Darkwing's Research

[darkwing]

July 26, 2024

So after 6 weeks recovery from surgery, I went out researching for the first time in a while, the first location I wanted to go to, the wife (Cherokee Rose) didn't feel comfortable going across the huge mudhole at the entrance, so we agreed to go to the high voltage power lines where we could use the thermal to view both directions. We've been under drought conditions, with a lot of the water drying up at higher elevations, and after the Bigfoot Field Guide podcast where we discussed the water sources as being critical for Bigfoot, we could see that only a few armadillos were out and about on the thermal, no deer even. After scanning the power line right of way for about 30 minutes, we couldn't even use the parabolic to listen as the frogs and crickets were making horrendous racket. (Why I prefer to research when it's cold, so I don't have to listen to them.) We then drove approximately 25 miles on back roads with the thermal pointed into the woods, once again, no large animals could be seen. Really believe they are all staying close to the larger streams where there is still water.

Still have to review all the video from the thermal to see if I spot anything we didn't see on the screen as we moved along. Can't wait for cooler weather to silence the bugs and frogs.

[darkwing]

This was posted back several years ago at BFF about the initial encounter that got everyone involved with GCBRC. I had been researching Bigfoot off and on before this, but after this, we started devoting a hell of a lot of time into it. I do make some claims that were hard to back up at the time, from the original BFF posting, but I post this just for reference on how we got started in Skilleyville investigating.

There is an area in Adair County, OK called Skilleyville. To the local Cherokee, it is a place of mystique and terror as tales and beliefs of shapeshifters and large hairy creatures living there since the Cherokee have been here since the trail of tears. Most Cherokee will not venture there after dark.

We belonged to a group called Green Country Paranormal Research and Investigation (GCPRI) and since the majority of us are Cherokee, we spend a lot of time investigating Cherokee legends and stories. However the events that follow have changed some of our opinions on some of the legends.

While doing some recon work for an investigation we were going to conduct in Skilleyville, my son and I went down in May 2003 to Skilleyville during the day. Just 150 feet down the road from the cemetery is an underground stream that comes out at the base of a hill. My son noticed it first, there was a small tree at the base of a 14 foot drop off from the hill, broke nearly clean at a height of 6 feet 3 inches. It was also stripped completely clean of limbs. Looking around, we were shocked to see what appeared to be three impact marks in the leaves and gravel at the base. A 2 ½ foot wide butt print and two places where two large feet had landed were clearly visible. The 2 foot marks were clearly visible and a little over 5 feet apart. Almost as if some one tall had jumped off the bank up above and landed there hard, and then as if they made a snack out of the leaves on the tree.

This was posted back several years ago at BFF about the initial encounter that got everyone involved with GCBRC. I had been researching Bigfoot off and on before this, but after this, we started devoting a hell of a lot of time into it. I do make some claims that were hard to back up at the time, from the original BFF posting, but I post this just for reference on how we got started in Skilleyville investigating.

There is an area in Adair County, OK called Skilleyville. To the local Cherokee, it is a place of mystique and terror as tales and beliefs of shapeshifters and large hairy creatures living there since the Cherokee have been here since the trail of tears. Most Cherokee will not venture there after dark.

We belonged to a group called Green Country Paranormal Research and Investigation (GCPRI) and since the majority of us are Cherokee, we spend a lot of time investigating Cherokee legends and stories. However the events that follow have changed some of our opinions on some of the legends.

While doing some recon work for an investigation we were going to conduct in Skilleyville, my son and I went down in May 2003 to Skilleyville during the day. Just 150 feet down the road from the cemetery is an underground stream that comes out at the base of a hill. My son noticed it first, there was a small tree at the base of a 14 foot drop off from the hill, broke nearly clean at a height of 6 feet 3 inches. It was also stripped completely clean of limbs. Looking around, we were shocked to see what appeared to be three impact marks in the leaves and gravel at the base. A 2 ½ foot wide butt print and two places where two large feet had landed were clearly visible. The 2 foot marks were clearly visible and a little over 5 feet apart. Almost as if some one tall had jumped off the bank up above and landed there hard, and then as if they made a snack out of the leaves on the tree.

September 2003,

My wife, myself and one other member of GCPRI went out to do some night filming of some spirit houses in the cemetery there. After being onsite for more than 30 minutes, we became aware of something moving in the woods on the hillside across the road from us. From growing up around the woods, we knew it was larger than a deer from the amount of noise it was making.

The GCPRI member that was with us, decided to move up the road to get a better look. Within minutes he was talking to us on the radio, he had stumbled across something that was freaking him out. I ran down the road to where he stood petrified on the road. After he calmed down, he told me that something was in the woods off the road to his left, and as I listened, I heard movement. He also told me, something else was on the right side of the road pacing back and forth. I had the infrared scope with me and we tried in vain to see through the heavy underbrush that was still fairly green and thick. Whatever it was, it was large, about the same size as me from the noise generated by it’s movements. (I deduced this from the fact that if I walked through this underbrush at night, it was the same amount of noise I would make.)

Several rocks came landing close to us on the road, from the right side of the road. The visitor on the left side then began making what I call Bull Elephant charges, like you see on the Animal Planet channel when something threatens a herd of elephants, the bulls will try to bluff the threat away by charging a little bit then backing up to see if it worked. This occurred four times, and we were sweating in the cool air from what was happening and the decision was made to pull back to the vehicle, collect our senses and try to figure out what just happened.

We weren’t more than 100 feet from where this occurred on the road, and standing there for no more than five minutes, whatever had been on the left side of the road began making it’s way towards us through the underbrush. My wife handed me the spotlight and I shined it in the general direction and we realized how futile it was to see anything since the underbrush and tall grass in that direction could hide an army right up to within 10 feet of the car. This was too much for all three of us, we loaded up and left.

The next day we traveled back out to where we were and found a large trail through the tall grass where something with a large girth and passed through.

This began our investigation to see if some of the local Cherokee legends might have a factual basis to them.

September 2003,

Taking several purported Bigfoot vocalizations from the internet and putting them on a CD, GCPRI traveled out to Skilleyville and set up on a high point. Playing these vocalizations over a stereo system at irregular intervals and lengths, we would sit and listen with our bionic ears for replies. After several hours of no response, we heard a reply up the east end of the gap, estimated to be about a mile away. As we continued to listen, we heard a large animal coming through the woods across a small lake below us, and was startled when something splashed real loud on the far side of the lake. Another thirty minutes passed by with out anything happening when movement down below us in the underbrush began. Within 10 minutes, it had circled us and could then be heard moving off down beside the lake and heading back to the east. We sat for another hour before calling it quits for the night.

The next day, we came back and explored the eastern end of the gap, and what we found was astounding. We discovered what appeared to be territorial (at least this is what I felt they were) markers that were made from large logs, and the way they were placed, it would take two grown men to interweave them into each other. Three different sized footprints were also discovered near these markers. Our biggest discovery was of a nest like structure made of a seven inch round tree that had been bent over, a large rock placed on it and branches laid over it to form a shelter. The nest rested in a small hollow on the side of the hill not more than 60 feet from the road. The smaller footprints we had discovered near the markers were also found here.

[darkwing]

Well, Friday night rolled around and I packed up some gear and headed out to Skillyville to see what I might hear. Long story made short, nothing heard or seen that night.

Saturday, Xjay rolled into town, and I took him down to SKillyville to show him the territory markers up close. While there, we found a fresh track (day or two) that was still moist from the rain we got earlier in the week. The toes were visible, and it was the right foot. Measurements were roughly 13 inches by 5 inches (I talked to Ole Bub Sunday morning and he told me how his girlfriend had seen a track down there several months ago about the same size) and is believed to come from the older juvenile that we had seen in the open several months ago ourselves.

We also seen up on the ridge line above us, a possible new territory marker that we have to check out when we have more time and when it's cooler, so the dang rattlesnakes arent out crawling around. This possible new one, looks to be twice the size of the others.

I then took Xjay and an observer to the infamous peanut butter baiting station where the hi-voltage powerline right of way is. The two jars of peanut butter that I left out a few months ago, was completely gone, we searched about a 100 radius to see if we could find them but nothing was left. The jars had been left with the lids off and placed near one of the fruit bait stations.

We then pulled the blazer around and pointed it back up the hill and set up a listening post, it was about 9:30 pm.

Xjay did a pretty mean call that impressed me. We could hear movement about 200 feet on either side of us in the underbrush, but nothing of any solid that we could credit to bigfoot-type activity.

Then around 11:30 pm, we hear a strange collection of vocalizations, and trying to find it on the recorder, but sounded like a bunch of screaming monkeys, then a owl vocalization that did not have any warbling at the end, followed by what sounded like something trying to imitate it, but doing a real bad job of it. But what was interesting about it, whatever was trying to imitate the owl vocalization sneezed while doing it.

Maybe momma bigfoot teaching Junior vocalization 101 (As Ole Bub said) and he had to sneeze while doing it. Don't know, didn't see the little guy doing it, but it does make you wonder.

[darkwing]

July 7-7-07

We went out to set up a listening post at Skilleyville and found a lot of heavy construction equipment on the West end of the valley. They are redoing the poles for the Hi Voltage power-line.

The team I had, searched all day for any tracks, fresh breaks, markers, etc and found none. Believe the locals may have moved farther into the boonies to avoid the workers.

Set out for about 6 hours last night, didn't hear anything worth mentioning except for the damn crickets and frogs, it drowned everything else out.

We did see a damn good sized coon cut across in front of us, and an armada of ducks on the local lake there, but no Skilleys.

[darkwing]

We have 5 other research areas DTK, just Skilleyville is what we believe is the nursery area. But they have 400 acres higher up from the area to hide in.
Skilleyville is in the middle of our 3 main research areas, and these 3 are connected by the HVPL with a distance of about 20 miles separating the furthest two from each other. The HPVL runs down the middle of the valley in Skilleyville, with approximately 400 acres of woods on either side.

We suspect that one clan inhabits all 3 areas, although we can't prove this at the moment, it's more speculation than fact.

As far as the EMF problems go, we have taken an EMF meter down there, and unless you are standing within 50 feet on either side of the line, it's within respectable levels. Of course with over 800 acres of woods, the locals wouldn't have to stay near the lines. We haven't seen anything to give s the impression it's affected the locals, as we haven't found any 3 or 4 toed tracks, they are all 5 toed. We do have a confirmed white bigfoot in the area, from multiple witness accounts and personal observation with a night scope. But I don't think the white comes from EMF radiation effects.

As for our research areas, Shane, we do tend to show more tendency to go to Skilleyville, with the small juveniles there, as we get more activity from them, but we do rotate on the other areas as deemed necessary.

Last year during the drought we had in Oklahoma, we focused on those areas that had a constant water source and good food supplies. This year, with all the rain, we are focusing on areas where they can still get to water easily, but stay higher up on the ridges and hilltops for the cooler breezes.

Skilleyville is actually unique in the area, because it has large rock bluffs, great water supply, lots of food sources and of course, when it's hot, it's always about 10 degrees cooler than outside the valley. In the winter time, it's reversed, actually 10 degrees warmer than the surrounding areas.

The research area to the northwest of Skilleyville that is connected by the HVPL has a 15,000 acre game preserve in it, and the area residents in that area claim that up to a dozen bigfoot are there in that area. They have several food sources from chicken houses (Like Baby Doll from the forum here lives near there), a river well-stocked with fish, and large herds of deer.

We suspect that during the winter, they hole up here and when the river starts being used for canoeing and rafting in the spring and summer, they tend to move down to the research area on the southwest side of Skilleyville.

Where it is more secluded and their food source tends to be more fish and deer.

[darkwing]

July 15, 2007

We gathered together 4 researchers, 2 observers and the littlest Bigfoot hunter, to go out to a new area, that had sightings for several years now by hunters in the area.

Upon reaching the area, we got out and looked the area over. We found several areas in a fence that had the wire pulled down and pushed up to allow something to go through, no hair samples but we did find a possible print with visible toes.

At this time, the littlest Bigfoot hunter took a picture with his Grandpa to show how brave he was. (We then made him get back in the vehicle and lay down. Anytime he goes with us, he usually falls asleep and the wife sits in the vehicle with him. Don't want anyone to think I deliberately put him in harms way.


So after doing some wood knocks and a few whistles, we heard a series of low moanful howls off in the distance. And that is when it got interesting.

The howl was coming closer at a steady pace, and we continued to do intermittent wood knocks and whistles. Then when it seemed that it was several hundred feet from us, vocalizations began sounding off several hundred feet behind us in two different locations.

The observers got back into the vehicle with the grandson and myself and two researchers walked out in the woods hoping to have a direct encounter. Whatever it was soon retreated, although we could see eyeshine about 150 feet away. Then the loner made it's move and approached with in a few feet of the fence line. The smell hit us, like a watered down skunk, urine smell and when a light was shined in the direction of the smell, eyeshine was seen and whatever it was hauled ass through the underbrush.

By this time, the observers were freaking out, and since we had what was believed to be rather bold locals there, it was decided discretion was better than valor and we packed up to head back. Hadn't really thought we would run into anything out there, that is why the grandson was with us. Once things started happening, wanted to get him out of there. We will be going back next weekend with no observers and leave the littlest bigfoot hunter home. Will post more pics when I get back, just got called in to the office.

Later

[darkwing]

July 22, 2007

I received a phone call about something happening in Skilleyville. Apparently 4 boys had went down there a week ago to the cemetery, and what appeared to be an old woman, crawled out of the cemetery towards them, pulling herself along with her two hands. The description they gave, was a dark face with long dark hair and what appeared to be a dark colored fur coat on.

The sight of this, was enough to put one of the boys in shock and had to be taken to the hospital.

While this sounded like paranormal stuff and should have been passed onto the local paranormal group, the description sounded more like a bigfoot in 4x4 mode or belly crawling towards them.

For this, we were going to set up the DVR with 4 cameras around the perimeter of the cemetery, deploy 2 listening posts and wait to see if maybe the locals were hanging out down around the cemetery.

We arrived on-site and reconned the area about 10 PM, and was joined by some local paranormal investigators who were looking into the matter too. Due to technical difficulties, we were only able to deploy one camera on the dvr and it was placed at the front of the cemetery and had a clear view of the inside.

The listening posts were set up along the high voltage powerline right-of-way and we settled in.

To the east-north-east of us, on top of the mountain, a single wood knock began about 10:45 PM and continued at irregular intervals. Several times it was answered back by a single wood knock to our southeast, on the mountain there. The knocks came from an estimated mile away.

About midnight, something was heard plopping through the creek to our southeast and what sounded like rocks being turned over in the creek itself.

At 2:15 am, movement was seen along the north edge of the right of way, with the night scopes. Finally when unable to see anything clearly, a flashlight was shined on the location and something large and black moved across in front of a tree, clearly showing movement. By the time anyone could reach the area, whatever it was had long since hi-tailed it.

Finally, at 4 am, it was decided to pack it in as the dew was dropping fairly heavy and covering the equipment.

From the description the boys gave, I firmly believe they encountered one of the locals at Skilleyville, but since it came out of the cemetery, they assumed it was a ghost coming after them.

It should also be noted, that a MABRC researcher encountered 2 locals just 200 feet away from this cemetery about 3 years ago. In that encounter, the researcher had walked down the road at night, to stretch his legs, when he heard movement on either side of the road. The north side movement began making bluff charges through the underbrush, while the movement on the south side paced back and forth.

The researcher called me for back up and I ran down to his location with a night scope, the bluff charges continued as we tried to use the night scope to see what was in the underbrush. After trying in vain to spot it, we discussed it and figured there was a good chance he had interrupted a road crossing of two bigfoot. Because the movement that was being made, sounded like someone bigger than me tromping through the woods. We went back the next day and found tracks measuring 17 inches long and some that measured 11 inches long. The right size for the mother and older juvenile at the time that we were tracking in the area.
The paranormal folks were intent on catching a ghost, but did entertain thoughts that it might have been a bigfoot or bear from the description.

This area has multiple water and food sources there, as well as plenty of shelter.

[darkwing]

After spending the last month or so, working on our new home here, I finally took some time to go out and interview some witnesses about several sightings, of which I will post on the Sightings Reports area.

But while down in Skilleyville, after discovering some evidence tampering by some worthless individuals, I also came across this marker, that was about 12-15 feet long and a good 5 feet high.

Skilleyville structure in the lake

Picture1saaaaaaa.jpg (44.27 KiB) Viewed 3583 times

I couldn't get any closer due to the mud around it had the consistency of quicksand, but this has appeared at this location within the last few weeks from the last time I was through.

In the background, you can see the canal going into the water that I posted pictures of on here a while back.

Not saying it's Bigfoot related, but it makes you curious about it.

[darkwing]

Grtpmpkn came down this last weekend and spent some time with the Stilwell MABRC folks.

Friday night we went out and spent several hours at Skilleyville listening with the bionic ears, unfortunately I had to work the next day, so I had to call it a early night. Not much to report activity wise.

Saturday, No Mercy and I met Grtpmpkn at Charlie's Chicken for dinner and then headed out to the January Expedition site and gave him the tour of where the sighting occurred and the camp site area. The recent flooding had done it's job on the creekbank where the camp had been.

We had eyeshine about 7 feet high spotted through the woods, and it circled around to the creek and it sounded as if it went across the creek away from us. We then headed to SKilleyville after several hours and heard some movement, but everyone was pretty exhausted so after about a hour or so, we packed it in.

[darkwing]

The wife and I headed out to the Game Preserve at Pumpkin Hollow last night, with the full moon, you could see the fields they have at the top of the mountain all the way to the tree line. It was something else. We saw a huge herd of deer, possibly about 50 of them in one field.

While there, I told the wife, it would be great to have about 5 teams to intersperse along the road there in listening posts, as the road and fields stretches out for about 6 miles. On a full moon night, you would be able to see the Bigfoot walking or even in 4x4 mode if they cross the area.