Top 10 Best Horror Movies in the Woods

The Final Terror

A multi-star cast performs in this movie about some young adults going into the woods on a project for the forest service only to run into someone in the woods who doesn't want to share.

The Blair Witch Project

College kids pursue a video documentary for school based on a local legend of a witch in the woods. When they head out into the woods in search of the mystery, they find something evil.

Prophecy (1979)
A scientist goes to the woods to check out what a logging company is doing and if they are polluting. What he finds are abominations created by pollution.

Sleepy Hollow
An investigator is sent out to a Hudson Valley area to look into a death only to be pulled into a scary ghostly legend.

Wrong Turn
When two cars crash on a back road in West Virginia, the occupants strike out on foot only to be confronted by local inbreds who are bloodthirsty.

Trollhunter
College kids in Norway follow a hunter to find out that he is hunting real giant trolls.

Incident On and Off a Mountain Road
A woman taking a mountain road breaks down and finds herself fending off a maniac called Moonface.

Friday the 13^{th
Camp Crystal Lake was fun until one boy died and the camp closed down. Now, some young folks have come to fix it up and get it running again, only someone hasn't forgotten the boy that died there long ago.}

Dog Soldiers
A military exercise in the Scottish woods turns very dark and very dangerous as something with teeth and claws is running around killing them.

Evil Dead
Friends go for a getaway a cabin in the woods but end up unleashing something evil.

Others forest-setting movies:

Dead Snow

Evil Dead

I Spit On Your Grave

Misery

Cabin Fever

Day of the Animals

Cabin in the Woods

Hatchet

Cold Creek Manor

The Watcher in the Woods

Halloween Memorial For Blogger John Wolfe

I have been very blessed to know some amazing bloggers, but one who was very dear to my heart was my good friend, John Wolfe. He ran the blog Season of Shadows and embodied all things vintage and true Halloween. He would begin early in the year designing elaborate home haunts and sharing on video how he went about designing them. He did lots of volunteer work and was always available for anyone. He sought to understand the spiritual and the other side. In fact, as he was dying, he said he would contact me through EVPs. And, he asked me to write his memorial which I did and he read it and approved of it before his passing at much too early an age in his 30s. Each Halloween, I will post his memorial here. Halloween is his season, his paradise, and I miss him something awful every October. I'd like to share him with you now -

"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream"

(Edgar Allen Poe)

 (John Wolfe)

“Night of the Wolf” Nox Arcana (one of his favorites)

I am so very sorry to have to announce that one of the most beloved Halloween Bloggers of all time has passed from this earthly plane to his higher purpose. 

John Wolfe of Season of Shadows blog was not only adored by all who came to his blog, but felt they were visiting his home. He was a gracious host. His love of nostalgic Halloween, horror, and crafting haunting props was what drew people in, but it was charity and kindness to others that made him so loved. 

When I started blogging in 2008, he found my blog and we fast became friends. Through the years, we emailed regularly and shared our ups and downs in life and his wisdom and spiritually centered point of view helped me during my divorce when I was scared of the unknown. He reminded me of my potential and also of the fact that I love horror and so the unknown should not frighten me. He comforted me, believed in me, supported my blog, and was a voice of reason when I needed it most.

John was everything Halloween and horror. He had an artist's eyes and hands, a Buddhist's soul, and a child's excitement and enthusiasm. Here is John's favorite Halloween memory in his own words:

On the night of October 31st, we had a huge turnout of trick-or-treaters and parents. One masked face quickly blended into another amidst the backdrop of strobe lights, black lights, dark hallways and creepy music. By the time the fog machine had belched its last puff of smoke, the clock signified November was upon us. 

Quickly, we broke down the haunt’s interior, knowing our 5 AM wake-up call would soon be screeching louder than a group of scared, plastic jack-o-lantern toting, eight year old’s. My grandparents were to be vendors at a community arts and crafts sale that morning and several of us had volunteered to lend a hand.

Four hours of sleep and tons of caffeine later, the previously masked faces of trick-or-treaters were now replaced by the faces of paying customers blurrily passing by. Alone I sat, half coherent, manning my grandparents’ booth – exhausted from climbing out of a grave (about a thousand times) the night before.

“Excuse me,” “Excuse me,” a cheery voice called out, interrupting my detailed analysis of the inside of my eyelids. It was a woman, in her mid 30’s, inquiring about the price of an item on the table. She commented on how tired I looked, so, I lightly brushed on the fact I was exhausted from Halloween activities.

Without missing a beat, the woman began explaining how horrible her night had started out. She had the intentions of staying home, utterly depressed over many circumstances in her life, when her phone rang. Friends, aware of her mood, were inquiring about getting her out of the house to go trick-or-treating with their kids. 

After a lot of persuading, she finally accepted but was still unable to shake her depressed state throughout the night. Eventually, they came upon a home that contained haunted rooms and a hallway leading up to the house’s front porch. Inside the haunt, there was scary music, strobe lights, a graveyard, fog and “monsters” everywhere. 

Inspired by the fact someone had so much passion to create something so large, all for a single night; that haunt (our haunt), helped to pull her out of her mood and shift her attitude. In fact, she said she was still feeling the positive effects that next morning and was inspired to more consistently follow creative outlets in her own life. 

Though I’m appreciative of all visitor feedback, and I have a lot of fond Halloween memories, I’ve always been extremely proud of that moment. It’s not often that Halloween is thought of as an uplifting night. Many times, we see individuals (and groups) chastising Halloween because of its darkness and supposed negativity. It goes to show that even amidst the darkness, a ton of love, light and joy can be spread and people can be uplifted by the efforts of haunters and Halloween enthusiasts everywhere. 

So, that was one of my favorite Halloween memories.

(This is video above is one of his amazing Halloween haunts he put on for the neighborhood)

"For most men, time moves slowly, oh so slowly, they don't even realize it. But time has revealed itself to me in a very special way. Time is a rushing, howling wind that rages past me, withering me in a single, relentless blast, and then continues on. I've been sitting here passively, submissive to its rage, watching its work. Listen! Time, howling, withering!"

(quote from “Dark Shadows” show)

He shared his knowledge as a Halloween haunter. He had how-to instructions meticulously laid out and videos on YouTube. John also was a man who put 110% into everything he did from his work to his haunt designs, his blog to his spiritual growth. Here is his other site Winds of the Soul that shows what a very spiritual and tender soul he was.

Here is some commentary by other bloggers who loved him:

Damian the HalloweenNut (The Misadventures of HalloweeNut)

John Wolfe was an Artist, through and through. Not just a haunter, but an Artist, of the greatest kind; talented, humble, kind, friendly, and funny. I had discovered his site in late 2009, through Pumpkinrot's blog. I was astounded by the sheer detail, yet simplicity, of John's amazing creations; so much so, that I immediately emailed him to tell him I enjoyed his work. We started sending emails back and forth, and he would sometimes advise me on haunt ideas. I came to enjoy reading his almost daily blog posts, listening to his online radio, and chuckling and smiling at his tales of Halloweens past. He never failed to appreciate his loyal fans and readers; I remember at Thanksgiving 2010, he had sent me a free Nox Arcana CD and other cool Halloween goodies simply because to show his appreciation of his regular readers. I still have the CD, and I will always cherish it, because it was a mark of a great Artist, Haunter, and Friend. If there is an Afterlife just for Haunters and Halloween People, I know that John Wolfe will be there. John, if you can read this, know that you will never be forgotten, not by me, or anyone, for Artists Never Die. God Rest.

From Barry at Gnostalgia He was a man who enjoyed giving joy. From time to time, I will watch his Halloween videos. I can't help but laugh at the trick or treaters' reaction to his animated prop witch. Shock followed by laughter. The Halloween candy was finished in a few days, but the memories will endure. The ripples from his good deeds will last forever.

Please donate in his memory to John's favorite charity. Water was the focus of his charity work. It is the essence of life. I have also placed a Season of Shadows button my blog in his memory to make it easier to donate. Or you can donate here.

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience."
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Safe passage, John, to the greatest haunt of all. Forever you will be the guardian of Halloween in our hearts and in the spirit of the Season of Shadows.

**See John's projects on video here**

As an adjunct, this year I tried to communicate with John using a Psychomanteum and got some very unusual results - 

Arizona's Halloween Tumbleweed

Here's your Friday night chuckle  - 
An Arizona autumn tumbleweed.
Here's your Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
DUCK!
Good grief! 

Halloween Night in Indiana Pennsylvania

Location:  205 N. 4th St. Indiana, PA
Time: Saturday, October 31st, 6 pm - 9 pm

Premise:  On Halloween Night, 1972, Elmer Wyatt Heddy claimed the lives of 31 innocent young victims through the use of tampered Halloween treats, kick starting an urban legend and marking himself as the most infamous mass murderer in Pennsylvania history. Now, 43 years later, his crimes all but forgotten, the deranged backwoods madman has returned to give the people of Indiana, PA a Halloween they will never forget… no matter how much they want to.

This sounds like a good one and I encourage you to check it out if you are in the area tomorrow night. 

Stories of Abandoned Victorian Homes

I love abandoned Victorian homes and their once grand splendor. It makes me imagine what might go on inside them now. Here's a series of photos and what comes to my mind, a chilling story, told in one paragraph.

She answered the door for the solicitor, inviting him in for tea and a chat. The teacup was chipped, filled with dust and leaves. The floors were bare. The salesman shifted on his seat that was covered in a white sheet, as were all the furnishings. Somewhere in a room upstairs, a music box played a childhood tune over and over again with false cheer. The vacuum dealer lowered his cup to the saucer only to be startled by a mouse scurrying across the floor, unnoticed by the homeowner. He stood up on quaking legs when his hostess guided him to the door, blocking it with her wide girth. She lifted the veil over her face to his complete and utter horror to find the visage of a monster starting back at him with all its three eyes.

The nesting evil. The gargoyle-like man who roosted in the attic room of the abandoned home. He peered through broken shutters at the walkers by and upon occasion let out a blood-curdling warrior cry. It was said if you breathe while you walk or drive by the derelict structure, the gargoyle would swoop down and eat your soul. How many steps can you hold your breath? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen....

The tattered drifter moved into the abandoned building. At least a few locals who used the road had noticed his comings and goings, upon occasion carrying a squirrel or possum over his shoulder as he entered the rickety building. It wasn't until the trucker who lived at the end of the street drove by one late evening that he realized something. No matter what time of night or day he drove by, there was never light, fire or smoke coming from the structure. So, just how was the occupant eating the kill?

The commercial real estate investors pushed offers at the homeowner, but he never answered. The nice new complex of neat expensive townhouses across the street were forced to face it. Children were afraid to ride their bikes. Women wouldn't walk alone on the sidewalk. And all the time, the owner glared down on them from leaded grimy windows like a gargoyle come to life.

Three generations lived in the house together, huddled in the dark, refusing to use electricity or plumbing. The only visitor was the mail carrier, and he came no further than the beaten down wood box at the end of the makeshift driveway. No one had ever seen them come and go, but there was much speculation. When it dwindled down to one lone family member, a candle burned in the upstairs window for precisely one hour each evening. One night, it was not lit and the town collectively exhaled....

Seven sons of seven sons. Blessing or a curse? The seventh son of the seventh son, Bartholomew, inherited the family home built by the hands of the mighty men that came before him. His Uncle Thaddeus lost a hand while sawing some wood and his spirit still haunts the dining hall. His oldest brother Joseph died when the fireplace they were reinforcing with stone, collapsed upon him, crushing his head. He now haunts the front parlor. And so it was for the seven sons and six of their sons, each dying in the building of the edifice, each haunting a separate room. Bartholomew was never truly alone, nor did he ever repair the home, lest he expire, as well.

You don't want to go in there! A boy died there in 1944. Jimmy Fitzsimmons. A goofy awkward kid with freckles and pale skin, fiery red hair that the local kids called `Soul Stealer.' The rumors were spread from the moment he was born that if you looked into his weird yellow eyes, he would steal your soul. First his father drank himself to death when he believed his wife must have cheated to produce a ginger. Then, the children in the neighborhood started dying one by one. But, only those that came in contact with Jimmy. His mother put dark sunglasses on him hoping that might ruin the rumors. But, Jimmy was never one to keep them on. Watch it! You don't want to go in there. Stay out! He'll steal your soul, I tell you. Like he stole mine!

If you enjoyed my abandoned Victorian shorts, please check into my favorite nighttime read - my HUGE collection of horror short stories on Kindle and paperback - 

Don't Go There! A Flash Horror Anthology

Got time for a short story? These short stories are timed! This 47,000 word book is an anthology of short stories covering subjects from vampires to werewolves, clowns to gnomes, zombies to scarecrows, and so much more. Sharon Day takes the reader into some dark places the mind doesn't like to probe, some situations that are highly uncomfortable, and outcomes that were unexpected. Her love of atmosphere and mood and the desire to probe at the things we most fear has this writer satisfying your need for dark tales. Each story starts with a short description, the word count and approximate reading time so that the reader can decide if there's time for a story while out and about or curling up in the evening before bedtime. As well, there is a bonus section of short stories based on the author's experiences in places all alone that no one wants to be in after dark all alone.

Scariest Everything!

Scariest Cemeteries

Scariest Forests

Scariest Places in the World

Scariest Bridges

Scariest Dolls

Scariest Movies

Scariest Asylums

Scariest Haunted Places

Scariest Castles

Scariest Creatures Caught on Tape

Scariest Urban Legends

Are You Brave Enough To Sleep Here?

A contest is offering you a delightful tour of the French catacombs, dinner, a scary storytelling time, and then they leave you there to sleep....

Here are contest details

You might have slept in a spooky place before, perhaps a seedy motel in a bad part of town, an arguing couple's home, a really old historic inn, but there are some places that would definitely not be sleep-friendly for most folks.

Cliff camping is a new rage (after bungee jumping lost its effect for adrenalin-jockeys). 

Fernwood Campground in Big Sur, California is said to be atop sacred Indian burial ground.

Aokihagara "Suicide Forest" Japan is the second most popular place to end a life. The forest is so thick with trees, no sunlight enters, no wind either. The place is oppressive, filled with relics left by those who went to kill themselves, and visitors report getting very lost and running into evil spirits.

In Peru, they offer a room with a view. If you are middle-aged with an overactive bladder or fear of heights, this could be terrifying.

Summertime brings horror-themed campout fun around the US like this one in LA.

Hotel Crypt in Maine offers you a chance to stay in a room in a stuffed pine coffin box, lots of horror movies to watch in a room in which a body remained for a hundred years before it was exhumed. 

In Latvia, you can stay at a horrifying hostel - an old retired prison. 

Garnet ghost town in Montana was looking for some folks who might want to live there, have your own cabin, food allowance and small paycheck to volunteer there. 

There are plenty of haunted woods, woods with Bigfoot activity, UFO sites, haunted spooklights areas, battlefields and abandoned cemeteries in the forests and abandoned buildings in the middle of nowhere that offer unusual thrills to sleep in. 

I guess it's not a question of if you can stay there, but if you can sleep there.

How-To Develop Your Psychic Skills

Psychics.

How are they made?

Well, I like to think of it as practiced. One needs to have the right exposure the first 3 critical years (look on right hand side of ghost hunting theories for post about psychically critical first 3 years).

But, to really tap it, you have to become liquid and not solid.

You have to let go of your mind's beliefs, assumptions, need to control, and the concept that you have a body with parameters.

Once you become liquid - you can flow.

What does flow feel like? 

I suggest regular daily testing your PSI skills. I use the Boundary Institute. I have learned not only what my strengths are in the types of skills, but learned that synchronicity that happens in mind and body when you have chosen correctly. It is a bit like being "off" the time line and without linear time to what you are doing. 

You are in a state of suspension.

The reason some people resist the flow is that empaths often feel bombarded by and influenced by others feelings. 

Flow is not the same as drinking in.

Flow is enter AND exit.

Think neutrinos not particles. 

To be effective, you must not see yourself as an end point. 

You are unobstructed, flowing, liquid, and no ego is in the picture. Ego tends to make us want to overthink for fear of failure.

When I do PSI testing - I test exceedingly quickly. I do not stop and consider for even a fraction of a second. 

That beating the clock attitude lets you surpass the analytical mind to access decisions by "randomness" and it's in that randomness you find PSI gold.

Knock! Knock! Who's There? Five Fearful Home Invasion Movies

**This post is a guest posting by writer, Jared Hill, a contributor to Ghost Hunting Theories and avid horror enthusiast.**

There’s nothing scarier than the thought of having a stranger in your home; pilfering your prized possessions or possibly even worse. As such, the “home invasion” theme is one that keeps popping up in Hollywood, juxtaposing the fright of a break-in with the banal aspects of everyday existence. We feel safest from the hazards of the outside world when relaxing in the confines of our domiciles, so the mere thought of someone disturbing our solitude is one that strikes fear in the hearts of audiences of all ages. The following five films are especially frightening takes on the home invasion formula.

5. Black Christmas

Released in 1974, Black Christmas is often considered the granddaddy of modern slasher films. A crazy killer makes threatening phone calls to a college sorority house and then actually follows up on his promises of violence by dispatching the inhabitants one by one. The psychological tension created by the masterful pacing have led “Black Christmas” to cult classic status. Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin, Marian Waldman and John Saxon head up the ensemble cast.

4. Panic Room

A “panic room” is a safe room within a house that can be sealed off in case of emergency - when it comes to the safe-keeping of the super-rich, standard home security systems just don’t cut it. Thus the prospect of someone breaking into a panic room is almost a home invasion within a home invasion. This is just the scenario that director David Fincher treats in Panic Room, which hit theaters in 2002. Starring Jodie Foster as a rich divorcee, Kristen Stewart as her daughter and Forest Whitaker as one of a trio of crooks, the film follows the attempts of the criminals to steal millions of dollars in bearer bonds stored within the panic room while Foster tries to hold them at bay.

3. Wait Until Dark

Starring the stunning Audrey Hepburn and directed by Terence Young, Wait Until Dark (1967) is about three criminals who enter a blind woman's house in search of a doll containing hidden drugs, which made its way to the woman's home through a series of unlikely coincidences. The intruders construct an elaborate story in an attempt to trick her into giving them the doll, but Hepburn's character doesn't fall for the con. Later on, the situation deteriorates into violence, and she has to use all her wits to survive. Many critics complained about the film's numerous plot holes, but Hepburn's performance was widely praised.

2. When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls, released in 1979, was undoubtedly influenced by number 5 on this list, “Black Christmas.” Carol Kane plays a babysitter who receives scary phone calls from a psychopath played by Charles Durning. While she eventually escapes unharmed, the killer was able to murder the children in the house. Seven years later, the murderer escapes from an institution and seeks to continue his mayhem. The first 20 minutes of When a Stranger Calls was actually previously released as The Sitter and is widely regarded as the finest part of the film. The remainder of the movie is not considered up to the same level of quality.

1. Halloween

Director John Carpenter's masterpiece Halloween appeared on the silver screen in 1978. Written in 10 days, shot in 20 and featuring a then-unknown Jamie Lee Curtis, Carpenter's opus surprisingly grossed $70 million worldwide on a budget of around $300,000 and spawned a franchise containing nine more movies. Michael Myers, the silent, malevolent villain who appears to embody evil incarnate, has become a cinematic icon. By setting the action in an ordinary house in small-town America, Carpenter makes it seem like the events depicted could happen anywhere to anyone. Unsettling camera motions and a superb score add to the scariness.

These films stand out as exemplary uses of film to increase realism and heighten audience trepidation, but we may soon see the motion picture take a back seat to other emerging technologies. High-resolution displays, multi-camera setups capable of capturing action in 360 degrees, and sophisticated motion tracking and sensing equipment mean that virtual reality may be the entertainment medium of the future. If viewers gasp with shock and tremble in fear at projections of 2D, filmed material, one can only guess at their reactions when immersed in detailed, responsive and omnidirectional imaginary worlds. Just remember to lock your doors!

Other home-invasion movies

The Purge

Midnight Lace

Pacific Heights

Fatal Attraction

Dial M For Murder

Death Weekend

The Strangers

The People Under the Stairs

Vacancy

Unlawful Entry

You're Next

Bad Ronald

Lakeview Terrace

Inside

Them 

Cape Fear

Kidnapped

Funny Games

Desperate Hours

The History Channel Tonight!!

First, I hope everyone saw the 2-hour special that aired last night with my favorites, the Vieira Brothers ("Search for the Lost Giants). This time, Bill and Jim were covering what happened to the lost colonists at Roanoke Island. 

I am a big fan of The History Channel and these inquisitive brothers and their quest to uncover American mysteries.

Tonight, The History Channel is giving us a cool lineup - 

The Devil's Graveyards
The Real Story of Halloween
Atlantis Found
The Curse of Oak Island marathon

Enjoy TV that stimulates you!

The Urban Sasquatch Journal: Strategies Evolving

This is the reporting by a Bigfoot researcher of an ongoing study in the Southern part of the United States in a very large park area near homes and urban setting.

Prior installments
#1 What is Urban Sasquatch?
#2 "The Original Experiment"
#3 "The Urban Study Begins"
#4 "Signatures and Signs"
#5 "Mixing It Up"
#6 "Neglected and Discouraged"
#7 "Adding Complexities"
#8 "Stunning Interactions"
#9 "Showing My Intent"
#10 "I'm Being Directed"
#11 "New Team Member"
#12 "Working It Vigorously"
#13 "Curious Interactions"
#14 "New Season Begins"
#15 "Answering My Thoughts?"
#16 Trail Cam Sham
#17 Training for Cameras
#18 Weather, Birds and Unexplained Sights
#19 More Preparation For Filming
#20 Revealing the Research Site
#21 Research Considerations
#22 Making Signs
#23 Footprint Found
#24 Testing Animal Versus Sasquatch
#25 Enticing With Food and Curiosity
#26 Amping Up the Exchange
#27 Most Shocking Discovery
#28 Opening Communications
#29 Extended Visit
#30 Pillaged and Moved
#31 Feather Gift
#32 Disarray

August 30, 2015

Field Visit #26

Even though I was disappointed with the raccoons taking the food, there are still mysteries (the pipe painting drawings??? Last year's ground arrow pointers in relation to finding more balls) here to be looked into. 

I think, after seeing the video and with consideration, the raccoons are probably responsible for a large amount of the food taken over the past months but not all the time. Example: the sweet treats left on the Frisbee with the rocks and quarter left on the top treat and then found later removed but the rocks and quarter intact on the Frisbee. It has only been recent that the rocks and quarter or large marble has been off the Frisbee in a haphazard way. Also, the food bucket near the ball corral when the large rock was removed from the bucket and placed in the opening of the nearby tire and food removed. 

I do not think for one minute that a raccoon could take the large rock from the bucket and purposely place it in the tire opening. So, I need to consider a different strategy if I want to still put the food out in a way to minimize the raccoons, etc. 

The use of the deer corn pile on the fringe of the site was to lure in mainly deer and hogs as a possible ambush site for the 'BF's'. None of this has happened to date. After a few more trips the deer corn pile will be discontinued.

Reading many accounts from other researchers and habituation sites around the country, not all have the same experiences or interactions in relation to gifting or 'Forest People' taking food left for them. 

The impression I have from what has happened here this past year+ is a testing of my resolve to keep coming here. At times, I would be ready to 'toss in the towel' but something would happen, even if small, to keep my interest in coming, especially when I voiced out loud or had thoughts about my displeasure. Is there one 'Forest Person' possibly interacting with me or multiple ones???? Juvenile or adult, a combination??? Some of the foot impressions from the past year+ indicate possibly both. Also the growl from across the ditch last August 2014. That experience seemed to be an adult to me.

I did return the following day to the site for a short followup. Due to problems with my bike yesterday at the park, I took it to the bike shop. After leaving my bike to be repaired, I drove on over to the park. I arrived at the parking lot around 4 p.m. The temperature was 93, cloudy, hot and humid. I geared up and began the hike to the site. I arrived approximately 4:45 p.m. I left the site approximately 6:10 p.m. I still was not happy about the raccoons from yesterdays trip. I had some changes in mind. I'll comment on these later.

Here is a list of my following activities and observations with photos included. I took only 11 photos on this visit. I always walk the site first to note any changes to setups etc. This trip I made changes but did not photograph them all but will comment on them.

At the pipes everything was as is from yesterday. 

At the tan food bucket location, no food items have been taken. 

The items left as gifts on the water meter cover at the pipes, nothing taken or moved. 

At the new balls setup, everything is still the same.
Nothing new at the tires setup. 

Nothing new with ground stick hunter & antelope or other setups.

#1. and #2. At the possible glyph near the past tires set up, the ball has been turned. I had the number 2 on the ball left up and now it has been turned so you cannot see the number. (the only new change this visit?). The glyph itself has not changed from some animal possibly moving across it.

#3 thru #7. Yesterday afternoon, a few sweet treat packages were unopened and on the ground near the base of food bucket tree #1. These photos shows all items have been opened and wrappers scattered all around the tree and immediate area. The blue rock is still in the bucket. I don't know if raccoons or 'Forest People' taking the food & treats. The thing with this bucket has been the hanging items in the past. Last year, at site 1A, a long set of purple beads was left hanging at the front of the bucket only to be moved, hanging at the rear of the bucket were the bucket is attached to the 2X4 wood stud nailed to the tree. A few visits later it was found on the ground 30'-40' from the tree. Raccoons ??? hard for me to envision. This year I have hung the 6" nail on a long cord at the front of the present bucket. Recently the nail on the cord has been moved to the rear of the bucket in like manner as what happened at site 1A. Then after the hub cap was added and then both painted blue, they have been found on the ground. I can't explain but again its hard for me to envision a raccoon doing this but I don't rule it out entirely.

#8. and #9. I removed both the sketchbook and markers from plastic cover holders to make more accessible. Hopefully some type of drawing interaction will take place.





#10. I added a new food bucket location yesterday with the addition of the tan painted bucket. I left food in it yesterday and strangely none was taken. It was all there today. Again, I was not happy about the food gifting experiences in sharing with raccoons; however, maybe the 'Forest People' like for me to leave food for other's besides them??? I guess I will find out soon because changes are in order. I removed the Frisbee and the hanging tool bag from tree #2. I removed the bucket from tree #1. On both I removed the nailed in wood stud 2X4's. All these I stored in one of the lower pipes, with these items to be moved out later. I then took the tan food bucket and attached it to a long cord and hung the bucket from a high limb in the central site area. The bucket can be raised or lowered and will not be accessible to any but the 'Forest People' . I stocked with a few items and will see what happens. At this visit, I left it at 8'.5" off the ground. It's also approximately 3' below the limb. Also, there should be a lot less trash to deal with for now. I will still remove other trash from the vicinity.




#11. Before leaving, I expanded this simple set up from yesterday. I added the small hand mirror and the yellow tent peg. I hope something is taken.





I did cleanup the trash from food bucket tree #1. I sat for a short time to take stock of the current situation. Eventually it was time to go. Again, I left the site around 6:10 p.m.



This concludes field report #26 for Sunday August 30, 2015

How-To Video Bigfoot

Fred Kanney (above) demonstrated just one of a lot of great techniques being utilized in the field. In this case, his video "On the Hill," near the end you see him zooming in on something he seems that doesn't seem to belong. It was one of dozens of examples he's obtained of Bigfoot standing stock-still to hopefully not gain attention by their movement. If they stay still, you can see that they blend in greatly with the shadows of the forest, tree trunks and forest floor. In this one's case, however, Fred filmed him long enough to capture that the sun lit the hair and, no matter how still this Bigfoot tried to be, the wind fluttered its hair up and down - showing its telltale presence.

There are a LOT of things to take into consideration if you want to document Bigfoot. The #1 thing to understand is that THEY decide if they are okay with being near you or not. Their invisibility is not cloaking, magical, otherworldly or the like; it is simply a trick of the eye.

Fata Morgana (above) is an interesting optical illusion, like mirages, where light is bent and the result is that the eye sees the boat above the water! In the forest, the hair on Bigfoot's body absorbs both light and dark, making them dapple like rest of the forest. So long as they stay still wherever they are, you will go right past them. Ask Fred, he knows! 

Fred learned a panning technique with the camera that makes documenting Bigfoot a cinch! Stay in one place, pan slowly around you, zooming in on anything dark and unusual, take your time. Now, pan back slowly again, doing the same. The reason for this is manifold; you will luckily have zoomed in on interesting possibilities, but as you panned one direction and away from them, the Bigfoot move positions to hide, and when you pan back from the same position, you can show that they have moved, proving there was something mobile in the forest. 

Just know that as you pan, you may not see it with your eyes until you carefully review video at home. Don't be afraid to stop and slow video for review. 

And, folks at home looking at Bigfoot videos, at the bottom of YouTube video, it has a gear shape. You can slow the video down 25%, 50% if you want. 

When you are a people whose very lives depend upon being invisible, you learn to camouflage and hide, watching others, learning much. They are constantly noting our patterns on paths in the woods, the time we come and go from residences, the campground areas and other access points for us folks. They know the areas they are less likely to run into us, but they also know we come with trash and goodies, so they can silently observe us leaving a site to come in for the goods. They know our dumpsters, trash cans, and camp sites. 

It's exceedingly hard for a weekend researcher to make real headway with Bigfoot. It's just a fact that habituation sites and those who several times a week enter the same location, tend to have developed trust by not doing anything questionable, not pushing further into the territory, and not being loud, aggressive or unpredictable. The person who picks up litter, stops to smell a flower or leans against a tree for a nap in a gentle breeze, talks out loud in a soft and gentle voice, whistles happily, and keeps their hands in plain sight, are likely the least threatening person to deal with in the forest, therefore Bigfoot is more likely to come closer for curiosity sake, especially over many visits and a familiarity forming. Bigfoot are shy, serious, constantly assessing, and planning an exit, something like a shy person at a social function.

Beware of leaves!! I can't tell you how many times I've reviewed video where researchers had zoomed in and that also included leaves nearby. The leaves move and it looks like something taking off. Beware of zooming in with a branch in front of you. Grab the branch and pull it down while you film.

Try not to film while walking. The fact is, no matter how good you think you are at panning as you walk, you are aiming at the ground, the trees, up and down, half hazard side to side. Try to not pan up or down when you stop to video. In this one instance, Fred panned up and just about missed this youth peeking out from behind a tree - 

On the video, the head pops out from behind the tree, but Fred was aimed upward. Luckily, he captured a bit of it, but imagine if he hadn't looked up?

And, that's another thing - where you are aiming your head and your camera they are watching. When Fred started aiming his head and camera up, this Bigfoot decided to catch a glimpse. You can use this to your advantage. As you pan away, they make their move and when you pan back, you capture they are gone. As well, you can turn the camera around and hold it backwards, appearing to aim it with the movement of your head as you turn away, but you are actually film behind you, you can get them taking off. 

Just remember that you can't just film willy nilly and expect people to see the results and be convinced. You need to have a method to filming, not just bouncing around and swinging wildly. Walk. When you feel strange, stop. Pan slowly back and forth, zoom in and out. You want irrefutable proof something was that that was not there minutes later. 

Also, remember that being loud or intrusive and pushing into their territory is only going to make them retreat. Keep the human boundaries, take the paths and game trails, do not give them reason to be nervous, but do give them reason to be curious with light song, whistling, talking, taking your time, being completely nonthreatening but interesting. 

Know too that their very existence from birth has been focused on being camo'd. They will and can go completely still or drop to the ground in a second, and they do very often peek out from behind trees, so give those trunks a good looking at for any lumps and bumps. 

Lastly, do not use your cell phone. If you plan to use a cell for evidence, just don't even bother going in the woods. The quality is abysmal and trying to enhance frames only causes pixelation to the point of beyond-blobsquatch images. 

You are looking for something exceedingly intelligent and elusive. If you wonder what their life is like, consider seeing a movie like "Red Dawn" from the 1980s. It was a pretty good example of adapting for survival in the human family tree. 

I wish all luck at getting a glimpse of the secret people. I will remind you too that you almost never record them as you see them, but later when you review your video, you realize where they were hiding.