2 minutes he heard a second wood knock, closer to his location. The witness decided to get out of his car and make a wood knock in reply. He was shocked after 2 minutes of listening to hear another wood knock, MUCH closer to his location. He knew that there was no way in the time between knocks a person could have traveled so fast to get that close.
The witness stayed in the location for approximately 30 minutes more, listening, taking his photos and eventually packing up his camera gear.
When he decided to pack up and leave he heard a howl that he could not place. He explained that this sound was unlike anything he had heard before. The witness wasn't able to explain the sound other than it was two toned (high/low). It was very unusual to him.
(At the time he noticed on his fitness tracker that his heart rate had jumped from 78 BPM to 102.)
Witness visits the area often with his photography and has seen many animals like: deer, elk, moose, wolves, foxes and coyotes on previous trips.
The witness made a return visit to the same location with his family. They attempted some calls and howls; his brother in law made a call that received a reply. They heard a low pitch howl in response to the call they had made. He could not place this sound either.
I believe this witness to be very credible based on multiple conversations about his experience. He is now excited about the possibility of what could be out there.
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[Matt Moneymaker:
Dear Canadian scientists:
The area where this incident happened, near the beginning of Powderface Ridge, has long been known to Bigfoot researchers as a hotspot in Summer. Unbeknownst to this witness, an investigation of this area was included in the Alberta episode of Finding Bigfoot about 5 years ago.
It is probably the most reliable area to hear or see Sasquatches near Calgary, but it's only popping for a few weeks in Summer during some Summer's but not all. This is as reliable and convenient as it gets for Sasquatches in Alberta.
There's a popular trail up Powderface Ridge but this witness was a few kilometers from it, and this is big country.
***
There's short list of explanations for the knocks and responses like these at this location. If you (a scientist) would be at the actual location when they happen and you hear them for yourself you will be able to confidently eliminate woodpeckers and humans as a possible explanation, and this mail carrier was easily able do.
Here's the short list of explanations:
#1 Warning knocks (warning other Sasquatches of an intruding human). Factor leaning against it: The first knocks were the most distant ones -- 2KM (1 mile away). The closer knocks came later. With warning knocks the closer ones tend to happen first and the distant ones are the responses
#2 Locating other individuals. Very plausible. One may have been moving westward looking for the other one closer to Highway 66. Factor leaning toward it: At least one responded to his knocks.
#3 Driving (herding) deer in a desired direction. Also very plausible. One Sasquatch may have been pushing a deer herd westward, or perhaps any unseen deer that might be in its path. In that sense it could have been a combination of #2 and #3.
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This incident happened in Summer. In and around the Rockies there are extreme changes in elevation. That affects how deep the snow will be on the ground at different times of year. Sasquatches and their prey (wild ungulates like deer) will try to migrate to where the snow is less deep in Winter. They'll move out of the mountains if they can because that's where the snow is deepest.
It is very likely that Sasquatches in the Rockies will move seasonally and not be in the same place in Winter (when this report is being first published).
The view from Powerface Ridge down to the Elbow River.
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About BFRO Investigator Cori Bowhay:
Cori is an avid outdoors woman and would rather be outside with her dog than anywhere else. She enjoys camping, hiking, biking, fishing and yoga. Cori holds a business degree with a background in sports, marketing, promotions and sponsorship.
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