Geographical Index > United States > Virginia > Wythe County > Report # 35981
(Class B)
Submitted by witness on Tuesday, July 10, 2012.
Possible encounter behind a fish hatchery near Fort Chiswell
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YEAR: 2011
SEASON: Summer MONTH: June DATE: 10 STATE: Virginia COUNTY: Wythe County LOCATION DETAILS: Head on N I-81
Turn right onto VA-619 S/Major Graham Rd
Continue to follow VA-619 S
Turn right onto Red Hollow Rd/State Route 629
Destination will be on the right
Wytheville State Fish Hatchery
1260 Red Hollow Road, Max Meadows, VA 24360 NEAREST TOWN: Ft. Chiswell NEAREST ROAD: I-81 OBSERVED: I was fishing behind the fish hatchery in Ft. Chiswell my friend and me where coming out at dusk when it was getting dark I said, "we need to go I don't want to be out here at night" so we were walking down the trail so we get out of the forest, I was feeling very weird at this time because something didn't feel right to me it felt like someone was following as you already know you can tell if someone or something is looking at you, so I let my friend out of the tree line first because I always do that and when I was coming out I heard a crash in the woods it sounded like something crashed down from the tree I turn around and saw a dark figure standing in the trail we just got off of, my friend was 30 ft in front of me when he heard the thing that was in the woods he ran. I was brisk fully walking backwards and pulled my knife out I was in fear for my life from what I saw whatever it was stood I say around 7 to 8 ft tall I only saw the silhouette of it it was very tall and very broad across the shoulders, I saw it for about 3 to 4 seconds and ran to my left with incredible speed and I ran to the truck in fear for my life.
On a later incident I was carp fishing near the river behind the fish hatchery again, I had 2 other friends with me I will not mention any of my friends names because they don't want to be included in what happened, and something threw what I believe was a rock at us I was scared but we left a few hours later because I was getting worried. ALSO NOTICED: heard a crash coming down from a tree, felt like someone was stalking us. OTHER WITNESSES: 1 witness he was walking 30 ft in front of me. 2nd incident were in a group near the other side of the creek.
TIME AND CONDITIONS: light conditions was at late dusk couldn't see very well in front of us, the weather condition was cloudy ENVIRONMENT: creek bottom, pine forest adjacent to a fish hatchery
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stephen Willis:
I met the witness on site on 9/1/12 at 6 PM. We walked to the location where he observed the over 9’ tall figure. The biped was approx. 40 feet from him with the sun silhouetting the figure. He was unable to observe any facial details, only viewing the outline in the fading light. The animal and witness looked at each other for about 5 seconds, and then the animal turned running back down-stream into the bush.
The witness and his friend have returned to the location several times over the past year and nearly always had the impression of being watched while fishing.
Notes about the location:
The witness and I walked along the fence protecting the fish farm grow tanks and heard a single tree knock when leaving the area around the fence approaching the incident site. Following our tour of the location, we heard two tree knocks as we departed.
He stated for many years trout would congregate at the discharge drain from the fish hatchery in the dozens. This past year he has not observed any in the discharge location. It is highly oxygenated water from the discharge and possibly contained food not eaten by the fish contained in the grow tanks. This leads me to believe the animal he observed has used this shallow stream as a readily available food source and has consumed most of the hangers-on. He stated the fish hatchery fence has been repaired recently where the fence was crushed.
The location of the sighting is in the corner of the property indicated by the arrow.
About BFRO Investigator Stephen Willis:
Grew up in central West Virginia. Retired from the US Army in 2003. Small manufacturing business owner. Lived for almost 7 years in Germany and 1.5 years in the Mideast.
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