Stopped at Arundel Mills Mall, the location of a famous Md. sighting several years back. Took place while the Mall was under construction. A giant sas came running past a contractors trailer that some WV union guys were overnighting in rather than commute. Estimated size was 12' tall. That seemed hard to imagine, but there was a Policeman that came to investigate who claimed to come across a large creature laying down beside a drainage pond nearby. He spotted it with his flashlight that night and didn't know what to make of it.

Anyway i went to have a look at the "drainage pond" and it more like a small lake. Almost a 1/4 mile in length and 150 ft across or so. The banks are about 75 ft high. Interestingly, the pond drains into what appears to be the Severn Run (Rob Usted) about 100 yards in back of it.

The mall is immense and backs up to what appears to be part of the Severn Run refuge forest.

Could easily picture a "big guy" wandering out of the Severn Run Refuge. I had been pretty skeptical of such a sighting in that area. But, being there really added more plausibility to the report.

This sounds so familiar, but for us old folks, could you please link to the "famous Md. sighting several years back"? Thanks!

Yes, I'd like to read that myself. I wonder how they determined 12' if it Ran past the trailer?

BFRO Article that I believe refers to that incident. Also noticed about four other reports listed by the BFRO for that same area going back to the 80's.

Is this (link to BFRO media article) it?

The construction workers sighting doesn't have a BFRO posting. However, the article posted is 1 of a few that I've come across, I believe.

The construction workers sighting location

*****

Below is the link to a recent report (September 18th 2005) from a bowhunter in Maryland and near the location of the Construction Workers sighting. Creepy, makes me want to go bow hunting there next year.

100Lbs. of pull on my bow will surely kill Biggie.... if he threatens too much.
: ) he doesn't want to cross me. No, actually I'm a nice guy.

Bow hunter hears vocalizations, smells foul odor
http://www.bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?id=12601

*****

I haven't been out in the area of the Bow Hunter's sighting much. However, I hope to visit that area more so in the coming months. I will do some kayaking in that area during the summer months. I hope to get some water proof bags for my electronic equipment.

I do know that the area is swampy. I'll take some pics and then share them with you all.

"LOCATION DETAILS [Bow Hunters Sighting]: Incident occured in Churchton, Maryland on Shady Side Road between Shady Side Road and West River in the West River swamp bottoms. Hardwood forest with chokecherry and underbrush thickets. Some old growth trees exist but mainly medium growth scattered with pines and red oak. Swamp vegitation and gallberry trees are abundant. Area condusive to wildlife habitation and wildlife is abundant. Deer, turkey, owls, foxes, woodland game birds like dove have been spotted in the area. Rails,coots, snipe and waterfowl found closer to West River area along with raccoon tracks and large preditor cat paw prints have been sighted."

Here is the map to the location.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=...010665,0.028925

Here is a satellite map. The area appears to be developed on the satellite map but I would bet that it is wild. I live approximately 1 hour from this location. I'll check it out and give a report.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=...73,0.014462&t=h

Some say the Construction Worker Sighting was a bear and apparently no witness could be contacted but it was in the news.


************************

Witnesses or not, beast is a no show

August 2 Baltimore and Mongomery Counties, Maryland AP

Anne Arundel County's answer to Bigfoot remained elusive yesterday, one day after four
people told police they spotted a 12-foot-tall animal near the Arundel Mills mall construction
site in Hanover.

Although witnesses reported seeing a 15 to 20 inch footprint left by the mysterious beast, State Department of Natural Resources officials said this morning that only tracks the size of a human hand were found at the site.

Clifton Horton of DNR's Wildlife Division, who inspected the site yesterday afternoon, said the area where he was searching--a large storm water management pond near woods--would have been a prime place for footprints because of the wet terrain, but he found nothing there. "This is a good place to look for signs, such as hair or tracks," he said.

As of last night, Mr. Horton had still been unable to speak with any of the four men who claim to have seen the animal. Mr. Horton was to meet at the site today with police and a witness who saw the animal, said Susan O'Brien, a spokesman for the DNR.

The three construction workers and off-duty county police officer working security at the site reported seeing the animal about 12:30 a.m. Monday, said Sgt. Joseph E. Jordan, county police office spokesman. Officer Nicholas DiPietro also reported finding a 15 to 20 inch footprint, Sgt. Jordan said. The construction workers were spending the night in a van when they spotted the animal running away from their vehicle on two legs, Sgt. Jordan said.

Officer DiPietro heard the report of the animal sighting on his police scanner and quietly approached the darkened spot where the men had seen the creature. There, Officer DiPietro stumbled upon two inhuman-like red eyes glaring back at him, Sgt. Jordan said. The animal did not make a noise but only stared.

The construction workers fled to a nearby fast-food restaurant and had to be persuaded to
return with Officer DiPietro to the site, Sgt. Jordan said. Based on the information from the police report, Mr. Horton said the animal was probably although not definitely a bear.

"In all likelihood, what they saw was a bear," Mr. Horton said. He pointed out that a bear was killed five miles away on the Baltimore Washington Parkway in June and two other bears were spotted in that area recently.

Severna Park resident, Al James said he and his family saw signs of bears near the mall site in recent months. He said he saw a "big track" in a wooded area near his daughter's Hanover home.

"There are several areas where it looks as though they made a bed," Mr. James said. "It's not to far from the construction site." In addition to looking for a footprint, Mr. Horton searched for fur, droppings, or other signs of bears.

Natural Resources Police said there have been bear sightings in Baltimore and Montgomery Counties so far this year. County police are warning area residents to be careful if they see any bears or other large wild animals. "We're asking anyone in the area who sees it not to approach it, but to call the police or the DNR," said Officer Charles Ravenell, county police spokesman.

The Capital, Staff Writer Laura Green
Credit source Tim Olson

hi everyone these possible maryland sasquatch sightings sound very interesting. yes i too remember seeing one the maryland sightings mentioned on the news a few years ago. i hope maryland researchers here will keep us up to date on future maryland sasquatch activity. thank you bill :bf:

hey thats not too far from here, think i'll have a looksee

I have baited at that pond before and got a footprint a few years back. That area may be crowded but there is still plenty of woods in the area.

I emailed the writer of the story, a Ms. Barnhardt, her reply was:

----------------
I feel fairlyconfident that there were no further sightings and I'm pretty sure the state
Department of Natural Resources felt it was a bear.
Take care,
Laura
----------------



Jimbo

I live 2 miles from Arundel Mills. Trust me on this, the population level aroud here is close to 5,000 people per square mile. There is just no way BF can live around here. Also, Arundel Mills is surrounded by the CIA, Fort Meade, NASA, US Agricultural research center, FBI training center, NSA, etc, etc.

The claim is equivalent to a new york central park sighting, just plain BS!!!

Thanks Gigantor! And, welcome to the BFF!

Yeah, just by looking at a map, it seems VERY unlikely this report could even be true. Damn, the mall is in the shadow of the Baltimore Airport. Doesn't seem like biggie would have any place to hide around there.

I have to disagree with gigantor. There has been several sightings with in 15 miles of there in the past 5 years. There are plenty of woods and rivers with in 5 miles of there. I have walked the rivers and creeks around there and a "Big Fella" could easily walk right up to that mall at night undetected when they were building it. Since they have built some houses near that pond so it would be harder now but it could still be done late at night.
The Bay is close to there also. A widlife refuge that is closed to the public. Several parks are close also. There could easily be a "Big Friend" in the area.

Here is a link to a CNN article of a Coyote that was found in Central Park. They even give the path they think the Coyote used to reach the Park. A Coyote in Central Park..Impossible!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/22/nyc.coyote/index.html

I visited the Arundel Mills Mall with other researchers after the sighting and think it was the real deal. Just ask the man that lives behind the pond, he says to stay out of the woods when the whistler comes through. Also talk to the police officer that was forced to change his report of what he witnessed after his superiors came down on him that morning. Nothing, not even a Bigfoot sighting was going to stop that mall from being built.

William Dranginis
Manassas, VA.

That is not the only report out of that area. I believe that report can be found on BFRO but wasn't it before 2004 ? There was another sighting in the area a few years back that was on the BFRO website for about 12 hours, the lady wanted it taken off because she didn't want the creature disturbed. Her report indicated that she clearly saw a bigfoot on her way home from the mall and the sighting was near WalMart. Although I live out west I used to travel to that area and have scouted the periphery and taken short walks into the Severn run area. It is thick and adjoins a very large wildlife refuge. I repeat it is quite thick and the area including Annapolis has many sightings - also a report out of Skagsville which is nearby. Maryland has quite a few reports and the Severn Run Annapolis area is ripe but they are building a lot around there these days and the forest is receding.

I'd be interested in any more stories about the area but have really scoured the BFRO website so no need in repeating those stories.

take care.

Sorry I can't trust you on this because I have gone into the Severn run area on several occasions. There are large forested areas in which communities sit like islands. If you gave me a 30 second head start I could walk into Severn run and you would never find me. the forests are thick and you know that. and yes there are many acres set aside as government reserves and the public doesn't just wander in - those areas are rarely used and are thickly forested and perfect habitat. there is a long history of sightings in the area. I have maps of the area and have flown over it between 10-20 times.
If you want to learn more here is a link. It also includes the link to the Baltimore sun article on the mall sighting in Y2K. ( also read my other post because I mention another sighting in that area)

http://bfro.net/GDB/show_county_reports.as...ty=Anne+Arundel

cheers

What is the wildlife refuge that is closed to the public? I want to go there? : )

Actually, I believe this area to be supporting Bigfoot... Also if you follow along the coast all the way down to
Norfolk Va. and Virginia Beach Va. I think I recall hearing of some sighting here.

map: map of coast

Check this site.

http://www.virginiabigfootresearch.org/

If someone is putting together a Virginia or Maryland outing ... day or over night then get in touch with me as I would love to participate.

Cheers.

I can believe this... on the one hand, I think, that if I saw bigfoot I'd want to follow or capture (Krantz said kill just 1) but then on the other hand I think it's in the realm of possibility that I would want to leave it alone. (All this assumes that I'm not scared to death - to a point that I never want to leave the civilized world)


Anyone have these same feelings?

I have to agree. Even though this area is in what is considered to be a major metropolitan area, there are still plenty of places to hide. Maryland continues to be a "hot spot" of sightings and encounters. There are alot of areas in MD with many acres of woods. However, hundreds of acres of woods are not always necessary. There have been sightings in other heavy populated areas such as Manassas, VA in Bull Run Regional Park. And that is right next to I-66, one of the busiest interstates in the area. I have walked this area of Bull Run and there are plenty of places a BF to hide, but when you look on a map, it doesn't look that intense. Maps do not alway tell the whole story. So, BF being sighted at Arundel Mills, no doubt in my mind. It is very possible and the two witness accounts should help to back that up. Thanks for adding the witness accounts Bill.

monkey_breck, the wildlife refuge is Patuxent Wildlife Refuge. It use to be open to the public a few years back. I have snuck in there a few times and tryed baiting a area but never had any luck. I know a few researchers that have night recorded outside the refuge and have heard some strange stuff.
A BFRO researcher saw a Squatch in Severn Run in 2001 also. I was researching the area for about a year but the wild areas are so spread out that it made it hard to research. I moved my research area up to southern Pa last year.

The area of the September 2005 encounter isn't exactly NEAR tha Arundel Mills site...it's 20-25 miles southeast of it. I'm familiar with both sites, having done work in both areas (I did some work in the woods at Arundel Mills only a month or so before the sighting, but I didn't find out about the sighting until a couple of months ago.....)

I have discovered abundant bigfoot sign (territorial markers, snapped trees, bedding sites, etc) in a neighboring county, and have been trying to get some qualified researcher interested in visiting the sites I have found, but so far no one has responded to my entreaties. If anyone here knows of a qualified and sober researcher in Maryland who would be willing to examine my sites, please notify me.

I have done a lot of work inside the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. If I was a shy cryptohominid in this area, the PWRC is where I would want to be. It's a large area of riverbottom with abundant deer and other wildlife, and few people. The President jogs and bikes there now, so access is restricted. (There is a whooping crane project there as well....very interesting....the PWRC personnel try very hard to keep the whooping cranes from viewing humans.)

I have access to aerial photos of most of Southern Maryland, and I believe I have identified a corridor that BIgfoot could use to travel in the general Patuxent River-Potomac River watershed.

Savage would love to get out there with you."If anyone here knows of a qualified and sober researcher in Maryland who would be willing to examine my sites, please notify me."Im def. sober. What do you consider qualified?

Hey Savage and State... thanks for the continued relay of messages and thanks State for the PM.

I'm definitely sober, no drinking here From early on it was just too expensive.

Listen, this is my story. I'm outdoors often, this weekend I did some trail runs and navigating - for sport. Last weekend I had a free day on Saturday (March 25) with my wife gone --- she was helping prepare for a girlfriend’s wedding. That last weekend, I seriously thought about going out to Anne Arundel County. I thought about hitting the hot spots.

At the time I told my wife that I would be mountain biking from early on thru 5 or 6pm. I almost decide to go to the suspected areas, the Hot Spots, but then I thought I should really tell my wife if I were to change plans.

Then I thought, oooh… what happens if I get into a car accident looking for Bigfoot. :laugh:

How would my wife take this? She would definitely think I was up to no good. :new_whistle:

Has anyone here on Bigfoot Forum had to deal with this situation, some similar situation or considered these thoughts?

Anyhow, regrettably I didn’t go Sasquatch Hunting. I went mountain biking.

So, at the least, here are my thought. I’d love to go on a hunt for Bigfoot following a reliable sighting. What I mean is the following; take that Bow Hunters sighting from last fall in September 2005. I think it would have been great to camp out in that area immediately after the report was made public. Also, pulling an “all night-er” while spotlighting seems like a reliable method after a fresh sighting.

However, I doubt the BFRO would immediately shoot us personal emails letting us know of the sighting report.

Feel free to share your thoughts…

It seems that I will have to wait for some kayaking weather to make it out eastward…. Right now, I’m stuck in Montgomery County.

How about you guys, where are you located?

By "Sober", I mean not someone who's a teetotaler (Heaven knows I enjoy a good Pinot Noir myself); I mean someone who is not given to flights of fanatasy, or wild conjecture.

By "Qualified"...well, being new to this issue, I was hoping people here could point me to someone, preferably a person who carries the imprimatur of the GCBRO or the Texas Bigfoot Research Center.

At the very least, I would expect these qualities:

1. Good woodsmanship and orienteering skills, preferably from many years spent hunting;

2. Discretion (as a consequence of rapid development, there is precious little habitat left for these creatures in Southern Maryland, and I wouldn't want word of these places to get out, lest they be inundated by curiosity-seekers);

3. Conversant ability in the concepts and terms of anthropology/primatology;

4. Sufficient fortitude to avoid panic should an encounter occur;

5. Skill with a digital camera or a digital video recorder.

I meet the first four requirements with much to spare, but fall flat on the 5th. I wouldn't even know which end of the camera to point toward a subject.

If you believe you meet all of these requirements, we can talk.

You wouldn't have liked it. I drove past that area on Tuesday. Despite the fact that we're in a drought here, there were 3 inches of standing water everywhere. In September, every mosquito in Maryland calls Churchton "Home".

I would recommend that you develop a serious interest in deer-hunting, and spend your vacation time in a climbing tree stand in the Ouachita National Forest. I suspect that would be more productive than bumbling about in the forest at night with a spotlight. :new_rolleyes:

"Bumbling about spotlighting..."

I would be doing this with a Digital Camera held properly and pointed in the right direction, aren't you envious? :pokey:

No, seriously... I will begin deer hunting this coming season - for the first time. I hope to do some bow hunting on public "bow hunting only" land in Maryland. My archery skills should be fine... I just hate that my right latissimus dorsi grows exponentially leaving my left one in a pathetic state. The homework concerning the public land should be easy, I have more time than money.

My orienteering and navigating skills are "dialed in" but I like to do this alone. I find that if you have a partner and you are unmatched in physical fitness then this can be cause for great frustration and too much risk.

About the 2. Discretion, 3. concepts and terms of anthropology/primatology and 4. Sufficient fortitude, I feel I have 2 and 4 however I lack 3.

***************************

Oh, but I just remembered something. If Churchton is Mosquito haven then how reliable is sighting from the bow hunter? What I mean is - do people really hunt there in September.

Whats up Monkey and Savage? I have been actively researching in the field for a about 3 years. I was researching Anne Arundel County and found a few interesting things, but I found the area hard to research due to the spread out hot spots. Now I research In southern PA. I go out as much as I can, I just got back from a 4 dayer in Bluestone Park, WV, alot of late nights with little to show. Thats the way it is with "Squatchin" though, huh. It was fun though.
I know the guy that investegated that bowhunter thing. Him and another guy went down there and stayed all night the next weekend and NOTHING as usual. As is the way of "Squatchin".
Anyways would love to get together sometime and go "Squatchin". I know its obnoxious the way I keep useing that word [squatchin] , its stuck in my head for some reason. Lets go SQU@#$!n

I guess I said something wrong, huh?

No, you said all the right things... it's just that Savage gave me an impression that he is an old curmudgeon :smile: and that I was some young punk that had no right to go Sasquatching with a spotlight.

So let me ask you, what made you pick Blue Stone? I view the topo of it and it seems very hilly with one huge water source.

Do you have another trip planned?

I have a non-bigfoot related camping trip to Western Maryland in May... will keep my eyes open.

LOL I AM an old curmudgeon.

But I learned a long time ago that if you are quiet, slow, and unobtrosive in the woods, you will witness a lot more than if you come in like a human tornado.

The ability to notice very subtle changes in the local landscape as I move through the woods is a vital job skill for me, and I appreciate that ability in others; very few people nowadays have it. Both of you sound like pleasant gentlemen, but I am not convinced that our outdoor styles would be compatible. I seek the unhasty.

Keeroc--
Do I know you?
Are you employed by a semi-autonomous government agency affiliated with the Anne Arundel County government?

If you're fit enough to drag a deer a long way through the woods without having a heart attack, and are tolerant of mosquitoes, I would be willing to show you a spot or 3 to go bowhunting.

I'm a little older now and don't care to drag them very far...

Monkey, I have a fellow Squatcher that found some good footprints out at Bluestone and has heard woodknocks.
Savage, you dont know a thing about me in the woods. Not only have I found tracks, twists, stick structures, and have had some intense moments with our BIG FRIEND. Ive backpacked from Maine to Md and spent most my life in the woods. Im out in the woods every second I can be, in fact on my way now.
Monkey, Ill go out with you anytime you want, just let me know.

Nope you probably don't know me. I live in Arizona but used to travel in and out of BWI as our company headquarters is in Delaware. I became familiar with Anne Arundel sightings from the BFRO website. Since I was in the BWI airport region frequently I would take evening drives around there with the aid of maps. - a few short hikes and a camera with me. that also explains why I've flown over. We have some sightings in Arizona as well but I was always intigued by those Maryland sightings, the geography, and the Baltimore Sun article about the Big Boy that was seen at the Arundel Mills Mall during construction.

I wish I could get out there to scout around. the locale for the vocalizations heard by the bow hunter would have been a great place to get into right after his experience.

Well thanks for asking -

Well here are some pics of the type of terrain you will encounter in that region.









Anyhow - for those of you that are from the Pacific Northwest, this is the typical terrain in the Mid-Altantic. These images come from near the Patuxent River, at one of the many Patuxent River Parks (not the Wildlife refuge).

I wasn't out there Sasquatching, necessarily, but I was out there. I didn't find any signs of Bigfoot, no tree twists or snaps. Didn't hear any wood knocking or vocalizations. I once heard wood knocking on Mount Evans, a 14er, in Colorado but I think that was a person, although they never responded to me. Anyhow, back to Maryland.

This is foliage after the winter time. It can get thick with plenty of cover. The cover becomes infested with ticks and flies that even keeps the adventurous out of the woods and swamp.

Some say the Human population is rather large here. Right, it is, but many people are packed tightly into Baltimore and in High Rise Apartments in and around the DC Metro Area.

My thoughts are that if a bigfoot exists out here then it must migrate to and from PA. state. Possibly Virginia but this seems risky as you go from the coast around Maryland crossing major Interstate Highways -- onward to Western Virgina. It seems that there would only be a handful, say 4 or 5, max, that populate this portion of the country.

Then, of course, you have reports from the South and the true Northeast - maybe a few more in those areas. Anyhow, I would think that if they exist, they can travel many miles in a relatively short amount of time.

Anyhow, what amazes me about wildlife if that it travels on corridors after food, like whitetail deer. Mountain lions are known to travel through the Suburbs for deer, and under the cover of darkness.

Enjoy.

Wow, sorry i hadn't kept up on all the responses to my original post! :icon_bang:

Exciting to see so much interest in investigating this region! Hope it hasn't faded over the winter anyway.

Been back to the Mall a couple times and there appears to be a causeway for some major sewer pipes leading away into some forest. The level of the pond is 50 - 75 ft. below the drive circling the mall complex. So a large animal could easily frequent the pond at night unnoticed. There's a new satallite AACC campus facility adjacent to this pond and sort of overlooking it.

Recently there's been lots of trash and debris accumulating around the banks of the pond.

Heading out there today to visit my mom and will see if there's any snow cover by the pond.

Wayne

What happened to Squatchery of State and Monkey Breck? They just seem to have disappeared.

I live in Pasadena and for now and off weekends, once it warms up I would love to get together to scout around the Mall.

I live in Pasadena and for now am off weekends, once it warms up I would love to get together to scout around the Mall.

I think the comment about a local refering to a "whistler" passing thru the area is revealing. If the whistler is a Big Guy, then he may be communicating to others nearby with the whistles. Could be a whistling human, too plenty of those of course :happy:

My visit to the drainage pond had a couple of surprises. Two VERY HUGE beavers along the bank of the far side. I had no idea they got almost 4 ft in length. There was also lots of waterfowl on the water. Took some video clips of the pond, beavers and surrounding area.

It would be helpful to try to determine how far the closest suitable forest is to the mall and if any corridors exist now or possibly in 2004.

Wayne

The area where Arundel Mills Mall is now was about 200 acres of forest before it was built. It was the last decent-sized chunk of woods left in the area. I doubt if there is a good corridor between there and the Bay now. The Patuxent River floodplain is the only travel corridor I can think of in the area.

OK, assuming this incident was authentic. This may have been an individual trying to return to his home territory(Patuxent Basin) after a long period further east (Marley Creek/Magothy River regions). He had to cross the Mall construction area instead of the forest he was used to.

On this occasion some WV union guys had decided to not make the trip back for the night, but instead slept in the driver's van and our Big Guy had to venture into the open and was spotted (running as the witness said). A big sas footfalls will no doubt get your attention (think small TRex) especially if they're getting louder! :new_sleepysmileyanim:

Well, it's fun to speculate anyway. :happy:

Wayne

Some satellite pix for illustration:

Arundel Mills Mall Drainage Pond
Click to view attachment

Regional View
Click to view attachment

Appears that the mall sits on the wooded corridor connecting the PRB and Ft. Mead/Severn Run Wildlife sanctuaries.

I believe the general consensus is that what the construction workers experienced that night was a bear.
This area seems to have a large concentration of them even to this day.

The enigma project web site has a good report on this incident.

If my memory serves me correctly, there was a black bear cub killed down the road from Arundel Mills, on Ret 95 near the Rte 100 exit, this happened a short time later.

That puts the witness' height est. off by about 8 feet! Bear cubs do run (er waddle) on 2 feet from time to time. Remember, the mall's PR team had their own concerns. "Hey fellas, play up the bear cub angle, they're West Virginians anyway"

What i'm sayin is that if it was a bear cub, then the guys were either juiced or on drugs. A harsh accusation if you ask me. As a fellow West Virginian, i find that offensive.

To me, the bear cub story is more far fetched than the Sas story itself.

Wayne

Now that I have been looking at the Enigma Project site the bear cub was killed about 2 months prior to this incident. One of my co-workers live really close to the mall, will ask him Mon if he recalls this incident.