Thursday, December 30, 2010

Owlman Oddities



Just recently, there has a been a veritable rash of high-strangeness concerning Owls and England's Owlman.

For those who aren't aware of the saga of the Owlman, check out this link at Kithra's Krystal Kave for the lowdown on the winged-monster that loomed out of the woods of Cornwall, England in the 1970s. And I also recommend a full reading of good mate Jon Downes' The Owlman and Others.

But what about these new developments? Well, for me at least, it all began on Sunday December 5, when along with Greg Bishop, Adam Gorightly, Andy Colvin and several other friends and Forteans I headed out to Giant Rock, California (which, as some of you may know, is a legendary locale in UFO Contactee lore), where I photographed this spray-painted image (below) that was tucked away on a rock-face opposite Giant Rock.




















And, Andy Colvin, of course, is the author of the acclaimed series of Mothman's Photographer books on what many might say is the US equivalent of the Owlman - namely, Mothman. An odd coincidence. But this was only the start of things.





















Then, on December 20, Mike Clelland penned this intriguing owl-connected story at his Hidden Experience blog, which - as you'll see when you check out the Comments section to the post - has a link to the aforementioned Andy Colvin!

Three days later, the CFZ's North American Membership Secretary Naomi West (pictured) wrote the following at her All This Pudding blog:



"As with every Christmas season, I have been receiving books I've requested. As with every day of the year, I'm already behind on books I have been intending to read. I'm currently undertaking everything Orson Scott Card has ever written, but because I'm kind of a slow reader due to some degree of attention deficit, that will likely take me a couple years.

"Two weeks ago, I was concentrating my energies on Ender in Exile. Richie had just bought OSC's latest (Pathfinder), so that was next on my list, followed by Anne Rice's latest angel book. That would take up the next three months for sure, and that's not including my plans to continue reading The Ender series with my uncle.

"Suddenly, for no reason I can identify, I dropped everything and began reading The Owlman and Others by my friend Jonathan Downes. Why in the world I chose now, halting my already ambitious reading plans, to pick up this book that had been in my possession for two years is mysterious to me, but why I would choose the Christmas season to immerse myself in the part of cryptozoology that deals with the more sinister side of the unknown is even stranger. (The Owlman is the British version of the Mothman.)

"Richie and I are presently at my mom's for the Christmas holidays. Two days ago (and two weeks into my Owlman book) we received a phone call from MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) for whom we are field investigators. This was an unusual case they were assigning us to: an apparent man-bird sighting in San Antonio. MUFON does not typically address cryptid sightings, but a lady who, with her husband and son, had seen a giant man-bird flying over her neighborhood back in April had just decided to report it to MUFON.

"I find it nothing short of bizarre that the report this of sighting -- the first of its type that has ever come my way -- would occur the very time I had chosen, for no known reason, to read a book on this very thing. I cannot believe this is coincidence. As George Noory says, there is no such thing."




As for the report that Naomi and her husband Richie received, here it is:

"I was talking on my cell at the end of my sidewalk by the street when I turned around facing my house and saw this huge black man bird thing gliding without a noise coming from the east maybe the distance would be like three streets over but about maybe five blocks down.[which three streets over there isn't five blocks because the woods are two blocks down.

"When I saw this I was stunned and stared at it trying to figure out what it was and then I saw it wasn't anything Ive ever seen. I ran into the house and yelled at my husband and my grown son to get out here quick. They came but seemed like forever and they looked and saw it too. When they saw it they thing was like the a few streets over and then disappeared behind the big trees. When we saw it we all said that no one would believe us; but I have recently been talking about it because it has bothered me so much.

"I lived in this neighborhood all my life and I can remember of three UFO sightings since I was five and all the sightings were in this neighborhood or around Stinson Field airport. I never came forward about them because people think ya lost your ever loving mind until recently when others Ive spoke with shared their experiences.

"I have other stories but this one is the most recent and I was wondering if anyone has ever seen this thing. It is silent like it was a glider but I could see the body was exactly like a man a very large man. Thank you for listening to me and I hope you don't think we have gone mad too. I called my daughter and told her afterwards and that's what made my mind up to stay silent. I had my darn cell on my the whole time and not once thought of taking a picture it happened so fast and I'm not that savvy on the cell."



The location is interesting, as San Antonio is the home of Ken Gerhard, author of the excellent book, Big Bird! which deals with sightings of anomalous, winged monsters in the United States and elsewhere. It so happens that the foreword to Ken's book was written by Jon Downes - author of the definitive book on the Owlman - The Owlman and Others.

But, still the weirdness is not over...

On December 24, at his Luminosity blog, Dan Mitchell posted his very own, and highly Fortean, story of the owl kind (here's the link).

And only three days after that, at her Animal Forteana blog, Regan Lee wrote this article, that I urge you to check out, and that also mentions the Owlman.

What all of this means, I have no idea. You may say I'm simply picking up on threads that have no connection to each other, beyond the limited brief time-frame in which all of the above data surfaced. But, I have learned over the years that life is not quite as simple as that, and where synchonicities occur, there's usually a reason involved.

The trick is to understand what all of these synchronicities of the Owl and Owlman kind mean. I suggest that, for right now at least, we continue to scan the Net for further developments, and the skies for further marauding Owlmen...

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Tonight on Bigfoot Quest

Here's Bob and Mike from Bigfoot Quest to tell you about tonight's show. Looks like a good one!

Hello Everyone:

Please join your hosts Bob Coyne and Mike Killen as we welcome the researchers of NESRA, the North East Sasquatch Researchers Association, back to the show once again. Our guests will tell us about their experiences during their most recent expedition in the mountains of the Adirondack Park in upstate NY. Team NESRA had some luck on this latest expedition as one team member had a brief sighting of "an upright figure" through his Gen 2 night vision goggles while conducting a night op with two other team members approx one mile out from base camp. In addition to this "soft wood taps" were heard close to the night observation post before the sighting took place. This is sure to be an interesting and entertaining show you won't want to miss! If you can, please join us in our live show chat. It's always a lot of fun and we love to interact live with our listeners.

Where: www.blogtalkradio.com/Bigfoot_Quest

When: Tonight, December 28, 2010

Time: 9:00 P.M. Eastern

Bob Coyne
Mike Killen

Monday, December 27, 2010

A Texan Winged-Man???

Here's the story!

Coleman & Hall Reviewed

Micah Hanks reviews Mark A. Hall's and Loren Coleman's latest book, True Giants, and says, in part: "...Coleman and Hall set forth with academic eloquence, and void of flamboyance and sensationalism so characterized within this field, have managed to present a highly unique study, providing a window through which we might observe life on this planet that, despite their tremendous size, we somehow have managed to overlook." Here's the link to Micah's complete review.

Chupa? Dog? Raccoon?

There's a new story doing the rounds about one of those pesky Chupacabras, hairless dogs, baldy raccoons, or whatever you want to call them! Anyway, here it is!

Files of the Sea Serpent Kind





Well, it's not quite the real X-Files, but some might argue it's pretty close! Check out the British Admiralty files on sightings of sea-serpents, as detailed in my latest Lair of the Beasts column at Mania.com.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Happy Christmas!

From all at the Center for Fortean Zoology...Merry Christmas!!

Beast-Men on Staffordshire

England's Stafford Post newspaper notes its Top 10 paranormal stories from the county of Staffordshire, which includes (A) the Man-Monkey of Ranton; (B) a mysterious Gorilla-like entity; (C) a werewolf; and (D) a strange, old tale from Chartley Castle where (as my Man-Monkey book reveals) a hairy man-beast was seen in 1986...

Here's the complete article.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

George E. Lutz RIP





From Stan Gordon, author of the Bigfoot/UFO book, Silent Invasion:

George E. Lutz-UFO-Bigfoot Researcher, Has Passed Away

It is with great sadness that I am making you aware, that my longtime friend and research associate, George E. Lutz, 89, passed away on December 18, 2010. George and I began to investigate UFOs, Bigfoot, and other strange incidents here in Pennsylvania during the early 1970’s. He was an avid outdoors man, hunter and fisherman. Lutz was also a former Air Force pilot, and retired as a major in the Air Force Reserves.

George was a kind and friendly person, and we became very close friends during the many years that we spent together. We spent many days and nights searching for evidence of the strange occurrences that were constantly coming to our attention. His experience and background gave credibility and understanding into the many strange incidents which we investigated together. Lutz was a member of the investigation team that responded to the classic October 25, 1973, UFO-Bigfoot incident outside of Uniontown in Fayette County. I will miss George immensely.

The viewing for George E. Lutz, will be on Wednesday at the James E. Lindsay Funeral Home, 3343 Route 130, Harrison City, from 9-11 am. The funeral services are scheduled the same day at 11 am. Interment will take place at the Twin Valley Memorial Park in Delmont. Donations are requested to the Westmoreland County Food Bank.

True Giants Reviewed





Over at my "Reviews" blog, you can find a new review from me on the brand new book from Mark A. Hall and Loren Coleman, True Giants: Is Gigantopithecus Still Alive?

Here's the link. Buy it for Christmas if you haven't already!

Monday, December 20, 2010

A Monstrous Round-Up

As you'll probably have seen, I haven't been posting here for the past week. Nope, no visits from the Men in Black! Just work stuff and deadlines getting in the way! Anyway, the madness has died down a bit, so here's a few things that crossed my path this last week and that you may find interesting:

1. Lizard-Man Legends;

2. An unusual story linking the famous Marfa Lights of Texas with aspects of Cryptozoology.

3. Wolf-Dogs in the News;

4. Dale Drinnon on John Napier and Bigfoot;

5. Micah Hanks on Bigfoot nests.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Bigfoot Quest - This Evening

From Bob and Mike at Bigfoot Quest:

Hello Friends:

Please join your hosts Bob Coyne and Mike Killen as we welcome WASRT researchers Steve "Mojo" Wilkins and Steve "Too Risky" Schauer to the show. Steve and Steve founded the WASRT (Washington Sasquatch Research Team) in 2009 and they conduct their research in the vicinity of Mt Rainier. The WASRT is "dedicated to identifying and preserving this species in the wild, protecting them on the State and National level against harm, harassment, capture and killing without any lands being taken from the public". Using various baiting methods they hope to entice one or more creatures in close enough to someday obtain "multiple sources of video footage that will stand up to the utmost scrutiny". If you're able, please join us in our show chat room. It's always a lot of fun and we love to interact live with our listeners.

Where: www.blogtalkradio.com/Bigfoot_Quest

When: Tonight, Tuesday December 14, 2010

Time: 9:00 P.M. Eastern

Bob Coyne
Mike Killen

Monday, December 13, 2010

Space-Center Monsters

Did Mothman once roam around the fringes of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas? Just maybe it did...

The Michigan Dogman - Reviewed

You can find a new review of Linda Godfrey's latest book, The Michigan Dogman, right here. If you haven't read it yet, Linda's latest is a fantastically-atmospheric study of Dogmen and werewolves in the United States, and one I recommend greatly.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Congo Monsters

Over at Still on the Track, there's an excellent new post on mysterious beasts of the Congo, written by Raheel Mughal. Here's the link.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Bigfoot & Binnall

Good friend Tim Binnall has just sent me the following, which details the latest episode of his Binnall of America show. If you're into Bigfoot, you won't want to miss this one!

Gian Quasar, Recasting Bigfoot, 2 Hours, 28 Minutes

BoA:Audio tears at the fabric of the Bigfoot enigma with acclaimed researcher Gian Quasar, author of the sure-to-be-controversial Recasting Bigfoot: Uncovering the Truth about Sasquatch Amidst the Hype of Bigfoot. In this, his first-ever interview on the new book, Gian details his remarkable thesis which suggests that the current conception of the North American Bigfoot is fundamentally wrong, that the many creatures called 'Bigfoot' around the world are really a variety of undiscovered bipedal primates, and that, amidst all that, Neanderthal / feral humans are also lurking and adding to the Sasquatch mythos. Gian will take us, step by step, through the process by which 'Bigfoot' was created in contemporary folklore, blowing up the popular vision of the creature and replacing it with an altogether different, yet still quite enigmatic, series of beasts.

Along the way, we'll talk about Native American legends of Sasquatch, the early years of Bigfoot research, the Patterson film, the antics of Ray Wallace, and creatures such as the Loysi, the Almas, the Abominable Snowman, the Skookum, the tale of 'wild woman' Zana, and the Russian studies of their mysterious creatures. Plus, of course, tons more.

It's a mind-blowing edition of the program that constitutes a must-hear episode for anyone even remotely interested in the Sasquatch phenomenon as Gian Quasar joins us to share his challenging, enlightening, and fearless research.

Puerto Rican Gargoyles













Have you been following the story of the Puerto Rican Gargoyle? If not, here's the latest news - story 1 and story 2.

Notably, on a couple of my expeditions to Puerto Rico in search of the Chupacabras, I have come across a few stories of winged-beasts that sound far more like Gargoyles, and far less like the Chupacabras.

One such case, that I investigated in 2004, came from a woman named Norka, who me and Jon Downes interviewed while we were on the island. Here's what I wrote about Norka's sighting in my book Memoirs of a Monster Hunter:

"...Although the exact date escaped her, Norka told us that she was driving home one night in 1975 or 1976, when she was both startled and horrified by the shocking sight of a bizarre creature shambling across the road. She described the animal as being approximately four feet in height, and having a monkey-like body that was covered in dark brown hair or fur, wings that were a cross between those of a bat and a bird, and glowing eyes that bulged alarmingly from a bat-style visage. Elongated fingers, with sharp, claw-like appendages, that looked like they could inflict serious damage, flicked ominously in Norka’s direction. She could only sit and stare as the beast then turned its back on her and rose slowly into the sky..."

Did Norka not actually see a Chupacabras - as she had assumed when me and Jon spoke with her - but, instead, a Gargoyle-style entity? I really don't know, but I do know for sure that there is distinct high-strangeness afoot on Puerto Rico...

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

NASA & Bigfoot...





Paranormal News has posted a new review of my latest book, The NASA Conspiracies.

You may wonder, why am I mentioning a book about NASA at my Cryptozoology blog? Well...a clue can be found in the extract below from the PN review:

"With all of the conspiracy books cropping up year after year, it’s nice to read one that contains non-regurgitated material. Thankfully, The NASA Conspiracies by Nick Redfern seems both up to date as well as unique in its own ways. Sometimes citing cases that remind one of John Keel, (Bigfoot with a tracking device recovered by NASA, anyone?) this book is a welcomed addition to both the serious conspiracy researcher and enthusiast alike."

And here's the link to the complete review.

Neil Arnold's Monstrous Walks

Here's the latest news from Monster! author, Neil Arnold:

Fed up of 'Most Haunted' ? Tired of dull movies such as 'Paranormal Activity' ? Then join monster-hunter extraordinaire, Neil Arnold on his all new monthly ghost-walks. On the last Sunday of every month, 7.30pm, Neil will be conducting walks through historic Rochester, bringing back the atmosphere of Charles' Dickens musings, with a tour of the cobbled streets, dank back alleys and ancient buildings.

From haunted shops, restaurants and pubs, to the Gothic cathedral and eerie monk's vineyard, Neil will entertain with ghastly yarns of witches, ghosts, monsters and murder, introducing the public to a variety of spine-chilling and original spook tales. Hags, hellhounds, river monsters, big cats and spectres are on the menu and at just £4.00 a head this could be the best money you've spent for a long while.

For more information, see: www.hauntedrochester.blogspot.com

And to read an interview with Neil about this, visit:

http://www.rochesterpeople.co.uk/groups/generaldiscussion/Count-Von-Dickens-Presents-Rochester-Ghost-Walk/story-10344235-detail/story.html

On the second Sunday of every month (2 - 4 pm) Neil will be venturing onto Britain's most haunted location, Blue Bell Hill, with bizarre stories concerning eight-foot high red-eyed humanoids, giant phantom dogs, flying jellyfish, sinister hags, big cats, ancient stones and the local 'phantom hitchhiker', proving that the legends you've heard about which are connected to the hill are completely false and that the truth is far stranger than the fiction created by the media.

Go to: http://www.bluebellhillghostwalk.blogspot.com for more info

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

True Giants - Published!




The much-anticipated new book, True Giants: Is Gigantopithecus Still Alive?, from Mark A. Hall and Loren Coleman, has just been published by Anomalist Books.

Here's where you can find out more about what looks to be a great new book, and here's a complete run-down of the contents, courtesy of AB:

Do giant primates larger than gorillas, taller than Sasquatch and Yetis, still exist in the remotest corners of the globe? Famed cryptozoologists Mark A. Hall and Loren Coleman join forces to share their knowledge of this unexplored and neglected topic in cryptozoology.

Bigfoot researchers have long been mystified, even embarrassed, by reports of giant hairy apes larger than Bigfoot, and as a result eyewitness reports of what Hall and Coleman call True Giants have never been fully considered in the broader zoological context. Reviewing the evidence found in traditions and footprints, folklore and sightings, the authors of this groundbreaking volume present for the first time in one place the wide-ranging argument for the possible survival of a giant species of primate that we know lived on Earth for millions of years.

Contents

Preface: The Story Behind the Cover
Being the frightening encounter of one Captain Mokhtar Mohamad and his wife with an Orang Dalam, a True Giant.
Introduction
New evidence that humans were not alone. Cryptozoologists as folklorists. A modest attempt to capture the myths, legend, and folklore of the True Giants.

1. The Universal Giant
Tales of storybook giants are global. A broader basis in the natural world for True Giants. The reasons for the lack of investigations and ignorance of their existence. Survival of Gigantopithecus in an era of Homo floresiensis and other new homin discoveries. Mountains around the world as homes of the True Giants. Their general physical description.

2. The Earliest True Giant was Gigantopithecus
Four categories of evidence: traditions, consistent appearance, footprints, and fossil remains. Gigantopithecus vs. Gigantanthropus. Finding Giganthopithecus. The heights of the Giganthopithecus and True Giants. More about their tracks. The migration issue. Conflict with humans. Schism between the species. Cannibalism. Remoteness.

3. True Giants in Europe
Giant fighter Dietrich of Bern/ Theodoric the Great. Knights of the Round Table as giant killers. Scottish giants, the Fomors. Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui and Gray Man of Braeriach. Scandinavian Jotuns. High Tatras’ True Giants. Slovaks’ Zruty or Ozruti. Trolls. City name Antwerp has origins in True Giants lore. French Gayant. Greek Callicantzari. Crete’s Triamates. Tribe of the Cyclops and Polyphemos.

4. The Mountains of Asia Shelter Giants
Bible’s Goliath of Gath and his brother Lahmi. The Nephilim, the Rephaim, and the Sons of Anakim. Og of Bashan. Palestine’s Eleazar and Arabian Gabbaras. Armenia’s Torch or Torx. Nepal’s Nyalmo. Sir Edmund Hillary. Giant Yetis. Chinese and Mongolian True Giants. Siberia’s Kiltanya.

5. The Giants of Southeastern Asia
Malaysian media attention. Orang Dalam. Serjarang Gigi. Kung-lu. Orang Gadang. The Interminable Woodman.

6. Rumble in the Rainforest
Hantu Jarang Gigi. Malaysian “Bigfoot.” Vincent Chow. Sumatran Rhinoceros and Javan Rhinoceros. Tracks. Mawas and Orangutans. Use of Hantu Jarang Gigi vs Orang Dalam. Harold Stephens. Asian Paranormal Investigation and Johor Wildlife Protection Society. Orang Lenggor. Josh Gates and “Destination Truth.” Singapore Paranormal Investigators and the Seekers. Back to Orang Dalam.

7: Tumble in the Jungle
Vincent Chow news conference. Reported photographs. The Guardians. Sean Ang. “Johor Hominid.” Hoax exposed by Jean-Luc Drevillon, Lorenzo Rossi, and Loren Coleman on Cryptomundo. Orang Dalam unsolved.

8. The Oceanic Adventures of True Giants
Sudan’s Wa’ab. Tano Giant. Comoros Islands’ Red Headband. Coelacanth. Australia’s Jogungs, Koyorowen and Yaho. Outback’s Tjangara. Nan Madol’s Kona. Solomon Giants. Oahu’s Olomana.

9. Eastern True Giants
Rarity of Gigantopithecus fossils. Big Men, Cannibal Giants, and True Giants. Okefenokee Swamp Giant fatal encounter and aftermath. Bald Mountain’s Chickly Cudly. Cherokee’s Tsulkalu and Jutaculla. Gaspe’s Gougou. Quebec’s Gugwes, Kookwes, Strendu, and Windigos. The Stone Giants. Berwick’s Giant Phantom. Giants, the World Series, and the Lenape’s Messing. Omahas’ Pasnuta. Kansas’ Mialushka. Ojibwa’s Misabe. Wampanoag’s Maushope. Eskimo’s giants. Modern reports in the East. Finding of enormous footprints.

10. The Giants in the American West
Larger than Bigfoot, Sasquatch and the Neo-Giants. Sidney Warren’s 1857 Oregon account. Idaho’s 1902 report. Lake Okanagan’s Big Men of the Mountains. Alaska’s Gilyuk. British Columbia’s Tsufa. Takudh Kutchin Indians’ Mahoni or Nahoni. Kaska’s Big Man or Tenatco. California’s Marukarara. Modern accounts of True Giants in the West. Finding of enormous foot tracks.

11. The World of True Giants
Structure of the True Giants. Communication skills. Mobility. Dangers to True Giants. How they have changed. Lifestyle. Eating habits. Habitations.

12. The Future of True Giants
What can we do about True Giants? George Papashvily. The Narts. Yel’tso. Other traditions. Ethno-known.

Acknowledgments
Appendix A: Telebiology
How to study giant primates without harming them?
Appendix B: What Scientific Name For True Giants?
Good questions have complex answers.
Appendix C: Giant Bones
Where are the bones? Where are the skeletons? Where are the skulls? Are there any easy answers?
Appendix D: Giant Skulls by Ivan Sanderson
What did the late cryptozoologist have to say on the question of giant skulls?
Appendix E: The Toonijuk by Ivan Sanderson
What do the Inuits and Eskimos know about True Giants?
Appendix F: The Teeth of the Dragon by Eric Pettifor
What is the standard anthropological view of Gigantopithecus?
Appendix G: Meganthropus: Giant Man From Old Java
Besides Gigantopithecus, there exists in the fossils of Asia, another primate that has been problematic for paleoanthropologists. Might this species be True Giants?
Sources
About the Authors

On the Track 39

The new edition of the CFZ's monthly, online round-up of what's afoot in Cryptozoology - On the Track - has just been posted, and here it is!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Monsters: Man-Made...




Most of the things I talk about at this blog are monsters (or, perhaps more correctly, unknown creatures) that may live and lurk amongst us, but that have no direct, or even indirect, connection to us. But, what of those monsters that, without us, simply would not even exist in the first place?

Well, these are the very beasts that Dr. Bob Curran focuses on to an in-depth degree in his new book: Man-Made Monsters: A Field Guide to Golems, Patchwork Soldiers, Homunculi, and Other Creatures Creatures.

And, if you're wondering what it's all about, you can find my just-posted review of the book right here...

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

NASA and Monsters


This week, I’m pleased to announce, my new book is published: The NASA Conspiracies: The Truth Behind the Moon Landings, Censored Photos, and the Face on Mars. And while the book focuses, for the most part, on such issues as UFO sightings by astronauts and tales of outer-space conspiracy, it also addresses claims that NASA may have had some involvement in incidents relative to unknown animals.

Included in the book are accounts concerning alleged NASA knowledge of (A) Puerto Rico's pesky Chupacabras; (B) the Bigfoot controversy; and (C) even a strange Mothman-type beast seen near NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas back in the 1980s.

For more information on the book, click here and here.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Bigfoot Quest Tonight

Here's Bob and Mike to tell you about tonight's Bigfoot Quest show:

Hello to all of our friends:

It's now been three years since the Bigfoot Quest radio show first debuted on BlogTalkRadio. So please join your hosts Bob Coyne and Mike Killen for this special show as we celebrate the anniversary of our third year on internet radio! Over these past three years we’ve had some great guests that have helped make this show a success and we’ve also enjoyed the support of our audience. If not for all our guests that have been gracious enough to accept our invitation and find the time to appear on the show and our loyal listeners who join us in our chat room Tuesday nights or download and listen to the show through the archives, this show would not be possible! So in gratitude we want to say a special thank you to all of you who make this show possible and hope many of you can join us in our live chat this week for this special anniversary show!

Where: www.blogtalkradio.com/bigfoot_quest

When: Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Time: 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time

Bob Coyne & Mike Killen

Reviewing the Dogman

I've just posted - at my Reviews blog - a review of Linda Godfrey's new book, The Michigan Dogman: Werewolves and Other Unknown Canines Across the U.S.A. This is a book you have to read!!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Crypto-Rats at Roswell

The whole notion that government bodies are deeply interested in certain facets of cryptozoology, and may have actively covered up specific events is not a new one. There are, for example, tales of official agencies in the US having secret knowledge of the true nature of Bigfoot.

Mysterious "Government Officials" are rumored to have confiscated the bodies of "Big-Cats" found dead in the British countryside.

And there are stories of military groups secretly using tales of crypto-creatures to possibly hide their own clandestine activities (such as the infamous tale of Paddler, as told by Patrick Huyghe).

And this is a subject I have been doing much research on lately, and which I'll be revealing far more about in the near future. In the meantime, here's two such cases that you may not be aware of.

This one - my latest Lair of the Beasts column over at Mania.com - delves into the strange tale of a Chupacabras encounter on the island of Puerto Rico, to which are attached curious "Men in Black" overtones...

Then there's the following, which is beyond any shadow of doubt one of the strangest stories I've ever heard - and, I can say for certain, I've heard some very strange ones!

A couple of weeks ago, I gave a Saturday morning lecture at the Emily Fowler Library in Denton, Texas on the subject of my book co-written with Ken Gerhard, Monsters of Texas. As is usually the case when I do lectures, I allow time for a Q&A, and audience interaction.

LONE STAR STATE BEASTS:



And, on this particular day I got a couple of interesting stories about large, exotic cats seen around Texas, a tale of a giant-catfish, and several more accounts of out-of-place or over-sized animals in the Lone Star State.

However...the strangest of all flummoxed even me! That is was linked to the infamous Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash of July 1947 only makes things even stranger!

As anyone and everyone with knowledge of Roswell will be aware, when the event occurred, certain materials found at the crash-site were flown to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, bounded on the north side by Lake Worth - and which, in 1969, became briefly infamous for its sightings of a strange "Goat-Man"-type beast. But, I digress!

CARSWELL AIR FORCE BASE:



The story told at the Emily Fowler Library, as both I and the rest of the audience listened, was, I believe, second or third-generation. So, yes, we are delving into near friend-of-a-friend territory. With that in mind, the story was that when the strange debris was flown to Carswell, so was "something else" that was found among the wreckage.

That "something else," we were told, was a pack of large, rat-like animals, that appeared to be very intelligent, moved and acted in group-fashion, and that were highly vicious and very weird. And that was about it: a fragmentary story of truly weird proportions.

Whether or not the story has even the merest grain of truth to it, or if it's just some weird folkloric tale, I have no idea. But, for what it's worth, that was the tale!

It's interesting to note, of course, that theories for what really happened at Roswell aren't just focused on tales of UFOs or secret "Mogul" balloons of the type that the the Air Force stubbornly insists came down at Roswell.

My very own Body Snatchers in the Desert book, for example, suggested that the affair had far more to do with secret, high-altitude balloon experimentation - involving human guinea-pigs - undertaken in the New Mexico desert.

BODY SNATCHERS IN THE DESERT:



And, there's another thing: we know, too, that the military was testing all manner of vehicle (including captured German V-2 rockets) at the New Mexico-based, ultra-secret White Sands facility. Some of those early flights had payloads that included monkeys, mice and other animals.







BLAST OFF!



Could it be that at least a part of the Roswell legend was born out of the secret launch and crash of such a craft of down-to-earth, and non-alien proportions, and that had a payload of rats aboard?

Given what we know about the early years of experimentation to place animals into high-altitude states, and near-Earth orbit (click here for more details, from NASA, on the mice, monkeys and other animals that preceded the astronauts of Russia and the United States), maybe this tale of strange, rat-like animals taken to Carswell AFB in the summer of 1947, was based upon distorted memories of real rats taken to the base after the crash of a secret device, with such critters aboard.

DARKLORE AND ROSWELL:



And there's one final thing on this issue: in Darklore Vol III (published in 2009 by Greg Taylor of The Daily Grail website), I wrote an update to Body Snatchers and included a summary of a series of previously-classified FBI documents I had secured via the terms of the Freedom of Information Ac. Those files told the story of how a young boy had been killed some time in the late 1940s by a rat-bite in Lincoln County, New Mexico - which just happens to be where the Roswell debris was found.

Not only that: there were fears on the part of the FBI that the boy had died of "plague," and that the plague may have resulted from the actions of Japan's notorious Unit 731 (whose actions also feature heavily in my Body Snatchers in the Desert).

Even more intriguing: the official FBI files on this young boy's death from a rat-bite right in the heart of where the Roswell crash occurred, were shared with Air Force Intelligence, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the CIA!

And that's about it, for now! Strands of a larger puzzle, or simply strands of rumors, legends, tales and not much else? Was something truly strange afoot near Roswell that involved Unit 731, plague-infected rats, and the launch of some secret device? I have no real idea, but, whatever the truth - and, granted there's a high degree of speculation here! - if anyone has ever heard of anything even remotely resembling this curious story told to those of us at the Emily Fowler Library a couple of weeks ago, do let me know!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Mothman Tonight






On tonight's episode of the Exploring All Realms show I co-host with Raven Meindel, the guest will be Jeff Wamsley, a native of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and the author of the books Mothman: Facts Behind the Legend; and Mothman; Behind the Red Eyes. The show starts at 9.00 PM Eastern time, and can be found right here. If you're into the mystery of Mothman, don't miss it!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Animals at War

I often refer here to sightings of weird creatures seen roaming around England's Cannock Chase woods, near to where I grew up. Well, this new story doesn't deal with unknown animals, but is a Chase-based tale of a distinctly animal-nature, but in a very different way...

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Mothman 44

As Mothman creeps ever further into middle-age, Loren Coleman provides us with a cool, new post on what is arguably the world's most famous winged-whatsit.

The Thylacine Lives?

Check out this post at CFZ Australia. Does the Thylacine still live, and is this the evidence??? Maybe!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Chupa-Chasing

Just recently, I traveled up to Oklahoma to film a segment for the local Fox News channel on a sighting there of a so-called "Texas Chupacabras."

As I note in the segment, there's absolutely no doubt at all that these animals are canine, but there do seem to be some genetic anomalies going on too. For example, take a look at the photograph that appears in this film segment, and you'll see how the front limbs look extremely short, which is typical of a number of witness reports.

Here's the link.

The Michigan Dogman




A few days ago, Linda Godfrey mailed me a review-copy of her brand new book, The Michigan Dogman: Werewolves and Other Unknown Canines Across the USA.

I've started reading the book, and as is the case with all Linda's titles, this one does not disappoint and is packed with new data. As soon as I've read it, I'll be doing a full review. You'll definitely want to read this book!

The Rock-Apes

Over at Cryptomundo, Loren Coleman gives us an update on his thoughts concerning the Rock-Apes of Vietnam...

Night-Ravens

Check out Karl Shuker's latest, excellent post - on the fascinating history of Night-Ravens...

India: An Update

Jon Downes has finally heard from Richard Freeman regarding the latest news from the India expedition. Over to Jon...

I received an email from Richard Freeman this morning. The absence of earlier news from them is simple - "Hi Jon, Sorry for the the delay, this is the first working computer I have come across since I got to India".

You may remember that Chris Clark was unwell on the flight over, causing some concern here at base camp. Richard continues: "Chris has had some chest pains whilst climbing up hills. He's going for a check-up today". It goes without saying that he is in our thoughts and prayers.

As always seems to be the case, the team go in search of one unknown animal and find reports of several others:

"We have interviewed many witnesses including a shaman. As well as the mande burung we have uncovered reports of a huge (15-18m) crested serpent called the sankuni".

The sankuni seems very similar if not identical to the naga which Richard hunted in Thailand ten years ago: "It is associated with rainfall and is blamed for landslides. One was supposedly shot in 1940 in a lake near the border with Bangaladesh. It had killed a number of people so a group of armed men hunted it. The shaman reported being chased by a huge, upright walking man-like beast and seeing a sankuni slithering out of a river cave".

Back to the mande burung, "Another man saw a severed, preserved hand in a village market" and they also "found what may be the femur of a bipedal animal in a cave in Seju".

And there is other news as well: "We may have also found evidence of a gigantic muntjac even bigger than the giant muntjac, and a possible new sub-species or population of the red panda".

And finally "We put up camera traps and will be interviewing recent witnesses soon".

It looks like a momentous expedition so far. Well done lads (and get well soon Chris).

Note from Nick: Yep, let's all wish Chris a good, speedy recovery.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Tonight on Bigfoot Quest

Here's Bob and Mike from Bigfoot Quest to tell you about tonight's show:

Hello Friends:

Please join your hosts Bob Coyne and Mike Killen as we welcome Canadian wildlife biologist Dr. John Bindernagel to the show. Dr. Bindernagel is well known in the Bigfoot community as being one of the very few members of the scientific community who is actively involved in Bigfoot research. He is also known to the public at large through his appearances on television programs such as Best Evidence: Bigfoot, On the Trail of Bigfoot and MonsterQuest. His interest in the subject of Bigfoot began in 1963 while he was a studying wildlife management at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Though interested in learning more, he didn’t begin his field research efforts until 1975 when his family moved from Ontario to British Columbia. Dr Bindernagel and his wife found and cast tracks in 1988 and he believes these creatures do in fact inhabit the forests of North America. Ten years later in 1998 his first book on the subject, North America’s Great Ape: the Sasquatch, was published. A few weeks ago his second book, The Discovery of the Sasquatch, which he had been working on for the past 7 years was published. This is sure to be an interesting and informative show you won’t want to miss! If you can, please join us in our live show chat. It's always a lot of fun and we love to interact live with our listeners.

Where: www.blogtalkradio.com/Bigfoot_Quest

When: Tuesday November 9, 2010

Time: 9:00 P.M. Eastern

Bob Coyne & Mike Killen

Friday, November 5, 2010

Animal Forteana

For anyone and everyone interested in the stranger, esoteric, weird, quasi-paranormal (okay, you get the picture!) aspects of Cryptozoology, I'd definitely suggest you take a regular look at Regan Lee's Animal Forteana blog, which contains a wealth of excellent, thought-provoking posts and data that - unfortunately - mainstream crypto often steers clear of. Fortunately, Regan does not steer clear of such matters, and here's the link where you can find out more...

Paranormal Kent and More

Neil Arnold reminds us that his new book, Paranormal Kent, is now available (see also this post from me on Neil's book).

And, here's a list of upcoming lectures from Neil:

Tuesday 9th November 2010: 7:30pm - London Earth Mysteries Circle (more details to come)

Wednesday 10th November 2010: 7:45pm - St Michael's Wives Club, Community Centre, Wrotham Rd, Welling, Kent, DA16 1HB

Thursday 11th November 2010: 8:00pm - Wye RAFA, Wye Village Hall, Wye.

Saturday 13th November 2010: 2:30pm - The Lighthouse, 28 Burlinton Drive,Beltinge, Herne Bay

Wednesday 17th November 2010: 7:30pm - Wigmore Library, 208 Fairview Ave, Wigmore, Gillinham, Kent, ME8 0PX Ticket event: 01634 235576

Tuesday 23rd November 2010: 7:30pm - Hythe Civic Society, Hythe Bay school, Cinque Ports Avenue, Hythe.

Thursday 25th November 2010: 2:30pm - Hans Volunteer Centre, Millennium Centre, Rainham.

Thursday 9th December: 11:30am - Crawley probus (more details to follow)

Tuesday 14th December 2010: 2:00pm - Shepway ARA, Holy Trinity Hall, Sandgate Rd, Folkestone.

Tuesday 14th December 2010: 7:45pm - Hawkenbury Allotment Holders Assoc, United Reformed Church Hall, Hawkenbury, Tunbridge Wells.

Monsters at the Library

If you happen to be in the town of Denton, Texas tomorrow morning, I'll be lecturing at the Emily Fowler Central Library (502 Oakland, Denton TX 76201-3102) from 11 A.M. to noon. The subject: the Monsters of Texas, including Bigfoot, the Goat-Man, the "Texas Chupacabras," sea-serpents, werewolves and much more!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Man-Made Monsters





Here's a book I received a review copy of in the mail yesterday: Man-Made Monsters by Dr. Bob Curran. I've only had chance to take a brief look at it so far, but it looks very good. I'll be reviewing it as soon as I've read it. And in the meantime, here's what the publisher - New Page Books - has to say about Man-Made Monsters:


Life exists all around us, in forms that we can readily and easily identify. But what if there were, lurking in the shadows, other forms of life that are not so familiar, creatures created not by Nature, but by Man? We know their names—Frankenstein, the Golem, the homunculi of the ancient alchemists; they exist in our stories and myths.

But just what are these mysterious creatures, and do they have some basis in reality?

In his fascinating and wide-ranging new book, Dr. Bob Curran explores man-made monsters and the truth behind the myths. You’ll learn fascinating details about:

• The 19th-century scientist who tried to bring the dead back to life—the model for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

• The Man of Clay who lumbered through the streets of medieval Prague at the command of early rabbis.

• Tales of robots that may have existed in the ancient world and threatened Greek and Roman warriors.

• Cloning and the artificial creation of life, and what strange and mysterious areas they may be heading into.

Man-Made Monsters is essential reading for anyone who wants to explore artificial beings and peer into the dark recesses of the human mind...where they may indeed be hiding.

Dr. Bob Curran was born in a remote area of County Down, Northern Ireland. Since leaving school, he has travelled throughout the world, fascinated by the myths and stories he has found. He has written a number of books looking at culture and lore, including Vampires; Lost Lands, Forgotten Realms; Zombies; and Werewolves, all for New Page Books. He lives in Northern Ireland with his wife and family.

Illustrator Ian Daniels, who has illustrated book covers for science fiction luminaries Marion Zimmer Bradley, Orson Scott Card, and Poul Anderson, lends his unique artwork to another New Page title, as he has to all of the books written by Dr. Curran.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Mammoths in Darklore 5




Volume Five of Darklore - the regular compilation of articles from Fortean writers and researchers on all range of phenomena - has just been published. The brainchild of Greg Taylor of the Daily Grail, you can find out more about the latest volume right here.

On the crypto angle, it includes a chapter from me on the allegations that isolated pockets of Mammoth might have lived far longer than science and conventional zoology tells us...

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Boggy Depot Reviewed

Last weekend me and Ken Gerhard spoke at the first Boggy Depot Bigfoot Conference at Atoka, Oklahoma. It was a cool event and you can find my review of the weekend at my latest Lair of the Beasts column at Mania.com.
And...have a fun Halloween!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

A Halloween/Monster Profile

Just recently, I was interviewed about my cryptozoological pursuits for a Halloween-themed article in our local DFW.com magazine. It's just been published and here's the link.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Bigfoot & UFOs




While some people cringe at the notion that Bigfoot and distinct Fortean high-strangeness might somehow go together, I most certainly do not! Indeed, I have investigated numerous cases that suggest whatever the Bigfoot creatures may be, there seems to be an aspect of the phenomenon that takes us into some very strange, and near-paranormal, realms.

And, in view of this, I'm very pleased to learn that there's a new book out right now, courtesy of Stan Gordon, that delves into these very areas. Here's all the data on what looks to be a fascinating book!

Silent Invasion: The Pennsylvania UFO-Bigfoot Casebook
By Stan Gordon,
Edited By Roger Marsh

Publication Date: October 30, 2010
348 pages, With Photos & Illustrations

Stan Gordon began his journey in field investigations of UFOs and other Paranormal encounters in Pennsylvania in 1965. During 1973 UFOs began to make widespread appearances in the sky across the Keystone State. It was during the summer of that year however when a mysterious wave of events began to unfold. Alarmed citizens over a widespread area reported close encounters with huge hairy Bigfoot-like creatures. Frightened residents called local authorities and media outlets reporting enormous footprints and terrified animals.

As the pace of the abnormal encounters quickened through the following months, more eyewitness reports of other strange creatures, and a variety of other paranormal events came to the attention of Gordon’s investigation team. Stan’s second book covers many of the mysterious incidents from that period which continued into 1974, including illustrations and photos. For the first time the author reveals many new details about this puzzling period of time. Some of the startling cases discussed suggest that there may be more to the Bigfoot mystery than a flesh and blood explanation. Some of the first hand accounts and details you will read about include:

*UFOs And Bigfoot Seen At The Same Time And Place
*The Case Of The Vanishing Bigfoot
*Bigfoot Shooting Incidents
*UFO Landings And Car Pursuits
*Mystery Men Interviewing Witnesses And Destroying Evidence
*The Government Interest

Silent Invasion: The Pennsylvania UFO-Bigfoot Casebook $19.95
Shipping & handling is $4.95. Pennsylvania sales tax as applicable

Sold Outside of PA
$19.95 plus $4.95 SH=$24.90

PA Residents (Except those living in Allegheny or Philadelphia County (6%)
$19.95 plus $4.95 SH plus $1.49 (6% tax)=$26.39

PA Residents Living in Allegheny or Philadelphia County (7%)
$19.95 plus $4.95 SH plus $1.74 (7%)=$26.64

Shipped Outside of the U.S.
$19.95 plus $12.00 SH=$31.95

Don’t forget to order your copy of Stan’s other recently released book, “Really Mysterious Pennsylvania.” at www.stangordon.info

Order at www.stangordon.info or send check or money order to: Stan Gordon Productions, P.O. Box 936, Greensburg, PA 15601. For other ordering information call: 724-838-7768.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Gigantopithecus in the News

Loren Coleman treats us to an excellently-illustrated article that delves deep into the controversy surrounding hairy hominids and the presumed-extinct, mighty ape, Gigantopithecus...and there's good news on a certain, forthcoming book from Loren too. Here's the link.

A Down-Under Q&A

Neil Arnold has undertaken an excellent Q&A with Australian researchers Mike Williams and Rebecca Lang - and here's the link to access the story.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Croc Crash!

True or not, this is a very bizarre animal-based story, and a cautionary lesson for anyone wanting to take a crocodile on-board an aircraft!!

Ireland's Monsters - Reviewed

Over at my Reviews blog, you can find a new review of the brand-new book from Gary Cunningham and Ronan Coghlan - Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Ireland, which is a book I definitely recommend to everyone!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

A World War II Chupacabras...???

Over at his blog, Dr. Karl Shuker has a fascinating new post (and accompanying drawing) from the Second World War that appears to show nothing less than (wait for it!) a Chupacabras clad like a dastardly Nazi! I absolutely kid you not! Here's the link...

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Monday, October 18, 2010

Reviewing New Jersey Monsters

At Mania.com, you can find my latest Lair of the Beasts column, which is a review of the new book from Loren Coleman and Bruce Hallenbeck. Here's the link...

Neil in the News

Good friend Neil Arnold is the focus of a new article in the UK media that focuses on his research and writings in the realm of Forteana - including, of course, cryptozoology. The article also provided good insight into Neil's brand new book, Paranormal Kent.

ShadowCass on Mothman

ShadowCass delves into the ominous world of Mothman and addresses the nature of the creature, its intent and much more...

The Chinese Bigfoot

A couple of days ago, Fox News interviewed me about the new expedition to China to search for their equivalent of Bigfoot - the Yeren - and the possibility of the beasts being relic colonies of Gigantopithecus.

Here's the link to the story.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Winged Things Around The World

In a new article that can be found at his Gralien Report website, good mate Micah Hanks delves into the weird realm of Mothman-style entities seen around the world and across the decades. He begins:

"It is often said in Fortean circles that the mysterious appearance of the Mothman, a winged cryptid monstrosity that appeared in the vicinity of Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the late 1960s, was prophetic in nature. Traditionally, researchers have felt that the creature’s presence represented some sort of omen, warning of terrible things to come; specifically, the collapse of the Silver Bridge on December 15, 1967. Though the Mothman certainly isn’t the only winged creature alleged to exist in the realm of the unexplained, it is by far the most famous. Nonetheless, its cousins, reportedly seen at various times and places elsewhere around the globe, are also sometimes seen to be harbingers of ill fortune."

And if that has caught your attention, it's time to click right here for the rest...

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tonight on Bigfoot Quest

Here's Mike and Bob at Bigfoot Quest to tell you about tonight's show:

Your hosts are Bob Coyne and Mike Killen and this week will be a call in show. If you have something to report, have an opinion on something, have a topic you want to discuss, have had a sighting at one time or another or just want to say hello to Mike or Bob, these are the shows to do it. We'd love to talk to you this week on the show if you want to call in. Also please join us in the chat room if you can. It's always a lot of fun and we love to interact live with our listeners.

Where: www.blogtalkradio.com/Bigfoot_Quest

When: Tonight, Tuesday October 12, 2010

Time: 9:00 P.M. Eastern

Bob Coyne & Mike Killen

Paranormal Kent - Available!





















Neil Arnold has sent me the press-release for his new book Paranormal Kent, which looks to be a great read for Halloween! Here's you go:

PARANORMAL KENT – PRESS RELEASE

Enquiries – Neil Arnold at: neil.Arnold@live.com

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paranormal-Kent-Neil-Arnold/dp/0752455907

PARANORMAL KENT (published by The History Press) – A brand new, richly illustrated book by full-time monster-hunter Neil Arnold, explores the darker heart of the Garden Of England. For centuries Kent has been the centre of high strangeness – from monsters in the woods, weird objects in the skies, serpents in the water, ghosts on the road. Now, for the first time ever, Kent has a book pertaining to the supernatural which DOESN’T regurgitate old myths and legends.

With October – the ‘season of the witch’ barely out of the way, the 1st November 2010 sees PARANORMAL KENT venture down the foggy avenues of the arcane, and the back-streets of the mind in search of the chilling and the obscure. New light shed on classic ghostly tales – 1) dispelling the myth of the phantom hitchhiker of Blue Bell Hill and yet uncovering an even more sinister secret in this haunted location. 2) delving into the dingy corners of Dover Castle’s eerie past. 3) uncovering brand new ghost stories from historic Rochester – Charles Dickens country. 4) shedding new light on the mysteries of Britain’s most haunted village – Pluckley.

And not forgetting a foray into the field of phantom animals – from spectral hellhounds, flying jellyfish, the Hythe Mothman, and red-eyed manimals. And a strange safari in search of ‘big cats’, serpents, dragons and out-of-place animals. And what autumnal mystery would be complete without macabre tales of local zombies, witchcraft and alien abductions.

PARANORMAL KENT – Neil’s fourth book, is a unique trip into the weird and wonderful side of a county steeped in folklore. Just when you thought mysterious monsters, ghouls, ghosts and zombies were confined to the lore of Halloween…think again.

Price £9.99
96 pages

Saturday, October 9, 2010

The Mande-Burung Expedition Logo

Here's the official logo of the expedition to India in search of the Mande-Burung - and, of course, I'll be keeping you updated right here on any and all news on the expedition, which kicks off on October 31...


Monsters for Kids

On both Thursday and Friday, I gave lectures for two classes of 9-year-old kids at Dallas' Highland Park Independent School District on the subject of the Loch Ness Monster - lectures that rapidly opened up into full-scale debates on cryptozoology as a whole, the nature of Bigfoot, the Chupacabras and much more.

I'm very pleased to say that in an age when it seems so many kids are obsessed by computers, staying in-doors, and texting, all the kids proved to be highly interested in the subject, asked a lot of very good questions, were very motivated, and were also very knowledgeable on the matter.

Indeed, a number were regular watchers of shows like Monster Quest, Destination Truth, etc., and I found myself answering questions on everything from the Alligator Gar to the big-cats of Britain, and from the Yeti to giant Catfish.

And, from what some of the kids said, I suspect some of them may turn out to be next-generation cryptozoologists!

More on the Mande-Burung Expedition...

The CFZ's Richard Freeman talks about the forthcoming expedition to India in search of the Bigfoot-like Mande-Burung...

Crypto At The Anomalist

Sometimes, as you'll know, I link right here to articles on crypto that can be found at The Anomalist site. Well, over the last few days there has been such a wealth of stories on all manner of crypto-issues (Bigfoot, the new India expedition and much more), that it's probably easier (and quicker!) for me to just direct you to the site, rather than the individual links.

Monsters of Texas: Tonight

If you happen to be in Texas tonight, you may want to attend the lecture I'll be doing on my Monsters of Texas book (co-authored with good mate Ken Gerhard). Check out this link at Cryptomundo for all the details...

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

A Monstrous Q&A

I was recently interviewed extensively about my cryptozoological investigations by the British-based website Paranormal The Otherside. We covered a lot of ground, such as how I got into crypto, my expeditions to Puerto Rico in search of the Chupacabras, the Patterson-Bigfoot film and much more.

Here's the link for those who may be interested.

The CFZ 2010 Expedition

This is excellent news: over at Cryptomundo, Loren Coleman alerts us to the fact that there's a new expedition on the horizon: to India, in search of the Mande Burung, a creature that may represent "a relic Gigantopithecus population."

Here's Loren to tell you more.

And, here's Jon Downes with the full story on the quest:

"On 31st of October the CFZ 2010 expedition leaves England. They will be exploring the Garo Hills in Northern India in search of the mande-burung or Indian yeti. The five-man team consists of team leader Adam Davies, Dr Chris Clark, Dave Archer, field naturalist John McGowan, and cryptozoologist Richard Freeman.

"The creatures are described as being up to ten feet tall, with predominantly black hair. Most importantly, they are said to walk upright, like a man. Walking apes have been reported in the area for many years. These descriptions sound almost identical to those reported in neighbouring Bhutan and Tibet. Witnesses report that the mande-burung, which translates as forest man, is most often seen in the area in November.

"The Garo Hills are a heavily forested and poorly explored area in Meghalaya state in the cool northern highlands of India. The area is internationally renowned for its wildlife, which includes tigers, bears, elephants and Indian rhino and clouded leopards.

"The Indian team will be led by Dipu Marek, a local expert who has been on the trail of the Indian yeti for a number of years and has found both its nests and 19inch long `footprints` on previous occasions. The expedition team has also arranged to interview eyewitnesses who have seen the Mande-Burung.

"Camera traps will be set up in sighting areas in the hope of catching one of the creatures on film.

"The Mande-Burung may be a surviving form of a giant ape known from its fossilised teeth and jaw bones, called Gigantopithecus blacki, which lived in the Pleistocene epoch around three hundred thousand years ago. This creature is of course extinct. However, much contemporary fauna such as the giant panda, the Asian tapir and the Asian elephant that lived alongside the monster ape, still survive today. It is thought by many that Gigantopithecus also survives in the impenetrable jungles and mountains of Asia. Its closest known relatives are the Orangutans of Sumatra and Borneo.

"Last year the team, who investigate mystery animals all over the world, travelled to Sumatra in search of a small, bipedal ape known as the orang pendek. Dave Archer and local guide Sahar Didmus saw the creature and the group brought back hair that was later analysed by Dr Lars Thomas at the University of Copenhagen. The DNA proved to be similar to an orangutan's, an animal not found in that part of Sumatra."

Karl Shuker's Alien Zoo





Jon Downes tells us about the imminent release of Karl Shuker's new book, Alien Zoo:

"Ever since 1997, Alien Zoo, Dr Karl Shuker’s cryptozoology news column has been a regular feature in Fortean Times – the world’s premier magazine devoted to unexplained phenomena of every kind, and inspired by the writings and researches of scientific iconoclast Charles Fort.

"Dr Shuker has also penned many longer, more detailed ‘Lost Ark’ articles for Fortean Times, surveying an immense diversity of controversial and newly-revealed creatures worldwide. Today, not only are both of these long-running FT series hailed as cryptozoological classics but now, for the very first time, an extensive compilation of each of them has been meticulously prepared by Dr Shuker, incorporating numerous remarkable illustrations (including many rare or previously-unpublished examples), and presented here in book form.

"So if the weather outside is wet and windy, or even if it’s fine but you’ve nowhere exciting to go, how would you like to visit a mesmerising realm of monsters and mystery beasts from the comfort and safety of your very own armchair?

"Where can you meet alien big cats and snake-headed dogs, resurrected thylacines and death worms from the Gobi, nightgrowlers and goatsuckers, lake monsters a-plenty and sabre-tooths alive-o, paradise parrots and rainbow serpents, glowing lizards and donkey-eared deer, sachamamas and curupiras, whale-chomping sea monsters and murderous jellyfish, giant rats and New York sqrats, rock-painted mermaids and unicorn bones, river dragons and elephant birds, blood-sweating horses and squids from the swamps, man-beasts, müshmurghs, and mapinguaries, didis, dodos, dodus, and dobhar-chús, orang pendeks and albatwitchers, Nessie teeth, yeti hairs, and archangel plumes, pouched skunks and pig ponies, duendes and cureloms, horse-eels and globsters, flying snakes and cats with wings, scratch monsters and shell monsters, mystery quails from New Zealand and mini-men from Maine, tigers in Tanzania and lions in Chile, sex-mad super-otters and cow-snatching tiger trees, seal mothers, ghoul cats, mouse-whales, and other Icelandic exotica, the lost songbirds of Audubon and new species from New Guinea, mokele-mbembes, kuil kaaxs, nittaewos, banakons, Saharan crocodiles, Birdzilla...and who knows what else too?

"In Karl Shuker’s Alien Zoo, that’s where! So what are you waiting for? Its gates are still open, so let’s go inside - right now!"

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Goat-Man Lives

Who says there's no Goat-Man at Lake Worth, Texas? There is - I met him/her/it this past weekend!


Holy Giant Penguins!

All-round Fortean Micah Hanks is hot on the trail of some very large birds:

"Among all feathery species of fowl that inhabit the Earth, the waddling penguins of the arctic are perhaps the least likely to strike fear into the hearts of men, let alone rank high on a list of potential cryptozoological wonders. There is good reason for this too, since there are few reports of large or otherwise anomalous circumstances that involve penguins; the biggest known species, the Emperor Penguin, stands at a mere four feet tall (actually, that’s fairly large, all things considered). However, new evidence of a fossilized penguin cousin discovered near the coast of Peru has painted a unique picture for archaeologists and ornithologists alike, depicting a massive bird that, unlike its cold-weather cousins of today, lived in a tropical climate. And yes, it was very large."

And here's the rest of Micah's post...

The Monster Bash

This past Saturday, me and good friend (and co-author on Monsters of Texas) Ken Gerhard headed out to Lake Worth, Texas, for the annual Lake Worth Monster Bash that celebrates the town's legendary Goat-Man that burst onto the scene in the summer of 1969, and which still attracts attention to this very day.

Last year was the first event, and such was the success of it, the organizers decided to make it a yearly gig. And, indeed interest in the Goatish one shows no signs of stopping: there was huge attendance throughout the day, far more vendors than last year, and a fun, relaxed vibe that made it a cool day.

Ken and I were on-hand to promote Monsters of Texas and to tell people about the history of the Lake Worth monster - and we also received a number of interesting accounts from people who had had their own encounters of the monstrous kind in Texas and elsewhere.

Here we are, after the gig, relaxing with a drink or two at a local hang-out place that is a favorite of me and my wife, Dana (who, not exactly being a fan of all-things crypto went shopping for clothes instead LOL). Ken is in the cowboy hat and I'm the one who looks half asleep...

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Australian Big Cats: Reviewed




Neil Arnold - the author of Monster!; The Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Kent; and Paranormal London, reviews the new book from Mike Williams and Rebecca Lang, Australian Big Cats: An Unnatural History of Panthers.

Over to Neil:


AUSTRALIAN BIG CATS: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY OF PANTHERS
Written By Mike Williams & Rebecca Lang
Published by Strange Nation ISBN 978-0-646-53007-9

Only a handful of books have ever been written about what are known in the UK as ‘alien big cats’. This is a term I’ve always despised. Some of the books written have been informative little booklets, or like Marcus Matthew’s Big Cats Loose In Britain (CFZ Press 2007) they’ve existed as a superb guide to local legends and headlines through each county. Karl Shuker’s now hard to find Mystery Cats Of The World was also a pioneering book at the time but since then not enough books have emerged on the subject.

So, step forward Rebecca Lang and Mike Williams, who have decided to write a book on the mystery cats of their native Australia. I’m sure many people didn’t even realise that Australia has a similar situation to the UK with its legends of large, feline predators, mind you, there are many countries across the world which have been plagued by cat flaps, but these stories are yet to form a manuscript.

Of all the books I’ve read on the ‘big cat’ mystery, Australian Big Cats is without doubt the finest. Even the most hardened of sceptics will enjoy this truly monstrous - and I mean monstrous at over 400 pages - read. Packed with fascinating eye-witness reports and data, Rebecca and Mike have also littered their work with some impressive photographs not just of huge paw-prints, slaughtered livestock and old newspaper reports, but fascinating photographs of the secretive animals themselves.

After reading this detailed tome, which is nigh on exhaustive regarding the Australian situation, you’ll be more informed of the media sensationalism which gave birth to legends such as the ‘Beast of Buderim’, the ‘Broken Hill Lioness’, the ‘Canterbury cat’, the ‘Kaiapoi Tiger’, and of course the ‘Emmaville Panther’ which has become a media darling to rival our very own ‘beasts’ of Exmoor, Bodmin and the like in Britain.

However, these Australian dwellers are not the stuff of foggy folklore, and exist in some reasonably impressive photographs, and of course that ever elusive film footage which seems, rather hilariously, to drive most big cat ‘researchers’ mad in their quest for their own Holy Grail. Rebecca and Mike look at the facts, and debate whether Thylacoleo carnifex - a large marsupial cat - could still exist thousands of years after its alleged extinction.

They examine reports of large cats escaping into the Australian bush, some as rumour, some as fact, backed up with photographs. The book eliminates the suspects, sifts through the mounting evidence, and also proves, startlingly, that the scrublands and forests of Australia are also inhabited by truly gigantic feral cats, one of which had its head blown off by a hunter. These monster moggies are a mystery in a field of their own, but are clearly no match for the eye-witness reports which suggest that black leopard and puma hide in the woodlands.

Written without bias, Australian Big Cats despite its size (and weight!) is an engrossing read (I read it straight through in two days), and it comes highly recommended. As a full-time researcher myself, I take my hat off to Rebecca and Mike for giving us a unique glimpse into what lurks in the shadows Down Under.

With so many eye-witness reports and evidence piling up, I’m pretty sure their sequel may not have to include the word ‘unnatural’ in its title, because surely it’s only a matter of time before such animals are taken seriously. And it’s books such as this which go a long way to aiding us in our quest for the truth. Get your paws on a copy now. Rating: 9/10. Available from Amazon.com. Neil Arnold, October 2010.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Fortean Times Unconvention








PRESS RELEASE: THE FORTEAN TIMES – UNCONVENTION 2010

UNCONVENTION RETURNS!


Ever since 1994, the Fortean Times UnConvention has been the world’s foremost gathering devoted to unexplained phenomena. Two weirdness-packed days of talks, workshops, experiments, music, comedy and lively discussion…

UnCon brings together the best expert speakers from around the world in a weekend of non-stop weirdness.

Ranging far and wide across the world of strange phenomena - from conspiracy theory to cryptozoology, from magic to monsters, from religion to rocket science...

UnCon is back in 2010 and will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Rendlesham UFO encounter, going in search of the Blue Dogs of Texas and exploring the fortean themes of Doctor Who - not to mention enjoying bawdy ballads from the 17th century and investigating ghostly encounters of the sexual kind!

There will be fortean shopping opportunities galore with a wide range of dealers, full cafe facilities and (watch this space!) some surprise extra events!

This will be the most extraordinary weekend of the year!

When: Saturday 23rd Oct / Sunday 24th Oct 2010

Where: University of Westminster - 35 Marylebone
Road, London NW1 5LS
(Opposite Madam Tussauds, nearest tube Baker Street)

Tickets: Day Tickets - £30 / Weekend Tickets - £50
(Plus booking fee)

Details:
- Two continuous streams of talks
- Special panel discussion
- Live PSI experiments
- Dealer room and fortean stalls
- Full bar and café

Website: www.forteantimes.com/uncon2010

Contacts

Events Marketing Manager
Tom Townsend-Smith: 020 7907 6112 / tom_townsend-smith@dennis.co.uk

Events Project Manager
Jemma Ryan: 020 7907 6470 / jemma_ryan@dennis.co.uk

Realm of Monsters

I'm pleased to announce that from the September/October issue onwards, I'm writing a regular column - titled Realm of Monsters - for the newsstand publication, TAPS Paramagazine. The premier article - the new issue has just been published - is on encounters with mermaids in the British Isles. Rather like a certain ex-girlfriend of mine from the late-1980s, the British mermaids look hot, but are truly malevolent, monstrous entities that should be avoided at all costs!

Chupa Chasing

I got home in the early hours of this morning after spending the afternoon and night in the heart of rural Oklahoma; specifically in the little town of Tecumseh, where - a few months ago - a photograph was taken of what has become known as a "Texan Chupacabras."

Of course, the Texan critters - that appear to be spreading northwards, hence the reports now coming out of Oklahoma - have nothing to do with the legendary beasts that first surfaced out of Puerto Rico in the mid-1990s (as this post from me at Mania.com shows).

Rather, the Texas/Oklahoma animals are hairless coyotes - DNA testing has proven this, and has also proven that there is evidence of wolf DNA present in some cases. But, unknown animals they are not. However, a number of witnesses have suggested that these beasts seem to demonstrate evidence of physical mutation - the most prevalent example being the claim that the animals have forelimbs that are far shorter than one would expect to find in "normal" coyotes. The result: they seem to hop around in Kangaroo-style.

Well, I have examined a couple of corpses of these critters and even possess the skull of one (which, to the dismay of my wife, Dana, stares forth eerily from a shelf in our living-room); however, I have not had the opportunity to examine a body that displays evidence of the shortened limbs. But, last night I was shown a photograph of the Tecumseh whatsit that does appear to show an animal - loping across the landscape - with extraordinarily short front limbs.

And so, it was the sightings of the creature that prompted Fox News to call and ask if I would be interested in taking part in a quest to find the beast - well, of course I would! And that's precisely what happened yesterday.

We didn't find the animal, but we did speak with the primary witness who took the photo, and we spent 3 or 4 hours roaming around the surrounding fields and woodland, and secured photographs and film-footage of some interesting paw-prints.

As well as appearing on Oklahoma's Fox News station shortly, the feature will also appear online; and so when it does, I'll post the link here, where you'll be able to judge the photograph for yourself.

It would have been highly appropriate, while negotiating the darkened roads post-witching-hour, for me to have seen the infamous entity crossing the road in front of my car - sadly, it was not be! At least, not yet...

Monday, September 27, 2010

Four-Teans Blog

Last year, I reviewed a small, and highly entertaining book written by Colin Stott titled Four-Teans go to Ness, which told the story of a trip that Colin and three of his mates made to monster-hunting central, Loch Ness. Very much a road-trip-style book, it skilfully captured the flavor of the adventure and made for fun reading (here's the link to my review of Colin's book).

And now, the Four-Teans have their very own blog where you can follow their escapades of the monstrous kind.

Goat-Man: A Reminder

As a quick reminder: this Saturday at Lake Worth, Texas, myself and good friend Ken Gerhard (who co-wrote Monsters of Texas with me) will be lecturing at the annual Lake Worth Monster Bash that celebrates the weird series of encounters with his Royal Goatiness that manifested around the lake back in the summer of 1969, and that is still occasionally seen to this day.

Here's the link for all the data (click on the Monster Bash section for more information). Last year's gig was good fun, with vendors, a band, and much more. Even my wife, Dana - who is hardly a fan of cryptozoology, LOL - had a good time!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Is This The Flatwoods Monster?





There can be few very people within the realms of cryptozoology and ufology that have never heard of the so-called Flatwoods Monster, or Braxton County Monster, of 1952 - a story that is told in-depth in Frank Feschino's 2004 book, The Braxton County Monster: the Cover-Up of the Flatwoods Monster Revealed.

And as Feschino notes in his book: "On the night of September 12, 1952, a shocked American public sought answers when strange unidentified objects were seen flying through the sky over Washington, DC, and the eastern United States..."

He continued: "One of the strange objects crash-landed on a rural hilltop in Flatwoods, West Virginia..." Feschino also noted that a group of schoolboys were witness to the descent of the device and, with two adults, "...headed off to look for the object. Soon a twelve-foot tall being from the downed craft terrified these innocent people."

So, what was the monstrous entity? A cryptid? An alien? Some form of definitively Fortean beast? Or something else? Over the years, a whole range of theories have surfaced, and, as with so many such cases, the debate continues.

Indeed, check out this link and you'll see that over at UFOMystic, good friend Greg Bishop has dug deep into this puzzle, and has addressed another angle - namely that relative to the involvement of Remotely-Piloted Vehicles of a definitively terrestrial nature.

And, on this latter point of the Machiavellian hand of officialdom possibly playing a role in the Flatwoods affair, I stumbled across something the other day that makes me wonder if it may well have some bearing on what was seen at Flatwoods.

Call me crazy (and doubtless some will!), but I think the following data - which is directly relative to the use of superstitions and paranormal entities and ideas in warfare - may well have a bearing on the diabolical beast of Flatwoods.

A couple of days ago, I obtained a copy of an April 14, 1950 RAND publication titled The Exploitation of Superstitions for Purposes of Psychological Warfare, written by Jean M. Hungerford, for the the U.S. Air Force.

The 37-page document is a truly fascinating one and delves into some very strange areas. But, what really caught my eye, was a section of the document that quoted from a book titled Magic: Top Secret, which was written in 1949 by one Jasper Maskelyne, a fascinating character (as the name-link demonstrates) who was up his absolute neck in new and novel ways to fool the enemy.

Hungerford quotes the following from Maskelyne in her report, which concerns a truly alternative psychological warfare operation that occurred during the Second World War, and less than a decade before the Flatwoods Monster was seen:

"Our men...were able to use illusions of an amusing nature in the Italian mountains, especially when operating in small groups as advance patrols scouting out the way for our general moves forward. In one area, in particular, they used a device which was little more than a gigantic scarecrow, about twelve feet high, and able to stagger forward under its own power and emit frightful flashes and bangs. This thing scared several Italian Sicilian villages appearing in the dawn thumping its deafening way down their streets with great electric blue sparks jumping from it; and the inhabitants, who were mostly illiterate peasants, simply took to their heels for the next village, swearing that the Devil was marching ahead of the invading English."

Hungerford continued to quote from Maskelyne's book in her report: "Like all tales spread among uneducated folk (and helped, no doubt, by our agents), this story assumed almost unimaginable proportions. Villages on the route of our advance began to refuse sullenly to help the retreating Germans, and to take sabotage against them; and then, instead of waiting for our troops to arrive with food and congratulations of their help, the poor people fled, thus congesting the roads along which German motorized transport was struggling to retire. The German tankmen sometimes cut through the refugees and this inflamed feeling still more, and what began almost as a joke was soon a sharp weapon in our hands which punished the Germans severely, if indirectly, for several critical weeks."

There are a number of issues worth noting here. First, the height of the Flatwoods Monster and the British Army's devilish scarecrow were the same: 12-feet. In addition, the cover of Frank Feschino's book shows the Flatwoods Monster emitting lights. And the 12-foot scarecrow in Italy gave off "frightful flashes and bangs" and had "great electric blue sparks jumping from it."

Second, the RAND report that specifically refers to this Italian escapade - that Jasper Maskelyne described in his Magic: Top Secret book - was prepared for psychological warfare planners in the U.S. Air Force. And, in his book on the beast of Flatwoods, Feschino notes that the Air Force took careful interest in the Flatwoods affair and what was being reported on the affair by the media.

The RAND report was submitted to the Air Force in April 1950, and Flatwoods occurred in September 1952. Is it possible that in this two-year period USAF psychological warfare planners created their very own - albeit updated and modified - version of the British Army's 12-foot-tall flashing monster to try and gauge what its reaction might be when unleashed upon an unsuspecting populace?

There's also the settings, too: the British Army's operation was focused on little, isolated villages in Italy. And Flatwoods is a little, rural town in Braxton County, West Virginia that, even as late as 2000, had a population of less than 350.

Those who suspect the the Flatwoods Monster was some form of cryptozoological creature, Fortean entity, or alien being, may well scoff at my speculations and musings.

However, when we can say for sure that the British Army was using 12-foot, illuminated scarecrow-style critters for psychological warfare reasons in the Second World War, is it really a stretch to think that the USAF might have tried something similar in 1952 with their very own 12-foot-tall freak?

One final thing: the foreword to Frank Feschino's book was penned by acclaimed ufologist, Stanton T. Friedman, who wrote the book Top Secret Majic (with a "j"). This should not be confused with Jasper Maskelyne's Magic Top Secret (with a "g)!