The Conclusion Of Fred's 'Uncanny' Encounter With Bigfoot
Danny Robins returns with the latest episode of his popular paranormal podcast 'Uncanny'. This week’s episode, titled 'The Mystery Of Willow Creek', is the fifth instalment of the current season and is now available on BBC Sounds. In this episode, Danny revisits the chilling tale of Fred, who found themselves trapped in a remote cabin in the Alaskan wilderness, surrounded by creatures reminiscent of the local legends of Bigfoot, or "the Hairy Man." This episode continues from last week, bringing the harrowing two-part story to its conclusion.
In the previous episode, Fred, his uncle John, and cousin John Jr. were holed up in a tiny shack by a river in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, surrounded by creatures they believed to be the "hairy man" of Alaskan legend, more commonly known as Bigfoot. This episode delves into what happened next during their harrowing ordeal.
Fred describes a night filled with terror, where the creatures outside the shack seemed to feed off the negative energy inside. He recalls, "Any time we were calming down, something else would happen to reignite the trauma, the fear, and it was like when we were most fearful, they were close."
As daylight approached, the three men decided to make a break for the river. Fred handed his cousin a knife and took up a shotgun himself. They planned to move together in a tight formation to the riverbank, a mere 20 feet away, but it felt like miles. As they prepared to leave, they were suddenly attacked by a hail of rocks. Fred recounts, "All of a sudden you hear this smack... And then all of a sudden it was like a hailstorm. A bunch of rocks hitting the place."
The men retreated back into the shack, trapped once again by the creatures outside. Eventually, things quieted down, and they decided to make another attempt to escape. As they reached the river's edge, Fred narrowly avoided a large rock that whizzed past his head. He describes the moment, "It was very surreal. Everything went slow motion... Had I not scooted back and I just stood up where I was I would have caught it in the head."
Fred then saw one of the creatures up close. He recalls, "Inside the treeline, just coming out of the trees is that big black silhouette. The sheer mass of this thing. At least 13 or 14 feet tall, five, five and a half feet wide." In a panic, Fred shot at the creature three times, but it didn't flinch. "All it did was its forward progression stopped. And nothing, it didn't flinch. It didn't buckle or nothing and this is the same exact rifle we would kill a 2000 pound walrus with."
In the chaos, Fred, his cousin, and his uncle managed to get to their boat and cut the line tethering them to the bank. They finally moved out into the open water, leaving the creatures behind. Fred reflects on the aftermath, "From all night being so tense, once all that adrenaline wore off and I actually felt safe. I was so wiped out. It was bad."
The trauma of the event lingered long after they escaped. Fred shares, "It took four years after seeing that thing in the window for me to sleep right... In that moment, I'm gonna instantly be right back into that shack. Sitting in the dark."
This gripping episode of 'Uncanny' not only captures the fear and tension experienced by Fred and his family but also leaves listeners pondering the mysteries of the Alaskan wilderness and the creatures that may inhabit it. Danny Robins' journey into the heart of these tales continues to captivate and terrify, blending firsthand accounts with investigative exploration.
What The Experts Think
Danny Robins is joined once again by cryptozoologist Lyle Blackburn and folklorist Deborah Hyde to discuss Fred's harrowing encounter with what he believes to be Bigfoot.
Lyle, an expert on Bigfoot, finds Fred's story particularly intriguing due to the presence of multiple witnesses and multiple creatures. He notes, "It sounds similar to one of the classic Bigfoot stories, known as Ape Canyon. In 1924, five miners were assailed by multiple Bigfoot-like creatures in a gorge near Mount St. Helens in Washington State. Fred Beck was extensively interviewed about this experience, and it is very much like what we hear in this case."
Deborah, former editor of The Skeptic magazine, addresses the behaviour of the creatures, particularly their ability to throw projectiles. She explains, "We're certainly not the only animals that use tools. Bears have been observed throwing projectiles. Primates aren't as good at it as we are apparently for some sort of physiological reason. But in the wild, animals like walruses and bears in zoos have been observed throwing things. So whether this is a Bigfoot or a bear, it's been practising."
The discussion turns to the credibility of Fred's daylight encounter, where a large boulder narrowly missed his head. Lyle Blackburn dismisses the idea that such an event could be easily misinterpreted, stating, "If we hear reports of rocks flying or falling, the first thing you say is, 'Well, is there a hill or a mountain or some other explanation?' But in this case, they're down on the river's edge. If rocks are flying through the air, they most certainly had to have been thrown by whatever was assailing the guys. I had a report out of North Arkansas recently where a guy and his father-in-law were fishing and experienced almost the very same thing, with huge rocks landing in the water."
Deborah provides a broader perspective on the prevalence of Bigfoot sightings and their consistency across different regions. She cautions against taking widespread reports as definitive proof, comparing it to historical instances of mass hysteria. "If you went back to 1692 to Salem, for example, you might have loads of people who were absolutely certain that there were evil girls possessed by the devil and there were witches casting spells and harnessing supernatural powers. People talk to each other, they come up with ideas, and they transmit them. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's all happening."
You can listen to this episode in full plus the full 'Uncanny' archive on BBC Sounds now.
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