Monsters and Mysteries in America (2013–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Pacific Northwest - full transcript

Shattuck: WHEN I FELL THROUGH
THE FLATHEAD,

I HAD A FEELING
THAT NOT ONLY COULD I DROWN,

BUT THAT I MAY BE EATEN
BY THE FLATHEAD LAKE MONSTER.

Jones:
THEY GOT CLOSER AND CLOSER,

AND WHEN THEY'RE READY
TO GRAB HIM...

TURNED INTO A WOLF.

[ GROWLING ]

THE SPIRIT
OF THAT NATIVE AMERICAN

WHO TURNED INTO A WOLF

IS THERE
IN THE PORTLAND UNDERGROUND.

Narrator:
AND A "MONSTERS & MYSTERIES"
EXCLUSIVE.



Smeja: THE WHOLE EVENT...

EVERYTHING ABOUT IT WAS...

IT WAS A LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT.
I SHOT BIGFOOT.

Randles: YOU COULD HAVE THAT ONE
DEFINITIVE PIECE OF EVIDENCE

THAT COULD HELP
GET THIS SPECIES VERIFIED.

Narrator:
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER,

FLESH-AND-BLOOD REMAINS
OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE A BIGFOOT.

A GROUNDBREAKING DNA STUDY
IS UNDER WAY.

Randles:
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS,
IF NOT THE BIGGEST THING,

THAT'S HAPPENED
IN THE SASQUATCH WORLD TO DATE.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator:
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST --

ONE OF THE LAST PLACES IN THE
CONTINENTAL U.S. TO BE EXPLORED.

IT'S A REGION
DRENCHED IN RAIN --



MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE
IN AMERICA --

PRODUCING
SOME OF THE DENSEST FORESTS.

A GOOD PLACE
FOR SOMETHING TO HIDE.

YOU CAN'T REALLY EVEN SEE
6, 12 FEET DEEP

INTO SOME OF THESE WOODS.

IT'S SO DEEP AND IMPENETRABLE
DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR.

PEOPLE THAT FLY OVER
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

ARE GENERALLY JUST IMPRESSED

WITH HOW VAST
THE FORESTS ARE OUT HERE.

Germeau: IT'S A PLACE WHERE
PEOPLE CAN HAVE AN IMAGINATION

AND THINK ABOUT
WHAT COULD BE OUT THERE

BECAUSE IT IS SO DARK, THICK,
AND LUSCIOUS.

Narrator: THERE ARE POCKETS
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

THAT REMAIN OUT OF TIME --
WILD AND UNTAMED.

PERHAPS THAT MAKES IT
THE PERFECT HOME

FOR AN ELUSIVE CREATURE
KNOWN AS SASQUATCH.

Germeau:
IT IS A REAL THING.

IT'S A FLESH-AND-BLOOD
BIOLOGICAL BEING THAT EXISTS,

AND IT'S OUT THERE.

IT'S BEEN PART OF THE FAMILY
STORY SINCE I WAS BORN.

A LOT OF KIDS HAVE THE BOOGEYMAN
UNDER THE BED. I HAD BIGFOOT.

WHEN I GO ON NIGHT HIKES,
I FEEL MORE VULNERABLE,

AND I FEEL MORE LIKE
SASQUATCH IS WATCHING ME

BECAUSE IT'S DARK,
AND I CAN'T SEE MY SURROUNDINGS,

AND I FEEL LIKE
HE COULD EASILY BE WATCHING ME.

Narrator:
SASQUATCH, BIGFOOT, YETI --

INTERCHANGEABLE TERMS

FOR THE GIANT, HAIRY HUMANOID
SAID TO STALK THESE WOODS.

STORIES OF THE GIANT ONES

MAY HAVE BEGUN
AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS.

Michael:
THE THING THAT CONVINCED ME
THAT BIGFOOT IS REAL

IS 1,500 YEARS

OF NATIVE AMERICANS TALKING
ABOUT IT, CARVING TOTEMS FOR IT,

DOZENS AND DOZENS
OF WORDS FOR IT

IN ALL THE DIFFERENT
NATIVE LANGUAGES.

THEY'VE SEEN IT FOR
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

Narrator:
NATIVE AMERICAN LEGENDS

EVENTUALLY MADE THEIR WAY
INTO POPULAR AWARENESS.

THEN, IN 1958,

AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE
IN BLUFF CREEK, CALIFORNIA,

BULLDOZER OPERATOR JERRY CREW
FOUND AN ENORMOUS FOOTPRINT.

AFTER THAT,

THE ELUSIVE TRACK-MAKER
WAS A MEDIA SENSATION.

DESPITE YEARS OF CHEAP STUNTS
IN GORILLA SUITS,

THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST
HAS ONLY GROWN.

Broughton:
THE BIGFOOT WHOLE PHENOMENON
HAS JUST RECENTLY BLOWN UP,

AND PEOPLE ARE BEING
MORE AWARE OF IT AND OPEN TO IT.

NO MATTER WHERE WE GO
WITH FINDING OUT

IF SOMETHING'S A HOAX
OR SOMETHING'S REAL,

SOMETHING'S OUT THERE
THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT --

IT'S THRILLING TO ME.

Narrator:
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME
WHO NEVER GAVE BIGFOOT A THOUGHT

UNTIL THEY CAME FACE-TO-FACE.

THE WHOLE EVENT...

EVERYTHING ABOUT IT WAS...

IT WAS A LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT.

THERE WAS THIS MOMENT
WHERE I WAS JUST LIKE,

I-I SHOT BIGFOOT."

Narrator: ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,

NEAR THE SIERRA MOUNTAINS
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,

27-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN SMEJA LIVES
WITH HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER.

Smeja: ABOUT THE ONLY THING
I DO IN MY FREE TIME

IS HUNTING AND FISHING.

SINCE I WAS RAISED,
THAT'S ALL WE EVER DID.

EVERY WEEKEND, IT'S ASSUMED

THAT WE'RE GOING HUNTING
OR FISHING YEAR-ROUND.

WHEN IT CAME TO BIGFOOT
OR SASQUATCH GROWING UP,

I JUST NEVER HEARD ANYBODY TALK
ABOUT IT LIKE IT'S A REAL THING.

I REALLY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT.

Narrator:
ON OCTOBER 8, 2010,

ALL THAT CHANGED.

IT WAS 65 DEGREES UP THERE --
RELATIVELY NICE FOR THIS YEAR.

I WAS AT ABOUT 7,000 FEET.

ME AND A BUDDY
WERE OUT BEAR HUNTING.

THERE WAS ABOUT AN HOUR
AND A HALF LEFT OF SUNLIGHT.

WE CAME INTO THE CLEARING
WHERE THE MEADOW IS,

AND BOTH OF US KIND OF
LOOKED OVER. WE SAW MOVEMENT.

STOP! STOP! STOP!

AND I SAW THIS CREATURE STANDING
THERE ABOUT 80 YARDS AWAY.

IT WAS 600 POUNDS
AND LIKE 7½, MAYBE 8 FEET TALL.

REALLY BIG SHOULDERS --
VERY MUSCULAR-LOOKING.

THE ONLY THING
THAT I EVER SAID IN MY HEAD WAS,

"THIS IS A MONSTER.

"THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

"THIS IS A NIGHTMARE.

THIS IS DIFFERENT.
THIS IS UNREAL."

HEY. HEY, JUSTIN,
I DON'T THINK THAT --

THAT'S DEFINITELY
NOT A BEAR!

IT WAS APPROACHING US SLOWLY.

IT TOOK
MAYBE TWO OR THREE STEPS.

AT THAT POINT, I HAD ALREADY
ACTUALLY CHAMBERED MY RIFLE.

MY BUDDY'S STARTING TO PANIC.

DUDE, DON'T SHOOT!
DON'T SHOOT!

AND AT THAT POINT,
I WAS LOOKING AT IT,

AND I WAS THINKING, "THIS IS
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.

THIS THING NEEDS TO DIE."

I JERKED THE TRIGGER
A LITTLE BIT AND SHOT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

THE ANIMAL WENT DOWN.

GOT HIM!

[ CREATURE GROWLS ]

IT STARTED TRYING TO GET UP,
SO I RE-CHAMBERED.

IT WAS STAGGERING AWAY --

SOMETIMES ON TWO LEGS,
SOMETIMES ON ALL FOURS.

IT WAS JUST
GETTING OUT OF EYESIGHT.

I TAKE MY EYE OUT OF THE SCOPE
AND I LOOK OVER,

AND THERE'S TWO SMALLER ONES.

THEY WERE OF A CINNAMON COLOR.

THEY WERE BROWN,
AND THEY WERE ON TWO LEGS,

AND THEY WOULD DROP DOWN
TO ALL FOURS.

I WAS STILL
KIND OF IN NIGHTMARE MODE.

OH, MY GOD!
THERE'S MORE!

AND I WAS THINKING,
"THIS IS CRAZY."

THEN, IT BECAME
EVEN MORE FRIGHTENING.

THEN WE'RE THINKING, "WELL, ARE
THEY GONNA COME AND BITE US?

"ARE THEY GONNA COME
AND ATTACK US?

SHOULD WE BE AFRAID RIGHT NOW?"

LET'S GO!

Narrator:
FOR THE NEXT 15 MINUTES,

JUSTIN AND HIS BUDDY
RAN THROUGH THE WOODS SEARCHING.

SUDDENLY,
JUSTIN FOUND HIMSELF ALONE,

STARING AT ONE OF THE JUVENILES.

Smeja:
I COULD NOT MAKE SENSE OF IT.

I WAS SITTING THERE
LOOKING AT THIS THING,

THINKING,
"HOW CAN THIS BE REAL?"

MY ADRENALINE, MY HEART WAS
PUMPING A MILLION MILES AN HOUR.

I DECIDED
THAT I WAS GONNA SHOOT ONE,

'CAUSE IF I DIDN'T SHOOT
THIS THING,

NOBODY WOULD EVER BELIEVE
THAT THIS HAPPENED.

I PUT THE SCOPE ON IT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

I SHOT IT
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NECK.

I PICKED UP THE LITTLE ONE.

IT WAS STARTING
TO CHOKE TO DEATH.

IT WAS JUST IN THE LAST MOMENTS
OF ITS LIFE.

WHEN I GOT CLOSE TO IT,

IT SEEMED TO HAVE A LOT
OF REALLY HUMAN FEATURES.

THE HAIR WAS REALLY THIN,
AND IT HAD WHITE IN ITS EYES

AND WAS JUST SITTING THERE,
LOOKING AT ME.

AND I WAS SITTING THERE
HOLDING IT, LOOKING AT IT,

AND I WAS LIKE, "I MESSED UP.
I MESSED UP."

IT PROBABLY ONLY TOOK
MAYBE 10 SECONDS

FOR IT TO CHOKE TO DEATH.

RIGHT ABOUT THAT TIME,
MY BUDDY COMES UP THE HILL,

AND HE WAS KIND OF THINKING
THE SAME THING I WAS --

THAT IT WAS --
THIS WAS JUST TOO HUMAN.

WHAT WE DID WAS WRONG.

I FELT SO ASHAMED.

Narrator:
FEARING THE GAME WARDEN
WAS HEADING THEIR WAY,

THEY PANICKED AND DECIDED
TO BURY THE CREATURE.

Smeja: I WENT TO
THE THICKEST BRUSH I COULD FIND

AND STARTED TO JUST PUT IT IN
AND STARTED GRABBING STUFF

THROWING IT ON TOP OF IT,
WHATEVER WE COULD FIND --

STUMPS, TREES, BRUSH, ROCKS.

ON THE 2½-HOUR DRIVE HOME --
NEVER SAID A WORD TO EACH OTHER.

IT WAS REALLY
JUST NOTHING BUT SHAME.

IT WAS JUST,
I KNEW THAT I HAD MESSED UP.

I FELT
AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF GUILT.

THEY DIDN'T MEAN US ANY HARM.

AT ONE POINT, IT JUST HIT ME

THAT I REALIZED THAT I HAD SHOT
NOT ONE, BUT TWO BIGFOOTS,

AND IT WAS --
IT WAS LIFE-CHANGING.

Narrator: WORD WOULD GET OUT
ABOUT THE SHOOTINGS,

AND JUSTIN WAS SOON CONTACTED
BY DEREK RANDLES,

ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT
SASQUATCH HUNTERS

IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

Randles: WHEN WE SPOKE, I SAID,
"THERE'S A BODY OF RESEARCHERS

"THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS
FOR DECADES, AND YOU COULD HAVE

"THAT ONE DEFINITIVE PIECE
OF EVIDENCE UP THERE

THAT COULD HELP
GET THIS SPECIES VERIFIED."

Smeja:
SO, DEREK'S JUST TRYING TO SAY,

"HEY, YOU NEED TO GO BACK THERE.
YOU NEED TO GET THE BODY."

AND I WAS LIKE,
"I'M NOT DOING THAT."

HE'S LIKE,
"NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

"THIS IS THE BIGGEST
ARCHEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY EVER,

"AND YOU'RE SITTING THERE

SAYING THAT YOU'RE GONNA
LET A BODY ROT IN THE WOODS?"

IT WAS JUST THIS IDEA OF GOING
BACK TO RELIVE THIS NIGHTMARE

AND RELIVE THE SHAME

OF KILLING SOMETHING
THAT SEEMED AWFULLY HUMAN.

I WAS REALLY GETTING THE FEELING
LIKE JUSTIN WAS ON THE LEVEL.

IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE UP A HOAX,

WOULD YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS STORY

THAT ARE SO GRAPHIC
AND SO HEARTBREAKING

AND SO UNNECESSARY?

I WOULDN'T.

Narrator:
MANY YEARS AGO,

DEREK HAD HIS OWN
HARROWING ENCOUNTER WITH BIGFOOT

AND BARELY ESCAPED
WITH HIS LIFE.

Randles: I NEVER REALLY
UNDERSTOOD FEAR TO THAT LEVEL

UNTIL I LAID EYES
ON A SASQUATCH.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

Narrator:
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,

CONSTRUCTION WORKER JUSTIN SMEJA
WAS HUNTING

WHEN HE CLAIMS HE CAME ACROSS...

[ GUNSHOT ]
AND KILLED A SASQUATCH.

700 MILES NORTH,

IN WASHINGTON'S
OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS,

DEREK RANDLES HAS SPENT YEARS
HUNTING THIS VERY CREATURE.

NOW, LOOK HERE.

WHY DON'T WE GO OFF THIS
FIR TREE HERE RIGHT OVER HERE?

PLACING CAMERA TRAPS
THROUGHOUT THE WOODS,

DEREK IS HOPING TO FINALLY PROVE
THE MONSTER IS REAL.

IT'S A PASSION
THAT BEGAN THREE DECADES AGO.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG --
PROBABLY ABOUT AGE 15 --

I GOT INTO OFF-TRAIL HIKING
AND MOUNTAINEERING.

IT'S MY ELEMENT.
IT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE HOME.

I'M ACTUALLY SAFER IN THE WOODS
THAN I AM IN THE CITY.

Narrator: SAFER...

UNTIL ONE AFTERNOON
IN AUGUST 1985,

WHEN HE AND A FRIEND
WERE HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS.

I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD FEAR
TO THAT LEVEL

UNTIL I LAID EYES
ON A SASQUATCH.

[ GROWLING ]

WE LEFT THE TRAILHEAD PROBABLY,
I'M GONNA SAY AROUND 2:00.

WE ENDED UP GOING
PROBABLY ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF

PAST CAMP PLEASANT.

Narrator:
AS SUNLIGHT BEGAN TO FADE,

THEY HIKED OFF-TRAIL
ANOTHER HALF MILE

AND SET UP CAMP
ON A MOSSY FINGERRIDGE.

Randles:
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WE HEAR THIS CRASH.

[ CRASH ]

AND WE JUST KIND OF STOPPED,

AND THE ONLY THING THAT
I COULD THINK OF AT THE TIME

WAS MAYBE WE SPOOKED AN ELK

BECAUSE THE CRASH
WAS PRETTY BIG.

IT SOUNDED HEAVY.

AS WE'RE PEERING TO THE LEFT,

ALL OF A SUDDEN,
HERE COMES A ROCK.

WHAT THE --

AND IT LANDS ABOUT 10 FEET
TO THE LEFT OF US.

IT WAS DELIBERATELY THROWN,

AND AT THAT POINT...
[ CHUCKLES ]

TIME JUST KIND OF FREEZES.

Narrator:
WITH A ROCK THAT SIZE,

WAS THIS AN ATTACK
BY AN OUT-OF-CONTROL HIKER...

WHOA, MAN!

...OR A CREATURE
TOO SCARY TO IMAGINE?

Randles:
AS WE'RE PROCESSING THAT,

ANOTHER ROCK FLIES AND LANDS,

ALMOST HITS THE OTHER ONE --
VERY ACCURATELY THROWN --

LANDS ABOUT 10, 12 FEET
TO THE LEFT OF US AGAIN.

AND THEN, IT'S JUST LIKE
IT GOT REAL AT THAT MOMENT.

THERE WAS
AN OVERWHELMING FEELING

OF BEING IN TROUBLE,
BEING IN DANGER.

SOMETHING FELT VERY WRONG.

IT WAS A VERY DREADFUL FEELING.

LET'S GET OUT OF HERE,
MAN.

Narrator: WITH NO IDEA
WHAT THEY WERE UP AGAINST,

ESCAPE INTO THE WOODS
SEEMED THE ONLY OPTION.

Randles: NOW WE'RE IN
FULL-BLOWN PANIC AT THIS POINT.

I'M RUNNING DOWN THIS MOUNTAIN.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE
EVER BEEN IN A DREAM
AND SOMETHING'S CHASING YOU...

...AND YOU'RE HAVING
A DIFFICULT TIME MOVING.

IT WAS JUST --

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE
EVERYTHING WAS IN SLOW-MOTION,

AND I COULD NOT GET FAST ENOUGH
DOWN THAT HILL.

I'M HEADED DOWN THE RIDGE
AT THIS POINT,

AND I REMEMBERED THAT
I HAD A .357 IN MY BACKPACK.

HOLD UP, MAN.

I STOPPED, PULLED OUT MY GUN,

AND JUST VERY QUICKLY
LOOKED BACK.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

I SAW A BIGFOOT.

AND WHEN I LAID MY EYES
ON THIS THING,

EVERYTHING FROZE,

AND I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS
THROWING THE ROCKS AT US

AT THAT POINT.

IT WAS VERY LARGE.

THE LIGHT WAS FADED TO A POINT

TO WHERE I COULDN'T MAKE OUT
FACIAL FEATURES,

BUT I WAS ABSOLUTELY,
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

I CAN TELL YOU WITHOUT A DOUBT

THAT WAS ONE OF THE SCARIEST
MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.

Narrator:
ALMOST THREE DECADES LATER,

THAT ENCOUNTER
STILL BURNS BRIGHT.

IT SET DEREK ON A QUEST
TO PROVE TO THE WORLD

THAT SASQUATCH IS REAL.

Randles:
ONCE YOU BREAK THAT LINE
BETWEEN MYTH AND REALITY

AND IT BECOMES REAL --

I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S AN OBSESSION.

I JUST -- I CAN'T PUT IT DOWN.

I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PUT IT
DOWN. I JUST NEED TO KNOW MORE.

IT'S NOT A QUESTION
OF WHETHER THEY'RE REAL OR NOT.

NOW IT'S JUST I WANT TO LEARN
EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT THEM.

THE GOAL OF THE OLYMPIC PROJECT

WAS TO OBTAIN
CRYSTAL-CLEAR PHOTOGRAPHS

OF SASQUATCH
IN THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

YEAH, THIS CAMERA'S
GONNA BLEND IN BEAUTIFULLY.

IT WON'T BE NOTICEABLE.

Broughton:
WE HAVE OVER 50 CAMERAS SET UP.

THEY'RE SET UP IN LOCATIONS
LIKE THE NATIONAL FOREST

AND MOUNTAINS,
WILDLIFE TRAILS --

PLACES THAT PEOPLE
HAVE HAD SIGHTINGS.

YEAH, THERE'S PROBABLY
ENOUGH DISTANCE, HUH?

Man: YOU WANT ME TO CUT
SOME OF THESE BRANCHES?

Narrator: THEIR CAMERAS HAVE
CAPTURED THOUSANDS OF IMAGES --

MOSTLY FAMILIAR WILDLIFE.

BUT ON A FEW,

TANTALIZING GLIMPSES
OF SOMETHING UNUSUAL.

THIS THING SHOWS UP
IN THE CAMERA FRAME

AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING,
AND WE SEE A PROFILE

OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE JUST THE SIDE
OF SOMETHING'S ARM.

AND THEN THE NEXT FRAME,
UP IN THE CORNER,

YOU COULD SEE TWO FINGERS
THAT WERE IN THE TOP CORNER

AND EVEN THE PART
OF A FINGERNAIL.

WE GOT PRETTY EXCITED.

AND THERE'S
ANOTHER PICTURE OF --

WE BELIEVE IT TO BE A FACE,
BUT IT'S KIND OF BLURRY.

Narrator: WHEN ALL YOU HAVE
ARE BLURRY PHOTOS,

EVERYTHING CHANGES WITH THE NEWS

THAT A HUNTER
IN THE SIERRA MOUNTAINS

MAY HAVE SHOT A BIGFOOT.

IF IT WAS TRUE, PERHAPS THERE
WERE FLESH-AND-BLOOD REMAINS.

DEREK RANDLES
QUICKLY CONTACTED JUSTIN SMEJA.

IT WAS PARAMOUNT FOR JUSTIN TO
SEE THE SHOOTING IN A NEW LIGHT

AND TRY TO RECOVER THE BODY.

A MONTH LATER,
WHEN JUSTIN FINALLY RETURNED,

THE KILL SITE
WAS COVERED IN SNOW.

Smeja:
SO, WE'RE DIGGING IN THE SNOW.

WE FOUND SOME HAIR, AND
WE STARTED DIGGING AROUND IT.

I THOUGHT
IT WAS GONNA BE THE WHOLE BODY,

BUT IT TURNED OUT TO JUST BE A
PIECE OF HIDE THAT HAD FAT ON IT

AND THAT HAD
A LOT OF HAIR ON IT.

IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT THIS BIG.

WE DROVE IT STRAIGHT HOME
AND PUT IT IN THE FREEZER.

DEREK RANDLES IS SAYING,

"HEY, I GOT THIS DNA LAB
THAT I WANT YOU TO SEND IT TO."

Narrator:
HAIR FOLLICLES, FLESH, FAT.

WITHIN THIS HANDFUL
OF ONCE-LIVING TISSUE,

CAN WE FIND THE MISSING LINK --

THE DNA BLUEPRINT
FOR CREATING A MONSTER

AND THE SOURCE
FOR ALL THOSE RUMORS

OF A MAN-LIKE CREATURE
STALKING THE WOODS?

IT'S PROBABLY
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS,

IF NOT THE BIGGEST THING,
IN MY OPINION,

THAT'S HAPPENED
IN THE SASQUATCH WORLD,

IN THE BIGFOOT
RESEARCH COMMUNITY, TO DATE.

Narrator: BIGFOOT HUNTERS
DEREK RANDLES AND JUSTIN SMEJA

RECENTLY SUBMITTED SAMPLES
OF AN UNIDENTIFIED CREATURE

TO A DNA LAB.

IN NOVEMBER 2012, PRELIMINARY
FINDINGS WERE ANNOUNCED,

ALLEGING THAT BIGFOOT IS
A GENETIC RELATIVE...

OF HUMANS.

THE RESEARCHERS CLAIM
THAT SOME 15,000 YEARS AGO,

A HYBRID SPECIES DEVELOPED
FROM MALES OF AN UNKNOWN PRIMATE

CROSSING WITH
ARCHAIC HUMAN FEMALES.

THE RESULT WAS THE LINE OF HAIRY
HUMANOIDS WE CALL BIGFOOT.

DEREK AND JUSTIN
WILL HAVE TO WAIT

FOR THE STUDY
TO BE PROVED CONCLUSIVELY.

IN THE MEANTIME, THEY KNOW
THEIR EFFORTS HAVE HELPED

TO FINALLY PUT BIGFOOT
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

Randles: LITTLE DID I KNOW,
27 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED,

THAT I WOULD BE RIGHT HERE
ON THE CUTTING EDGE

OF SOME OF THE MOST MONUMENTAL,
GROUNDBREAKING NEWS

THAT'S EVER COME DOWN THE PIKE.

Smeja:
IT'S AN AMAZING FEELING

TO CONTRIBUTE
A CENTERPIECE IN A DNA STUDY

THAT COULD HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT

ON THE WAY
THAT WE SEE THE OUTDOORS.

NOW WHEN I GO INTO THE WOODS,

THERE WON'T BE A DAY
THAT I WON'T THINK ABOUT THIS.

I WILL WONDER
IF BEHIND EVERY TREE,

THERE'S A BIGFOOT
STANDING THERE.

Narrator: WHILE FOLKS
IN THE RAINY REDWOODS

ARE FEARFUL ABOUT WHAT CREATURES
ARE LURKING IN THE TREES...

...200 MILES SOUTH, IN THE
VERY HEART OF URBAN PORTLAND,

THERE'S SOMETHING STRANGE
GOING ON BELOW THE STREETS.

PORTLAND IS
A SOPHISTICATED CITY.

YET, ITS GROWTH OWES MUCH TO
ITS HARD-KNOCK WATERFRONT PAST.

IN THE 1880s,

THE MARITIME BUSINESS
MADE PORTLAND A BOOMTOWN.

ALONG THE WAY,
THERE WERE CASUALTIES.

THE NORTHWEST
NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE

WERE PUSHED ASIDE -- OR WORSE.

SOME SAY
THESE TROUBLED SPIRITS LINGER.

Slockish: WELL,
HERE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,

THERE'S A MONSTER
THAT LIVES UNDERGROUND.

WE'RE AFRAID TO GO THERE
FOR THAT REASON.

WE DON'T WANT OUR CHILDREN
OR US TO BE TAKEN UNDERGROUND.

AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME
IN THIS PORTLAND AREA.

Narrator: UNBEKNOWNST TO MANY
IN THIS BUSTLING METROPOLIS,

UNDER A SECTION OF DOWNTOWN,
THERE ARE A SERIES

OF MYSTERIOUSLY INTERCONNECTED
TUNNELS --

A SUBTERRANEAN REALM

FULL OF SECRETS
BOTH SINISTER AND SHOCKING.

DOWN IN THE TUNNELS,

I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE A LOT
OF SPIRITS THAT ARE TRAPPED.

YOU HAVE THAT FEELING
THAT YOU'RE BEING WATCHED.

I KNOW I'M NOT DOWN HERE ALONE
IN THE TUNNELS.

Pegg:
IT WAS REALLY DARK DOWN THERE.

WE WERE USING FLASHLIGHTS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THESE EYES...

LIKE, JUST SHOWN OUT AT ME

LIKE CAT EYES DO
WHEN THEY GET LIGHT PUT ON THEM.

AND THEN I WAS, LIKE --

ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THEN I COULD SEE

THE WHOLE WOLF'S SNOUT
AND EVERYTHING.

IT'S LIKE THAT WOLF
CAME OUT OF THIN AIR.

Narrator:
MANY BELIEVE THE SUPERNATURAL
PHANTOMS THEY'VE SEEN THERE

ARE ROOTED
IN THE TUNNEL'S AWFUL PAST.

INTEREST IN THE UNDERGROUND
BEGAN SOME 20 YEARS AGO,

LARGELY DUE TO ONE MAN --
MICHAEL JONES.

Jones: WHAT IS STRANGE ABOUT
THE TUNNELS IS ITS HISTORY.

IT IS A PLACE OF HUMAN ABUSE

WHERE SOME PEOPLE
TRY TO CLAIM IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

WHEN YOU GO
INTO THE UNDERGROUND,

IT'S A PLACE
OF, REALLY, A HORRIBLE FEELING

BECAUSE WHAT TOOK PLACE HERE
WAS HUMAN ABUSE AT ITS WORST.

Narrator:
PORTLAND NATIVE MICHAEL JONES

WAS INTRODUCED
TO THE UNDERGROUND TUNNELS

WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG BOY.

Jones:
WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD,

I WAS IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND
VISITING A RELATIVE.

I WAS TALKING TO AN OLD
SEA CAPTAIN IN THE HOTEL LOBBY,

AND HE STARTED TALKING
ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND NETWORK

THAT EXISTED HERE.

AND SO, I WASN'T BELIEVING
A THING HE WAS TELLING ME.

SO, WE WENT INTO AN OLD BUILDING
THAT WAS BEING TORN DOWN.

HE REACHES DOWN
THROUGH THE RUBBLE ON THE FLOOR,

AND HE PULLS UP A TRAPDOOR.

WE WALKED INTO THE UNDERGROUND.

SO, I LIT MY FIRST MATCH...

...AND A WHOLE NEW WORLD
OPENED UP --

A WORLD OF BEAUTIFUL STONE
AND BRICK, BUT ALSO OF DARKNESS.

Narrator: THE TUNNELS
WERE DARK AND MYSTERIOUS.

BUT WHAT WAS LURKING THERE --
EVEN STRANGER.

Jones: ALL OF A SUDDEN, I SEE
SOMETHING MOVE IN THE SHADOWS,

AND I NOTICE A SHADOW
CAME OUT FROM THE FAR SIDE

AND WALKED OUT,
AND I REALIZE --

A WOLF.

AND IT WALKED OUT, TURNED
AND WENT INTO ANOTHER TUNNEL,

AND VANISHED.

I WENT AFTER IT.

I SAW NOTHING.

DID I REALLY SEE THAT?

DID THAT REALLY HAPPEN?

Narrator: THE LAST
OF OREGON'S WOLF POPULATION

WAS EXTERMINATED
BACK IN THE 1940s.

YET SOMEHOW,
PEOPLE ARE SEEING THEM TODAY

IN THE PORTLAND UNDERGROUND.

ON HIS QUEST TO FIND OUT WHY,

MICHAEL WOULD UNCOVER
DARK SECRETS ABOUT THE TUNNELS

AND THE CITY'S
GRISLY WATERFRONT PAST.

THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE FOR
THE TUNNELS WAS FOR SHANGHAIING.

SHANGHAIING WAS
THE ACT OF KIDNAPPING MEN

AND SELLING THEM TO SEA CAPTAINS

WHO FORCED THEM TO WORK
ABOARD THEIR SHIPS FOR NOTHING.

Narrator: DEMAND FOR MANPOWER
KEPT THE SHANGHAI TRADE GOING.

BUT WHEN THE KIDNAPPERS BEGAN
PREYING ON NATIVE AMERICANS,

LEGENDS SAY THEY ENCOUNTERED
A SUPERNATURAL ENEMY.

Jones: PORTLAND ONCE WAS THEIRS
AS A CAMPSITE --

HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN OVER
BY WHITES,

AND THESE HORRIBLE THINGS
ARE TAKING PLACE,

AND THE NATIVE PEOPLE REACT,

AND THINGS THAT WE DON'T
UNDERSTAND OCCUR.

PEOPLE TRANSFORM INTO ANIMALS...

[ GROWLS ]

...LIKE WOLVES.

[ GROWLING ]

[ BARKING ]

Narrator:
UNDERNEATH PORTLAND, OREGON,

IS A MAZE OF MYSTERIOUS
PASSAGEWAYS AND CHAMBERS.

WHILE EXPLORING THIS DARK REALM,

MICHAEL JONES
ENCOUNTERED A PHANTOM WOLF.

ITS EXISTENCE, HE BELIEVES,

IS CONNECTED TO CRIMES
AGAINST NATIVE NORTHWEST INDIANS

IN PORTLAND'S DISTANT PAST.

WHEN PEOPLE VENTURE
INTO THE PORTLAND UNDERGROUND

AND THEY EXPERIENCE SOMETHING
ABOUT THE WOLF --

THAT IS THE GUARDIAN
OF THE TUNNELS,

AND HE WARNS THEM TO BE CAREFUL,

BE CAUTIOUS
OF THE DARKNESS AND SHADOWS.

Narrator:
LEGENDS OF THIS GUARDIAN WOLF

BEGAN BACK
IN PORTLAND'S MARITIME DAYS

WHEN AN ORDINARY MAN
WALKING ALONG THE WATERFRONT

HAD REASON TO FEAR.

Jones: THERE WAS
A NATIVE AMERICAN MAN --

HE WORKED ON THE LONGBOATS HERE
ALONG THE PORTLAND HARBOR.

WHAT HE DID IS --
EVERY NIGHT AFTER WORK,

TAKE A DRINK
OUT OF SKIDMORE FOUNTAIN.

ONE OF THE SHANGHAIERS
DECIDED HE WANTED HIM.

[ WATER TRICKLING ]

THEY GOT CLOSER
AND CLOSER AND CLOSER,

AND WHEN THEY'RE READY
TO GRAB HIM...

[ WATER TRICKLING ]

...HE TURNED AROUND,
AND HE LOOKED AT THE MEN.

THEN HE TURNED INTO A WOLF.

[ GROWLS ]

Jones:
HIS EYES WERE FLASHING RED,
AND THEY RAN AWAY.

THE SPIRIT
OF THAT NATIVE AMERICAN

WHO TURNED INTO A WOLF

IS THERE
IN THE PORTLAND UNDERGROUND.

Narrator: MICHAEL JONES
IS JUST ONE OF THE DOZENS

THAT HAVE WITNESSED
STRANGE SPIRITS IN THE TUNNELS.

WE WERE IN THE TUNNELS,
WE WERE WALKING THROUGH,

AND WE CAME TO A CERTAIN ROOM,

AND I HAD THIS CRAZY,
WEIRD, RANDOM IMPRESSION,

AND IT WAS
OF THIS COYOTE WOLF DOG.

[ GROWLING ]

I WOULD SAY THERE'S
A VERY, VERY LARGE AMOUNT

OF WOLF SPIRITS --
ANIMAL SPIRITS --

INHABITING THIS AREA
IN PORTLAND.

Jones:
PEOPLE SENSE THE WOLF'S SPIRIT

MORE THAN, POSSIBLY,
ANYTHING ELSE.

IT'S BECAUSE THIS SPIRIT

IS REALLY LINKING
THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT.

IT'S A REMINDER
OF THE ABUSE OF NATIVE PEOPLE.

Narrator:
IN ADDITION TO THE WOLF-MAN,

VISITORS TO THE UNDERGROUND
CLAIM TO ENCOUNTER

THE SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE
OF A NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN...

RUMORED TO HAVE DIED TRAGICALLY
IN THE TUNNELS.

Jones:
NINA WAS KLICKITAT INDIAN.

SHE LIVED
ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER,

WHERE SHE WAS GRABBED
BY WHITE SLAVERS,

BROUGHT TO PORTLAND,
AND SOLD INTO PROSTITUTION.

[ NINA SCREAMS ]

Narrator: TRYING TO ESCAPE,
NINA MET WITH MISSIONARIES

AND AGREED TO INFORM
ON THE SHANGHAI TRADE.

Jones: THE MISSIONARIES
WERE THE ONLY ONES

TRYING TO STOP SHANGHAI
AND THE OTHER VICE IN PORTLAND.

AND THEY BEFRIENDED HER --
TOLD HER, "YOU HELP US

"BY GIVING US EVERYTHING YOU CAN
ABOUT THESE SHANGHAIERS,

WE'LL GET YOU HOME
TO YOUR FAMILY."

NOW, SHE KNEW
SHE'D BE RISKING HER LIFE,

BUT SHE HAD TO GET AWAY,
SO SHE AGREED.

IF THEY FIND OUT I TOLD YOU,
THEY WILL KILL ME.

THE MISSIONARIES TOOK
THE INFORMATION TO THE POLICE,

AND THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED

BECAUSE SOME OF THEM
WERE ON THE TAKE.

WHEN THEY ASKED THEM,

"WHO PROVIDED
SUCH DETAILED INFORMATION?"

AND THEY MENTIONED
NINA'S NAME --

SEALED HER FATE.

TWO NIGHTS LATER, SHE WAS THROWN
DOWN THE ELEVATOR SHAFT.

[ SCREAMING ]

AND EVER SINCE
THE NIGHT OF HER DEATH,

THEY SAY
SHE HAUNTS THE UNDERGROUND.

Narrator:
NINA'S SPIRIT HAS BEEN FELT

BY A GROWING NUMBER STARTING
TO VISIT THE UNDERGROUND.

Angle: SO, AS WE ARE ABLE
TO GO DOWNSTAIRS,

I'M GETTING REAL EXCITED,
AND I'M LIKE, "OKAY."

SO, I DESCEND THE STAIRS
VERY SLOWLY.

AS I WALKED INTO
ONE OF THE CHAMBERS,

I COULD SMELL
A VERY STRONG PERFUME,

AND I'M LIKE,
"WHOA. WAIT A MINUTE."

AND I WALK BACK
INTO THE PREVIOUS CHAMBER,

AND THE SMELL FOLLOWED ME.

Narrator:
TRACES OF ANCIENT PERFUME...

...WOLF PHANTOMS...

COULD THESE SPIRITS
LINGER FROM A TRAGIC EVENT

THAT TOOK PLACE
MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO?

WHEN TRAGEDY LIKE NINA
TAKES PLACE,

THE NATIVE PEOPLE REACT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY RELEASE
SPIRITS LIKE THE WOLVES

INTO PLACES
LIKE THE SHANGHAI TUNNELS.

IT'S A REMINDER THAT,
"WE'RE NOT GONNA STAND FOR THIS.

IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM,
WE'RE GONNA FIGHT BACK."

Angle: I THINK GOING UNDERGROUND
CAN BE SCARY FOR MOST PEOPLE

BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA ENCOUNTER,

BUT I THINK WHAT I EXPERIENCED
WAS JUST AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

Jones: YOU'RE UNDER
THE CITY OF PORTLAND.

YOU'RE UNDERGROUND.

YOU'RE BENEATH THE SURFACE
IN THE DARKNESS AND SHADOWS,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
YOU REALIZE

THAT THERE IS
SOMETHING MORE HERE.

Narrator: THE HARBOR CITY
OF PORTLAND, OREGON,

IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE
IN THIS REGION

WHERE MYSTERIES LURK
BELOW THE SURFACE.

FLATHEAD LAKE, MONTANA,

ON THE EASTERN EDGE
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,

THE LARGEST NATURAL FRESHWATER
LAKE WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

HAS BECOME FAMOUS
FOR A MONSTER --

A SERPENT
THAT APPEARS FROM NOWHERE...

THEN, JUST AS SUDDENLY,
DESCENDS BENEATH THE WAVES.

ONE COUPLE'S RECENT CRUISE
ON THE LAKE

SUDDENLY WENT FROM LEISURE TIME
TO SHEER PANIC.

WHAT WE SAW WAS PROBABLY
AS LONG AS OUR BOAT,

WHICH WAS 24 FEET.

Julia: TO KNOW
I WAS SWIMMING IN THE WATER

WHERE THE CREATURE WAS --

YEAH, IT WAS SCARY.

Narrator:
RESTING ON THE EDGE

OF ENORMOUS FLATHEAD LAKE
IN MONTANA

IS THE QUAINT COMMUNITY
OF POLSON --

A LITTLE TOWN...

WITH A MONSTER PROBLEM.

Hanzel:
THE LAKE IS MYSTERIOUS BECAUSE
IT'S DEEP, AND IT'S LARGE,

AND YOU CAN ALMOST
SEE ACROSS IT,

BUT YOU CAN'T QUITE SEE
THE LENGTH OF IT.

AND SO I THINK THIS ADDS MYSTERY
TO WHAT'S HAPPENING.

Moriarty:
YOU KNOW NO BOATS ARE OUT THERE,

BUT STILL, ALL OF A SUDDEN,

YOU MIGHT SEE A WAKE
COMING OUT OF NOWHERE,

AND IN YOUR MIND, YOU WONDER
WHAT COULD BE UNDER THERE.

Avison:
BOATS HAVE GONE MISSING.

THERE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN
PEOPLE WHO HAVE DROWNED

AND THEY'VE NEVER RECOVERED
THEIR BODIES.

Hanzel: NOW WE HAVE 98 SIGHTINGS
OF THE FLATHEAD LAKE MONSTER

SINCE 1889.

Moriarty:
IT WAS ABOUT 7:30 AT NIGHT,

AND I WAS STANDING THERE
AT THE KITCHEN SINK

DOING THE DISHES,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
I LOOK TO MY RIGHT.

I DID A DOUBLE TAKE.

AND, BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER,

I ALWAYS HAVE MY CAMERAS
IN THE KITCHEN

READY TO TAKE PICTURES.

ABSOLUTELY FASCINATED ME
BECAUSE...

[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]

...NEVER HAVING SEEN IT
BEFORE...

[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]

...IN MY MIND, IT WASN'T EXACTLY
HOW I'D PICTURE IT WOULD BE.

CERTAINLY NOT LIKE THE
LOCH NESS MONSTER OR ANYTHING.

Hanzel: AS FAR AS, REALLY,
A SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION,

IT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED.

PEOPLE CAN'T SAY WHAT IT IS.

WE SET MANY NETS --
MILES OF NETS -- IN THE LAKE,

AND I CAN ONLY REFER
TO SOME LARGE HOLES

THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED
BY SOME ORDER OF CREATURE.

Narrator: WHILE BIOLOGY
CAN'T PROVIDE MANY ANSWERS,

EYEWITNESSES HAVE PLENTY TO SAY.

IN 2005,
LOCALS JIM AND JULIA MANLY

FOUND THEMSELVES
STRANDED ON FLATHEAD LAKE...

...AND, AS THEY WOULD DISCOVER,

ONLY YARDS FROM THE LAKE'S
FAMOUS MONSTER.

I'M AN ATTORNEY.

I'VE BEEN A COUNTRY LAWYER

IN THIS LITTLE TOWN OF POLSON
FOR 33 YEARS,

WHICH IS ON FLATHEAD LAKE.

I'D HEARD
THERE HAD BEEN SIGHTINGS,

BUT I DIDN'T REALLY
PAY ANY ATTENTION TO IT.

Jim:
I THINK I WAS A SKEPTIC,

ALTHOUGH THERE WASN'T REALLY
ANY EXPLANATION, TOO,

FOR SOME OF THE SIGHTINGS.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW.

Narrator:
THAT SKEPTICISM WOULD BE TESTED

ONE SUMMER AFTERNOON
OUT ON THE LAKE.

Jim:
AFTER WORK, WE WERE OUT THERE.

IT WAS A CALM DAY.

THERE WAS A LIGHT BREEZE
BUT NO WAVES.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY,

AND THERE WERE NO OTHER BOATS
ON THE WHOLE BAY.

[ ENGINE SPUTTERS ]

WE TRIED TO START THE BOAT UP,
AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD.

IT'S A HELPLESS FEELING,

BEING OUT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE WATER LIKE THAT.

WE CALLED MY DAUGHTER, WHO --
SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAD A BOAT.

Julia: WHILE WE WERE WAITING
FOR THEM TO COME TO RESCUE US,

WE WERE JUST LAYING ON THE BOAT,
KIND OF RELAXING.

AND THERE WERE NO OTHER BOATS
OUT THERE,

THERE WERE NO PEOPLE THERE,

BUT WE HEARD SLAPPING
ON THE WATER -- LOUD SLAPPING.

[ SPLASHING ]

NOT LIKE SOMEONE DIVING IN,

BUT SOMETHING HEAVY
SLAPPING THE WATER.

IT WAS LIKE, "TSSSH! TSSSH!"

LIKE THAT.

AND IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT --
I COULD TELL IT WAS CLOSE.

WE FROZE, AND WE JUST STARED
AND WATCHED.

LOOK AT IT!

THE FIRST FEELING I HAD
SEEING IT WAS JUST SHOCK.

I KNEW I WAS SEEING IT,

BUT IT'S SO UNBELIEVABLE
TO THINK ABOUT IT.

Jim: AS WE'RE WATCHING,
THIS THING STARTS MOVING,

AND IT WAS MOVING SUPER-SLOW,

AND WE COULD SEE HUMPS
OUT OF THE WATER.

Julia:
IT WAS LIKE A SERPENT --

DIDN'T SEE A HEAD,
JUST THE BODY.

WHAT WE SAW WAS PROBABLY
AS LONG AS OUR BOAT,

WHICH WAS 24 FEET.

AND THAT'S KIND OF FREAKY THAT
YOU HAVE SOMETHING OUT THERE

THAT MIGHT BE
TWICE AS BIG AS YOUR BOAT

SWIMMING BELOW YOU.

AS WE WERE WATCHING IT,

BEYOND IT,
HERE CAME OUR DAUGHTER.

SHE AND HER HUSBAND --

THEY'RE COMING DIRECTLY
TOWARD US IN THEIR BOAT,

AND I WAS GOING LIKE THIS,

TRYING TO GET THEM
TO LOOK AT IT,

AND THEY THOUGHT I WAS WAVING.

[ Chuckling ] AND THEY WERE
JUST WAVING LIKE THIS,

AND AS THEY CAME ON TOWARD IT,

IT JUST SLOWLY SLIPPED DOWN
IN THE WATER AND DISAPPEARED.

Julia: TO KNOW I WAS SWIMMING
IN THE WATER

WHERE THE CREATURE WAS --

IT'S JUST MADE ME REALIZE

THAT WE'RE NOT ALONE OUT THERE
IN THE LAKE.

Narrator:
IF ANYONE WERE GOING TO FINALLY
SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE MONSTER,

IT WOULD BE
FISHERMAN TIM SHATTUCK.

FEW HAVE AS MUCH TIME
ON THE FLATHEAD AS TIM.

I LOG ABOUT 1,000 HOURS A YEAR
ON THIS LAKE.

I'M VERY COMPETITIVE IN FISHING.

THE VALLEY OFFERS
OTHER FISHING THAN FLATHEAD --

ICE FISHING,
PERCH FISHING, RAINBOW.

JUST FISHING -- IT'S ALL I DO.

Narrator:
ON THE FLATHEAD,

TIM SHATTUCK WOULD EXPERIENCE
A FRIGHTENING BRUSH WITH DEATH.

[ SCREAMS ]

Shattuck: I FIGURED
THE MONSTER COULD COME UP

AND JUST GRAB ME
AND SUCK ME UNDER.

MAYBE I COULD HAVE
GOT OUT OF THE ICE,

BUT MAYBE HE WAS GONNA EAT ME.

Narrator:
FLATHEAD LAKE, MONTANA,

ON THE EASTERN EDGE
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST --

THIS ENORMOUS LAKE

HAS BECOME THE FOCUS
FOR HUNDREDS OF WITNESSES

ALL CLAIMING
TO HAVE SEEN A MONSTER.

ONE MORNING,
TIM SHATTUCK AND A FRIEND

SET OUT TO GO ICE FISHING.

CONDITIONS COULDN'T BE BETTER --

CLEAR SKIES, SOLID ICE...

OR SO HE THOUGHT.

Shattuck:
THE LAKE HAD HALF-FROZEN OVER,

SO WE WERE ABLE TO WALK ROUGHLY
A MILE OUT INTO FLATHEAD,

AND AS WE WERE WALKING,

I OVERHEARD HIM SAY
THAT HE HEARD OPEN WATER.

AND THEN ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER,

AS I WAS CHECKING THE SAFETY OF
THE ICE AS I WAS WALKING ALONG,

I LITERALLY, PRETTY MUCH,
JUST WALKED INTO OPEN WATER.

[ SCREAMS ]

IT WAS JUST AN INSTANT,

YOU WERE IN THE FLAT--
I WAS IN FLATHEAD LAKE --

6:00 IN THE MORNING,
MINUS 10 BELOW ZERO.

Narrator: WHILE HIS LIFE
HUNG IN THE BALANCE,

FLASHES OF HIS FIRST ENCOUNTER

WITH FLATHEAD'S
MYSTERIOUS MONSTER

RAN THROUGH HIS MIND.

HE WAS OUT
FISHING WITH A FRIEND...

TIM,
CAN YOU COME BACK...

...AND THEY NOTICE
THE ELECTRONIC FISH-FINDER

WAS INDICATING
SOMETHING STRANGE.

Shattuck:
WE WERE NOTICING AN OBJECT,

AS WE WERE FISHING
ON A THURSDAY MORNING,

ON THE BOTTOM,

AND THEN WE NOTICED
THAT THIS OBJECT

WAS ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THE BOAT
ACROSS THE LAKE.

PUSHED IN, LIKE, 10 TIMES ZOOM,

AND THIS OBJECT
WAS PROBABLY 6 OR 7 INCHES.

IT TOOK THE WHOLE SCREEN
OF MY FISH-FINDER UP.

IT LITERALLY FOLLOWED US ALL
THE WAY ACROSS OUR FIRST RUN.

AND WE WERE FRANTICALLY TRYING
TO GET DIFFERENT BAITS DOWN

AND LURES AND TRYING
TO CATCH THIS THING.

NOTHING LIKE IT'S EVER
BEEN CAUGHT OUT OF THIS LAKE.

THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT OF
WAS THE FLATHEAD LAKE MONSTER.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator:
NOW, YEARS LATER, TIM IS
SHIVERING IN THE FROZEN WATER,

TRYING TO HANG ON

AND HOPING
THE MONSTER IS NOWHERE NEARBY.

Shattuck:
THERE'S A CREATURE DOWN THERE,
AND YOU'RE WONDERING --

ARE YOU GONNA BECOME A PERMANENT
FIXTURE IN THIS LAKE?

I FIGURED
THE MONSTER COULD COME UP

AND JUST GRAB ME
AND SUCK ME UNDER.

MAYBE I COULD'VE
GOT OUT OF THE ICE,

BUT MAYBE HE WAS GONNA EAT ME.

Narrator:
TIM'S FEAR WAS UNDERSTANDABLE.

HE WAS REMEMBERING
ANOTHER ENCOUNTER

HE HAD WITH THE LAKE MONSTER
JUST MONTHS EARLIER,

WHEN HE FINALLY GOT A CLEAR VIEW
OF THE CREATURE

WITH HIS OWN EYES.

Shattuck: WE WERE GOING OUT
TO DO AN AFTERNOON CHARTER

ON FLATHEAD LAKE
WITH ONE CUSTOMER,

AND WE HAD TRAVELED DOWN THE
EAST SHORE TOWARDS YELLOW BAY,

AND WHEN WE REACHED
OUR DESTINATION,

I NOTICED THE FISH SWIMMING
ON TOP OF THE WATER UPSIDE DOWN.

I LOOK BACK UP THE EAST SHORE,

AND I SAID, "LOOK AT THIS
SWIMMING ACROSS THE LAKE."

I'M GONNA SAY IT WAS
ROUGHLY 8 TO 12 FEET LONG,

BLACK ON THE TOP,
WHITE UNDERNEATH,

ACTUALLY PORPOISING
FROM THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE

TO THE WEST SIDE.

I KNEW THAT I WAS LOOKING
AT THE FLATHEAD LAKE MONSTER.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE,

I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN SOMETHING
WHAT EVERYBODY HAD TALKED ABOUT.

IT PUTS THE FEAR INTO YOU.

Narrator: IF TIM WAS FEARFUL
OF THE SERPENT

WHILE SAFELY ABOARD HIS BOAT,

IMAGINE THE FEAR HE WAS FEELING

HALF-SUBMERGED
IN ICY FLATHEAD LAKE.

[ GROANS ]

NOW TIM WAS WONDERING

IF THE MONSTER
MIGHT BE WATCHING HIM.

IT IS AN EERIE FEELING TO KNOW
THAT SOMETHING CAN JUST COME UP

AND GRAB YOU AND PLUCK YOU DOWN,

AND NO ONE
WOULD EVER SEE YOU AGAIN.

I ACTUALLY HAD ANOTHER PERSON
WITH ME

WHO TOOK ALL OF MY GEAR
OUT OF A PLASTIC SLED,

TURNED IT UPSIDE DOWN,
PUSHED IT TO THE HOLE.

Narrator: LUCKILY, TIM DIDN'T
HAVE TO FACE THE MONSTER.

HE SURVIVED.

AND I WAS ABLE TO LIFT MYSELF UP
TO GET BACK ONTO THE ICE.

YOU COULD'VE BEEN ATE
BY THE MONSTER,

YOU COULD'VE DROWNED,
FROZE TO DEATH,

BUT NO. FORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T.
I WAS SPARED, FOR SOME REASON.

IT JUST SCARED ME TO DEATH
THAT HE COULD'VE DROWNED

OR SOMETHING COULD HAVE GOT HIM
IN THE LAKE.

Shattuck: I WAS VERY SKEPTICAL
OF THE FLATHEAD LAKE MONSTER,

BUT NOW THERE'S NO SKEPTICISM
IN MY MIND WHATSOEVER.

I KNOW THAT IT EXISTS.

HOPEFULLY,
BEFORE I DIE ON THIS LAKE,

I'M GOING TO BE THE ONE

THAT GETS TO COME FACE-TO-FACE
WITH THIS THING.

Jones: PEOPLE WHO VENTURE
INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

WILL STUMBLE ACROSS
UNUSUAL THINGS,

AND SOMETIMES
THOSE UNUSUAL THINGS

WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER.

THEY WILL NEVER LOOK
AT SOMETHING THE SAME WAY.

IT WILL ALWAYS BE DIFFERENT,

AND THEY'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER,
NO MATTER WHERE THEY'RE AT,

WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.