YEAR: 2007

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: January

DATE: 17th

STATE: Oklahoma

COUNTY: Le Flore County

NEAREST TOWN: Heavener

NEAREST ROAD: holsom valley rd

OBSERVED: Me and a long time friend were camping in the woods near Heavener, Okla by Tram Ridge Road. About 5:15pm we heard what sounded like an ape at the zoo. We sat and listened to this for about two minutes and then there were knocks coming from the area of the creek below us. We thought it was a woodpecker at first but the knocks were to slow and too loud for it to be that.

We had read where that is the way they communicate so we decided to try for ourselves. I really don't think this was a good thing. When started to bang two logs together. The knocks got closer to us and we heard more knocks start so we stopped.

About one to two minutes after that some rocks came flying into camp and these were not small stones that you could throw a long ways. These were about 4 to 5 inches in diameter. As soon as it stopped we were on guard for the rest of the day and that night just got worse.

We went to bed about 10:30pm and all sounded good until there were walking sounds outside our tent and the sounds of what we thought was something smelling along the seam of the tent and around the windows of the tent. After that night we heard nothing the next day.

ALSO NOTICED: we also got foot print pictures

OTHER WITNESSES: 2

OTHER STORIES: yes they are on your site for 2005

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 5:15pm to 11:45pm light was good until after dark. Skys were clear

ENVIRONMENT: Creek bottom land rough and rugged

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Brandon Kiel:

I spoke with the witness for close to an hour. He is in law enforcement and the other witness is law enforcement and an ex-marine. They were joined on the trip by the second witness's son. They arrived in the area around 1pm and set up camp around 4pm. That evening at around 5:30pm as it was getting dark they first heard an owl hooting. This was immediately answered by hoots and hollers coming from one area near them. He is clear that there were two different and distinct types of calls. He describes them as being a mix between an orang and a chimp.

Later they heard something that sounded like a large bear running around the campsite just beyond the firelight, but he says it did not have a quadrupedal pattern to it.

Before they went to bed his friend left camp on 4-wheeler driving 1/4 - 1/2 mile to top of the hill to make a phone call. As his friend left the witness heard something large depart the area in the same direction. When the friend got to top of hill and turned off the 4-wheeler he reported hearing heavy breathing. This spooked him a bit and he immediately returned to camp "white as a ghost".

The witness described the night as being calm, very clear, and cold (he says it was in the 30's). After they went to bed, around midnight, he reports hearing something clearly bipedal walking around the tent. He describes that "it sounded very long-legged...there was alot of time between each step". He reports only hearing one animal. They were all in same same tent and he says they were discussing this while it was going on. They also heard it brush up against tent a few times. The next morning he reports nothing was disturbed, but an ice chest had been opened though nothing was removed.

2pm next afternoon they heard wood knocks about 500 yds away. His friend knocked back and they got a response from two different locations. They continued knocking intermittently for 45 min-hour and it clearly sounded as if the knocks were getting closer; at the closest point he says they were no further than 200 yds away. During this event they could hear the animals moving around and rattling branches. After the knocks stopped, he began to cook hamburgers for lunch. It was during this time that a big rock, the size of a large man's open hand (3-4lb rock), came flying through the trees into camp and landed 3 feet from him. Both men felt this was now becoming a very serious situation and they decided not to tell his son what was happening.

Later that night they heard more walking around the tent/campsite though nothing was disturbed. He reports nothing else occurring the rest of the time they were there (a total of 3 nights/4 days).

They did find footprints in another location 3 miles away on walking trails.

I spoke with the 2nd witness as well and his story was consistent. I found them both to be reasonable, well balanced credible witnesses.

In respect of full disclosure, I grew up very close to this location and have been in this area many times. I have had a Class B encounter here as well.

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Editor's note (Matt Moneymaker):

The description of this incident is consistent with several incidents that have occurred in the same general part of Oklahoma -- the hills and mountains of southeast Oklahoma.

In September 2009 there will be a BFRO expedition in southeast Oklahoma. The expedition is open to non-members and will be led by Troy Hudson.

About BFRO Investigator Brandon Kiel:

Brandon Kiel is a professional photographer and naturalist living in the Bay Area.

He was the chief coordinator of Northern California Expeditions for 7 years and has planned/attended more than 20 expeditions throughout the US.

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