YEAR: 2006

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: March

DATE: 23

PROVINCE: British Columbia

COUNTRY: Canada

LOCATION DETAILS: Bell Irving Rest Area

NEAREST TOWN: Meziadin Jct

NEAREST ROAD: Cassiar Hwy 37

OBSERVED: I am a long haul truck driver, hauling between Washington and Alaska. On the Night of the 23rd of March I was traveling Southbound on Hwy 37 (Cassiar). At approx. 1930 hours I stopped at the rest area known as Bell 1 for a dinner break and turned the truck off because the temperature was above freezing. There was absolutely no one in this rest area except for me.

I got out of the truck to walk around while my meal was heating and to stretch my legs. I immediately got a very strong sense that I was being watched, and the hair on the back of my neck an arms stood up. I walked very fast back to the truck scanning the area as I walked.

As I was getting back into the truck I heard a sound that sounded like a howl from a distance of about a 1/4 of a mile away, I have never heard anything like that before in my life (I have been hunting for most of my life, I am familiar with the sounds of wildlife and the howls of wolves). At this point I got into the truck and locked the door, I started to eat and about 3-4 minutes later I heard the howl again, louder and closer this time. It made me very nervous and I jumped out of the truck and threw my food in the garbage can about 4 steps from the truck and in turning to the truck to get back in I heard the third howl and it sounded like it came from about 300 yards away behind the outhouses (2). I left there fast without even putting my seatbelt on.

I can only describe the sound as being exactly like the ohio howl on your website. To me it was almost like a long drawn out moan. The howl started off being in the distance and got closer in a period of about 8-10 minutes with the second howl being the longest of the three. The third was the loudest. I have stopped at this rest area mulitiple times and have never encountered this before. It made me very uneasy.

I am not exactly sure what I heard and what was out there. I am an avid hunter in the Pacific Northwest and never have I had something in the woods cause my hair to stand on end and cause an immediate desire to get out of the area. I can only relate that I have had a large cougar within yards of me in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest and never felt the fear I felt from this encounter.

ALSO NOTICED: Have adobe PDF map of this area if you would like me to send it to you. This map lists this rest area on the Cassiar.

OTHER WITNESSES: None

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 1930 hrs
Weather: Slightly overcast, cold, snow on ground, dark.

ENVIRONMENT: Pine Forest, Mountains, River. Rest area before crossing the bridge at the river on East side of road heading South. This rest area is remote and primitive. It sits back off the road with trees seperating it from the roadway. It is not lighted. The Cassiar Hwy is a desolate and sparsely populated area.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Blaine McMillan :

At the time of the incident the witness was working as a long haul driver between Alaska and Washington. His route took him through the province of British Columbia on some very desolate highways.

The witness informed me that he made a regular stop at the Bell 1 truck stop to cook his dinner. While his meal was heating he exited the truck to stretch out his legs. His was the only rig in the rest area but he felt as if he "was being watched" so he quickly returned to his rig. At this time he heard what would be the first of three vocalizations that he described as being identical to the Ohio Howl on the BFRO website.

The witness said the first howl sounded as if it was from more than 400 yards away. Several minutes later a second howl was heard, which was louder and closer than the first. The trucker decided to leave the area and as he put his meal in the garbage can just steps from his rig he heard the third vocalization from behind the outhouses at the far end of the rest area.

About BFRO Investigator Blaine McMillan :

• Retired Canadian Military (Reg Force) Safety Systems / Aviation technician with experience fighters and various SAR platforms. Author of Wood Knocks and Tossed Rocks:Searching for Sasquatch with the BFRO


• Married with two young sons. An avid camper, hunter and fisherman.


• Holds a BA in Criminology from the University of Manitoba, courses in Alternate Dispute Resolution, Anthropology and Political Science


• Attended the BFRO BC Expeditions in August of 2005, 2006, 2012 as well as Vancouver Island 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.


• Organized the 2007, 2008 Vancouver Island as well as 2009 North Vancouver Island Expeditions.


• Author of "Woodknocks and Tossed Rocks: Searching for Sasquatch with the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.