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YEAR: 2002
SEASON: Fall
MONTH: November
DATE: 11/05/02
STATE: Arkansas
COUNTY: Union County
LOCATION DETAILS: South of El Dorado, AR on Hwy 167 there is an oil well location about 300 yards off the highway to the east. I parked at this location and continued into the bottom/swamp for another 1/2 mile or so.
NEAREST TOWN: El Dorado
NEAREST ROAD: US 167
OBSERVED: In early November 2002, I decided to get in an afternoon of squirrel hunting before deer season opened and the woods got full of hunters. I drove to an oil well location that is located south of town off the main highway and parked my truck there. I left the location and walked down an old road and headed east into the woods to hunt along the ridge and wooded area that joins the swamp. I'd walk the road and then leave it and wade through the bushes looking for squirrels then head back to the road and follow it for a ways and then leave the road again. I'd been hunting for a good while and had gotten to an area where the briars and bushes had taken over the old road. I decided to turn around and hunt back toward the truck since it was getting late, and I hadn't seen but one squirrel and that was soon after I got into the woods.
Just as I started to head back, I got a whiff of the most foul odor that I have ever smelled. It actually made me gag, because I have a very weak stomach. I figured it was a dead animal or a wild hog, but I'd never smelled any hog that stunk that bad. I knew I couldn't stay there with that smell, so I turned to head back down the road. As I did, I heard something make a couple of growling type sounds in a clump of bushes off to my left, and saw the bushes just shaking like hell. I still figured it was a hog, but I'd never heard one that sounded like that and figured if it was a hog it would grunt instead of growl. I was getting nervous about meeting up with a big boar, or maybe even a big cat, so I took off at a fast pace back up the road. After I'd gone a ways, I heard what sounded like three squealing hoot type sounds, still to the left of the road. I was very spooked by then thinking that can't be a hog, and picked up my pace even more. After a ways, I stopped to listen and when I did, I heard something out to my left take a couple of steps and stop. It sounded like someone walking out in the bushes, and it didn't sound like it was too far away from the road and I could swear I heard heavy breathing. I headed for the truck again wanting to break into the clearing before it got completely dark. Just as I got within sight of the well location, I heard the walking sound again and looked behind me thinking I'd see a person following me on the road. What I saw was a tall reddish looking creature cross the road behind me about 20 yards. It was moving in a hurry and I only saw it for a second or two. It stepped completely across the road in one step, then it sounded like it was running away from the road through the bushes. I took off for the truck at a full run and when I reached the truck, I jumped in and got out of there in a hurry. I don't know what it was that I saw, but I'm sure that it was at least a foot taller than my 5'8" and it looked massive, like a giant hairy man with long arms and long hair all over it's body, and the fastest moving thing I've ever seen or heard.
I've been back to the area since then with my nephew, but the timber has been cut in that area and it's no good for hunting anymore. I didn't smell, see or hear anything when we went back to those woods.
ALSO NOTICED: It was strange that afternoon that I didn't see or hear more squirrels in the woods. I had hunted there before and always killed my limit.
OTHER WITNESSES: I was alone and was squirrel hunting.
OTHER STORIES: I've heard of things called "boogers" and "whompas cats" living in this bottom, but I've never heard of anyone seeing anything like what I saw.
TIME AND CONDITIONS: Late afternoon. It was overcast and cool but there was enough light to hunt by.
ENVIRONMENT: The area is on the edge of Bayou De'Loutre. There is a swampy bottom area with many cypress and willow trees that is bordered by woods with pine, oak, hickory and beach trees. The road I was on is bordered by heavy brush and briars.
Follow-up investigation report:
I interviewed this witness in person and took his report. He said that he had hunted this same area many times in the past, but this is the first time he had ever had anything like this happen. I went to the area with him, but the timber has been cut all along the bottom where his encounter occurred. We walked down the road he was on that day, but could only go a short distance due to the tops that the timber cutters left on the road. The bayou that this area borders goes for miles, and flows all the way into Louisiana.
I've known this person for years and he is the type of person who is not easily scared by anything. He is very much an outdoors person who spends a great amount of time year around in the woods.
When I questioned him about the creature, he said that he estimated the height at 6.5 feet tall, maybe a little taller, and said the hair was reddish brown in color and looked like it was 3 to 4 inches long, except for the face which looked bare. He said the arms looked long, and that they were swinging, not held like a runner would hold his arms. He only saw the creature from the side and it did not turn its head to look at him as it crossed the road behind him, that he could tell. He said that as far as he could tell in the seconds he saw it, he could not see any ears or specific facial features. After it crossed behind him, he heard what sounded like running away from the road through the brush, and that's when he took off for the truck.
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