DATE:    06/18/97

TIME:     01:00 a.m  EST

LOCATION:    Johnson City, Tennessee. Washington County

TERRAIN:       Wooded
 

OBSERVED:
I was sitting on the side of the wall of a rather large hollow which consisted of very thick underbrush and lots of evergreen and a larger valley leading to first a clearing and then on to the graveyards explained below. My cousin was with me and we were the world's greatest mystery, WOMEN. Jk.

All of a sudden we heard the brush in the hollow below us rattling and you could tell that whatever was making these sounds was rather large.  Luckily I had with me a Ruger 10-22 rifle and approx. 150 rounds of ammo clipped and stacked and ready to go. I could barely make something out coming towards us. I did have the rifle equipped with the nightvision scope and I could make out an outline of what appeared  to be a man. Upon further inspection I found it was not. There were two large walnut trees about 25 ft in front of us and whatever came from the woods was using these trees for cover! But as it stepped out for what I took as a charge I opened fire.  Within 2.5 seconds I emptied my 1st 25 round clip into the "creature" and was starting on my next. After all was said and done and round #151 was entering the target I suggested that we start a retreat to the house, about 65 ft behind us. No more ammo in the 22 so I went for my 380 auto that I had as a spare on my leg. The thing that was freaking me out the most was that after all that shooting, 95% of which I KNOW hit it, the creature was weaving back and forth between the trees. No screams no apparent pain no anything. We finally made it to the house and after a
sleepless night we got up the next morning to see if we could find anything. All we saw were a lot of spent shell casings, between the two walnut trees there were only about 7 or 8 bullet holes in both of them meaning I HAD struck my target numerous times, and the ground looked like it had been "danced upon". Upon that, this concludes my TRUE story of how, one night, I did indeed dance with the devil.

Upon later inspection we were shocked to discover that each trap had been sprung and ALL the bait had been extracted. Having seen this we returned home to double check the traps to make sure they were set correctly and that they operated properly. I was looking for my pre-teenage cousin to be my "Guennie Pig"<sp. But after careful consideration I found a stick that was almost as good. The traps were then placed at differant locations around the previous activities and we received the same, dissapointing , results. No further traps were set. But a hike up the eastern most ridge reveiled a quite large "system of tunnels" made up of brush and various sizes of tree limbs, vines and leaves. These catacombs were obviously NOT made by man as revealed by their construction. They were approx. 2 1/2 ft. tall by 4 ft wide and was made up into 3 passageways intertwining into a main "chamber" in the center. When we discovered these I was convinced we had found the lair of the beast. We all got that same "Were being watched in the woods feeling" and decided to rather quickly, return home.
 

ACTIVITIES OF WITNESSES:   I was sitting in my grandmothers backyard smoking the nights last cigarette. I had been off work for some time and was (talking) with my cousin.

DESCRIPTION OF CREATURE:   Estimated 7-8 ft tall approximately 450-500lbs. Covered with thick black fur. It did in fact resemble the "ever so popular Bigfoot image" that each and every one of us are quite familiar with, except for the fact that it was slimmer in shape. Almost skinny. And it did in fact have a neck. Also protruding on either sides of it's head, (i.e location of the ears) were long tapered "horns" also black in color. On the top of the head also resided a "horn" pointing straight up. All horns were approximately 5-6 in in length and were the same dark color as the creature., Almost exact same area. Also traps have been set and sprung with no avail. Skeletal remains of rabbits, foxes, birds, and other mid-sized" game have been found. Occurences ALWAYS take place in the dark. As before mentioned we would set traps consisting of ground beef and steel traps ranging from the average bear trap to a more primitive "step in the loop get pulled up by the vine trap."

OTHER NOTES:   Site of old Indian graveyard approximately 1/4 mile down into the hollow from which the creature came. Also another graveyard approximately 3/4 mile NE of this occurence; while not "Native American", as far as occupancy is concerned, this second graveyard contains occupants that were born in the late 1700's. Also this site is the victim of "modern man and his machines ". The building of suburbs and neighborhoods to accomodate the fastly growing areas have resulted in many of the residence of this relatively "old" graveyard to be uprooted from their places of rest and re-planted at a location that I have yet to determine.??Go figure!

Footsteps on the relatively soft ground about 150 yards to the left of us. Tree branches being broken. Brush rattling. Something snorting. (Best compared to that of an enraged bull upon charging.)
 

OTHER SIGHTINGS IN THIS AREA: