Derek Grebner Q&A

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...

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

Regan Lee: Latest Blogs

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

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

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

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

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

Regan & Dreams

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

Gable News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Naomi's Spectral Rat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

The Latest From Regan

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

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

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

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

Regan on Bigfoot

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

Naomi & Nessie

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...

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

More From Regan

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

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

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

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."

Great Snakes!

Naomi West - of Texas - provides some great pictures and an interesting story: bird vs. snake!

Batsquatch is Back

Regan Lee - our Oregon rep - contacted me over the weekend concerning her latest investigations of the infamous Batsquatch:

Demons in my Neighborhood - Beware the Batsquatch:

http://paranormalbigfoot.blogspot.com/2009/05/demons-in-my-neighborhood-beware.html

Sacrificial Lambs Unto the Demon - Batsquatch in Oregon:

http://www.binnallofamerica.com/tr5.11.9.html

Raven's Latest

Take a look at the beastly new post from the ever-reliable Raven...

Blood-Suckers

Here's an interesting article: from CFZ North Carolina rep, Micah Hanks: on the Chupacabras, vampires, UFOs and more. Good stuff!

Country Wildness

CFZ Illinois rep Derek Grebner goes wild in the country - right here!

More From Regan

This just in from Regan Lee:

My recent Trickster's Realm column for Binnall of America is about a strange presence felt by many, including myself -- is it animal? Or something else?

Also posted on the League of Western Fortean Intermediasts site Oregon L.O.W.F.I.Strange killings continue . . . which I comment on at my blog Octopus Confessional, as well as the juxtaposition of two television programs, Fringe and Numbers, airing episodes about animal rights activists, and the "Pro-Test" by scientists for animal testing in Animal Testing Themes in TV and the Pro-Test Scene.

Regan: Two New Posts

Our ever-reliable Oregon rep, Regan Lee has 2 new posts that will be of interest - one on a mystery feline; and the other on the classic British film, The Abominable Snowman.

And as Regan asks with respect to her second post: was the film's creator aware of the paranormal aspects of Bigfoot?

Here's a few quotes from Regan's article to give you an idea of its content:

What I found surprising in this were the references to the Yeti's telepathic and other "paranormal" abilities, as well as the eye illumination. There's also the implication of Yeti living in caves and within the earth; for example, in the previously mentioned scene, the Yeti arrive from the rear of the cave. The film was made in 1957 which means that awareness of "paranormal Bigfoot" was out there in the literature even back then. Hairy bipedal encounters, from the Yowie to Bigfoot to Yeti, include story after story of these beings having telepathic abilities, appearing not only on, but inside mountains, traveling via caverns, caves and underground tunnels, eyes that glow from within, playing with the mind, visiting humans in the astral realm and dream state, and other preternatural traits.

And here's the rest of what is a very interesting article.

Big Cats of Oklahoma

Our Oklahoma rep Melissa Miller has an excellent new post on the big-cats of Oklahoma. And so, it's over to Melissa for all the details:

"Big cats are not new to Oklahoma. Mountain lions have been documented in the state since 1852 and listed as a game species since 1957. The Oklahoma Wildlife Department describes the cats this way: 'Its tail is more than half the length of the body, it has black tips on the tail and ears, and is primarily tan in color. The size of these animals varies by sex. Males average seven feet long (from nose to the tip of its tail) and weigh around 140 pounds, while females average six feet in length with a body weight around 95 pounds.' The Oklahoma Wildlife Department also states that the best place to see a cat is extreme western Oklahoma; and yet, some of the most dramatic sightings have taking place in extreme eastern Oklahoma."

And click here for the rest of the story.

Otter Observations

Regan on the return of the Otter...

Big Cat News

The CFZ's Ohio rep, Brian Parsons, has an excellent new post on Big-Cats in the U.S. This is an excellent post which demonstrates the sheer scale of reports in the U.S., as well as the official reaction to the subject-matter. Check it out!

Regan Muses

Our Oregon-CFZ rep Regan Lee has a thought-provoking new post over at Binnall of America which, in part, states:

"National and smaller, independent restaurants often promote their food offerings using the very thing they kill and sell to us to eat. On the surface, it's presented as humor, nothing more. The chicken, fish, cow or pig joyfully entices us to partake of him.

"Just below the surface is the idea of the mascot representing another realm where the spirit of the sacrificed animals calls to us, bewitching us to eat its own kind. Below that, however, is a symbolic exorcising of guilt; by using the very animals we're killing and eating as a happy and enthusiastic ambassador, we don't have to deal with our responsibility in the process.

"Our self-indulgence and often times sheer gratuitous is quieted by the use of goofy, dorky, funny, slapstick animal caricatures eating their own and sacrificing themselves, and they're happy to do it.

"Paradoxically, at the same time the use of these animals behaving in ecstasy over their sacrifices gives us justification and the go-ahead to eat away."

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

Knock Knock: Who's There?

The CFZ's Michigan-based representative - my good friend Raven - has been doing a tremendous amount of work: writing articles, doing on-site investigations, establishing new links with people in the field, as well as setting up websites and blogs.

Does the woman ever sleep?! Probably not!

Anyway, over at her new Into the Shadows blog, Raven has an interesting new post titled Knock Knock Bridge, which is a study of a wealth of weirdness at a particular bridge not far from where she lives.

I like stories like this, as I've done a lot of investigations myself where high-strangeness has occurred at bridges - most famously from my own perspective at Bridge 39 on Britain's Shropshire Union Canal, where a mysterious, spectral ape known as the Man-Monkey was seen in 1879.

And with that said, here's an extract from Raven's post:

"Today Jessica and I took a ride out to the Canton area to do a pre-investigation study of the Denton Road bridge and the surrounding area. There is so much history that lies just beneath the surface of that entire area that we'll have to do many investigations to cover even a portion it.

"As we drove through where the bridge is located,an eerie ambiance fell over the van. It was like we had just slipped into another dimension of time. With the exception of the newly built condos that now dot the land heavily, and the occasional jogger or bicycle, there is a stillness to the place that can only be described as otherworldly.

"We met a gentleman named Don who has lived there since 1963 and was not only able to give us a first-hand account of the folklore,but also had a wealth of knowledge regarding the development of the area as well.

"Don told us that the bridge was called 'knock knock bridge' by all the local children when he was growing up,because, as legend has it, if you knocked three times and waited, something spooky was bound to happen.

"From ghost lights to shadowy dark figures chasing cars,there have always been strange stories passed down from one generation to the next."

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

Moonshadow Investigations

Take a look at Moonshadow Investigations, the new website of Raven, the CFZ's Michigan rep. Raven has some great, ambitious plans for both her website and her general research; so keep checking in at her site for all the new developments.

Regan's Latest

Our CFZ-Oregon rep Regan Lee has a notable new post online, in which she says:

"My husband Jim is writing a novel; it's a conspiracy/sci-fi/paranormal tinged book, and it's wonderful to have him read me the latest every week. It's tentatively titled Product A recent scene in his book has the main character remembering something that happened when he was a child. Staying at the beach with his mother, he is aware of a creature in need. A giant, whale/octopus/leviathan kind of creature, preternatural, that calls to him. The character goes to the creature, who is injured, meets a girl; through a series of telepathic Fortean type events, the creature manages to return back into the ocean."

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

Naomi And Her Pets

Naomi West - who covers the state of Texas for the CFZ, along with me and Ken Gerhard - has a cool slide-show on her animal-pals, and here it is!

Derek at YouTube

Over at YouTube, you can find the CFZ's Illinois rep Derek Grebner giving a one-to-one on his views on cryptozoology. Check it out!

Ghillie-Suits & Bigfoot

Our Michigan rep and good friend Raven has just uploaded to her blog a new article on the whole issue of people mistaking hunters in Ghillie-suits for Bigfoot. And here it be!

Killing: Yes or No?

Oregon-based CFZ rep Regan Lee has an interesting new post over at Binnall of America on the "kill or no-kill" policy when it comes to Bigfoot.

As someone who believes Bigfoot to be a wholly paranormal beast, I'm not sure that trying to kill it in a conventional manner is the easiest thing in the world to do. But, that's just my own personal opinion.

As Regan says:

"Within the Bigfoot phenomena, there are several controversial topics. I'd say the three most controversial include the debates over 'giant ape' vs. something else, paranormal/inter-dimensional vs. strictly flesh and blood, and the kill/no kill view. I'm not that interested in the first of the three; it is what it is in that regard. And if Sasquatch is a paranormal/inter-dimensional entity, (which I believe it is) the other stuff is moot. But one thing I'm absolutely positive about is the kill/no kill debate. Regardless of what Bigfoot is, I support, without hesitation, a 'no kill' stance."

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

Check it out, as it contains some thought-provoking commentary.

And, of course, hunting (whether Bigfoot or, indeed, any animal) is a topic that always sharply divides people.

As for me, I have no problem with people hunting for food. After all, it's really not that different to going to a shop and buying a frozen chicken or a piece of beef. In the latter scenario, you buy it already killed; and that's the only difference.

As for hunting and killing animals for pleasure, well, I don't get it.

Of course, it's not my place to impose my beliefs and ideas on other people (I leave that dubious honor to our elected leaders); but I just don't understand why someone might take pleasure in - and get a rush from - slaughtering an animal just to stick its head on a wall.

Naomi & Mutes

Texas-based CFZ rep Naomi West offers a disturbing story of the animal-mutilation kind...

Adoptions of the Wild Kind...

Regan Lee - CFZ Oregon rep - tells you how to adopt a wolf. And, if you're interested, go for it!

Raven: A New Website

Check out the new website of Raven, the CFZ's representative for Michigan. Titled Moonshadow Investigations, it can be found right here.

The Conser Lake Creature

Regan Lee - the CFZ's resident Oregon rep - has a new article posted at her Frame 352 blog, on the Creature of Conser Lake.

CFZ Illinois: A New Update

The CFZ's Illinois rep, Derek Grebner, has uploaded a new-post to his blog: all about big-cat sightings in his home-state. And here's the link. ENJOY!

Regan: A New Post

CFZ-Oregon representative Regan Lee has a new blog-post titled Newport, Oregon: A "New" Port(al)?

As an introduction, Regan says:

"Some UFO events include the appearance of strange entities that don't seem to be extraterrestrial, but they don't appear to be cryptozoological either. Of course, we don't know what extraterrestrial is or what it should look like, not really, so we can't assume something is, or, isn't, from outer space. But if some of these weird beings aren't from outer space, and they don't seem to be 'animals' what are they? One UFO case that has seemingly one of a kind, 'not quite animal / not quite alien' entities is the Oregon Reeves case."

And what, you may ask, is the Oregon Reeves case?

Well, read on!

A New CFZ Blog

As many of you will know, the British Head-Office of the CFZ has a number of blogs on a variety of cryptozoological subjects. In addition, many of those blogs (and their readers, of course) greatly benefit from the many and varied articles that are submitted for publication.

But, now, there is a new CFZ blog - and it's another good one.

Rather than being a typical blog covering all sorts of issues (interviews, book-reviews, etc), this one is solely designed to bring you all the latest, breaking news stories in (a) the world of cryptozoology and (b) the quirkier side of the animal kingdom.

Here's the link.

Meet The Team, 11: Naomi West: Texas

The CFZ-USA Office has yet another new Texas-based rep - in addition to me and Ken Gerhard. Her name is Naomi West.

I am now going to turn you over to Corinna Downes (Jon's wife) to tell you more about Naomi:

"The CFZ has always been a more male orientated affair. Yes, there have been a few females involved within its confines from area reps to raffle ticket sellers at the Weird Weekend, but when I found myself involved by default when I met Jon, there were only a handful of the fairer sex.

"Since then, things have been changing and in the last couple of weeks we have welcomed four new area reps on board, and – I am pleased to report - they are all females (this, of course, purely from a ‘hey another female to keep me company’ point of view before accusations of sexism arise).

"Our new area rep in Texas is Naomi West. It seems that she shares my love of pet rats, and is also of the same opinion that the genders should not be pigeonholed into certain roles just because they are male or female."

And with that said from Corinna, here's Naomi herself to tell you even more:

"'I was born and raised in West Virginia, daughter of a minister. I was always looking for adventures and unexplained mysteries as a kid, and my first area of paranormal interest was the topic of the Biblical Nephilim.

"I have always loved animals -- everything from whales to bugs -- with pet rats being the dearest to my heart. I am a performing soloist, but writing is my true passion.I live in Central Texas and currently teach high school English, but I hope to be a full time writer someday.

"My husband tests weapons systems for the military here at Ft. Hood, and he is also a musician and fellow UFO enthusiast. We are both MUFON field investigators.I had never heard of Fortean Zoology until I read Redfern's Three Men Seeking Monsters.

"Since my involvement with CFZ, I have discovered that Central Texas has contributed most recently with the blue dog sightings, where my interest currently lies. I will always be most fascinated with the Loch Ness monster. Fortean Zoology combines my love of mystery with love for animals.

"Being a woman in a masculine oriented world has never been an issue for me; rather, I resent being a woman in a world where both genders, at social functions, continually try to separate into "gender oriented" activities: I don't cook, I hate shopping, I dislike "chick flicks", I have never had kids, I love theology and science fiction...oh yes, and did I mention pet rats?

"More difficult than being a woman is being a student of the paranormal in Christian circles as well as an Orthodox Christian in paranormal circles, or, for that matter, an animal lover amid hunters, or a meat-eater amid Vegans.

"I love people from most all schools of thought, but find myself often a member of opposing groups and always worried one group will throw me out when they learn I am not necessarily on their bandwagon. But I have received grace from all groups around me -- from pagans to atheists to Christians to people who think our government leaders are all Reptilians, and in the end, I just love people...almost as much as animals.

"PS. After reflecting on those bio details I sent, I wanted to clarify, for accuracy's sake, that I am not a hunter or a Vegan. That may have been confusing. I had had a long day and it resulted in unnecessary rambling. :)"

Check out Naomi's blog right here.

Meet The Team, 10: Lanette Baker, Missouri

Good news: we have another new area rep. She is based in Missouri, and her is Lanette Baker. She has a great interest in cryptozoology and has had since she was a child, as you will see below.

Lanette says that she has been to other online crypto sites but has felt that they were more of a club and that outsiders were not allowed in, nor were their opinions wanted. Well Lanette, that is not what the CFZ is about and we are very happy to have you on board!

Here is what she wrote to Corinna Downe, wife of CFZ Director, Jon:

"I think I have been enthralled by cryptozoology for as long as I can remember. I was the kid in 2nd grade who wanted to know where the dinosaurs were in the bible (that did not go over well in Sunday School class), loved stories about dragons and big foot, and I even remember talking to my mother about Nessie, and her always saying she hoped they never found actual proof of him because then 'something' would happen to him.

"I am a single mother, a bit unconventional a times, but very open with my boys. I encourage them to believe in themselves and the fact that there is more than meets the eye. They love to tease me about UFO's, my books on cryptozoology and the conspiracy theory things I read up on, but of course their favorite thing to tease me about is classes I take from time to time on ghost hunting.

"I have worked in the animal rescue field for years and have been the director of a small Humane Society in Sikeston, MO for the past 4 years. I have friends who work for the conservation department and the USDA and we often get calls on people seeing the 'black panthers', wolves (yes they are in our area), and of course the strange looking beasts that no one has ever seen before from time to time. The standing joke with all who know me is that if any of those are ever caught they will end up at my house in foster care. I often am taking care of baby coons, squirrels, skunks, and even a possum.

"Besides my 2 legged kids I have an evil cat, my spoiled rotten little dog and a fennec fox who can be a bit devious at times.I am not sure about the masculine oriented worlds, I am the grand daughter of a hog farmer.....heh grew up playing in the hills, climbing shale cliffs and helping him and the rest of my family in the country doing things. Plus I was never raised to be girly I guess, I am going to get to learn to shingle a roof pretty soon and always helped my dad since he never had a son. (though I am not allowed to touch a chain saw, something about me being accident prone....... go figure). There are not any folks around here who have an interest in cryptozoology at all, though I do have some friends who have an interest in the paranormal. "

Once again, welcome Lanette!

Commenting on Big Bird

Just recently, as you may recall, I highlighted a new interview with CFZ-Texas rep Ken Gerhard - and author of the book Big Bird - over at Tim Binnall's Binnall of America show.

Now, at his The Outsider's Edge blog, writer Richard Thomas offers a positive commentary and review of Ken's interview.

In part, Richard says:

"Very enjoyable interview this week on BoA: Audio. Cryptozoology is definitely starting to outshine UFOs and even ghost hunting in the mainstream, so I thought Ken Gerhard was a smart way to kick start the series after the mid season hiatus. Gerhard's thoughts on the Big Bird phenomenon we're refreshingly well thought out and surprisingly logical for such an incredible and unlikely subject as, basically, real life dragons. Interesting speculation about any of these strange topics is something I always enjoy and Gerhard certainly delivered in spades. I have to say I was amazed at how long he could talk on the Big Bird mystery alone, a topic that I had barely heard of, never mind looked into. Which I guess made it all the more intriguing for me."

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

Regan Updates

Oregon CFZ rep Regan Lee updates us on her work with the League of Western Fortean Intermediasts.

CFZ-UK

Here's a few new cool posts at the main British CFZ blog:

1. Naomi West on Jackalope Joe's;

2. More on the CFZ's archiving project;

3. Texas' "Blue Dogs" under the spotlight;

4. Richard Freeman on the Nature Blog Network;

5. Richard Muirhead discusses a couple of interesting cases;

6. Download The Amateur Naturalist;

7. Fish Falls and Jon Downes;

8. Bugfest: The Latest;

9. The return of good mate, Nigel Wright;

10. Where have all the Sea-Serpents gone?

11. Mike Hallowell on Geordie Monsters;

12. Oll Lewis: Love Hertz.

Opinions of the Bigfoot Kind

You can find a new interview with me over at Alien Seeker News; and although it's chiefly not about cryptozoology, we do get into the subject, including the following on the controversy surrounding Bigfoot in Britain, and its undoubted paranormal qualities:

Paul Dale Roberts: "Do you think that Bigfoot is an inter-dimensional creature and that is the reason why we can't capture one?"

Nick Redfern: "Yep, that is definitely what I think - or, that at the very least, it is not flesh-and-blood, as we understand the term. The whole Bigfoot field has a lot of Fortean weirdness attached to it that a lot of researchers who focus more on the flesh-and-blood theories don't like to deal with, at all - because it opens some very problematic doors. But, as with UFOs, when it comes to Bigfoot I have no time for belief systems that are so rigid they can't be tampered with. To ignore the paranormal stories associated with Bigfoot actually means discarding a hell of a lot of material. And I won't do that just to bolster the simple idea that 'Bigfoot is a giant ape.' I have investigated a lot of British-based Bigfoot reports, and there is just no way a flesh-and-blood Bigfoot could live, hide, breed and die without detection in a country the size of Britain. But people see it - whatever 'it' is. And in Britain, most of the reports from there are of Bigfoot creatures appearing and vanishing in the blink of any eye, not leaving footprints, being seen near old prehistoric sites, etc."

Ken Gerhard Interviewed

Here's the details (below) of an excellent new interview with the CFZ's Texas rep, good friend, and all-round cool guy, Ken Gerhard (pictured here with his book Big Bird! at the Boston-based Mass Monster Mash that we were both at in October of last year).

The interview was conducted by Tim Binnall for his highly acclaimed Binnall of America show. And here's Tim to provide us with a summary of his interview with Ken (and click on the link directly below for all the details):

http://www.binnallofamerica.com/boaa2.9.9.html

Ken GerhardBig Bird/Thunderbird, Bigfoot, and other cryptids

2 Hours, 16 Minutes

BoA:Audio returns from our Winter hiatus with a two hour interview with cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard, author of Big Bird! Modern Sightings of Flying Monsters.

In the first hour of the interview, we'll discuss the Big Bird / Thunderbird phenomenon at length, including the 1976 Big Bird flap in Texas, the bird v. dinosaur debate, "lost" Big Bird evidence, the challenge of studying Big Birds as opposed to other cryptids, and lots more.

Then, in the second hour, we'll talk all about Ken's other crypto research, beginning with his multiple investigations into Bigfoot. We'll discuss Ken's odd discoveries while on Bigfoot expeditions, thoughts on why the government might cover-up Bigfoot's existence, the kill v. no kill debate, Bigfoot burying their dead, and speculation on a post-discovered Bigfoot world.

Plus, we'll find out about Ken's trips to Belize to study the crytpids Sisemite & Dwendi and Ken will detail his investigation into the Texas Chupacabras story of recent years. It's a jam packed edition of BoA:Audio, returning from hiatus with a wealth of crypto goodness.

Full Preview:

We kick things off with the standard bio/background on Ken Gerhard and find out how he got interested in cryptozoology. Next, we reflect on the upturn in interest in cryptozoology over the past few years and Ken speculates on why the field seems to be gaining momentum lately.

We also talk about Ken's stomping grounds, the great state of Texas, and how it seems to be a hotbed of paranormal and para-political activity. Moving into the topic of the Big Bird, we find out how Ken got interested in that specific realm of cryptozoology, ultimately deciding to write a book about the subject.

Bringing folks up to speed on just what the Big Bird is claimed to be, Ken gives us a thumbnail look at the witnesses' accounts of Big Bird sightings and how the creature is described. We then cover one of the more enigmatic details of some Big Bird witness descriptions: a monkey-like face.

We then discuss the 1976 Texas Big Bird wave, which really put the phenomenon on the esoteric map. We discuss one story from the 1976 Big Bird flap that is a bit of a heart-breaker: the discovery of a potential Big Bird print, filmed by a local TV station, who never bothered to archive the footage, which has since been lost forever. Ken details some of the international legends similar to the Big Bird, including Africa's Kongamato and New Guinea's Ropen.

Ken theorizes on how such flying mystery animals, while conceivably still living in remote parts of the world, could end up flying over more populated areas of America.

Next we talk about one of the early, on-the-ground, Big Bird researchers who helped Ken find witnesses, Guadalupe Cantu III, who passed away this past Summer. We then discuss the lack of photo or video evidence for the Big Birds and Ken details what scant evidence of such kind exists: the infamous "Thunderbird photo" from the late 1800's and video footage shot in 1977 of a large flying creature.

This segues into discussion on the surprising lack of footage of the Big Bird in modern times, especially in light of the proliferation of cameras. Following that, we ponder the notion that classic stories of dragons may be related to the Big Bird phenomenon.

We then look at the unique research challenge of the Big Bird phenomenon in that, unlike land and water based creatures, the flying cryptids are not bound by a set location. We also tackle the question of whether or not the Big Bird phenomenon could be more "paranormal" in nature a la inter-dimensional or some other non-natural phenomenon.

Ken tells us about any instances that he's heard of where someone shoots a Big Bird / Thunderbird. This segues into Ken also telling us about his conversations with Bob Gimlin (of the infamous Patterson/Gimlin film) about the famous incident and how/why Gimlin didn't shoot at the Bigfoot.

Heading towards the close of our Big Bird discussion, we talk about Ken's case for the creature and why the arguments of mainstream science and skeptics just don't hold up to witness reports. We then get Ken's big picture thoughts on just what is going on with Big Birds / Thunderbirds. Ken also tells us about any reports he's heard of Big Bird sightings by people who are flying in planes.

Wrapping up the Big Bird discussion, we find out where folks can get a copy of Big Bird: Modern Sightings of Flying Monsters. In the latter half of the interview, we discuss Ken's other cryptozoological work, starting with his research into Bigfoot. He details his amazing discovery of a potential "Bigfoot Nest" while on expedition in Texas.

He also talks about his work with Chester Moore Jr., noted Texas cryptozoologist, including Ken's observance of potential Bigfoot "vocalizations" and a bizarre cache of ripped open turtle shells discovered on a beach.

Following that, we talk about theories surrounding government knowledge of the Bigfoot and speculate on why, if they knew, they would keep the creature's existence a secret. We discuss the kill v. no-kill philosophical debate surrounding Bigfoot and Ken explains why he is pro-kill.

He also explains why tranquilizers, tazers, nets, and other proposed ideas of taking a Bigfoot alive probably won't work. We also get Ken's take on the "Dianne Fossey concept" as a means of getting close to and proving the Bigfoot.

Ken recounts to us the speculation that Bigfoot may bury their dead and passes along some interesting information regarding that speculation. Speculating ahead to the future, we ponder whether or not the discovery of Bigfoot would help or hurt cryptozoology in both the short and long term future. Ken puts forth two big changes to the field which might place, should the Bigfoot be discovered and proven.

Leaving Bigfoot behind, we then talk about Ken's trips to Belize to hunt for two relatively unknown mystery creatures: the Sisemite, a Bigfoot-like animal, and the Dwendi, a smaller, gnome-like being. He shares some remarkable Diwendi reports from the Belize natives, who describe the creature much like many other small "trickster" type entities.

This segues into some discussion on how there don't seem to be as many legends in North America of Dwendi-esque creatures, despite there seeming to be many such legends from around the world. Heading towards the close, we discuss Ken's in-depth research into the Texas Chupacabras flap that has been going on over the last few years.

Ken explains how the present Texas creature ended up being dubbed the "Chupacabra." He also shares information gleaned from his examination of the dead "Chupacabras" that have turned out in Texas recently.

Wrapping things up, we find out what's next for Ken Gerhard, including some future book projects and TV appearances. We also find out which Monster Quest episodes have featured Ken so far, so folks can catch them on their DVR and see Ken in action.

This interview was recorded on 2.2.2009