# Strange, unnerving experiences...



## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

I debated posting this but WTH...I was out two nights ago, at one of my favorite spots, which is located in one of our metroparks. I was the only person down in the valley, fishing a pool about 50 yards below the main riffle, when I heard something crash through the trees and underbrush. Looking across the flow, I saw a rock about the size of a baseball hit the bank and bounce into the water. Then it happened again, and again, and again, and continued for maybe ten minutes. The rocks were not being thrown across the creek, as if to hit me, but were coming out of the woods and landing directly in front of me. (There was no wind, either). Anyway, when I moved back up to the riffle, the activity stopped. There are trails on the side of the flow I fish, but the terrain on the other side of the valley, which is parkland, contains no park trails and is wooded for quite some distance to the west, and to the north. I managed only one rock bass and left at dusk. 

Late last week, I was about a mile upstream, when, prior to dusk, I heard a loud and very distinct wood knock, a few hundred yards downstream, which got my attention, but rationalized it as "nothing." A little later, when it started getting dark, I heard a vocalization about thirty yards in back of me, back in the woods, that I could not identify as an owl, coyote, etc. I'm not saying what it was, but it's the first time I've heard it. Whatever it was, I took it as a sign to leave, and on my way out, I noticed a stack of limestone about a foot high right beside the water. This is crazy, I thought, as I hoofed it out of there. 

I'm no experienced woodsman, but I have been fishing these stretches for the past five or six years, and I've never experienced anything like this. Anyway, I'm gonna give these spots a rest and focus my efforts elsewhere. Strange sounds are one thing but rocks flying through the air is something else entirely.


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## chris1162 (Mar 12, 2008)

Pretty obvious squatch area. Stay out and whatever you do dont take a camera!


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## tpat (Apr 4, 2008)

Chupacabra. Dont worry, they mostly like goats.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Take some Jack Links jerky! And I'd talk to Mr. A if I was you! Lol! Does sound strange!


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

We used to hunt a spot on alum creek that is off the beaten path. Every now and again someone would come back in there and make squatch noises. Pretty funny I thought


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

I find that very strange, I think it would have unnerved me but why do I not feel like that is strange happening to you lol call the Sasquatch hunters


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

jray said:


> We used to hunt a spot on alum creek that is off the beaten path. Every now and again someone would come back in there and make squatch noises. Pretty funny I thought


Dangerous business these days trying to scare people in woods considering CCW, assuming that's what's going on.


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## zack pahl (Mar 8, 2009)

Dude you always have the strangest fishing encounters!


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## Bucks4life (Jul 30, 2014)

Considering it's a metro park I'm guessing it's close to a populated area. Kids do some weird stuff... If I had to guess, that would be it. 

Just keep that bear spray handy!


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## Dovans (Nov 15, 2011)

solid reasons why you need a CCW. Even if you do have a CCW the right thing was to leave.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Bucks4life said:


> Considering it's a metro park I'm guessing it's close to a populated area. Kids do some weird stuff... If I had to guess, that would be it.
> 
> Just keep that bear spray handy!


Certainly can't rule it out, although I did listen for giggling and movement but heard nothing.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Dovans said:


> solid reasons why you need a CCW. Even if you do have a CCW the right thing was to leave.


That's what I told my wife. I'm certainly not gonna allow myself to be spooked out of my favorite fishing holes. Not that I would ever shoot blindly into the woods, but I would prefer to have the confidence to stand my ground against against a bunch stone throwing hooligans or an unidentified primate.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

zack pahl said:


> Dude you always have the strangest fishing encounters!


This one's topping the list.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

I used to fish that area alot and there are always people around even if you dont see them. Its very easy to see someone out in the middle of the creek wading and its very tempting for people in the woods to want to try to mess with them a little for a laugh. As far as stacking rocks that is super common. I once saw two guys build a dam of rocks about two feet high all the way across a creek at the head of a popular fishing hole. Must have taken all day. They said they did it every year for fun.


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## HookBender (Apr 2, 2012)

....and the Saga continues! Stay safe out there!


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Big Joshy said:


> I used to fish that area alot and there are always people around even if you dont see them. Its very easy to see someone out in the middle of the creek wading and its very tempting for people in the woods to want to try to mess with them a little for a laugh. As far as stacking rocks that is super common. I once saw two guys build a dam of rocks about two feet high all the way across a creek at the head of a popular fishing hole. Must have taken all day. They said they did it every year for fun.


I'm sure you're right; the alternative is too difficult to accept. The area where the rocks were coming from is such a strange spot for anyone to be though. If I had had someone with me I would have crossed the creek and walked right up in there...


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## kayakmac (Aug 4, 2013)

Deaz just be safe out there!! Your one of my favorite contributors on here! We will fish together sometime and maybe with Sasquatch!


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## Lil'Ranger (Apr 8, 2011)

You know Salt Fork is one of the top spots in the country for "Squatchin". Thinking Alum probably has more ghosts than anything from the old cemeteries.


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## afishinfool (Feb 1, 2014)

I think" theres a squatch in this woods" a good guess!


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Lil'Ranger said:


> You know Salt Fork is one of the top spots in the country for "Squatchin". Thinking Alum probably has more ghosts than anything from the old cemeteries.


I know. If this had happened in eastern Ohio there'd be no doubt in my mind, lol.


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## ranger175a (Apr 20, 2011)

Are you sure it wasn't acorns falling in the water? They sound pretty big when they hit the water.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

ranger175a said:


> Are you sure it wasn't acorns falling in the water? They sound pretty big when they hit the water.


Positive. Like I said, one of the rocks was the size of a baseball and the other objects had to be roughly the same size based on all the racket they made. Real head-scratcher.


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## homepiece (May 11, 2007)

It's always weird to hear something when by yourself in a natural setting. 

have heard some weird sounds and had something big run through a thick set of trees while fishing out at AEP. The noises were from type of animal, but it was a low grunting noise that sounded like a cow coughing. I kept thinking that something escaped from the Wilds because it was unlike anything I have ever heard in the woods in ohio.

I also ended up kayaking by an impromptu war zone while going down the hocking river chasing smallmouth. Paddled pretty quick to get away from that.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

I noticed around Alum that the trees are dropping what I call hedge apples. They are large softball sized fruits or whatever they are called. Maybe this could be what you saw? Just a thought!


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## HookBender (Apr 2, 2012)

I have always wondered what those bright green softball sized thing actually are?


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

HookBender said:


> I have always wondered what those bright green softball sized thing actually are?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


As kids we called those glueballs" and I've been upended by them several times while riding a bike path. That's not what these were though.

Edit: Clarify baseball sized not baseball shaped.


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

People have posted here about fishing below Griggs when there's blasting in the quarry to the west, and rocks have come tumbling down the bank.


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## Dave_E (Apr 6, 2004)

Why not grab some large stones and throw them back into the woods?

Better yet, grab a big rock and run toward them. You would've heard the kids running then.


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## Bucks4life (Jul 30, 2014)

Just because I was curios too.

Maclura pomifera, commonly called Osage orange, hedge apple, horse apple, monkey ball, bois d'arc, bodark, or bodock is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8–15 metres tall.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Dave_E said:


> Why not grab some large stones and throw them back into the woods?
> 
> Better yet, grab a big rock and run toward them. You would've heard the kids running then.


I thought about that after I had moved back up to the riffle. Next time...


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## ski (May 13, 2004)

I fish below O shay and someone was down there stacking rocks on the shore. They were really interesting as the rocks were stacked "single stack" in an amazing configuration!

ski


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Bucks4life said:


> Just because I was curios too.
> 
> Maclura pomifera, commonly called Osage orange, hedge apple, horse apple, monkey ball, bois d'arc, bodark, or bodock is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8–15 metres tall.


Monkey-ball? 

I will check the spot to verify that's not what they were. What I saw was more or less in the shape of an eraser with rough edges.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

ski said:


> I fish below O shay and someone was down there stacking rocks on the shore. They were really interesting as the rocks were stacked "single stack" in an amazing configuration!
> 
> ski


Yeah the rock thing is easily explained away. They were probably stacked by a kid messing around by the creek. You have to imagine me though, during my quick departure because of the vocalization that had my neck hair standing up, suddenly seeing this "rock pile" - which has been reported by those who have had encounters. It was like the end of a horror movie when the last one alive runs into all the dead bodies. I was like


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## CavemaNdisguisE (Jul 10, 2012)

I was backpacking in Colorado a few years ago. While camped near a large wooded hill, I heard a massive ruckus making its way down the hill at an alarming speed. It was coming so loud and so fast it was difficult to decide what to do. I couldn't make up my mind whether to run, get in my tent, grab my knife, or what to do. I was certain this was a large bear or mountain lion (which I had been tracked by the day and night before - it came right up to my tent in the middle of the night). I couldn't see it coming until a large bear-sized boulder came crashing down and rolled out onto the trail. I almost peeped my pants. It must have simply disconnect from the cliff face or hill side far above. Good times in the backcountry!


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

ski said:


> I fish below O shay and someone was down there stacking rocks on the shore. They were really interesting as the rocks were stacked "single stack" in an amazing configuration!
> 
> ski


Those rock formations are called cairns. They've been used for years by travelers to mark their trails and used as directional tools. Some also believe that they are connected to the occult and devil worshipping. It's actually quite common to find them along creek and river shorelines.


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## HookBender (Apr 2, 2012)

Rock stacking is a popular activity right now. A Google search will show a lot of results. I am fairly sure that I read somewhere that it has become such a "thing" that some places and parks have banned it because of so many stones being moved.




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## steven kovach (Sep 24, 2014)

Deazl666 said:


> I debated posting this but WTH...I was out two nights ago, at one of my favorite spots, which is located in one of our metroparks. I was the only person down in the valley, fishing a pool about 50 yards below the main riffle, when I heard something crash through the trees and underbrush. Looking across the flow, I saw a rock about the size of a baseball hit the bank and bounce into the water. Then it happened again, and again, and again, and continued for maybe ten minutes. The rocks were not being thrown across the creek, as if to hit me, but were coming out of the woods and landing directly in front of me. (There was no wind, either). Anyway, when I moved back up to the riffle, the activity stopped. There are trails on the side of the flow I fish, but the terrain on the other side of the valley, which is parkland, contains no park trails and is wooded for quite some distance to the west, and to the north. I managed only one rock bass and left at dusk.
> 
> Late last week, I was about a mile upstream, when, prior to dusk, I heard a loud and very distinct wood knock, a few hundred yards downstream, which got my attention, but rationalized it as "nothing." A little later, when it started getting dark, I heard a vocalization about thirty yards in back of me, back in the woods, that I could not identify as an owl, coyote, etc. I'm not saying what it was, but it's the first time I've heard it. Whatever it was, I took it as a sign to leave, and on my way out, I noticed a stack of limestone about a foot high right beside the water. This is crazy, I thought, as I hoofed it out of there.
> 
> I'm no experienced woodsman, but I have been fishing these stretches for the past five or six years, and I've never experienced anything like this. Anyway, I'm gonna give these spots a rest and focus my efforts elsewhere. Strange sounds are one thing but rocks flying through the air is something else entirely.


This happen to us this year at Alumcreek near the ramp by the bait store I figured it was kids I shouted that I had a gun and the rocks stopped


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## ShoreFshrman (Sep 25, 2014)

Deaz, you sure do have some odd experiences......I'm not sure if I'd want to fish with ya......JK


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

ShoreFshrman said:


> Deaz, you sure do have some odd experiences......I'm not sure if I'd want to fish with ya......JK


Which is why I don't fish during thunderstorms; I know there's a lightning bolt out there with my name on it. ️


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## ShoreFshrman (Sep 25, 2014)

Deazl666 said:


> Which is why I don't fish during thunderstorms; I know there's a lightning bolt out there with my name on it. ️




ROFLMAO

Thanks man that just hit a spot......too funny


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## Sr.Jigger (Feb 17, 2005)

I saw your post about rocks being thrown towards you while out in nowhere. This happened to me twice in my life both times while squirrel hunting by myself in deep thick woods in the middle of nowhere. I remember being so perplexed and baffled how the hell and what the hell caused several good size rocks to land close to me and hit the ground ? 
They had to be thrown with a high arch because of the angle they fell from. Seem to have almost came straight down. I couldn't determine what direction they came from and there wasn't anyone within a couple miles of me in any direction. 
During one of the times this happened I remember seeing the strangest thing ever, I walked up to a upside down tree....about 12' high, 6" in diameter, no limbs but roots hanging and spread out like palm fronds on top. Like the tree was jerked out of the ground and pile drove in the dirt upside down. It never hit me what I saw until later and have only told very few people. People think your nut's saying things like this. I may wish I didn't even post this.


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## Lil'Ranger (Apr 8, 2011)

Talk about stone stacking. Found this on my down imaging just north of Cheshire the other day. Creepy.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

At least I'm not this guy (page 22 of the Sept/Oct Bassmaster)...


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Lil'Ranger said:


> Talk about stone stacking. Found this on my down imaging just north of Cheshire the other day. Creepy.


So that's what they did with the Polaris Ampitheater when they razed it!


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Lil'Ranger said:


> Talk about stone stacking. Found this on my down imaging just north of Cheshire the other day. Creepy.
> View attachment 194899


Great cover for smallies.


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## seang22 (Mar 3, 2014)

I was hunting in zaleski one winter for late muzzle loader with my cuz. All of a sudden we heard something come raising down and then all of a sudden a huge crash. It sounded like a vehicle raising through the woods. We found nothing:


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

seang22 said:


> I was hunting in zaleski one winter for late muzzle loader with my cuz. All of a sudden we heard something come raising down and then all of a sudden a huge crash. It sounded like a vehicle raising through the woods. We found nothing:


I used to work this attorney who, when he was a Boy Scout, had a possible encounter at Zaleski. He and a bunch of fellow scouts were sound asleep in their tents when something big walking on two feet came through their camp-site and rummaged through some of their stuff. One of guys shouted at "it" from inside his tent and it took off up the hill making all sorts of racket. Turned out that they all heard it, but not one of them had the courage to peek out of their tent to see what it was...

Should add that they did look for tracks within the campsite but the ground was too hard and covered with leaves...


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

Probably one of the local locos around Zaleski. I've seen 'em.I see where one might be mistaken for a Bigfoot. Be careful. Always carry when in that area.



Roscoe


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Roscoe said:


> Probably one of the local locos around Zaleski. I've seen 'em.I see where one might be mistaken for a Bigfoot. Be careful. Always carry when in that area.
> 
> 
> 
> Roscoe


No kidding. First time I drove through Vinton County I couldn't believe I was still in Ohio.


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## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

Back in April I decided to stop on my way home from work at an overly blown out spot on big walnut for about 2 hours. There were no other cars parked when I got there. I was about a 1/4 mile up stream from my truck fishing from the bank when I heard twigs snapping on the path behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw nothing but I kept hearing the noise. The third time I looked over my shoulder, I saw 2 guys probably in their 20's walking away from me. The one in the rear had his hoody up over his head and was carrying an AR-15.... You wanna talk about nerve wracking. I froze and couldn't start fishing again for another minute or two. I heard them down stream firing it off and it sounded like a .22. Also, about one month ago a coworker and I were out on an overly blown out spot on the scioto fishing for catfish. Around 11:30pm we saw a really bright light come on about a football field length away from us down river. They were shining the light all over the place and finally started rapidly firing off a gun. We packed up immediatly and headed for home. There was one spot I used to catfish a few years ago where I carried a 1911 (when I was alone) after a sheriff stopped and told me about some armed robberies in nearby homes. That spot was pretty out in the middle of no where but I decided to just quit going. I don't carry anymore when I fish but I always go with one other person. It's can get pretty scary out there.


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## Dana.Birrell (Apr 23, 2012)

Lil'Ranger said:


> You know Salt Fork is one of the top spots in the country for "Squatchin". Thinking Alum probably has more ghosts than anything from the old cemeteries.


But Antrim/Dublin area is the top area in Ohio for "sightings"

Tried to find the site this came from, but it has been years since I had a laugh at reading the site. We've seen Sasquatch (deer) swim across Antrim before.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I'm guessing it was the " grass man"


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

One of my camping rules is: Anything making noise in dark woods will sound at least twice as big as it actually is.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

FOSR said:


> One of my camping rules is: Anything making noise in dark woods will sound at least twice as big as it actually is.


Perfect timing, my Son and I were out last night fishing, ended up walking out around 10, as we were headed to my truck he said he might be creeped out if he were out there alone.


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

Oh man I just had an evil idea: get some small reflectors and staple them in pairs onto tree trunks around a campsite. No one would notice them until dark when they turn on a lantern or flashlight. Then it would be like animal eyes surrounding you.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

FOSR said:


> Oh man I just had an evil idea: get some small reflectors and staple them in pairs onto tree trunks around a campsite. No one would notice them until dark when they turn on a lantern or flashlight. Then it would be like animal eyes surrounding you.


That's awesome. Make them red, and put them at seven feet.


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

Deazl,I think next year you should higher armed guards to keep you safe


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

1basshunter said:


> Deazl,I think next year you should higher armed guards to keep you safe


Mr. A's got my back, except he catches all my fish!!!


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