First Terrifying Experience

The three of us “Monster Hunters” were in our sleeping bags in the

dark of our tent like sardines in a sardine can while the real

Monsters we didn’t have to look for anymore were just outside the tent

trying to convince us they were here to kill us by pulling our limbs

out of our torso’s and wrenching our heads from our bodies. We

believed them as we lay motionless, silently waiting our fate.

Everyone has to deal with critical situations in their own way. I

didn’t know how Dewayne and Grandpa was handling it for no one dare

speak. I only knew how I was handling it. Usually when I find my self

in a threatening situation I stay relatively calm thinking how I’m

going to get out of it or what my options are if I can’t. I didn’t

have to think very far to know that this particular  situation was

hopeless. We knew we were  at the complete mercy of what’s out there

and we know what’s out there. In a helpless situation like this I try

to think about something positive. I don’t dwell on the worst outcome,

that’s negative. Negative thinking embraces fear that can lead to

panic that can actually create the outcome you most dreaded. I am in

no way indicating I’m a brave person or a cool cat! I use this logic,

strategy, or whatever you want to call it so I don’t panic and do

something stupid. There’s no sense in dwelling on the worst scenario

that will screw with your mind when you can’t change the out come

anyway. I can understand the difficulty of trying to think positive

with such fierce activity just a few feet away that instills such fear

that  I can’t accurately describe it in words. What helped me thru

this two hour rampage was analyzing the situation to try to understand

the reason or purpose for this hostile activity.       I had been with

Dewayne researching the area for maybe a couple of weeks now. The

first night we camped we had activity in the Bottom’s. It was benign!

It was all good and had been until now.  We knew they were in the area

which means they certainly knew we were in the area. There were no

signs they were stressed or even uncomfortable with our presence

except maybe for the morning of

the first night we camped in the Bottom’s when we were leaving camp

and the sounds of small rocks hitting the trees was evident but it was

still benign. I believe we were in a sensitive area. It was like you

could sense there was something special about this area. If the rock

throwing was any indication they were bothered by our sleeping  in

there spot it was subtle. I do believe they wanted our attention

because of  the sound of a twig snap and whistle on one side of the

tent then the other side the night before the morning’s rock throwing.

Even the rocks were not intimidating. They were small rocks that

weren’t even close to us hitting the trees ahead of us. I took it as a

polite way of saying we like this area we’d rather you sleep somewhere

else. They probably know why we camped there and I’m sure they knew we

knew who was leaving us a message. Their smart enough to know we know

Bears don’t throw rocks or go around peoples camps and whistle at

night and people don’t hike down into the Bottoms in a swamp area in

the middle of the night without a flashlight and without making enough

noise to wake everyone up. Not to mention Dewayne hunting and camping

over forty years in the same area that’s basically their home with

only one situation that could be considered aggressive or threatening.

I hope Im not sounding complicated, I guess I’m trying to say my take

on this is that they don’t do anything unless it’s planned for a

purpose. The purpose may not be obvious at the moment and they may be

unpredictable but I think that’s even planned. They seem to like the

element of surprise like, bet you didn’t expect that! I think you will

have a better understanding of what I’m trying to say as you read

about the activities, behaviors and unpredictable nature of these

unknown creatures referred to as Bigfoot! I do know that the dynamics

of this whole human/Bigfoot interaction scenario that had been going

on for a few weeks changed from benign to hostile within minutes!