Geographical Index > United States > Tennessee > Hardeman County > Report # 7326
(Class B)
Submitted by witness on Wednesday, November 5, 2003.
Deer hunter has early morning encounter near Middleton
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YEAR: 1989
SEASON: Fall MONTH: October DATE: 10/14/1989 STATE: Tennessee COUNTY: Hardeman County LOCATION DETAILS: 10 miles south of middleton ,tn NEAREST TOWN: Middleton OBSERVED: I was deer hunting alone and had been in my stand about 15 minutes, when I heard someone approach.I spoke loudly that this was private land when a smell of a heavy musky smell hit me and whatever it was began to run circles around me, about 75 yards away. I coul see a dark shape, but it was misty and still a little dark. After about 4-5 minutes it turned and ran off. Noone has ever believd me, but I encountered the smell several other times, which I can say smelled like a wet bear, which I now pursue frequently.That was the only time anywhere that I felt not in control even though I had my rifle.
AnimalSeen : dark form in mist that sounded to run on 2 legs. OTHER WITNESSES: Deerhunting alone OTHER STORIES: Tony Gerard-
The witness did relate other stories he had heard from the area. He related that a local fellow had dogs killed in the area. The dogs "had the hide pulled off of 'em". The area was bottomland woods with many beaver ponds and a drainage canal running through it. He said that he'd also heard that when the canal was being constructed workers had a problem with their tools being moved at night. After construction a man was paid to stay in the area to mantain the unobstructed flow of the canal. Something supposedly "shook the little shack he lived in one night". The man left and refused to return.
TIME AND CONDITIONS: 6-7am, over cast ENVIRONMENT: Swampy
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Tony Gerard:
I spoke with the witness by phone. He said that after the animal circled him several times it stopped and "sort of shuffled around in the leaves, back and forth, like it was trying to get my scent or something." The witness was located 12 to 15 feet up in a bowstand at the time. He estimated it's height as between seven and eight feet, although he never actually got a clear look at the creature. The creature made no vocalizations.
The creature had a "very heavy tread". He described the odor as "between that of a bear and wet dog". The witness now lives in Montana and is a bear hunter. A few weeks later he took a friend hunting in the same area. The friend reported the same odor, although he did not see anything.
The witness also noted that the area of his stand had many White Oak trees and that the year was a particularly good acorn crop.
This report was originally submitted to the Texas Bigfoot Research Center.
About BFRO Investigator Tony Gerard:
Tony Gerard is a community college biology professor.
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