YEAR: 2013

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 06

STATE: Washington

COUNTY: Snohomish County

LOCATION DETAILS: East on the Mountain Loop Hiway from Granite Falls, then left on Coal Lake Road and approximately 5 miles to road end and the lake.

NEAREST TOWN: Verlot

NEAREST ROAD: Coal Lake Road, Snohomish County

OBSERVED: Me, my wife, and our 7 year old son were out for an evening bear hunt up to Coal Lake last night. We hadn't seen any sign of life at all the entire night covering several roads off mountain loop hwy, this was no exception. We stopped at the outhouse there at Coal Lake and walked up to the lake, at the time I thought it was weird that there was no wildlife at all. I mean none, no birds, nothing. After looking around a bit we got back in the truck and headed down the hill. We drove about 1/4 mile and found a small pile of scat in the road so I stopped to look at it, that's when I got a feeling that I was being watched. I went back to the truck and grabbed my rifle and continued to look around. As I cleared the rear of the truck and approached the edge of the bank I started hearing some thrashing below me. I got excited thinking we found a bear but the longer we sat the less excited and more uneasy I got. The thrashing didn't move unless I moved. I worked my way down the road past the front of the truck trying to see what was making the noise but couldn't see it. I did get really nervous at this point because the thrashing followed me down the road. I have hunted elk and bear in Montana and Washington my whole life and never had one parallel the road with me nor be that close without growling. I was very well armed with a sidearm and a heavy magnum rifle but I had no interest in exploring this more. I don't know what it was, probably nothing, I do believe bigfoot is real however it never crossed my mind till my son told us that it was not a bear it was Bigfoot. But I can tell you it felt like my blood went cold.

ALSO NOTICED: Just the dead calm silence.

OTHER WITNESSES: 2 others heard this, they were in the truck with the windows open.

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 8:00pm, clear sky

ENVIRONMENT: Thick brush and timber, steep hills.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Robert Parker:

I spoke with this gentleman by phone on August 13 for roughly 45 minutes. We talked about other hunting experiences and a few hair-raising encounters he had with bears and mountain lions. I found him to be a knowledgeable hunter and outdoorsman. What was different about this event was the way the animal paralleled his movements and that the "thrashing" in the brush grew louder and more active as he walked further from his truck, but softened as he walked back toward it. Also of note, was that he describes his feeling as being a deep, primal or instinctual kind of fear or trepidation. Nothing like he felt when he had close encounters with large predators.

The witness told me he returned the next day with some hunting buddies, stepped off the road where he had experienced the "thrashing" but could find no obvious signs of whatever may have been there. However, when they were hunting through a valley beyond Coal Lake a couple days later, they came across an area with a lot of small trees ("2-3 inches in diameter") that had been "folded so they looked like a straw when you bend it." He and his friends did find possible "stick structures like big X's" in the valley where they found the bent trees.

I went to the location on August 16 with fellow Investigator, John Ray, but our desire to make calls was limited due to campers in the area. I returned the next day during daylight but was unable to find any evidence of animal movement where the witness had indicated. It is exceedingly steep terrain, which limited my ability to fully examine it.

I believe this gentlemen is credible and that he experienced something so unusual as to cause him to stay up until 3AM the next morning just to report it and to get it off his chest.

About BFRO Investigator Robert Parker:

Rob is a life-long resident of Washington state, currently residing in Snohomish County. A daylight face-to-face encounter in 1969 started him on the path to discovery and led him to working with John Green, Dick Grover, and others throughout the 1970's, taking reports and conducting investigations. His interest in all things Bigfoot, has been greatly piqued over the last decade by what he believes to be either evolutionary developments or significant behavioral changes from those reported in the 60's and before. His interests are mainly in Washington State where he is attempting to pattern the movements and behaviors of Sasquatch.

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