YEAR: 2022

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 9th and 10th

STATE: Arkansas

COUNTY: Marion County

LOCATION DETAILS: [Investigator (MM) notes:

This location is 95 miles north of Little Rock on the Buffalo River.

First sounds heard, around 4:00pm while paddling:
36.0931117, -92.4756105

Camp where incidents occurred all night long:
36.0930645, -92.4567744

NEAREST TOWN: Harriet

NEAREST ROAD: 653

OBSERVED: On September 8, 2022 my son and I packed up to go kayak-camping the Lower Buffalo River. We planned a three night trip as we would take our time as we were fishing.

We drove for about 6 or 7 hours and finally arrived. We put in at Rush and only went about four miles that afternoon and just soaked up the beauty. We made camp and enjoyed a peaceful night.

On September 9, 2022 we started the day at first light. We knew that we wanted to camp close to Big Creek to keep on schedule, so we fished all day and simply enjoyed the day. By late afternoon it was hot but not too hot. I believe the temp was somewhere around 83-85 degrees and a somewhat clear day with low humidity.

At approximately 4:00 pm, I believe we had stopped fishing and were looking for a good campsite as we were getting close to Big Creek. I believe that there was some type of obstruction or a cut to the left where we weren’t paddling but simply letting the river push us.

We were quiet and not talking, just quietly floating. At [36.0931117, -92.4756105] which was to our left, at approximately 20 yards away we heard what can best be described as a pissed off monkey. Literally sounded like a monkey as it ripped away at whatever was in its path as it went away from the river. It was still making the pissed off monkey sounds as it tore through the woods. We both looked surprised and asked what the hell was that as we started paddling away from the location. We joked about the sound and just wanted to put a little distance between us and the pissed off monkey. This occurred just north of Big Creek approximately 1.29 miles.

We paddled about 2.78 river miles from the pissed off monkey and stopped on the river left at a small gravel bar to make camp, at 36.0930645, -92.4567744

The gravel bar wasn’t that wid, and was approximately 15-20 yards long but was in good shade. Our goal this afternoon was to find a good shaded area where we wouldn’t cook as the sun went behind the ridge. Since there was no rain forecast we figured we were good. Also, the water had been dropping all day.

We went into full camp mode and started to get everything set up. That’s when we heard the first wood knock. We both stopped what we were doing and looked towards the knock. From our camp it was from the ridge line across the river from us and north up the ridge, a little down river.

I looked at my son and said that was a dang wood knock. Now, we joked earlier that the pissed off monkey sound could have been an ole squatch but we were joking. I actually believed my son said that a bear can make some crazy sounds like that when surprised.

Regardless, we have now just heard a tree knock, no doubt about that. We both made some sly comments jokingly about it and continued to set up camp.

Our camp was on a narrow gravel and rock bar that was approximately 15-20 yards wide. We had a clear field of view up and down the river. Our two tents were set up about 20 feet from the tree line with the tents only being about 12 feet apart. The fire was directly in front of both tents and split the difference from the tents and the water. We had two kayaks pulled completely out of the water to our front right.

Once camp was set we jumped in the river for a little while and knocked the day’s grime off. After that we walked the rock bar and fished for a very short time and then gathered enough wood to have a fire that would last us until we hit the sack. We then settled in by a fire and just talked about the day.

At approximately 8:00 pm the night started creeping in and I grabbed my weather radio to check the weather since rain was supposed to move in the next day. We sat around and listened to two regional reports and clicked it off. It was immediately after that that all hell would break loose and would last until 4:00 am.

As if from on que, we heard a yell “aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” that came from the ridge line close to where the tree knock was earlier. That freaked us out! We immediately jumped up at the same time and walked towards the water where the campfire smoke wouldn’t block our view. We started looking in the general area and began talking about what the hell would or even could make that noise.
We then started asking ourselves if someone could be up on the ridge messing with us. Doubtful based on the location and terrain. We were, after all, in the wilderness.

The yell was extremely loud and deep and sounded pissed. It wasn’t no time after that, in fact my son was still standing up, that we heard a noise coming from our rear but it was higher pitched and I couldn’t make it out but it had a melody to it.

I stood up and looked at my son and asked what the hell was that? He said, you don’t want to know what I heard. And of course I said I do. He said it sounded like a woman singing. Now that really freaked me out but freaked my son out more because he could actually hear it better.

We immediately both went to our tents and retrieved our handguns without a word being spoken. My concern was that now something was on our side of the river and I didn’t like that idea at all.

I immediately began lighting up our camp. I wasn’t sure what was going on but I didn’t have a good feeling about any of it. I had 3 pop up led lanterns, a battery operated canopy string led light, and chemlights. I strung the string light up behind the tents at the woodline, placed one popup lantern between the tents, one to our right and one to our left. The fire was to our front and I tied a Chemlight to a fishing pole on each kayak. Once we had a lighted perimeter set we began gathering all the wood we could possibly gather and settled in listening more than talking.

Between 9:00 - 9:30 pm the first rock of the evening came flying off the ridge and landed in the river to our left -- close to where the first tree knock came from but further towards the front of our position.

I’m not talking about a small rock, I mean cantaloupe size. We both jumped up and walked to the edge of the water with flashlights and pistols. We scanned the ridge but didn’t see anything. It was then that I told my son that this thing is pissed and wants us out of here. We sat back down and discussed our options. We can’t run the Buffalo River at night on a section that we’ve never seen before. We literally don’t know what’s around the next bend. We have no choice but to hunker down and prepare the best we can.

We went and gathered more wood. Once we gathered all that we could we sat down and discussed what we would do. I told my son that he would sleep first but to drag his cot out of his tent and place it between the fire and one of the perimeter lights. He would sleep for 2 hours while I pulled fire watch and then we would swap.

At 10:30 pm my son settled in to sleep as I started my first watch. At approximately 10:45 pm I heard a tree knock that was close to the same location as the first tree knock. However, immediately after the knock, and for the first time since the initial contact, I heard the pissed off monkey sounds. It seemed more ramped up than the first. The pissed off monkey was further down the ridge and to the north but close to the end of the ridge and the river. I then got worried because this thing wasn’t far from the other gravel bar that we could see from camp. It could easily cross the river and come in on a flanking move or come to our rear.

At approximately 10:50 pm, immediately across from us and on top of the ridge, I heard a very very deep chatter/mumble vocalization. I immediately recognized the sounds from the Sierra Sounds. Same Samurai sound but seemed deeper. It was at that time that I realized that we were in trouble. With the pissed off monkey making his way down the ridge and the Samurai sounds, my stomach turned. I started doing notes on my phone because I was actually afraid that something was going to happen if we didn’t leave. I figured that we were possibly at our last stand location and the night was not going to end well. I had to make the decision to start doing notes to make sure that someone would read what happened in the event everything went bad. I also did a video of the campsite and how everything was set up, along with my son sleeping.

In my gut I felt that we didn’t have a chance in hell. We were trapped with our backs to the river and the ridge. We had no way to get the hell out of there and no way to call for help due to no cellphone service.

Continuing with my watch, at approximately 11:45 pm I heard chattering in the same location as the first tree knocks and at 12:30 am my watch ended. I woke my son and gave him all this information. I also advised him to watch our rear because the pissed off monkey may be trying to work his way to our rear. I racked out.

My son woke me up for my second watch and passed on his information. He said he heard the pissed off monkey and a rock thrown into the river. Then later he heard a tree knock. He advised that all this took place directly across the river from camp.

At 2:45 am, the last watch began. I had to go out and try to find firewood because we weren’t going to have enough to last through the night. I was able to scavenge some within the wood line but had to make multiple trips due to having only one hand free, the pistol was in the other.

At approximately 3:17 am I heard a deep pissed off monkey sound immediately across from camp on the ridge that was immediately followed up with yet another rock thrown into the river.

At approximately 3:26 am I heard deep chattering halfway down the ridge that actually scared the hell out of me because it was coming down closer.

At approximately 3:32 am I heard a tree snap to my rear. It was the sound of good firewood that you put on your knee and you snap it in half except this sounded like a log that got snapped. I jumped up, pointed my pistol in the general direction and woke my son, he slept through it. I explained to him what just happened and he armed himself.

While facing the treeline we slowly backed up to the fire as we scanned the area. I didn’t hear anything run off and best I could tell it was about 20 yards behind the tree line and up the ridge. While backed up to the fire and on guard, I started running through the events that happened while I was on watch. We both came to the realization that things were escalating and we had to do something.

After a brief discussion we decided that we had to do something to show we had intention to leave. We decided that we would start breaking down camp and pack everything into the kayaks. We did just that. It did not take us long at all and before no time the kayaks were loaded and all that was left were our chairs, water bottles and the lighted perimeter.

At approximately 4:00 AM we had the fire blazing and sat down. Not long after we sat down my son said did you hear that and I said no but then I heard something that sounded like a laugh. I looked at my son and said what the hell. He said he heard one whistle and pointed to our right and across the river. Then he pointed to our left and said another one was laughing at us from across the river. The whistle I did not hear.

We sat there in our chairs until sunrise with no further activities. Right before first light we began gathering up everything and finalized our packing. As soon as we walked to our kayaks to push them off, a rock came off the ridge, hit a tree on the way down and hit the water in front of us. I shouted we were leaving and we did just that.

We paddled about 12 miles straight to the White River where we came out at Riley’s Outfitters. Neither one of us said a word about this to anyone we encountered at the Outfitters. Needless to say, our trip was cut short but we were good with that.

After we returned home I battled with the thought of contacting the Ranger Station at Buffalo Point. I knew that this story was going to sound crazy but I would have felt guilty if I read something later on about a family being hurt on that section of the river and I never said anything. So, on September 11, 2022 I started using my law enforcement contacts in an effort to speak directly with a Ranger on the Buffalo.

All the information was passed along through a contact and I was advised that I would receive a phone call. That call came a few days later and all the information was passed along.

I was advised that an investigation would take place at the coordinates that I released and that I would be contacted if any further information was needed.

ALSO NOTICED: In the story: Wood knocks, a yell, rocks thrown, singing?, chatter, and pissed off monkey sounds.

OTHER WITNESSES: One other witness -- my son

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: First contact at 4:00 p.m., 83-85 degrees, low humidity, clear.

Evening, cool with lows in the high 40s, full moon, partially cloudy.

ENVIRONMENT: Buffalo River, high bluffs, forests and rocky.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

I spoke with both witnesses separately by phone. They are both credible and willing to speak with journalists or scientists.

The father, Lee U., is retired from 27 years in law enforcement. His son is a welder for large infrastructure projects.

The both described the same sounds. The only visuals were the brush and trees moving as the creature making the "pissed off monkey sounds" crashed away from the edge of the river as the kayakers paddle by.

I asked him to immitate the "pissed off monkey sounds". He made a series of rapid whoops.

I mentioned that an owl can make rapid fire whoops too, but that possibility is eliminated if the sounds were moving away along with the sounds of heavy brush breaking. That would not be an owl.

The other visual were the rocks coming down from above. Some hit the trees above them before hitting the water. That would elminate beaver tail slaps explanation (which sound identical to a cantaloupe size rock hitting the water).

All of the other sounds at the camp that night are very consistent with sasquatches.

Even more pertinent: The BFRO has known about sightings along this river for many years. About ten years ago there was a large BFRO expedition on this river (different section) but the attendees did not bring boats to navigate the river.

The portion of this long remote river where the incidents occurred can only be accessed by kayak. Canoes are not advised because there are rapids along the way.

There were no other people floating down this remote section of river over the few days they were there.

How remote is it: They had to paddle 15 miles (!!!) until they reached an outfitters boat ramp (Riley's) where they could pull out of the river. It doesn't get much more remote in the midwestern US.

This location is pretty darn close to a "sure bet" in the hottest part of summer if you want to experience some intense Class B sasquatch activity, but as these two kayakers noted, once you are there on this gravel bar for the evening ... you cannot leave until sunrise. You are totally committed. There is no escape.

A very curageous solo kayak-camper with a thermal camera and an audio recorder will have great odds of obtaining some recorded documentation at the hottest time of year. The ground at this location is too rocky for tracks but, as we have seen elsewhere, that may make the sasquatches more confident to approach a camp near the treeline after dark.


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Most of these photos below were from this trip. The father had a tripod for his smartphone when he photographed the two of them together.





































































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About BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

Matthew Moneymaker is originally from the Los Feliz District of Los Angeles, California.

- Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

- Juris Doctorate (Law degree) from University of Akron School of Law

- Founder of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization,1995.

- Writer and co-producer of the Discovery Channel documentary "Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science", 2001.

- Co-producer of the TV Series "Mysterious Encounters" for the Outdoor Life Network (OLN Channel), 2002.

- Producer of the "2003 International Bigfoot Symposium" (Willow Creek Symposium) DVD set, 2004.

- Co-host of "Finding Bigfoot" on Animal Planet Channel, 2010 - 2017.

- Current Director of the BFRO

- Available for private bigfoot expeditions and conferences. To inquire please email ContactUS@BFRO.net

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