YEAR: 2002

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: November

DATE: middle of mnth

PROVINCE: Ontario

COUNTRY: Canada

LOCATION DETAILS: off of rain lake access road take the left branch(logging rd)to the 25km marker than left branch again for approx 10km this will be Cripple Creek

NEAREST TOWN: Kearney

NEAREST ROAD: Rain lake access road

OBSERVED: My report is about a witness to the behaviour of wood knocking. I have been a witness to this on more than one occasion. The first time was approx. 4yrs ago while deer/ bear hunting in the woods of northern Ontario. The location is fairly remote and is on the border of Algonquin park off of the Rain lake access road. A logging road branches off of the main rd and goes for a long distance into the middle of the bush. We normally go until the 25km marker than turn off another branch for about 10km and set up by a place called Cripple Creek. I had set up my tree stand with my two friends and it overlooked a small clearing that was 20 yards away to my left. I had good cover and was afforded an excellent shot from where I was. I laid out some more bait(we had pre-baited earlier)and went to set up my friends stands. As it was late at this time and we figured we had done too much wildlife disturbing we retreated to our camper and called it a day. The next morning just before day break we went to our stands. I got settled in knocked an arrow in my bow and waited. There was not too much activity, I saw no deer or anything else for that matter. All of a sudden everything stopped and I do mean everything. No birds, no chipmunks nothing, and I felt as though I was being watched. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up. It felt so strange,like in the pit of my stomache you know? I wanted to run right out of my tree stand! I smelled nothing unusual and I could see nothing yet the feeling remained for a good 5 min. I was about ready to get out of my stand when I heard the knocking. It was off to my left and I thought just beyond the clearing maybe 100 yards and loud. About 4times in a row, than a pause of about 30seconds and 4or5 knocks back from in front of me about 400 yards maybe a little more. These knocks, I'm 6ft4 and 290lbs and I could not have hit two pieces of wood together that loud if I wanted to. It sounded like wood on wood to me anyway. It went on like that for about 10min with the further knocks getting closer to my location each time I heard them. Well, I got out of there and went back to the camper. I was scared! About an hour later my friends came back and I asked them if they heard it and they said they did but very faintly.(we were spaced far apart)We could not figure what it could be and the subject got changed and nothing else happened that trip. Last summer while camping in the same area I heard bi-pedal walking by our tent at about 1am. It sounded just like the sound file on your site. There were people camping by us but if it was one of them than they can see in the dark because when I heard it I opened my tent for a look and could see no one. I went back in my tent and shortly it began walking again but away from my tent(thank God).There was a slight skunk odour also.

OTHER WITNESSES: hunting partners 1st incident, friend(sleeping)on the 2nd

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 1st was approx 7am 2nd was approx 1am(summer)

ENVIRONMENT: Typical boreal forest 1st incident was cold no snow at the time. 2nd incident was about 70 degrees clear night no moon

Follow-up investigation report:

The witness is a hunter and very experienced in the bush. Has hunted all game including bears and moose and recognizes the sounds and vocals made by all the forests inhabitants.

One of the strongest points in his statement is the fact that when he heard the "wood knocks" he became very unnerved and anxious. He felt the sensation that he needed to leave the area immediately. He describes himself as a large man and admits that the wood knocks were something that he believes a human could not duplicate in terms of the power needed to create the sound of two pieces of wood being struck together. All the years spent in the bush, he never felt fear and the feeling to leave like he did during the wood knocks. Also noted is the fact that the wood knocks were coming from two separate locations and getting closer to the witness.

The second incident occurred during the night and the witness advises that something very heavy and bi-pedal was walking close to his tent. He noted that one could not see the hand in front of their face due to no artificial lights and low moon lighting. He advised that there would be no reason for a human being to be lurking about in that kind of darkness in that location. He was much more aware by this time too because of his previous "wood knocking" experience 4 years earlier.

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