YEAR: 2020

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 8

STATE: Missouri

COUNTY: Jackson County

LOCATION DETAILS: James Reed Memorial Wildlife Area

NEAREST TOWN: Lee's Summit, MO

NEAREST ROAD: SE Ranson Rd

OBSERVED: Several times a week I go fishing at the James Reed Memorial Wildlife Area just south of Lee's Summit, MO. It's about 900 acres plus 10 lakes to choose from for fishing and a area with walking trails. Each lake has a level, mowed area about 20 feet wide all the way round it. It is wooded and brushy between lakes plus there are also open meadow/fields scattered around. Animal life is deer (lots of them), fox, possums, rabbit, racoon, squirrel, turkey, geese, golden eagles, cranes, vultures and many smaller birds. During the week there aren't many people there fishing so sometimes I'm the only one. I prefer fishing at the lake that is farthest from the main entrance. I think Google Maps shows it as #9 but it has a name.

The first week of August, 2020, I was there fishing for bass and had worked my way half way around the lake when I came upon a very large pile of scat in the mowed walking area. It was well formed and shaped like human feces. I estimated its size as 16 X 14 inches and about 5 inches high. My first thought was an obese person had somehow managed to completely empty their guts. There are horse riders allowed in the area but I've never once seen their hoofprints around the lake in that area not any horse scat. The pile did not resemble in any way what a horse does.

The last week of August, 2020, I was the only person there and there were no other cars in the parking lot. I was near where I'd seen the scat. When I fish I move slowly and quietly. I was on the southwest side of the lake when I heard what I thought was a hoot owl. It hooted three times with no space between hoots. I've never hear an owl do that. I walked and fished for another 100 feet or so and was facing the water when in the trees/brush behind me I heard a deep HumphGrrrr sound. Both sounds were ran together and I could feel it vibrate in my chest. I immediately turned completely around thinking that there was a huge dog nearby and I wanted to make sure it wasn't sneaking up on me.

The sound lasted about 3 seconds and even after I couldn't hear it I still felt it vibrate in my chest for a few more seconds. I looked as far back into the trees/brush as I could and saw nothing. I wasn't scared but I felt that I needed to leave so I left and went home.

I was there fishing on Sept 8 or 9, 2020 (can't remember which day this happened). Same lake, same time, about 11 AM. I was on the northwest side of the lake casting for bass and I was the only one there. Earlier there was a young man fishing but he left about 10 AM. Except for the occasional bird and locust it was quiet. Suddenly in the brush behind me I heard what I can only describe as a small chimp making sounds like Cheetah the Chimp. I would guess the source of it to be closer than 50 feet. I heard it for perhaps a second or two then it stopped suddenly like someone had flipped a switch. I turned completely around and looked as far back into the trees/brush as I could. I even looked up into the trees on both sides of me and saw nothing. I moved a little faster and quickly worked my way around the lake to the parking lot then went home. That was as weird as the owl and growl I'd heard.

This place is about one half mile outside of a city which is a suburb of Kansas City, MO. I do not have any mental illness, I do not drink, do drugs or smoke. I am a retired University teacher. Do you or anyone else have a possible explanation of what I saw and heard? I am really curious and want to know. Now when I go fishing there I'm looking into the brush around me and up into the trees as I walk.

ALSO NOTICED: Twice I have smelled a horrible odor like rotten meat but figured since I'm next to the woods it was a dead animal.

OTHER WITNESSES: No

OTHER STORIES: Not in this specific area but know of others further north.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Between 10-11 AM.

ENVIRONMENT: Oak and walnut trees plus others I don't know. Lots of brush and bushes. A large lake of about four acres.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Carter Buschardt:

I spoke to the witness. He was a trained observer for over 20 years and was precise about what he saw & heard. The area he was at is a very active area near me and there have been several Class A sightings. One in particular, #40306 and published to BFRO site, is at the exact spot he was at, and he fishes this area several days a week weather permitting. He was unaware of the published report(s) until we spoke.

The first event was in early August 2020, and it was his finding a large pile of scat which he was certain was not a horse. This is a conservation area so horses are allowed there but only a few come out there to ride. Though he is knowledgeable about wildlife, this scat pile, though "plentiful" did not yield anything other than curiosity. No photo or sample was taken.

The second event was later in August 2020. He was fishing while walking slowly around the lake. This is when he heard the "hoot owl" call out with three hoots back to back to back within the space of a second, sort of "rapid fire". He estimated it was within 150 ft. or less. He is an avid hunter, and has heard most wildlife sounds one would hear in the woods, and this was just "an unusual version" of a known bird call. He then walked another 100 feet or so while still fishing. This is when he heard the grunt/huffing sound coming about 20-30 feet behind him from the brush by the tree line. He indicated it created a "heavy vibration he both felt and heard" and after the audible sound had dissipated it still "vibrated within his body (chest) for a few more seconds. We did discuss this part in detail, and he was adamant it was not any type of adrenaline rush or his heart pounding due to a possible fear based reaction to what he thought might have been a dog coming up behind him. It just had a weird effect on him.

After the sound and resulting effects, he was not afraid but something told him it was time to get out of there, so he headed home.

The last event was early in September. He went to the same lake and wasn't there long before he heard a chimp-like chirping/screeching right behind him in the brush by the tree line. His analogy of it sounding like Cheetah from the old Tarzan movies was pretty accurate, and it was no more than 50 feet or so behind him. He quickly decided it was again time to get out of there.

If one were to take all of these events individually they may not be seen as much of anything but anomalies. But this location has had several Class A sightings published by myself and is still a research area of mine as well. His descriptions of the various sights and sounds are very much in line with other reported events with other witnesses here and elsewhere.

It is a common habit of people that fish this small lake to throw carp, gar, and other unwanted game fish into the brush/tree line so they won't have to catch them again and again. The creatures of the area have free and easy meals almost daily.

About BFRO Investigator Carter Buschardt:

Carter is originally from Texas & moved to Missouri in 1988. Professional drummer for 20 years. Improv & sketch comic and writer for 5 years. Lighting technician for major touring groups for several years. Experienced outdoorsman and was a trained investigator for MUFON. Studied Herpetology in college. Longtime special interest in Sasquatch long term habituation, burial research, infra sound, language & stick structures. He led three Missouri BFRO Public Expeditions:, 2012 & 2013 & 2014. Led public expedition for BFRO in Illinois in 2019.Participated in Iowa, 2012 Illinois. Michigan 2016. Private Expeditions: Illinois 2011, 2012, 2013. Missouri 2011, 2012 (3) 2013(2) 2014. Iowa 2012, 2014 & 2015. Consulted on two Animal Planet Finding Bigfoot TV shows. Expedition leader in Missouri 2013 (1) & 2014 (2) & Illinois Expedition 2019 (1). Led night ops on numerous BFRO expeditions. Hosted a public Town Hall meeting in Missouri in 2017.

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