DATE:       Spring '89
 

TIME:       Late night / early morning
 

LOCATION:       Closest town Fruitvale. Van Zandt county Texas
                    South East of Hwy's 80 and 19
                           Between Hwy's 119 and 243

TERRAIN:          Wooded creek cutting through mostly clear valley
 
 

OBSERVED:    My best friend and I were camping out in this valley that is mostly cleared, but surrounded by woods. A heavily wooded creek forms the East side of the valley.  We had hunted and then cooked and eaten our game. It was well past dark and we were sitting by the fire talking.  I believe we had some bourbon as well, but it had nothing to do with what occured.
Our campsite was about ten yards from the creek bank. We were on the West side of the North to South running creek.
We began hearing something splashing far up the creek. The sounds were getting closer and we could determine that it wasn't fish, nor someone walking nor beavers slapping the water with their tails. The sounds water makes when influenced by different things make distinctly different noises.  Something was being thrown into the water, and it was getting closer. Then we could hear it coming from downstream as well. The splashes were soon right to the edge of the firelight but we couldn't see into the creek from where we were as we were above the water and only shadow was cast down the bank. The upstream splashes arrived first. From the sounds, beginning far off, whatever was causing this moved with good speed through lots of grownup woods.
It was decided to douse the fire and then we relied on our flashlights. We caught the ripples of some splashes, but never any sight of what was thrown or who threw it. There are not many rocks around this place, but I guess maybe it was mudballs. We didn't really see anything floating.  And no, it wasn't fish.  At one point I even called out for whoever was doing this to stop as I would start shooting. The fire was still lit at the time and I was visible standing there with my shotgun. This was ignored. I didn't shoot anyway.
 

ACTIVITIES OF WITNESS(ES):  Sitting around a campfire, talking.
 

DESCRIPTION OF CREATURE:
 

OTHER NOTES:   Quiet night. Don't even remember hearing coyotes as we did all the time. It was still pretty cool weather.
 

Follow up: f

OTHER SIGHTINGS IN THIS AREA?:   Yes