CRYPTO SQUAD USA

The CFZ: Novels and Forteana

2011-12-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

This is very good news: the Center for Fortean Zoology has set up yet another publishing company (alongside CFZ Press and Fortean Words). The new one is called Fortean Fiction and, as its name suggests, it's solely dedicate to publishing novels on matters of a Fortean nature.

You can find out all about Fortean Fiction at this link at the CFZ's blog, including a new title from the CFZ's Richard Freeman, and a title on the Loch Ness Monster.

RIP Sahar Dimus

2011-11-14T13:52:00.000-08:00

It's with sadness this evening that we learn of the death of the expert tracker Sahar Dimus.

The CFZ's zoological-director, Richard Freeman, writes these words:

February 3rd 1969- November 14th 2011

I first met Sahar in 2003 on the first of my trips to Sumatra in search of the orang-pendek. He was to be our chief guide and had been personally recommended by Debbie Martyr. I was surprised upon meeting him at hoe unassuming he was. A smiling, be-spectacled little man he could have easily passed for an accountant if dressed in a suit. A great example of how looks can be deceptive Sahar was a master of bushcraft and the most impressive guide I ever had in the jungle. He could tell what animal had passed and how long ago simply by the slightest disturbance of leaves that no one else would have noticed. He was immensely strong and fit and could carry huge weights up the steepest and most treacherous hills like an ant carrying a leaf up an anthill.

Not only that, he was a tiger shaman. His people held the tiger as a sacred animal, according to their tribal tradition the man who founded their tribe lived to a huge age before walking into the jungle and becoming a tiger. Tiger shaman are supposed to be able to call down the tiger spirit in tribal ceremonies. They are said to be able to look through the eyes of the tiger, observing far off things in the jungle and to become possessed by its spirit. Debbie herself had witnessed this and seen the happy, inoffensive Sahar turn into a feral, snarling dervish unrecognizable as himself.

He proved not only to be a great guide in the jungle but a great friend too. He was patient with slow bumbling westerners who found the terrain hard and the food harder. He held us spellbound around camp fires with stories of the jungle and the experiences of both himself and his late farther. He was a mine of information on both Sumatran folklore and wildlife.

So good was Sahar that we used him as chief guide all of the CFZ expeditions to Sumatra. We often stayed in his house at the foot of Gunung-Tuju with his lovely wife Lucy and his sons. Over our many trips we watched them grow up. His eldest Raffles was training to become a guide and accompanied us on our last expedition.

Sahar had lived and worked in the jungle for 14 years and had come across orang-pendek tracks and heard its call but never saw the creature until 2009 when he and Dave Archer encountered the creature in the clod forests of Gunung-Tuju. After the sighting he wept for a quarter of an hour due to the fact that he had no camera to capture an image of the beast on. Plans were afoot in 2011 to plant permanent camera traps in Kerinci Sablat National Park and had to pay Sahar to check the pictures each month.

On our last trip he seemed a little tired and slower than usual. His leg was hurting him. We all thought that in was nothing but age catching up with him and the rough terrain. I came home from the Fortean Times Unconvention 2011 to the news Sahar had died on 11th of November. He had been taken ill and was unable to walk. He was taken to hospital were apparently he was finding it hard to recognize people. He died shortly afterwards of what appears to be liver failure.

To me Sahar was Sumatra. He was just as much a part of Kerinci National Park as the lake, the mountain and the jungle. Sumatra and Sahar Dimus are inextricably linked in my mind; they are one in the same. Now he has gone it feels like a piece of Sumatra has died. The island can and will never be the same. He leaves behind him four children and a wife.

Goodbye old friend.

Sahar Dimus: Jungle guide, tiger shaman, orang-pendek witness and researcher.

Jersey Devil? Devil-Bat?

2011-11-14T13:48:00.001-08:00

Andrew Gable has alerted me to a strange tale from years long-gone - 1928 to be precise - of a weird "Devil-Bat"-type beast that seems to possess certain, distinct Jersey Devil-type overtones. Here's the link.

The Beast of Bowman Hill

2011-10-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

This just in from CFZ-USA's Andrew Gable:

A few days ago, I received a message from Johnathan Lackey describing a sighting, which took place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania of something that seems similar to many of the descriptions of the Garden State's most famous monstrous resident, the Jersey Devil.

It's interesting that several reports of the Jersey Devil made during the week of January 16-23, 1909 were made in Bucks County in Bristol, Wycombe and Morrisville. In fact, Wycombe is only three miles from where this sighting occurred.

The actual sighting took place in 1977, when Lackey was a resident of Levittown. While driving south of Bowman's Tower (a landmark on the border of Upper Makefield and Solebury Townships) a creature leapt from the right side of the road. The creature was about the color of a deer and roughly the size of a medium-sized dog.

It had a body similar in build to a greyhound, a monkey-like face (which seemed to have a sheen to it), a long tail with a black tip, and rather long legs. It seemed to have a pair of owl-like wings, which were kept motionless as it moved across the road, leapt, and glided down the hillside opposite where it had emerged.

The area where this was seen has its own share of weirdness. Although the derivation of the Bowman name is unclear, one of the theories is a Dr. John Bowman, a crewman of the notorious Captain Kidd who was believed to have settled in eastern Pennsylvania and supposed in legend to have buried a treasure on the hill the tower is on (of course, the association of phantom dogs and buried treasure is a long one). There was also a copper mine of unknown provenance, although probably of German construction, found on the hill by accident in 1854.

The Grease Devils

2011-09-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest post from the CFZ's Micah Hanks over at Mysterious Universe, where he tells the strange story of the monstrous Grease Devils...

In Search of Orang-Pendek

2011-09-09T08:22:00.001-07:00

The latest CFZ expedition to Sumatra - in search of the Orang-Pendek - has begun. And, as this link shows, this time it's a truly international quest to find the beast.

And here's Richard Freeman's second-of-two posts for England's Guardian newspaper on the creature-quest.

Attack of the Birds

2011-08-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

At her Animal Forteana blog, Regan Lee highlights a very weird and disturbing story of attacks by ravens on farm animals across the British Isles. Is it merely just due to the fact that Britain's raven population is growing and there's a need for more food? Or is something stranger and far more ominous going on? Here's the story.

Micah & Manimals

2011-07-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

The always-prolific and thought-provoking Micah Hanks addresses the potentially very disturbing issue of "Manimals..."

The CFZ's Weird Weekend - August 19-21

2011-07-28T11:33:00.001-07:00

This just in from Jon Downes at the Head-Office of the Center for Fortean Zoology:

For one weekend a year the tiny North Devon village of Woolsery becomes the weirdest village in the land. The largest gathering of scholars of esoteric natural history in the English-speaking world, is set to take place in rural north Devon. The Centre for Fortean Zoology’s annual conference, the Weird Weekend, will see speakers from all over the country gathering Woolsery to discuss their work and discoveries.

The Weird Weekend,held over the weekend of the 19-21st August, now in its 12 year is the largest convention of its kind. This year’s speakers include one of the world’s leading geneticists Professor Bryan Sykes. Professor Sykes will be speaking on the yeti and samples of hair he has tested. Continuing the theme, cryptozoologist Richard Freeman will be talking about the Centre for Fortean Zoology’s latest expedition that took them into the Garo Hills of northern India on the track of the yeti.

Last year at the convention scientists announced that hairs found in local woodland were those of a leopard. These findings were later confirmed by DNA analysis. A world exclusive this year comes from Dr Darren Naish from Portsmouth University and Max Blake from Bristol University who will produce conclusive proof that over 100 years ago there were still mystery cats in Devon.

Other speakers include Fortean researcher Matt Salusbury who has been on the track of pigmy elephants in India, entomologist Nick Wadham on giant spiders, cryptozoologist Adam Davies on the orang-pendek, the mystery ape of Sumatra, and Glen Vaudrey on the waterhorse, a sea serpent from Scottish legend.

As well as monstrous creatures, other esoteric subjects are covered. Former police officer John Hanson describes UFO cases reaching back to the 1940s.

Other subjects include Ronan Coghlan on the labours of Hercules, and Henry Hartley on Fortean aspects of the modern Mayans.

As well as a series of talks there will be stalls, workshops and events.

The Weird Weekend raises funds for village charities dealing with children and for the Centre for Fortean Zoology, the only full time organization in the world dedicated to the investigation of mystery animals.

The Weird Weekend takes place from 19th-21st of August.
For further details visit http://www.weirdweekend.org/
Or ring 01237 431413

NOTES TO EDITORS

* The Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ] is the world’s largest mystery animal research organisation. It was founded in 1992 by British author Jonathan Downes (52) and is a company limited by guarantee registered with HM Government.

* Life-president of the CFZ is Colonel John Blashford-Snell OBE, best known for his groundbreaking youth work organising the ‘Operation Drake’ and ‘Operation Raleigh’ expeditions in the 1970s and 1980s.

* CFZ Director Jonathan Downes is the author and/or editor of over 20 books. His latest book is Island of Paradise, his first hand account of two expeditions to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico in search of the grotesque vampiric chupacabra.

* The CFZ have carried out expeditions across the world including India, Russia, Sumatra, Mongolia, Guyana, Gambia, Texas, Mexico, Thailand, Puerto Rico, Illinois, Loch Ness, and Loch Morar.

* CFZ Press are the world’s largest publishers of books on mystery animals. They also publish Animals & Men, the world’s only cryptozoology magazine, and The Amateur Naturalist, Britain’s only dedicated magazine on the subject.

* The CFZ produce their own full-length documentaries through their media division called CFZtv. One of their films `Lair of the Red Worm` which was released in early 2007 and documents their 2005 Mongolia expedition has now been seen by nearly 90,000 people.

* The CFZ is based in Jon Downes’ old family home in rural North Devon which he shares with his wife Corinna (55). It is also home to various members of the CFZ’s permanent directorate and a collection of exotic animals.

* Jonathan Downes presents a monthly web TV show called On the Track which covers cryptozoology and work of the CFZ.

* Following their successful partnership with Capcom www.capcom.com on the 2007 Guyana expedition, the CFZ are looking for more commercial sponsors.

Serpents of the Sea

2011-07-19T11:51:00.001-07:00

At Mysterious Universe, Micah Hanks delves into those murky waters inhabited by strange creatures of the deep...

Bird-to-Bird Communication

2011-07-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

And yet another fascinating article from Micah Hanks...

Nessie Dead? Not Nessie-sarily

2011-07-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's Micah Hanks digs into the ever-controversial issue of Scotland's most famous mystery animal - Nessie, of course!

Cryptids, Tulpas & Cryptomundo

2011-06-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

Right now, over at Cryptomundo, there's a deep debate going on between me and various elements of the crypto-community on the merits (or otherwise!) of the theory that some (maybe even all) cryptid creatures are actually Tulpas. Not surprisingly, it's an issue that has provoked a wealth of debate. And it's an issue that the CFZ's Oregon-based rep, Regan Lee, has commented on, too, at her Animal Forteana blog.

Monster-Eels

2011-05-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's North Carolina rep, Micah Hanks, addresses the idea of some seemingly unknown, or unidentified, sea-beasts being giant-eels. Here's the link to Micah's thought-provoking post.

CFZ: The 2011 Yearbook Has Arrived!

2011-04-06T11:47:00.001-07:00

Just like (A) Santa, (B) a re-run of a Morecambe and Wise Christmas show (which will mean nothing to you, unless you hail from the British Isles!), and (C) lots of drunken people singing Auld Lang Syne, the Center for Fortean Zoology's Yearbook is a once-a-year phenomenon.

And, I'm very pleased to announce, the 2011 edition - edited by the capable, ink-stained hands of Jon Downes - has just been published. As always, it provides the reader with a good and varied selection of papers. Here's the full listing of the CFZ's 2011 Yearbook:

INTRODUCTION

TRUNKO: A Trio of World-Exclusives on ShukerNature. Here’s How It Happened! by Dr Karl Shuker

IN SEARCH OF THE HVERAFUGLAR by Glen Vaudrey

FLOGGING A DEAD HORSE: The Cryptozoological Aspects of the George Edalji Affair by Nick Redfern

INVENTED TRADITIONS AND REGIONAL IDENTITY: The case of the Black Dog of Bungay by Dr David Waldron

IN SEARCH OF THE BOLDON BRAG by Mike Hallowell

CRYPTOZOOLOGICAL ARTICLES FROM PARANORMAL MAGAZINE by Richard Freeman:

- DRAGONS: A LEGEND COME TO LIFE
- GOING UNDERGROUND - MONSTERS THAT NEVER WERE
- WENDIGO: WALKER ON THE WINDS
- THE THING ON THE DOORSTEP: MONSTERS IN YOUR BACKYARD
- THE BOGEY MEN OF THE PHILIPPINES
- THE BEASTS FROM BRAZIL

ON THE ALMASTY AND CENTRAL ASIAN WILDMEN by Dale Drinnon

THE AMPHISBAENA IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND by Richard Muirhead

A NOTE ON FRANK SEARLE AS RECALLED by Syd Henley

ON THE TRACK...OF HELLHOUNDS WHICH AREN’T BLACK! By Neil Arnold

FRESHWATER CEPHELAPODS - LIMITATIONS BY PHYSIOLOGY by Max Blake

ZOOLOGICAL CURIOSITIES FROM HARDWICKE`S SCIENCE GOSSIP PART 2 1868-1870 by Richard Muirhead

THE CRYPTOZOOLOGY OF POKÉMON (Generations 1-4) by Oll Lewis

CFZ USA 2010 Report by Nick Redfern

CFZ AUSTRALIA 2010 Report by Rebecca Lang and Mike Williams

CFZ ANNUAL REPORT 2010 by Jonathan Downes

If you're in Britain, you can buy the book here. And U.S. readers should click on this link.

Raven & Black-Dogs

2011-03-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Over at her Mysterious Haven blog, the CFZ's Michigan rep and good friend, Raven Meindel, delves deep into the legends of dastardly, glowing-eyed, paranormal hounds. As Raven says:

"From the haunting Moors of England to the distant forests of the Scottish Highlands and the mysterious Isle of Man in the Irish Sea, the legends have been passed down for generations. Stories of malignant, ghastly looking black hounds with glowing red eyes that roam the wastelands and plod through ancient forests in the night, baying and howling and bringing with them a supernatural feeling of ill will and bad omens. Locals are often frightened to the point of staying in doors for days on end and crossing themselves with holy water at the slightest mention of the foul beasts. In the late 1600's hundreds and early 1700's, they were often associated with witches, either accompanying them to black masses or being one in the same as shape-shifting counterparts."

And here's the link to the complete article.

Cthulhu News

2011-02-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

The CFZ's North Carolina's representative, Micah Hanks, delves into the world of H.P. Lovecraft's Great Cthulhu...

Cloaked Creatures

2011-02-19T09:07:00.001-08:00

Andrew D. Gable - the CFZ's rep for Pennsylvania and Maryland - addresses the macabre phenomenon of cloaked entities from the outer-edge.

Frame 352

2011-02-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

If you're into the stranger side of Bigfoot, remember to keep checking Regan Lee's Frame 352, where you will find some very thought-provoking posts on Sasquatch and the paranormal.

Bigfoot and the Government

2011-02-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a fascinating post I overlooked when it was published (last month). From the CFZ's North Carolina rep Micah Hanks, it digs into the murky world of Bigfoot and the Government...

Animal Forteana

2011-01-27T11:04:00.000-08:00

Keep checking Regan Lee's Animal Forteana site, as there are some fascinating new posts, including updates on the recent bird-deaths...

Mystery Bird Deaths

2011-01-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

Regan Lee addresses the weird - and growing - spate of bird deaths across the United States.

The Odor of the Owl

2010-12-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

Regan Lee delves into the surreal realm of the Odor of the Owl. And what on Earth, you may ask, is that??? Read on!

True Giants

2010-12-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

The CFZ's 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.

Yowie Terror

2010-12-22T06:43:00.000-08:00

And one more from Micah Hanks, who reported the following yesterday at his Gralien Report site:

"Last night, I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in a year-end review podcast with my friends Ben and Aaron of the Mysterious Universe website, a site for which I also frequently blog. During the conversation, we each were sharing our own unique 'top ten' favorite stories of the year, pertaining to strange and unusual happenings from around the world (since Ben and Aaron live in Australia, this certainly turned out to be a pleasantly global endeavor). Right off the bat, one of the benefits of having friends with mutual interests on the other side of the globe (and blogging for their site, to boot) is that you sometimes hear news from other locales sooner than mainstream news sources here in the U.S. can catch hold of it. Although nothing we discussed last night was 'breaking news' (since we were merely recounting some of our favorites stories of the last year), I still managed to hear some wild tales which, prior to our conversation, I had been unaware of."

And one of those wild tales is of a definitively cryptozoological nature. Here's the link!

Bigfoot Nests

2010-12-22T06:35:00.000-08:00

The CFZ's North Carolina rep, Micah Hanks, places under the microscope the controversy surrounding so-called Bigfoot Nests...

Christmas Greetings!

2010-12-22T06:33:00.001-08:00

From everyone at the Center for Fortean Zoology, here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a great 2011!!

Animal Omens

2010-11-29T11:11:00.000-08:00

Regan Lee with a new story of the animal-omen kind...

Eerie Oregon

2010-11-17T04:43:00.000-08:00

At her Trickster's Realm Page, which can be found at Binnall of America, Regan Lee has an excellent round-up of high-strangeness in her home-state of Oregon, including a couple of disturbing animal-based accounts...

Animal Attacks

2010-11-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

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...

And, at the blog, Regan has a new post on the curious increase in animal-attacks that is currently occurring...

Winged Wonders!

2010-10-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

In a brand new post which you can find at his Gralien Report site, Micah Hanks, the CFZ's Michigan rep, digs deep into the strange world of Mothman-type beasts that have been encountered at numerous places across the globe.

Micah says:

"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 brief extract has got you interested, then click here for the remainder of this intriguing tale...

Monster Penguins!

2010-10-04T09:45:00.001-07:00

The CFZ's Micah Hanks goes on the trail of Penguins of the VERY large kind and says:

"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 Micah continues right here...

Chupa and Chupa

2010-09-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

Micah Hanks - also known as the CFZ's North Carolina rep, and a good mate too! - delves into the world of the Chupacabras and how we define the beast - or how we don't!

Bigfoot: Kill Or No Kill?

2010-09-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

The always-controversial issue of whether or not we should resort to killing a Bigfoot to prove its existence is addressed by Regan Lee in a new post which can be found right here...

Human-Ape Hybrids

2010-09-17T09:18:00.001-07:00

Micah Hanks - the CFZ's North Carolina rep - has posted a new article to his Gralien Report site on the controversial issue of human-ape hybrids. Read on!

Of Raccoons and Owls...

2010-09-13T09:35:00.001-07:00

The CFZ's Oregon rep Regan Lee has two new posts at Animal Forteana: one on overly aggressive racoons, and the other one on high-strangeness of the owl kind...

Winged Things: The Sexual Angle

2010-09-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's North Carolina rep, and good friend, Micah Hanks has a good new post at his Gralien Report site that delves into the strange realm of winged monsters and the sexual component of many encounters with such beasts.

Micah begins thus: "Reports of winged beings have long been included in the more obscure reports of cryptozoological and ufological weirdness from around the world. Arguably, the most famous of all such incidents was detailed throughout John Keel’s investigations of the “Mothman,” which occurred in West Virginia in the late 1960s. Since that time, Mothman has become the predominant image in most people’s minds when it comes to envisioning a winged monstrosity of the cryptozoological variety. There are, however, other instances involving claims where such creatures have been witnessed, and though details about their existence are far more obscure, they bear a variety of similarities to folkloric traditions from various cultures around the world. Strangely, among these similarities are parallels having to do with the alleged creature’s interaction with their habitat and surroundings, as well as a prevalence of sexual aspects to their dealings with humans."

And here's the rest of Micah's post. Be sure to keep checking Micah's The Gralien Report as it's a first-class outlet on all-things-Fortean!

Crypto Illinois

2010-09-02T13:40:00.001-07:00

Well, directly in the wake of my announcement that Caroline Farrow will be serving as a rep for the CFZ in the state of Illinois, Caroline has set up her very own blog devoted to chronicling all the latest news, views and data in the cryptid world from her very own state.

Titled Lusus Naturae, the blog can be find right here - and, as you'll see, there's already one post available, on the subject of an out-of-place alligator.

Be sure to keep checking in at Caroline's blog, and I'll keep linking her latest revelations right here!

The Stranger Side Of Bigfoot

2010-08-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee, writes:

"Hi Nick. Hope all is well with you and your family. I contribute to a blog called The C-Influence Blog. Bruce Duensing, Lesley, Lon Strickler, etc. are on it as well as many others. The blog is 'esoteric discussion' among us bloggers. Lon wrote a great piece about 'paranormal' Bigfoot, and many of us, including myself, responded with articles of our own."

Lon's original article can be found here, and here's the follow-up postings from Regan, from Bruce Duensing, and from Eric Ouellet.

Collectively, this is an excellent addition to an aspect of the Bigfoot phenomenon that a lot of researchers of the phenomenon prefer not to deal with. In my opinion, however, it is, an aspect that deserves far more attention than it currently gets, and I'm very pleased to see it getting good, thought-provoking coverage at The C-Influence.

Caroline Farrow: CFZ Illinois

2010-08-31T11:08:00.001-07:00

I'm very pleased to announce that we have a new Center for Fortean Zoology representative: Caroline Farrow, of Chicago, who will be covering the state of Illinois. Caroline is also the Co-Founder and Media Director of the Chicago Paranormal Research Society.

In Caroline's own words: "I have been interested in the mysterious and the paranormal since my mother let me stay up way too late one night watching a documentary about Amityville when I was six. When I moved to Chicago I co-founded the Chicago Paranormal Research Society and have been investigating hauntings in the Chicagoland area since 2006. I am hoping to expand my investigations to include my other interests such as the fairy/UFO phenomena, earth mysteries, cryptids, and zooform phenomena. When I’m not poking around the Fortean realms, I enjoy art, physics, nature, travel, gardening, making jewelry and writing."

You can reach Caroline at: caroline@chicagoparanormal.org

We look forward to working with Caroline and will, of course, keep you fully updated of her crypto-work in Illinois!

Mutes in the UK

2010-08-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

Regan Lee, the CFZ's Oregon rep, reports on a story that is making big waves right now in the UK. It's a weird and disturbing one, and can be found right here!

Micah On Exploring All Realms

2010-08-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

Tonight's guest on the Exploring All Realms radio-show that I co-host with Raven Meindel will be the CFZ's North Carolina representative, my good mate, Micah Hanks.

Here's the link to the show.

We will, of course, be covering all of Micah's research, but cryptozoology is bound to rear its monstrous head!

Micah Hanks: A New Website

2010-07-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

As many of you will know, Micah Hanks is the North Carolina rep for the CFZ. However, Micah has many interests beyond cryptozoology, and here he is to tell you about his brand-new venture:

Greetings all,

Hope everyone's doing okay, and that you're all surviving the sweltering summer heat!

I wanted to take a moment to invite you (if you haven't visited already) to have a look at my new website, Politomatic:

http://www.politomatic.com

If you know me, you're already aware that I advocate common sense, not the partisan mentality that has stifled and separated so much of the American public today. I think that by being open-minded and advocating principles and integrity, rather than party-cheerleading and the ruse of "good guys vs bad guys" played by politicians and pundits alike, we can really move forward as a society. With the problems we face in government today (and have faced for the last several years), more and more people are devoting time and energy to understanding what's REALLY going on out there... being the political junkie that I am, I embrace diving into it all head-first.

That said, I welcome folks from all walks of life, just as I'd hope you might do for me, to have a look, or if you feel compelled, to share your perspectives on the site and its content. Also, as things develop more and I can get this (slowly but steadily-moving) endeavor off the ground, I'd love to call on a few of you for assistance with certain aspects of it. On that front, there'll be more to come as it develops...

Thanks for all your support, and for the insights I hope I've encouraged you to provide.

Warm regards,

Micah A. Hanks

Micah Hanks: A New Post

2010-07-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

Over at Mysterious Universe, the CFZ's North Carolina representative, Micah Hanks, has a new post titled Attack of the Amorphous Monster: When Things Aren’t What They Seem.

And if that has raised your curiosity level (and it should!), here's the link to the complete article.

Forteana & Animals

2010-05-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee has established a new blog that offers great things relative to the Fortean side of zoology and cryptozoology. As you'll see, there are several intriguing articles posted already, including the weird story of an equally weird deer...

And there's also this new post from Regan on the Pink Handfish...

A Bigfoot Gig

2010-05-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

CFZ Oregon rep, Regan Lee, provides information on what looks to be a very good upcoming Bigfoot conference...

Of White Wolves...

2010-04-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's Oregon rep Regan Lee has a mysterious and insightful new post...on a strange white wolf she encountered in the dream-state. Check it out...

Micah and Monsters

2010-04-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Good friend and N.C. rep for CFZ-USA, Micah Hanks, relates the dark tale of his investigation of the legendary Lizard-Man...

Holy Giant Grasshoppers!!!

2010-04-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

Regan Lee has a fascinating and weird story to relate that is definitively Fortean in nature and very personal. And with that tantalizing bit of background information revealed, here's the story!

Raven and MonsterQuest

2010-03-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's Michigan representative, Raven, provides us with her take on Wednesday night's (final) episode of MonsterQuest: on werewolves and the notorious Gable Film.

Raven begins:

"Good morning everyone.

"Firstly, Id like to thank you for all the compliments I have been receiving about my part in the expedition for MonsterQuest. I had a great time out there with the crew and team, and learned a lot about being on film as well. (As some of you already know, this was my very first exposure on national television. )

"The first thing I learned was that the camera really DOES add ten pounds, and wearing 30 pounds of cold weather and rain gear is NOT flattering to my hips and shoulders. It made me look like an offensive linebacker for the New York Jets! The Raven was not happy!

"That being said......

"Though I haven't read through all of my emails yet, I have seen several this morning that concerned me and I really would like to put my two cents in about the whole MonsterQuest/Gable controversy especially regarding my friend and one of my mentors in this field,Linda Godfrey."

And here's the entire post...

Cougars on the Loose!

2010-03-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

No, not hot women of a certain age! These are real cougars. You know: the four-legged kind that will do a hell of a lot of damage if you get too close to them (or vice-versa).

And, as Regan Lee demonstrates, they're seemingly getting bolder by the day...

A Wolfman at Monster Quest

2010-03-17T05:48:00.000-07:00

The CFZ's Michigan rep, and good friend, Raven (of Raven's Mysterious Haven) has an announcement. In Raven's own words...

"If you would like to check out the episode of MonsterQuest that I participated in, it is entitled America's Wolfman and it will air on March 24th on the History channel. You may want to check your local listings for air times.

"I have to tell you guys, this was one of the most memorable times in my life thus far. Those of you who know me personally, know that I and my family have suffered a tremendous amount of loss accompanied by overwhelming stress in the past two years, and this project came as both a healing intermission and a wonderful experience which I will never forget.

"The film/production crew and everyone on the expedition were fantastic! I dont think I have ever laughed so much in my entire life. What a great bunch! We had so much fun in between filming! They have become a dear part of my heart and hopefully lifelong chums as well. I truly hope our paths come together again in the future.

"I hope this post finds you all enjoying this beautiful spring-like weather. Many blessings to you. Your Mistress of the Mysterious, Raven M."

The Newport Crtitter

2010-03-17T05:45:00.000-07:00

Regan Lee demonstrates that a certain well-known beast is making an increasing foothold in developed areas...

J.D. and the Texas Chupacabras

2010-03-16T07:35:00.001-07:00

As many followers of this blog will be aware, Jon and Corinna Downes have been in the US for the last week, and will be around until next Sunday, when they fly back to England. And, as many of you will also know, the purpose of their trip is to undertake an extensive investigation of the so-called "Texas Chupacabras" reports - an investigation arranged by Richie and Naomi West, a great couple who me and Dana got to meet and hang out with over the course of the last two days.

Jon, Corinna, Naomi and Richie drove up to stay with us on Sunday morning, and the 5 of us then headed out to Valley Ranch, where Jon was due to lecture on the subject of the aforementioned "Texas Chupacabras" for the Dallas-Fort Worth MUFON group - a lecture that was very well attended, that attracted a lot of interest, and which saw Jon talk extensively about both the Texas beast and its Puerto Rican counterpart.

Then, yesterday, it was a trip to White Rock Lake, Dallas (the reported home of several giant-catfish and possibly a large alligator), followed by a visit to Dealey Plaza and the infamous Grassy Knoll, where JFK was assassinated by...well, take your pick: there's plenty of candidates to choose from!

But, before we knew it, the day was over, and it was time for Jon, Corinna, Naomi and Richie to depart, to head south, and to prepare for the next step of their quest. But, it was very good to see Mr and Mrs D again, even if just for a couple of days, and Naomi and Richie have great plans for future CFZ-based activities here in the US. Keep watching this space...

And, finally, here's Corinna's report on the weekend...

Jon & Corinna in the USA

2010-03-04T05:55:00.000-08:00

Some time tomorrow, Jon and Corinna Downes will be flying from Heathrow Airport, England into Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport; which is just a 20-minute drive from our home.

The reason? To embark on an ambitious 2-week-plus expedition/project (which could never be undertaken without the very kind and generous support, help and coordination of Richie and Naomi West, who Jon and Corinna will be staying with) to dig deep into the mystery of the Texas "Blue Dogs;" or "Texas Chupacabras," as the beasts have become known.

Jon and Corinna have set up a blog to chronicle there adventures right here in the heart of the Lone Star State, which can be found at this link. And me and Dana will be seeing them for a few days when Jon rides his stallion into town to speak for the Dallas-Fort Worth MUFON group about his research into the Blue-Dogs and the Puerto Rican Chupacabras.

The dynamic duo of Jon and Corinna will be regularly updating the new blog; so you'll be able to keep a regular eye on what's afoot in the world of Mr. and Mrs. D and the Blue Dogs.

Is America ready for Jon Downes to be unleashed upon the nation? Can Texas survive? Only time will tell!

A Chupacabras Study

2010-02-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

Regan Lee alerts us to a new article she has just posted on-line that details the results of an extensive study into that most-mysterious of all unknown critters: The Chupacabras.

Gathering Vultures

2010-02-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

The CFZ's Texas representative Naomi West has sent us some cool footage that her husband, Richie, took showing an amazing number of vultures congregating in the skies near their home recently. Check it out!

Regan & Chupas

2010-01-25T11:17:00.000-08:00

Our Oregon representative, Regan Lee, has written a good, new post on the controversy surrounding the Chupacabras, and which can be found at her Frame 352 blog by clicking on this link.

News from Oregon

2010-01-04T09:15:00.001-08:00

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee, highlights a forthcoming Bigfoot symposium; and, in addition to that, she has created yet another blog - this one dedicated to artwork of the alien kind.

Derek Grebner Q&A

2009-12-28T07:57:00.000-08:00

Oll Lewis - of the British Head-Office of the CFZ - interviews our Illinois rep, Derek Grebner, on his cryptozoological interests: you can check it out right here!

Monsters of Texas...

2009-12-21T09:25:00.001-08:00

So, I hear you ask: what is Monsters of Texas? All will soon be revealed...

Regan Lee: Latest Blogs

2009-12-21T09:17:00.001-08:00

As usual, the CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee, is blogging like a woman possessed! But that's a good thing, of course! How does she do it? Caffeine? Directions from a spectral Bigfoot? Orders from the Space-Brothers? Who knows, but it's working!

Here's Regan's latest, in her own words:

New posts at The Orange Orb, including sketches of Mothman I've been playing with. Also at Mothman Flutterings.I've discovered a Bigfoot blog: Linda Newton-Perry's Bigfoot Ballyhoo. I comment on it at Frame 352.Sklaire Alvegren has a neat video interview and other good news, as I comment on at Women Of Esoterica.Tim Binnall's site, BoA, has given us esoteric columnists two weeks off, so no new columns which is a good thing, really. More time to relax and become truly inspired, with fresh Forteana for the new year! But you can always listen to the podcasts and visit the forum, as well as read previous columns.A few posts on Contactees at Vintage U.F.O.

New From Ohio

2009-12-21T09:05:00.000-08:00

As you'll know, Brian Parsons covers crypto-research for the CFZ in Ohio. Well, the good news is that we have yet another devotee of all-things cryptozoological who will be doing work for the CFZ: Bobby Nelson, who can be contacted at: toledo_paranormal@hotmail.com

Bobby had his first paranormal experience when he was just 5 years old; this experience sparked a curiosity that could not be ignored, leading him to investigate the unknown. With 10 years of paranormal investigations under his belt Robert Nelson has explored all aspects of the paranormal from UFO’s, Cryptids, Ghosts and psychical research.

Robert is an avid researcher on all topics of the paranormal and has a passion for the history of this field. He currently is the Co-Founder of Phase 3 Paranormal, a group dedicated to helping those experiencing paranormal activity.

He is also the Host of an Internet radio show Strange Frequencies Radio twice a week dealing with all paranormal topics. Robert is also the Toledo Parapsychology Examiner, writing articles on various paranormal topics; and the founder of the Toledo Society of Psychical Research.

With aspirations to open a museum devoted to the paranormal, Robert also collects various paranormal casts, gaffs, and relics he affectionately has dubbed Bobby’s Oddities.

Keep a look-out for Bobby's work right here!

A Bigfoot Hoax

2009-12-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee, writes:

Hi Nick,

I have a new post at Frame 352 concerning a comment left by a reader who tells me that Flix, the white "monster" or Bigfoot creature -- said to have come from a spaceship and have telepathic abilities -- was a hoax. I respond.

Was Flix a hoax?

http://paranormalbigfoot.blogspot.com/2009/12/was-flix-hoax.html

Thanks, Regan

The New A&M

2009-12-15T05:03:00.001-08:00

The new issue of the CFZ's in-house magazine, Animals & Men, is now available, and as always contains some great material. Check it out!

Cattle Mutes Are Back

2009-11-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

CFZ Oregon rep Regan Lee has a new post on one of the most puzzling mysteries of all time: cattle mutilations...

Regan & Dreams

2009-11-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

An interesting and intriguing new post from the CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee, that provokes "Thunderbird'-style imagery and much more...

Gable News

2009-11-16T11:06:00.000-08:00

This just in from Andrew Gable, CFZ rep for Pennsylvania and Maryland.

In Andrew's own words:

A few of interest. First, one on Bigfoot and UFOs. http://masksofmesingw.blogspot.com/2009/11/incident-at-liesenring-and-other.html

And one you particularly might take interest in, is on my trip to the Union Canal in Reading. Possibly the coincidences connecting it to the Man-Monkey thing go even further: http://masksofmesingw.blogspot.com/2009/11/trip-to-lock-49.html

Andrew D. Gable
CFZ USA State Rep ~ Pennsylvania & Maryland
http://twitter.com/CryptoPA ~
http://masksofmesingw.blogspot.com ~
http://cryptoweb.wikispaces.com

Blue Dog Project Latest

2009-11-02T06:28:00.000-08:00

Here's an excellent new video that details the great work that Richie and Naomi West are doing with respect to the Texas "Blue Dog" controversy. I'm very pleased to say that Naomi and Richie have become major figures in the CFZ and are doing excellent work to build up the group in the US. Many thanks, guys!

A Ghostly Cat

2009-11-02T05:55:00.001-08:00

And another interesting and thought-provoking post from Regan Lee:

A Half Cat Ghostly Hallucination

I had a very strange experience this morning. I was in the kitchen, at the sink, and saw my white cat, Sno-boy, walk by me, almost touching me. He was on his way to the laundry room, where the litter box is. I almost said "Hey, Snowy" aloud, but didn't.

I turned back to the sink for literally a second, then turned back, and he was gone. If he had walked back, I would have seen him...then it all came to me in a rush how weird the whole thing was.For one thing, I had only seen half of his body; the back half.

For another, he walks very slowly, he's twelve years old and our "rummy cat" -- too much fighting through the years, pretty much feral when we rescued him at four years of age. He doesn't exactly bound around with lightness and joy. (However, he's a big sweetie.)

And, he rarely goes back there to the laundry room to use the litter box; he hates using the litter box, and will wait to go outside. It is very unusual for him to go to his box in the daytime, or any time, really.I check to see if he's in the house, and I find him sound asleep, curled up on the bed.

There isn't any way he could have walked by me in the kitchen and have made it to the bedroom, gotten into that position and fast asleep in just three seconds or so.The whole thing was really odd.

I had never seen something that was so solidly there, (I've felt, heard and smelled ghosts -- I know, that last one sounds funny -- and seen misty apparitions, but never seen anything so solidly present)I mean, the cat was right there! I didn't think I might have, I did.Just a weird thing all around. And scary, because of course, my thought now is, am I going nuts or is there some strange glitch going on in my brain?

I will say, that of all the cats I've had, Sno-boy is the one I've had intense moments of telepathic communication with. I had it once with my cat Shiva, who was an amazing animal, but more so with Sno-boy. With both cats I've had occasions where a sudden, sharp image was "inserted" into my mind, with a strong message/feeling attached to it, as if the cats had projected a clear picture of what was bothering them into my mind.

For example, when Shiva was alive, we had five cats. We had just brought another cat into our home. It was clear Shiva was disturbed in some ways about this but not overly so. One night, we were all on the bed, and I felt Shiva staring at me. I looked at him, and felt (almost heard) a sharp "click" and little flash of light, and saw an image of all the cats in strange positions, all jumbled up together. A telepathic message came with that image; what was disturbing him was the rearrangement of space now that Sno-boy was in the house. Shiva didn't like having to figure out new territories. This all happened in just moments.

There have been other moments as well. When we rescued Sno-boy from abusive neighbors, I knew what had happened to him. I saw it in my mind. Sno-boy had been allowed to roam freely in the neighborhood at all hours, including severe snowstorms, and he wasn't neutered. Suddenly, he was gone. I knew the neighbors had taken him to the pound. I went there, and sure enough, he was there. Turns out the neighbors had brought him into the pound, saying he was a stray that they had caught on their property. Liars, and illegal. They did this because the cat was sick; (and they were creeps) he had a gunky eye infection, but it was something that could easily be taken care of.

The day before I noticed Sno-boy missing (for he'd hang around our porch all the time) I had the same kind of feeling I had with the other moments of communication: that click/flash in my head. I just had this strong, electrical feeling that Sno-boy was outside the back door. I opened it, and he was just sitting there, staring at me, at the bottom of the steps. He didn't move, he didn't make a sound. He just sat there, staring at me, and I "heard" him tell me this was his last chance, and I needed to take him, now. I wanted to, but couldn't justify stealing someone's cat. (Now that I know what I know, I would have just taken him right then.)

I told him I was sorry, but he wasn't ours, and closed the door. Fortunately, things worked out and Sno-boy has been our cat for some time now. He's happy and healthy and has brought us a lot of happiness.

Mothman & Regan

2009-11-02T05:52:00.000-08:00

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee has a new post titled Mothman Like Being at Blueberry Lake?

As Regan says:

Half listening to Coast to Coast last Halloween night. C2C was having its annual “Ghost to Ghost” show, with callers sharing their ghostly experiences. One caller had an interesting story about a winged, humanoid creature following a friend of his at Blueberry Lake.

(I seem to remember the caller mentioning the Bellvue area of Washington state, where lots of weird things have been going on for some time, but as I said, was half listening and so not sure of the location. I know there’s a Blueberry Lake resort back east in Vermont, for example…if anyone was listening to the program last and remembers, I’d like to hear from you.).

I was a little surprised the host, Ian Punnett, didn’t mention Mothman, nor did the caller, but Punnett did reference Thunderbirds.

It was a good story; person walking alone, at night, in a lonely part of Blueberry Lake, and hearing the dsitinct sounds of someone following him, or tracking him, from within the brambly blueberry bushes lining the lake.

The caller described the sounds as bare feet slapping down on the pavement. When he ran, the unseen creature ran, when he slowed down, so did the creature. When he got away from the bushes and closer to home, he heard a tremendous whoosing sound of wings above his head.

Here's the original link.

Sites & Blogs

2009-10-28T14:02:00.001-07:00

Good news: Ken Gerhard (who, don't forget, is featured on The Real Wolfman on the History Channel tonight) has a new website devoted to his crypto-work. And the CFZ's Michigan rep, Raven Meindel, has a new blog. Check 'em out!

Tomorrow Night: The Real Wolfman

2009-10-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night, the History Channel broadcasts a 2-hour show called The Real Wolfman, which tells the strange, intriguing and notorious story of the Beast of Gevaudan.

The star of the show (the beast aside, of course!) is good friend - and Texas-based CFZ rep - Ken Gerhard, who sets off to France in an effort to try and resolve the puzzle.

Ken has told me a lot about the show over the last few months, and it sounds like it will be an excellent production.

Here's the link for times etc, for those who may want to watch the show.

Animal Aggression

2009-10-08T07:48:00.001-07:00

A very interesting new post from Andrew Gable on unexplained animal aggression.

Naomi's Spectral Rat

2009-10-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

From Texas-based CFZ rep, Naomi West, comes a tale of ghostly proportions:

"The coolest thing happened to me this past weekend: the renter in my old house saw the ghost of one of my rats. She wasn't even sure what it was exactly, except that she saw it and then suddenly it wasn't there. Then she put it together. You can read about it here:http://westruth.blogspot.com/2009/10/weird-weekend.html

"And I apologize for ripping off the Weird Weekend title but it was a wonderfully weird weekend for me. Honestly, it was difficult for me to post this on my blog: belief in ghosts for (American) Christians of my tradition is pretty taboo. Belief that God would send me a personal sign sounds silly to those that don't believe in a personal God. So...I posted this risking both ridicule and disapproval. (You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?? ;o)"

Fortean Bison

2009-10-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

Another thoughtful post from Oregon's CFZ rep, Regan Lee. And in case you're wondering where the accompanying photograph comes from, by a curious coincidence (or, perhaps, by a synchronicity?), my wife, Dana and I attended the first Goat-Man celebratory event at Lake Worth, Texas this past weekend - which also happens to be home to a large herd of bison. Dana took a few photos of the mighty beasts, never thinking that we might need to use one or two of them one day. But, now, I suppose we do!

And now to Regan:

"A gruesome and sad story with Fortean elements from South Dakota. Bridgewater South Dakota became overwhelmed by the stench of over 44 tons of rotting bison meat. The owner of the meat processing plant abandoned his business, leaving behind tons of frozen bison meat. Electricity was shut off for nonpayment, though the meat stayed frozen through the severe Dakota winters.

"When spring and summer arrived, the meat thawed. It didn’t just thaw; it literally 'liquified.' The stink of decomposing bison flesh was worse than 'rotten [human] bodies' said the mayor.

"Some said the scent was like road kill. The mayor said he spent two tours of duty in Vietnam and could not recall smelling anything as bad. 'This is worse than rotten bodies,' [mayor] Barattini said.

"Going in a Fortean, slightly esoteric direction, we can say all those bison were sacrificed for nothing; the symbolism of the bison as an animal of strength, abundance and nurturing gift to indigenous peoples is contrasted with the legacy of man’s greed and disrespect for both non-human and human beings."

Eastern Shore Bull-Beggars

2009-10-05T11:11:00.001-07:00

We have a new post from Andrew Gable today, who says:

In Ghost Stories From the American South, W.K. McNeil recounts a folktale gathered from a man by the name of Mart Rankin: "I was batchin' then, up there in Virginia. Been out on my horse, and my little dog had followed me. When I got to the lane -- guess I was about two hundred yards from the end of it -- I spied two men. They was walkin' together purty fast, keepin' step. I watched 'em. They had four times as far to go as I did. I kept on watchin' them an' never took my eye off of 'em till they got to the lane. Then the little old dog jumped a rabbit, and I turned to look.That quick they disappeared or turned into somethin', one. They was a black thing about the size of a sheep thrashed around an' took up through the field, tearin' up brush heaps where there wasn't no brush heaps an' makin' a lot of noise. It didn't look like nothin' I'd ever seen. Don't know what it was, but they had turned into it."

Another book of folktales, Virginia Folk Legends, recounts a tale gathered from Mrs. R.V. Brayhill: "My grandfather Pernell had a large farm and in those days the farms all had to be fenced and the cattle run outside [the fence]. And between his farm and the Crysel farm was a haunted woods. The road was a narrow wagon road going through a thick pine forest between the two farms, and often people had seen and heard things as they pass[ed] through this pine thicket. My mother and my Aunt Bittish said that often as they went over this road at night that they would hear the most pitiful cry, as if someone were in distress, and then an animal that resembled a big black bear would brush by them and then it would suddenly vanish.And one time the fence around the farm caught fire about three o'clock in the morning. And Aunt Bitty saw the fence burning and she come running over to my father's to get him and my brothers to go help put the fire out. And as she was coming through the pine forest there was something that looked like two men came running behind her, and as they passed her they suddenly disappeared. Bitty said she was scared almost to death, but it was closer to my father's than it was back home, and she was through the haunted woods. So she came running to my father's for help. The family left the haunted farm and went to another community."

A last bit of information regarding this is contained in An Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katherine Briggs:

"Its meaning is unspecified, but it did not perish with the 16th century, for there is still a Bullbeggar Lane in Surrey, which once contained a barn haunted by a bullbeggar, and traditions of a bullbeggar who haunted Creech Hill near Bruton in Somerset were recollected by Ruth Tongue from oral tradition in 1906 and published by her in County Folk-Lore (vol. VIII, pp. 121-2). In the 1880s two crossed bodies were dug up in quarrying operations, and crumbled to dust when they were exposed to the air. For some unexplained reason they were supposed to have been a Saxon and a Norman, and after this finding, Creech Hill had a bad name and was supposed to be haunted by following footsteps and a black uncanny shape. A farmer coming home late one night saw a figure lying on the road and went to its help. It suddenly shot up to an uncanny height and chased him to his own threshold. His family ran to his rescue and saw it bounding away with wild laughter. Another night traveller was attacked on Creech Hill and held his own from midnight to cock-crow with the help of an ashen staff. This bullbeggar was considered a bogy or bogey-beast rather than a ghost because two bodies were found."

While I'm not certain where in the state these stories were gathered, in Accomack County there is a Bullbegger Creek. This is on the peninsula of Virginia on the eastern shores of the lower Chesapeake Bay. Sightings of Bigfoot and so-called "devils" have surfaced from the adjacent regions of Maryland's Eastern Shore.Not Pennsylvania or Maryland, but close enough to be irresistible. Just by virtue of the name, I'll be needing to keep my eyes open as to things at Bullbegger Creek.

And we also have this new one from Andrew too, who is doing some excellent research!

Bovine Curiosities

2009-09-25T07:06:00.001-07:00

CFZ Illinois rep Derek Grebner has prepared a lengthy, new post titled Bovine Curiosities, which I'm pleased to reproduce in full below. Enjoy!

"It is amazing what small matters will entertain a man who is tied to his post and involved in a mind numbing activity. It fell to my lot to mow a 50 acre field of oats stubble. For my readers who are not familiar with the process of farming and preparing land for the winter.

"What needs to be done to an oats field is after the oats has been harvested in midsummer the ground cover will return and grow, and with that comes weeds that will grow to a great height and these weeds must be cut off before they go to seed in early fall.

"So sitting in a tractor with circulated air conditioning which means that if I was to try and dull my boredom by lighting up my beloved Marlboro's and killing myself slowly, then the inside of the tractor would smell of the stale smoke for weeks. This would then lead to my non-tobacco addicted relatives being very unpleasant to me for the next month or two. So in my almost suicidal boredom and homicidal withdrawals while I went from north to south and south to north mowing off the top of the green weeds I noticed something very peculiar.

"To the east of me across the blacktop road we have a large pasture with a creek running through it where half of our cattle herd is lodged in. These are completely domesticated cattle and who are not exactly free range but have been exposed to predators at some points in their history. But keeping in mind that theses cattle are totally domesticated there should be nothing remarkable about their movement. I say that when you pay attention to what is going on you can see the true picture.

"The herd was composed of about 15 cows 17 calves and a herd bull. So not a very large herd but rather sizable. I watched their movement and was amazed. The herd formed a line with a matriarch at the front and fourteen bows walking two by to toward the creek to drink with the calves sheltered inside guarded by a full grown cow on either side with the herd Bull bring up the rear. The matriarch drank first and moved to one side being watchful and the cows split off to each side and allowed the calves to drink and the bull finally drank. The herd then reversed its direction and crossed the pasture toward the feeder and moved in the same formation with the bull in the rear head up and watching for predators.

"The reason that this is so interesting is because of a theory of species memory that I have expressed in past Blogs. Domestic animals can revert to their wild habits even after they are completely domesticated and the movement of our cattle reminded me very much of an American bison herd or an African Buffalo herd. It is remarkable how simple a matter will entertain a man who is tied to his post.

"Domestic animals have not lost their natural instincts. When feral dogs will form packs. As for hogs it takes roughly a month for them to become completely wild and extremely dangerous. But if you watch a group of domesticated cattle moving in a pasture or a paddock if they have been together of an number of time you should notice a distinct herd order and the protective instincts of these normally docile beasts becomes very evident. The only reason that a beast can be caged is that he does not know his strength to shatter the bars with his breath.

"Herd Bulls remain very docile and easy to handle until they learn that they have the ability to make a man run. They are not controlled by fear or mastered by pain, they are kept such by their own ignorance but because these animals are not simple dumb creatures they become more intelligent with age and experience and this is when they become dangerous. It is as my experiences as a keeper of these creatures that the more feral a cow is during the breeding season exposed to predators and weather and other natural influences the better mother she will make when she calves. Almost lioness-like devotion to her offspring.

"Much the time have I been put up on a gate to avoid one of these massive animals in the calving barn after she has given birth and attempting to defender her calf? I have also witnessed a cow giving birth in an open field on frozen ground and then shortly after walking the Calf slowly back to the rest of the remaining mothers who have not yet calves, which makes for great difficulty in extracting this pair from the herd because of the natural protective devices put into place by their species memory and given wild behavior. It actually can be a rather dangerous affair.
I do not know if my readers will find this as fascinating as I do but it is a testament to the wonder of the natural world even in domesticated animals.

"I also have some other bovine related news that may be more interesting than the heard behavior of domesticated cattle versus their wild cozens. We own another pasture and this pasture is much more wooded and has not only a crew but a pond and is actually at the top of a glassier cut valley with half of the valley floor flowing a third of this property. The valley is full of trees bushes and thorns swampy parts and springs and other valleys inside of the valley itself with a very flat portion at the top that makes up most of the pasture but along the valley walls at the foot of the Plato.

"Approximately five to seven day prior to the day in question we had counted the cattle and filled feeder with oat. The day in question which I am being so vague because I am unsure of the exact time period but the direction between visits was no more than seven days and upon our return to this pasture we made a count of the cattle and found one calf to be missing.

"I use the word calve very loosely because this calf so to speak was actually 6 months old and very close to 600lbs it could be estimated based on my father’s knowing of his animals. So after searching the pasture from top to bottom stumbling into a quicksand pit, being ripped apart by thorns and seeing parts of my own property that I did not even know existed we decided that it was best for use to start looking for a carcass after the better part of 3 hours.

"We got into the pickup truck and went on the road to the lower entrance to the pasture and drove from the feeder in the valley floor to an area where the creek cut under the fence and I wanted to make one last search for this Calf. So after going to the bend in the creek and finding nothing I looked down to my feet and found what appeared to be a bone from a large animal’s leg. And I followed the trail of bones that extended in a circle of about 20 meters in diameter until I reached a shade tree at the bend of the creek. Here I found some ribs and a skull. In no more than 7 days a 600 lb animal had been reduced to nothing but hair in the mud and scattered bones and a pile of sour oats that once had been the contents of its stomach.

"I called out to my father and showed him my discover and we deduced that the unlucky animal had over eaten of the grain in the feeder and had gone looking for water. Upon drinking the water it had began to bloat as the dry grain swelled in its stomach and it had finally died in the place I had found the skull under a shade tree in the middle of the pasture. This area was totally not remote at all and much danger and trouble could have been saved if we had looked in the most easily accessible spot.

"Due to the rain that had recently been had in the area I could find no sign of predation in tracts and in examining the bones I was unable to find any strange marks of predation on the bones however this pertains to cryptozoology in that. In no more than 7 days in a very accessible area under less than extreme conditions, a carcass between 400 and 600lbs was reduced to nothing but scattered bones and hair in the mud and a skull that was being eaten away by rodents for the calcium. If under these less than extreme conditions an animal of the size can all but disappear in a time space of no more than 7 days, how quickly would such carcasses of unknown animals or hairy hominid disappear into the earth again?

"I hope than I have been able to entertain if not educate my readers on the attempts of a bored madly man attempting to maintain his sanity and then finding fascination in the simple things. As well as discovering proof that large animals can disappear in a very short time.

"I will continue on the track of mystery animals as the CFZ Illinois Operator but I am also very excited to enjoy the natural world in the month of October from the height of a tree stand in the Deer woods of Illinois. Please get in touch with me over if there is anything around the CFZ that might require my talents as a woodsman."

Melissa Miller's Latest

2009-09-24T13:46:00.001-07:00

Here's a new post from our Oklahoma rep, Melissa Miller:

"Here's a quick list of sightings I've gathered recently: Another black panther/lion around Fort Gibson;A 16-18 foot rattlesnake found at Camp Gruber, near Greenleaf Lake, in the early 1900s (the longest variety of known rattlesnake in North America, the Eastern Diamondback, only gets up to seven feet);

"The area of Rocky Point is home to ongoing light phenomenon--lights in the shape of a Ferris wheel rises off the hill several nights a year. There are also black panther/lion sightings in the area;And a particularly interesting report of falling crawfish in Gans, Oklahoma, in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

"Also the Bigfoot Field Researchers Association is launching an expedition next week, September 24-27, in LeFlore County in Southeastern Oklahoma, by far the area with the most Bigfoot sightings (18 official sightings and many many legends). Here is the expedition page link:

http://www.bfro.net/news/roundup/oklahoma.asp

"Unfortunately yours truly will not be attending, but here's hoping it's a fruitful expedition."

For more information on Melissa's work, click here!

US Visit

2009-09-24T12:46:00.001-07:00

CFZ Director Jon Downes and his wife Corinna, will be making a visit to Texas next year - and all thanks to Naomi and Richie West, as the great hairy one himself explains:

"We can exclusively announce that due to the remarkable generosity of Richie and Naomi West, Corinna and I will be flying to Texas for a fortnight in mid March to carry on the Texas blue dog investigations at first hand.The trip is being funded by Richie and Naomi who are being so ridiculously generous that words fail me, and I will never be rude to Richie, or tease Naomi again. No. Sadly, even in the face of such kindness I will not make promises that I cannot possibly keep.Thank you, my dears, from the bottom of our hearts."

Thinking of James and Regan Lee

2009-09-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

Please, everyone, spare a thought and a prayer for Regan Lee's husband, James, who has suffered a heart attack. I'm sure I speak for everyone else, too, when I say that both Regan and James are in my thoughts and prayers at this time.

For more information, click here.

Andrew Gable - Welcome!

2009-09-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

Please help me give a warm welcome to the latest CFZ-USA representative, Andrew Gable, who will be covering Pennsylvania, Maryland and wherever else he chooses!

As Andrew tells us in his own words:

"I've been interested in monsters for as long as I can remember. The interest was initially due to one thing -- Godzilla movies. When I was young, I loved these things (and still do). So I soon seized on dinosaurs. Here were, after all, real Godzillas!

"This broadened into readings about mythological monsters. I also developed an interest in ghosts and such due to my father's interest in the Civil War and frequent trips to Gettysburg battlefield. I'm sure some of the interest was also due to my grandfather, an avid hunter and outdoors man.

"Over the next several years, I voraciously devoured anything on strange phenomena I could get my hands on. I recall early terror at the thought of alien abductions and spontaneous combustion. One book I read over and over again was Loren Coleman's Mysterious America. I loved this idea of supernatural-tinged cryptozoology.

"When I was 19, I wrote two articles for the now-defunct Cryptozoology Review. I soon fell out of the cryptozoology loop, though, as certain personal matters arose.However, now these problems are resolved, and after I submitted some information to Loren Coleman for the Paraview edition of Mysterious America and saw my articles cited in another book, I re-entered the fold with a vengeance.

"I was determined that two articles, a book review, and a few bits of information would not be all I was known for. The bit about Mysterious America also had another effect -- it revitalized my interest in supernatural-tinged cryptozoology, and the idea that not all of it is rigidly biological -- that thinking, I'm sure, is part of what led me towards the CFZ in the first place.Currently, I'm focusing on local pieces of cryptozoology lore.

"Pennsylvania (and Maryland) have quite a bit of stuff going on, from Bigfoot sightings in the western part of the state to Thunderbirds in the north. Sightings of mountain lions are also common, although the state game commission won't recognize them -- almost a futile effort under the weight of hundreds of sightings.

"Special interests of mine in the field include the giant birds seen throughout the state, and all manner of cryptical dogs and/or wolves. I also have a special interest in the sightings of reptilian cryptids -- whether giant snakes, giant lizards, or simply out-of-place animals. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a skeptic (I'm not dismissive of reports) but I do find that I tend to try to find other explanations before I jump to a label of mysterious.

"I think many reported sightings are due to people simply not realizing what animals really live around them, or to out-of-place creatures.

"My e-mail is orangsantu@gmail.com.

"I also run two websites, The CryptoWeb at http://cryptoweb.infogami.com/ and my blog on local crypto is at http://masksofmesingw.blogspot.com.

"You can also find me on Facebook."

Reviewing the Mothman

2009-09-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Our Ohio representative, Brian D. Parsons, reviews last weekend's 8th Annual Mothman Festival. Brian has written an excellent review, and it's one that contains some surprises, much in the way of insightful data, and a lot of cool photos that help capture the atmosphere of the event.

I definitely have to get over there one day!

Here's the link to Brian's complete article.

Texas Blue Dog News

2009-09-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon from Richard and Naomi West, who are fast becoming major figures in the world of the CFZ, both in the US and the UK. Check it out!

Chernobyl, Wolves and More...

2009-09-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting new post from the CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee:

A couple of strange items found on Rense.com... one about a rabid wolf attacking people on the “premises of the Chernobyl atomic power plant” in the Ukraine.

Altogether, six people have been attacked by the rabid wolf. My love for the wolf naturally drew me to this story, as well as the general Fortean weirdness of both this story and the strange events surrounding Chernobyl in general.

(Visit the Village of Joy blog for a series of disturbing and vivid photographs of the aftermath of Chernobyl.)

In a somewhat related tangent, I just found out the other day my great-grandfather's first name was Wolf. He, and my grandfather, were born in the Ukraine.

A wolf isn’t the only rabid creature in the area; it seems a rabid cat attacked several people in “one of the townships in Crimea” -- the cat has been killed. Domestic cats are turning up rabid in Maine, with 42 rabid cats this year so far, according to an item posted on Rense.com. Also see my post Killing the Wolf on Oregon L.O.W.F.I.

The Blue Dog Project

2009-09-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

Texas-based CFZ representative Naomi West is doing a great job on the Blue Dog Project.

Check out the following link for all the very latest news:

http://forteanzoology.blogspot.com/2009/09/texas-blue-dog-project-field-report-5th.html

And, on a related matter, there's also this and this!

More from Regan

2009-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Oregon CFZ rep Regan Lee alerts us to her latest:

On L.O.W.F.I., I have a new post on the Oregon page about some weird 'New World Order' signs around town: Return to Conspiracy Park.

For my Trickster's Realm column for Binnall of America, I write about UFOs in TV sit-coms: UFOs in TV : Backwards in Timefrom Mr. Monk to Barney Miller

My on-going hassle with chronic ear and eye infections, attributed to MRSA, then "MSSA" which is something new, in Enter the Contradictory World of "Baby MRSA"

The Ohio Paranormal Convention Reviewed

2009-08-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Brian Parsons provides us with an excellent review of the first annual Ohio Paranormal Convention, which was held in Dayton last weekend. As Brian says: "I spoke...discussing the basics of cryptozoology, current cases, and a brief overview of investigation methods. Joedy Cook was also in attendance speaking about his Bigfoot investigations."

Check out Brian's review of what looked to be a great event.

Another From Regan

2009-07-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

Regan Lee delves into the weird tale of the "Eel Siren of Maine."

The Latest From Regan

2009-07-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

The latest from the CFZ's always-reliable Oregon-rep, Regan Lee:

My new Trickster's Realm column is up for Tim Binnall's site: Seeing the Virgin: Tricksters Take it to the People, and I also have a new article at UFO Digest: My Teacher Was Abducted By Aliens: Preparation for Fake Disclosure? Speaking of the BVM, you can download a free PDF of collected articles by yours truly, and a great article on the image of the Virgin in a tree by richelle hawks.

Ken & Cryptids

2009-07-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

Good mate Ken Gerhard (author of the book, Big Bird!; all-round cryptozoological researcher and investigator; and a CFZ Texas rep) is coming up to stay with me and Dana this weekend, as he'll be speaking at the regular Sunday meeting of the Dallas-Fort Worth Mutual UFO Network group.

Ken will be speaking about a range of crypto-topics, including his research into the so-called "Texas Chupacabras" - those, weird hairless whatsits. You know the ones I mean! And, no doubt, he'll be getting into his research into Mothman-like entities, too.

For more data, check out http://www.mufondfw.org/

Ghost-Animals

2009-07-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

You can find a fascinating new article on so-called "Ghost Animals" that has been written by our Oklahoma representative, Melissa Miller.

Melissa explains: "This post isn't about Oklahoma, for once; it's about our close neighbor Missouri, where I've spent a while wandering around the wilderness. To make a long story short, I'll skip the part about the hippy commune and almost drowning in a cave (that's the 'very close to losing' part; would also like to point out that said cave is connected to a sinkhole called Devil's Well, if you're one of those who is interested in strange happenings at 'devil' places) and go straight to what I learned about the state's strange critters. In my inquiries into local folklore I was surprised to discover that a lot of ghost stories in Missouri revolve around animals. If a ghost animal isn't the definition of Fortean Zoology, I don't know what is."

And, if that has caught your attention, here's the rest of Melissa's post.

The Lampasas Land Monster

2009-07-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

Texas-based CFZ rep Naomi West tells the surreal tale of the Lampasas Land Monster. Be afraid. Be very afraid...

Regan on Bigfoot

2009-07-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

Regan Lee has a new Bigfoot-themed post that you can find right here...

Naomi & Nessie

2009-07-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

Texas CFZ rep Naomi West recently visited Loch Ness and - as her report shows - she had a fun, cool time. Loch Ness is a truly excellent place to visit, and it has been far too long since I last visited Scotland's most mysterious body of water. Time to rectify things, methinks...

Going Offline...

2009-06-26T12:22:00.001-07:00

I'm going offline from now and until Monday July 6 - see you then!

More From Regan

2009-06-23T07:38:00.001-07:00

Here's the latest message from one of the busiest women in Forteana: the CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee:

New posts on Octopus Confessional: we have whale strandings, and a look at the 1950s TV series Sea Hunt.

Rabbit love at my Oregon spot on L.O.W.F.I.

In print: watch for an article on the McMinnville UFO Fest in UFO Magazine.

I've joined Squidoo, where I have pages on Bigfoot, Women and UFOs, and more. A part of earnings go to Big Cat Rescue, so click away!

Women Of Esoterica highlights the writers, including two new ones, at Binnall of America.

Speaking of which, my new Trickster's Realm column discusses signals from animals, and what we're to make of them. Or what I make of them, anyway.

I talk about a "dream" of morphing crabs and UFOs in space on Alien Seeker News.

Vintage U.F.O. has a clip, again from Sea Hunt; this episode has a young Leonard Nimoy. Groovy!

Also pics from the McMinnville UFO fest.

Another painting of "The Visitors" on Saucer Sightings.

I recommend the following article by Debra Merskin; beautiful yet very sad, on whale strandings in Oregon. The article appeared in today's Eugene paper, The Register Guard: Song of the whales: Mysterious and disturbing strandings call us to consciousness

Have a healthy and Fortean week!

Regan's Latest

2009-06-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of new items from the CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee:

1. Giant crabs from outer-space (yep: you read it right!!);

2. More on the Batsquatch.

Enjoy!

Island of Paradise: Review

2009-06-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

Texas CFZ representative Naomi West provides a good review of Island of Paradise: Jon Downes' full-length book on the expedtion me and Jon went on to Puerto Rico in the summer of 2004, in search of (what else?!) the Chupacabras.

Here's a couple of extracts from Naomi's review:

"Island of Paradise is a story of a cryptozoological investigation built into an odd but cohesive web of history, politics, and biographical reminiscences. Jon Downes and Nick Redfern travel to Puerto Rico to make a documentary investigating claims of livestock killed by the legendary Chupacabra. Jon's admitted ulterior motive is, however, to find a snail specimen that he had encountered in a cave on his first trip to the island several years before...

"What could be a bland topic for the less scientifically minded is spiced with a lay-friendly narration of intriguing Puerto Rican natives, hearty drink, lots o' food, and poignant flashbacks to a childhood that explain the naturalist Jon is today. The dark conspiracy theories involving the U.S. military, accompanied by Jon's controversial political persuasions, are tempered by disarming revelations which allow us glimpses into his own human imperfections. All in all, he has a startling ability to disappear into a labyrinth of narrative strands and emerge with each loose end neatly tied. all in all, a delightful read. Readers of Nick Redfern will also enjoy post-chapter commentary by Nick himself."

And here's Naomi's review in full - thanks, Naomi!

Raven on Feral Pigs

2009-06-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Our Michigan rep and good friend, Raven, has a new post at her blog on her research into the issue of Feral Pigs. Check it out!

As she says in part:

"One of the mounting concerns with recent wild boar explosions, is that of whether they are a catalyst in the recent spread of H1N1, better known as "Swine flu". While there has been no direct connection to H1N1, feral hogs are known to carry at least 13 different diseases, including anthrax, and tubercullosis. Now, a new threat seems to be on the rise as the invaders make their way across the land. It is that of the disease called"Pseudorabies",which is another name given to the porcine herpesvirus1. The name pseudorabies comes from the rabies-like symptoms it was noted to cause in rabbits who had contracted the disease."