QUOTE
Subject:
Skunk Ape UpDATE; Tennessee
ip: 24.159.42.XXX
From:
Jerry D. Coleman, View Profile
posted Nov 26, 5:30pm
TENNESSEE SKUNK APE UpDATE; 26 Nov. 2003
First let me say to the locals & lurkers of this site you are welcome to copy and use this report, I only have two requests, please don't edit a meaning away and give proper credit. Thank You. (Names have been withheld until case has concluded. )
I must admit my mission when investigating such events as the recent flap of a hairy animal creature in Campbell County Tennessee is one of extreme skeptical caution. Openly documenting my findings and constantly reviewing the data to assure myself nothing stated has been pure conjecture. With that said I will present the facts as they unfolded Saturday evening November 22nd, Sunday the 23rd and into Monday the 24th, of 2003.
Arriving in Campbell County or more specifically Jacksboro and La Follette, Tennessee I as always (once on the scene) spent a number of hours touring the town and adjacent areas becoming familiar with the streets, points of interest and public office locations. Satisfied with my acclimatization my associate and I sat up camp between Jacksboro and La Follette. The evening went without incident and was spent mapping an outline to proceed with in the morning.
We awoke early and headed to a local coffee house for breakfast. Here is where I interviewed the first of many locals. Everyone of the people I spoke to that morning laughed off the complete ordeal of the Skunk Ape sightings. They had comments such as, “ Oh that, its all bullshit!” or “There’s nothing out there but a few crazy people seeing things!” But when I went to pay the bill a fellow came up and whispered, “Meet me outside.” Outside by the car he approached me and said, “Something’s out there, my Uncle saw it!” The only other information he was willing to give was that the sighting took place two miles south of La Follette.
As I pulled out of the parking lot of the coffee shop around 10:30 a.m. the main drag between Jacksboro and La Follette was now peppered with locals setting -up and selling out of there vehicle trunks, which were brought out by the warm sunny November day. Stopping at each vendor pretending to look over their products I would question them about the Skunk Ape reports. Not one of them had anything to say more than personal theories. My associate and I then proceeded northeast on Route 63 to an Exxon station, here I fueled and spoke with a female clerk about the sightings. At first she didn’t care to talk about it at all. Then I asked if the sightings had stopped and she snapped back, “Oh lord no, someone saw it the other day.” I asked where, she replied, “ If you turn back around, head through town [La Follette] and turn left at the bank heading out of town, those people in that area reported seeing it a few days ago.”
Following the clerks directions I headed back southwest. Turning left at the bank (Tennessee Street) as instructed I noticed a small brown Vega-like car with a yellow front right fender following me. Going the speed limit I soon was out of town and in open country with the Vega still in tow. The Vega then flashed its lights a few times and I pulled off, all it did was buzz by me. Continuing on to a couple of homesteads we walked the grounds and talked about the recent sightings with the residences, nothing more than rumors were mentioned. Around 3:45 p.m. I started back to town when up from behind came what appeared to be the same brown Vega but this time it kept flipping it’s left turn signal on and off as it would flash it’s headlights frantically. I saw a gravel-like road off to my left, up ahead and decided to turn left down this road, thinking perhaps this is what the drivers message was and apparently it was, because the driver drove by honking as if success of his mission was fulfilled.
Following the gravel road six tenths of a mile the area came to an open “turn-around” with a creek and woods all around. My associate and I walked some of the area and ventured well back into the woods but as dark was falling we felt it best to return to town and earmarked this area for future exploration in full daylight. Returning to the main road, I put my left signal on and noticed two white S-10 pick-up trucks speeding up the highway with there left turn signals on to enter the single lane gravel road I was sitting on waiting to make my turn back to the main road, so I hurried my turn to clear there way as it looked as if they were not going to stop. Watching in the mirror and over my left shoulder the two white Chevy pick-ups turned on the gravel road and raced out of sight, almost bumper to bumper. All I could see was one person in each of the vehicles and what looked like some official round emblem on the passenger doors. Continuing on, a decision I now regret, we went back to town.
Going to Jacksboro and the Sheriff Department I was able to interview Deputy Sheriff X. Xxxxxxxx. The Deputy was reluctant at first but soon opened up with numerous stories and reports of the Skunk Ape. He stated he had been on most all of the calls as it was his main beat area.
The next question asked of the Deputy was the location. He said, “Most of the reports are around or by the caves.” I said “Caves!” He said, “Yes, a number of caves are out there.”
I asked him if there were any official reports that I could get of the calls, since they were public record.
He quickly said, “ Oh yes, many I would think, just call over there (as he pointed to the Sheriff’s building) and one of the girls will fix you up tomorrow (Monday).
I asked Deputy X when the last report or call the Sheriff office has had was and when was the first call? He replied, “ The first call was a lady saying an ape had grabbed her kitten and threw it, that’s how all of this started and as for recent reports, we haven’t had any calls about it [skunk ape] for over a month now.”
The Deputy told me of a Jerome Love they at the department refer to as a 10-94 (mental case) adding, “Mr. Love owns many exotic animals and has kept this department VERY busy for years.”
Asking the Deputy what has been the average description of this thing they call a Skunk Ape, he said, “It’s said to be 2 to 3 feet tall, dark brown or black hair covering its entire body. One gentleman told me he believes the animal has been on his property and wants it taken care of because his grand children play there every weekend.”
I then asked the Deputy about the alleged shooting of the critter and he replied very sternly, “No one from this office shot anything, no one even pulled out their weapons, believe me, if that thing would have been shot by one of us it would have made headline news!”
After wrapping up a few more interviews I left town and drove back home to Church Hill, Tennessee. First thing Monday I started on my calling detail. First calling xxxxxxxx at the Sheriffs Department where she transferred me over to the records department and a Mr. Xxxxxx. Mr. X was quite helpful and stated, “Yes we have many calls on the Skunk Ape.” He then stated he was searching for them on the computer but it appeared no one had entered them, so he said, “ Give me about thirty minutes and give me a call back, I’ll physically go through the logs by hand and round them up for you.” I waited 45 minutes then called Mr. X back. As if surprised he stated he couldn’t find any, “I can’t find a one, not one and I know they were here or should be, I started back at the first of October and went through every call.” I said, “ Could it be that if no property damage or personal injury was reported then no report would have been made?” He said, “No that’s not the case, these are disturbance calls I’m searching and not one call is logged, I don’t get it!”
Now my focus had turned to sharing the information I had gathered on this recent trip and telephone conversations of the Tennessee Skunk Ape, so an e-mail was sent to Mary Green, a well known and well respected bigfoot researcher also here in Tennessee and like me no more than 80 miles from the latest Bigfoot epicenter. This turned out to be quite an ordeal, e-mails were sent, false claims made and facts obviously rearranged. Mary Green and I along with the help of Ella Xxxxx got it all straighten out but now the question must be asked, if records can be lost in a police station, white speeding official looking vehicles can fly down a road and out of sight, a brown mysterious Vega hinting at what direction to go, then how much of a stretch would it be to think someone or some organization wanting to keep things “in check” could and would tamper with known Cryptozoologist’s e-mails in order to throw them off the track or at the very least cause havoc, hardship and / or distrust between colleague’s ?
This case is far from over………Copyright 2003, Jerry D. Coleman author of “Strange Highways”.
Skunk Ape UpDATE; Tennessee
ip: 24.159.42.XXX
From:
Jerry D. Coleman, View Profile
posted Nov 26, 5:30pm
TENNESSEE SKUNK APE UpDATE; 26 Nov. 2003
First let me say to the locals & lurkers of this site you are welcome to copy and use this report, I only have two requests, please don't edit a meaning away and give proper credit. Thank You. (Names have been withheld until case has concluded. )
I must admit my mission when investigating such events as the recent flap of a hairy animal creature in Campbell County Tennessee is one of extreme skeptical caution. Openly documenting my findings and constantly reviewing the data to assure myself nothing stated has been pure conjecture. With that said I will present the facts as they unfolded Saturday evening November 22nd, Sunday the 23rd and into Monday the 24th, of 2003.
Arriving in Campbell County or more specifically Jacksboro and La Follette, Tennessee I as always (once on the scene) spent a number of hours touring the town and adjacent areas becoming familiar with the streets, points of interest and public office locations. Satisfied with my acclimatization my associate and I sat up camp between Jacksboro and La Follette. The evening went without incident and was spent mapping an outline to proceed with in the morning.
We awoke early and headed to a local coffee house for breakfast. Here is where I interviewed the first of many locals. Everyone of the people I spoke to that morning laughed off the complete ordeal of the Skunk Ape sightings. They had comments such as, “ Oh that, its all bullshit!” or “There’s nothing out there but a few crazy people seeing things!” But when I went to pay the bill a fellow came up and whispered, “Meet me outside.” Outside by the car he approached me and said, “Something’s out there, my Uncle saw it!” The only other information he was willing to give was that the sighting took place two miles south of La Follette.
As I pulled out of the parking lot of the coffee shop around 10:30 a.m. the main drag between Jacksboro and La Follette was now peppered with locals setting -up and selling out of there vehicle trunks, which were brought out by the warm sunny November day. Stopping at each vendor pretending to look over their products I would question them about the Skunk Ape reports. Not one of them had anything to say more than personal theories. My associate and I then proceeded northeast on Route 63 to an Exxon station, here I fueled and spoke with a female clerk about the sightings. At first she didn’t care to talk about it at all. Then I asked if the sightings had stopped and she snapped back, “Oh lord no, someone saw it the other day.” I asked where, she replied, “ If you turn back around, head through town [La Follette] and turn left at the bank heading out of town, those people in that area reported seeing it a few days ago.”
Following the clerks directions I headed back southwest. Turning left at the bank (Tennessee Street) as instructed I noticed a small brown Vega-like car with a yellow front right fender following me. Going the speed limit I soon was out of town and in open country with the Vega still in tow. The Vega then flashed its lights a few times and I pulled off, all it did was buzz by me. Continuing on to a couple of homesteads we walked the grounds and talked about the recent sightings with the residences, nothing more than rumors were mentioned. Around 3:45 p.m. I started back to town when up from behind came what appeared to be the same brown Vega but this time it kept flipping it’s left turn signal on and off as it would flash it’s headlights frantically. I saw a gravel-like road off to my left, up ahead and decided to turn left down this road, thinking perhaps this is what the drivers message was and apparently it was, because the driver drove by honking as if success of his mission was fulfilled.
Following the gravel road six tenths of a mile the area came to an open “turn-around” with a creek and woods all around. My associate and I walked some of the area and ventured well back into the woods but as dark was falling we felt it best to return to town and earmarked this area for future exploration in full daylight. Returning to the main road, I put my left signal on and noticed two white S-10 pick-up trucks speeding up the highway with there left turn signals on to enter the single lane gravel road I was sitting on waiting to make my turn back to the main road, so I hurried my turn to clear there way as it looked as if they were not going to stop. Watching in the mirror and over my left shoulder the two white Chevy pick-ups turned on the gravel road and raced out of sight, almost bumper to bumper. All I could see was one person in each of the vehicles and what looked like some official round emblem on the passenger doors. Continuing on, a decision I now regret, we went back to town.
Going to Jacksboro and the Sheriff Department I was able to interview Deputy Sheriff X. Xxxxxxxx. The Deputy was reluctant at first but soon opened up with numerous stories and reports of the Skunk Ape. He stated he had been on most all of the calls as it was his main beat area.
The next question asked of the Deputy was the location. He said, “Most of the reports are around or by the caves.” I said “Caves!” He said, “Yes, a number of caves are out there.”
I asked him if there were any official reports that I could get of the calls, since they were public record.
He quickly said, “ Oh yes, many I would think, just call over there (as he pointed to the Sheriff’s building) and one of the girls will fix you up tomorrow (Monday).
I asked Deputy X when the last report or call the Sheriff office has had was and when was the first call? He replied, “ The first call was a lady saying an ape had grabbed her kitten and threw it, that’s how all of this started and as for recent reports, we haven’t had any calls about it [skunk ape] for over a month now.”
The Deputy told me of a Jerome Love they at the department refer to as a 10-94 (mental case) adding, “Mr. Love owns many exotic animals and has kept this department VERY busy for years.”
Asking the Deputy what has been the average description of this thing they call a Skunk Ape, he said, “It’s said to be 2 to 3 feet tall, dark brown or black hair covering its entire body. One gentleman told me he believes the animal has been on his property and wants it taken care of because his grand children play there every weekend.”
I then asked the Deputy about the alleged shooting of the critter and he replied very sternly, “No one from this office shot anything, no one even pulled out their weapons, believe me, if that thing would have been shot by one of us it would have made headline news!”
After wrapping up a few more interviews I left town and drove back home to Church Hill, Tennessee. First thing Monday I started on my calling detail. First calling xxxxxxxx at the Sheriffs Department where she transferred me over to the records department and a Mr. Xxxxxx. Mr. X was quite helpful and stated, “Yes we have many calls on the Skunk Ape.” He then stated he was searching for them on the computer but it appeared no one had entered them, so he said, “ Give me about thirty minutes and give me a call back, I’ll physically go through the logs by hand and round them up for you.” I waited 45 minutes then called Mr. X back. As if surprised he stated he couldn’t find any, “I can’t find a one, not one and I know they were here or should be, I started back at the first of October and went through every call.” I said, “ Could it be that if no property damage or personal injury was reported then no report would have been made?” He said, “No that’s not the case, these are disturbance calls I’m searching and not one call is logged, I don’t get it!”
Now my focus had turned to sharing the information I had gathered on this recent trip and telephone conversations of the Tennessee Skunk Ape, so an e-mail was sent to Mary Green, a well known and well respected bigfoot researcher also here in Tennessee and like me no more than 80 miles from the latest Bigfoot epicenter. This turned out to be quite an ordeal, e-mails were sent, false claims made and facts obviously rearranged. Mary Green and I along with the help of Ella Xxxxx got it all straighten out but now the question must be asked, if records can be lost in a police station, white speeding official looking vehicles can fly down a road and out of sight, a brown mysterious Vega hinting at what direction to go, then how much of a stretch would it be to think someone or some organization wanting to keep things “in check” could and would tamper with known Cryptozoologist’s e-mails in order to throw them off the track or at the very least cause havoc, hardship and / or distrust between colleague’s ?
This case is far from over………Copyright 2003, Jerry D. Coleman author of “Strange Highways”.
-robo
:rolleyes:
at what Jimmy said there... oh yeah...
So please stop flaming, OK? Ya wanna flame, I can suggest a perfect board for you.
) in stating that a characteristic