October_thru_November 2007

A FEW RANDOM PHOTOS FROM THE TEXAS "BOOT CAMP"!

FULL STORY COMING SOON! KXII NEWS CHANNEL 12 is scheduled to show a two part update on November 7th and 8th after 6pm Pacific time. You can see it online at; http://www.kxii.com/home/headlines/11090741.html

First stop after the NAPE expedition in Texas

The Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL) is situated on a 260 square mile peninsula surrounded by Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Land Between The Lakes is managed by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with "Friends of LBL," to provide public lands outdoor recreation and environmental education. They encourage visitors to review their website at http://www.lbl.org Additional LBL information is available by calling 1-800-LBL-7077 or 270-924-2000.

A quick update from Jim Snell

Hey JavaBob , We found a place where we could get some wireless coverage, so I am sending you this quick note about what we found. We will give you a full update when we get back to the office.

We arrived in LBL where our host Steve Dismore showed us an impressive footprint cast, it was about 16” complete with dermal ridges.

Steve's Prints and Jim, Steve, Squatchdetective, and TJ
We made our way out to post camp, set up several static night vision cameras to monitor the woods surrounding the camp. The first night while out on patrol of the area we heard several series of tree knockings and one of the team was flanked while walking out to gather fire wood!

Beautiful area at LBL

The ruins the locals call Hotel California
Later on that night something ran through the camp, we surmised it could possible be a deer as we were constantly surrounded by deer in that area.

The area was rich with history, and many graveyards and foundations in the middle of nowhere, even a still standing hollowed out 3 story old hotel. On the second night we encountered a deer across the water inlet about 50 yards from the camp, even with our extremely bright lights and calls, the deer stood fast and seemed to have no interest or fear of us. Temps dropped to around 30 and we were making wood knocks and calls and we had some response in the form of knocks from down the road. We heard a pack of coyotes that sounded like they were being ripped to shreds then silence, these sounds came from the same area as the knocks we heard!?!

All in all it was a very interesting site, and it is possible it could be active, I would reserve my final opinion until we could further investigate, but the most significant event to me was the stressful coyote calls, there were several, probably a pack, and they let out blood chilling screams, usually they are aggressive when in numbers, there must have been something greater than their pack out there!?!

When we have more time, we need to come back again to so we can plan out and perform a more detailed investigation. As you know, on this trip, we are on a pretty tight time schedule. From here in Kentucky, we have to drive to Illinois and do a preliminary investigation on the DuPont Monster . We will try to keep you updates as we go... Talk to you soon.

Jim

Hey JavaBob , as you know, prior to this stop, the team was in KENTUCKY LBL .. I will give you more about that story when we get back from the field... But for now, here is a quick note about the DuPont Monster

We are all doing well and traveling across country to investigate some of the recent sighting that have been reported to Searching for Bigfoot Inc. We don’t get to areas were we get access to email very often, but as I promised, when we do, I would send you some notes to share on our web site. Here is the first one. It is from our second stop after the NAPE Boot Camp in Paris Texas. (The Boot Camp was a totally awesome experience and we will write more about that later too.)

Leaving Kentucky, we made a 1000+ mile trek to Illinois, to investigate the ‘DuPont Monster ’ which is deeply steeped in the local folklore. There have been reported sightings in this area for over 70 years. Our first step was to interview our local connection. We all found him to be very credible, so it was time to do a field investigation.

Our first day out there we came upon some footprints along the banks of a stream that dumped into the Ill River. Although they were smaller than we are used to, it was interesting because the location was full of cut corn stalk and briars; there is no way anyone in their right mind would walk around here barefoot. The stream was shallow, no fish and could not support a boat or canoe of any kind, it was even too shallow for a swim. Not to mention, it was certainly not swimming weather out there, with lows around 30 and highs of only around 60.

The prints we found nearby

The area is heavily populated with very large deer. We had seen more than 25 in just one night. While out on patrol me (Jim Snell), and Brian Mazolla encountered a situation. There were deer moving through the bushes, we could see them on the thermal imager, at this time we heard a very loud series of grunts and bass toned snorts, it was a sound I had never experienced, and it was hair raising! At that time, it was only a few feet from us! The grunts were so powerful you could actually feel them in your chest! We scanned the area with the thermal imager and saw a tall body along side of a tree, for a second we thought it might be the monster stalking one of the deer! We held our ground and kept watching in hope of getting a clearer view! After what seemed to be a life time, it eventually stepped out from behind the tree! We were finally able to get a clear view on the thermal imager and we could clearly see the creature that had caused our adrenaline to flow! To our great surprise, we realized it was a huge buck deer!

I had never heard this type of noise from a deer before, but if we were just out there without the benefit of our hi-tech surveillance gear our imaginations would probably have got the better of us. I can imagine this probably happens fairly often, but based on the other data we gathered and the credible testimony of the person who reported the sightings, I think this case deserves another look. I can’t wait to go back during the time periods when the creature we are searching for is reported to be extremely active in this area. Perhaps we can gain access to some of the private property here, especially the nearby area that reportedly has a lot of caves being born. This just might be where a large omnivore would hunt. It would be likely the creatures we are searching for would be close by.

We will continue to send you updates as we can. We are on our way to ‘Land between the Lakes’ to investigate more recent sightings. We will try to keep you all updated as we go.

Jim…

Written by Jim Snell and posted by JavaBob

LATEST UPDATE ON THIS STORY; The team had a chance to closely examine the casts of the foot prints they found. They could not find any signs of a mid tarsal break. This indicates that the prints are most likely human prints. We would like to have more positive findings to share, but we can only share what we find, as we find it, when we find it, and how we find it! Just one more reason why we keep on SEARCHING FOR BIGFOOT!
From here, the team headed out towards Chancellor Alabama. We had heard reports from Chuck Creel and Mike Sims that there was a lot of action near there on some private property.. including livestock being killed and torn to pieces!

THE MORRIS HERALD NEWS

Published the following article about our visit; This article can be seen on their web at; http://www.morrisdailyherald.com/articles/2007/11/05/news/694asenmars.txt Searching for Bigfoot Researchers look for evidence of DuPont Monster By Heidi Terry-Litchfield Herald Correspondent

Monday, November 5, 2007 2:20 PM CST

He was in the area hunting snakes as part of a field guide activity, something this Marseilles resident has done across the United States, when he saw a large creature heading up a hill in the woods by the road.

The snake hunter, who wishes to remain anonymous, described the creature as tall - over 7 feet tall - with hair on it.

When he first saw it, he thought it might be a national guardsman in a gully suit, but after he yelled, “Hey,” the creature looked toward him and the snake hunter saw the profile of the creature's eye and cheek and knew this was no human.

It was this eyewitness report that led a group of Bigfoot hunters from California to the Morris area to see if they could find any proof of the creature.

Brian Mazzola, from left, Jim Snell, Tommy Biscardi Jr., and Steve Kulls stand next to their travel trailer, which is filled with gadgets and supplies, in the backyard of a Morris residence where they camped while searching locally for signs of a Bigfoot-type creature known as the "DuPont?Create Monster". (Herald Photo/ Heidi Terry Litchfield)

For the past week, a team of trained professionals has been scouring the area near the old Du-Pont chemical plant near Seneca in the hopes of finding proof of the DuPont?Create-Monster. Rumors about the monster have been told in the area for about 30 years, with several area residents reporting they have seen a large, hairy, Bigfoot-type creature in the woods.

Tommy Biscardi Jr., the director of field security for the live capture team from Searching for Bigfoot Inc., said they receive tips from all over the United States reporting Bigfoot sightings, but they don't rush out to every one of them.

“We do a thorough background check on the area and situation to see if we can substantiate any of what is reported,” said Biscardi.

“If we feel the information makes sense, we will send a team to check out the area.” Biscardi wasn't always a believer in Bigfoot, so he understands when people feel skeptical about what his team does.

“My father hunted Bigfoot for 30 years, and I never believed him until I had an encounter while out spending a day with him in Texas,” Biscardi said.

The field team is made up of individuals who all bring something to the field in the way of tracking and searching for Bigfoot. Biscardi was an Army Ranger; Jim Snell has been with the team for one year, coming from a background as a paranormal investigator; Steve Kulls has been with the team for a 1 1/2 year since leaving his profession as a private investigator; and cameraman Brian Mazzola was hired on to film the hunt in a sequel to the group's first documentary, “Bigfoot Lives.”

The no-kill team uses devices to aid its search, including night-vision glasses, thermal imaging, cattle prods, binoculars, and wireless cameras. “I've traveled 25,000 miles with this team and I want to see the documentary to its end,” said Mazzola.

“But I will admit I'm still a bit skeptical. If anyone is going to find a Bigfoot, they will.”

Biscardi and his team had spent several nights in the area of the reported sightings, as well as doing recon missions during the day. They said they have found foot prints along the water that they can't explain as being human.

“It's cold, there is cut corn stalks and thick brush, and bare foot prints that can't be explained,” said Biscardi. “While I haven't seen this one, I can say for sure there is something here.”

Biscardi said the state of Illinois has a rich history with Bigfoot stories and that the Seneca area was not the first place they've examined. They went to Funk's Grove in 2006 on another resident tip.

He said the creature has hair that can be several different colors. It walks upright. It is nocturnal, doing it's moving and hunting at night, and, he believes, it wants nothing to do with humans.

Biscardi also believes that the creature lives on several different continents and is called several different names, including Sasquatch, Yeti and Almas, as well as many names given to such a creature by the different Native American tribes.

“Many places have stories of a large half-human, half-animal type creature,” said Biscardi. “We don't think it is only in North America.”

The team was scheduled to leave the area over the weekend, having searched all of the area it was given permission to search. It is hoping companies and land owners in the old DuPont?Create area will give permission for the team to return and search their land.

“Without being able to go into all the areas, it's hard to do a thorough investigation,” said Biscardi. “We hope that property owners in that area will invite us back; we'd love to come. The people we've met have been very nice to us.”

For further information on the team, its findings, or photographs of the footprints found near Seneca, visit http://www.searchingforbigfoot.com

November 5th thru 7th, 2007 in Alabama

TJ Biscardi, Director of Field Operations for Searching for Bigfoot Inc., Steve Kulls, the "Squatchdetective", Jim Snell, of the Granite State Paranormal Association, and Brian Mazola, an independent film maker just back from shooting in Iraq, form a the team working on behalf of Searching for Bigfoot Inc. to investigate the reports sent to us from local residents Chuck Creel and Mike Sims, about some strange sightings and events happening in their area.

The team got to Chancellor on the evening of Monday, November 7, 2007. They have been trying to keep me updated with phone calls and photos sent to me by cell phone. While on the road, they don't often have access to internet or email, so the following is from notes that I, (JavaBob ), have put together from their phone calls. When they get back, they will be able to update these inputs in their own words. I believe I have the general issues correct, but once they return and debrief, we may need to make some changes and additions to the details. Until then, the following is part of the truly amazing story they have shared with me to date!

THE UPDATES FROM MY PERSONAL NOTES:

Today, 11/07/07 about about 11:10 California time, I got another phone call from TJ Biscardi. TJ called me to let me know they were preparing to leave Chancellor AL and head towards the Four Corners area in New Mexico. He had called me at least once every day on this current expedition and given me quick updates on what they were seeing. His first call from Chancellor was just after they arrived, following their 1,100 plus mile drive. They were tired but excited and were going over to meet with their hosts, Chuck Creel and Mike Sims.

Chuck Creel, TJ, Steve, and Jim

The next call I received was the following day. The call was very short, but extremely exciting! TJ shared with me that the evening prior, after meeting with Chuck and Mike; the team went out to some private property where Chuck had told them he has seen possible signs of the creature. Talking to the guys, Jim Snell described the evening as cold and dark. He said it was "moon-less" but clear and cold. It was very dark. He described the area as a large open field with a few trees dispersed through out and a heavier tree line about two hundred yards away from where they were standing. The whole team, including Chuck and Mike arrived at the area and started scanning the area with the thermal imager and night vision equipment. They were able to clearly see some cows and donkeys in the area on the thermal imager, but with little ambient light, they were less vivid with the night vision equipment. (The night vision amplifies the ambient light, but if you choose to use it, it also has UV to illuminate extreme darkness) Suddenly, Jim Snell saw something out of place on the thermal imager! It appeared to be much taller and thinner than a cow and it was a clear and solid image, slightly obscured by a nearby tree. (Being a solid image is important on the thermal imager, because a heat source covered with cloths, shows up with extreme alterations to the heat signature. In other words, it becomes obvious which parts of the image are covered with cloths and which parts are bare skin.) The brighter the image, the greater the heat signature. Jim told me he tried to walk closer to the image, but when he did the image began to move. Once it began to move, it stepped away from the tree and WALKING UPRIGHT started towards the tree line! Steve Kulls added that he was able to see the same thing with the night vision equipment. His input was that it showed up as a dark image, but clearly discernable. TJ said he also was able to see the image clearly when Jim handed him the thermal imager so he could verify what Jim was seeing. In a few seconds, the upright, bipedal image they had all seen disappeared in the tree line across the field where the team was standing!

Picture of some of the Alabama Bottoms

TJ went on to tell me he was extremely skeptical of the sighting because it seemed just too easy! They drove out to this area, led by their hosts, and BINGO... there is a creature??? Just didn't seem right to him! He told me that they were planning on going out the next day to investigate the area in the daytime and he would let me know what they found.

True to his word, TJ called me the next evening, on the 6th, from out in the field. The phone reception was very poor so the update was short and sweet. He said they had gone back to the area from the night before. They found a mutilated carcass of a cow. The remains were not extremely fresh, and some of the flesh was gone. The issue that was most astonishing to all of the guys was that the neck was clearly broken. It appeared to them, that what ever broke this animal's neck had done so by grabbing the mouth and tearing the jaw apart while twisting the head at the same time, actually fracturing the neck and separating it from the spine! Both the jaw and neck were clearly separated and broken. The phone was begining to break up and TJ told me they were exhausted and would call back when they could... I didn't hear from the team again until the phone call the next day. That is the phone call I received this morning.

Picture of the skull we saw

After seeing the area in the light of day and spending time away from our hosts, they discussed all they had experienced amongst themselves. Although they were all very skeptical to begin with, there was just too much evidence to ignore. As for the reliability of their hosts, Steve Kulls, a licensed and professional private investigator with more than 19 years of experience in interrogation, said he couldn't find any signs of deception in the stories shared by them to the team. The thermal image was so vivid and clear! It indicated that what ever made it, was not wearing any clothing! When they located the tree that the image stood near, they had Steve stand next to it and Jim stayed where he was when he first viewed the image. Jim's conclusion was what ever he saw was at least more then a foot taller then Steve. Steve is nearly 6 foot tall! They did not find any foot prints, but the ground was not such that footprints would not be easily left behind by any animal. All of the guys have switched their thoughts from extremely skeptical to cautious belief! Now they are leaning more to believing that they actually had an encounter with real creature! We will be able to get a better idea about it when they get home and share all of their findings with the entire team and we can evaluate all of the evidence completely!

We will, as always, share with you what we find, as we find it, and you will be able to make your own conclusions! In the mean time, I will attempt to keep everyone updated with all the information I receive, as I receive it. Thanks for joining me as we continue SEARCHING FOR BIGFOOT!

Well, now the team is on their way to the FOUR CORNERS Area in New Mexico. That story is coming soon!

Written by and posted by JavaBob

New Mexico, November 2007

The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah , Arizona and New Mexico , covering over 27,000 square miles of unparalleled beauty. Diné Bikéyah, or Navajoland, is larger than 10 of the 50 states in America. Visitors from around the world are intrigued and mystified when they hear the Navajo language – so, too, were the enemy during World War II. Unknown to many, the Navajo language was used to create a secret code to battle the Japanese. Navajo men were selected to create codes and serve on the front line to overcome and deceive those on the other side of the battlefield. Today, these men are recognized as the famous Navajo Code Talkers, who exemplify the unequaled bravery and patriotism of the Navajo people.

*Navajo was a name given by the Spanish to the people who are correctly called the Diné. Out of respect to our hosts and new friends, this writer will refer to these people in my writings, as the Diné from this point on.
To learn more about these people, goto; http://www.navajo.org/history.htm

The report from Jim Snell

"Here is some stuff from the 4 corners investigation, Looking forward to seeing you in a few days! Talk soon Brother" - Jim

Report: 4 Corners New Mexico

We pulled into Farmington New Mexico and met with our team members David Ortiz and J.C. Johnson, there had been recent reports of activity around some nearby caves. These caves went deep into a large rock formation on the outskirts of town. We geared up and hiked up to the location where we found an entrance to the caverns. It was large and deep; we could feel the cold air rushing out of the mouth of the cave telling us there had to be several entrances and outlets. As we descended into the dark caves we came to an area inside which had a lower and large upper level, several tunnels leading in different directions.

Left to right are; JC Johnson, Brian Mazzola, Steve Kulls, TJ Biscardi, David Ortiz, Jim Snell, and Leonard Dan

As you can see, not an easy place to investigate!

We found corn husk, cobs and stock throughout the caves, the nearest corn field was about ½ mile away. We also found several tracks inside, large cat, snake and fox, and yes even some imprints we believe to be very squatch-like, from size and stride we think they could have been from the creature. A nearby native had reported sightings of the creature to David and J.C. before our arrival. We made our way through the tunnel system and explored every area that was accessible, it was a very interesting area and very conducive to a creature habitat.

From there we made our way onto the Diné Bikéyah (Navajo Nation Reservation) where we met local native Leonard Dan, who by the way is the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet, and at 69 years old he had no trouble keeping up, even surpassing the experienced team in 5 days of intense field work, needless to say he impressed the hell out of all of us. Leonard invited us to camp out on his property where there had been many sightings of a creature the locals call ’Big Joe’. We had noises in the night, agitated and scared dogs, and had bait taken, it was a very exciting place to research.

A few days into the investigation we were met by our newest team member Jimmy Jernigan who flew in for the investigation. We packed up and headed out to Lucachucai’s mountain a very vast and secluded mountain with an elevation of over 9000 feet. We investigated what we could of this very large area being somewhat restricted to Leonard’s land. There are several sheep camps up there all abandoned for the winter, the wind was wicked and the nights were extremely cold, some of the team had trouble with the elevation change, but in spite of these adversities we pushed on and checked out the area.

We found it to be ideal habitat for the creature, we found several bear tracks, and the thing that sticks in my mind about the area is there were no animals in sight and it was extremely quiet except for the wind which sounded like a swiftly flowing river, and the view over red valley was incredible!

We returned to the valley and over the course of a few nights we did have some disturbances in the night. One night something circled our camp, the 2 dogs we had with us ran towards the tree line with tails straight out barking at something! It wasn’t long before they both returned with tails between their legs and for the first time ran into one of the tents and cowered. These dogs are quite used to the indigenous wildlife, and not much is out there for them to be scared of! It was at this time Steve heard a large crash in the woods catching him off guard, the team quickly gathered flashlights and pursued the noise through the thick and thorny brush, whatever it was, took off much faster than we could get in there to follow.

A view of the Valley!

In the morning we found no suspicious prints, so we immediately re-baited the area, set up cameras and raked down the ground to prepare for any visitors, of course when you are 100% ready for something to happen usually it is quiet and uneventful and that was the case our last night out there. We enjoyed hearing all the stories and reports from the locals, and our 2 local team members have done some great work out there, we look forward to a return trip, until then we’ll have David, J.C. and Leonard working the area in search of the Bigfoot called ‘Big Joe’.