You're listening to Big for Society, and I'm Jeremiah Byron. In this show, we go beyond the campfire stories to bring you first hand encounters from people who say they've seen something impossible. From backwoods trails and remote mountain haulers to quiet farms and crowded highways. The stories come from everywhere, and each one leaves us with more questions than answers. These are the voices of the people who've lived it.
To settle in, because today you'll hear another account that just might change the way you see the woods forever. So stay with us, all right, Big for Society, Welcome back to another episode. We've got the privilege of talking to Jared mcgilliard today. Jared is the director and an executive producer of the show Monster Quest. Currently. How is it going today, Jared?
Ah, that's great. Jeremia, how you doing, dude?
Doing so good. I'm just really glad that our mutual friend Adam Davies was able to connect us in. Adam reached out and was like, you should talk to Jared. He's heading up the Monster Quest thing. I was like, yeah, yeah, I think that that would be a good idea. Adam I'll do that, and Adam we trust yeah exactly. Well, I was like, as long as he could, does he have bigfoot stuff to talk about? And he's he's got bigfoot stuff to talk about. I don't worry about it.
I have to I could have. If I know Adam, I must have some bigfoot stuff to talk about.
Exactly. So, Jared, man, let's start with the Monster Quest stuff. You know, I've seen a few episodes already and it's cool to see, you know, really people that I consider to be my friends from this community show up on screen. You you were able to get some really good witnesses. Can we talk about I'm not going to spoil anything, right, it's out in the open now, So that's all.
Right, it's out there. Let's talk to.
I mean, you were first episode, right out of the gate. You were able to get mister Martin Groves such a fantastic story, his dog man account from Land between the Lakes, and Martin's such a such a great individual. And then of course a good friend comes to mind, mister Daniel Hamilton.
Daniel yeh, and man.
You guys did a great job showing his encounter and it really makes you think about it. A different way, like, oh yeah, he was up in the tree, in that tree stand and that's what was going on. And it's like, oh my goodness, I love what you guys are doing with this stuff.
Oh thanks a lot. Yeah, those stories, yeah, Martin was Yeah, I love Martin. Just what a sweet, kind, generous guy. And you know, Martin, we owe a lot to just in terms of the show coming to be at all, because that was the story we actually filmed for the development or sizzle step that actually got it across the finish line and had History fully commissioned the series. So Martin's story was sort of like alas our north Star.
You know, it's hard to start with someone like Martin and then you have every other story try to stack up to it. But now he's so generous with his time and his story is just I mean just unforgettable, unforgettable story. And Daniel's great. Yeah, I love Daniel. He just his story was you know, it's there. I love those stories that have like that weird element to it.
It's like you just couldn't you. The untying of a shoe is just the most bizarre occurrence, you know, and and sort of I love those aspects of those stories that I feel like very one of a kind, and his story definitely feels one of a kind like that.
Listeners will listen to this on February second. And as of so the second, how many episodes will you have out? Do you think?
I thought it'll be our six episodes, so six of the eight. Yeah, and the episode coming up this week is great. I mean, I don't know if Annem Barton, Nunneley Barton.
Oh you got Barton?
Oh? His is His story is just it's actually one of my favorite edits stories and just editing pieces of the series. It's got such character to it and it's fun. It's just and the music is kind of unforgettable. I'm really excited to see that. I'm always more nervous for like Barton to see his story, you know that. I just feel like a lot of pressure with that. But Barton's great. This guy named Michael Caine who hadn't encounter.
Yeah, Michael in Ohio.
Yeah you got it, yep, the grass Man, you got it?
Yeah, I kind of I kind of know the field a little bit, right. Yeah.
Yeah, Michael is great, and his story is just just also very cool and weird. And he's got some cool footage. So yeah, there's we have a Times slip story Gwen Johns and Gwen John's but a Times slip of this Friday is really interesting, nice and uh and then a woman named Joni Mayhem who had an encounter when she was a kid as well. So yeah, really cool stories. But Barton, Barton and Michaels are real fun. Yeah, I'll be excited for you to see this, Jeremiah.
And that's why another reason I really like the show right now, because half of it it is like, oh, I really I know this person, I know this story. It's a new interpretation for me because it's bigfoot stuff. But then also you're throwing in other stuff too, which is like I've never heard of this, and this is really cool. So it's kind of a cool mixed uh bag. But you know, Jared, let's talk a little bit about you know, you have a history of doing so many shows.
I was looking through Nomadica Films your website and you've done everything from you just did the was a Golden Greed, the Netflix series right that was you and and all sorts of stuff in the past. But how did you get set up in linked up with the Monster Quest series because you know, this isn't the there was Monster Quests back in the day, and then out of nowhere, it's back, like how did that happen?
Yeah, yeah, it's a cool story. I mean, I think I'd always been interested in in encryptids. I grew up in the Seattle area, Washington State, so you know, big Sasquatch and Bigfoot was definitely just part of my the culture of where I grew up. And then you know, years and years and years ago, in the original installment of Monster Quest, I produced one of their episodes and we went to Nepal looking for the Yetie, and so
that was sort of my first time. That's where I met Adam, and I really you know, I think that the way that that the initial episode, initial series of Monster Quests approached these types of stories and investigations, it was so objective, it was so it was very trying to be as scientific as it could be, and I
really appreciated that. I thought that that was like such an interesting approach both for sort of like believers and non believers, you know, and so I honestly these this sort of cryptid world was something obviously I met Adam.
Adam and I talk a lot, and so you know, this has always just been a part of an interest level of mine and you know, where as you said, in America, like we're we're pitching whether it's Netflix, History Channel, Discovery Channel constantly, and so we had sat down with a History channel and we're batting around a few ideas and you know, sort of a cryptid show came up and it wasn't Monster Quest, you know initially, which is sort of, hey, this could be a really cool show.
There's more sightings and there's more you know, with social media and podcasts like yours, it's like there's more access to more stories than ever before. And I feel, you know, I was thinking about like why why now is a good time for bring it back? And that for me was kind of like a big reason. It's like there's
just access to so many stories. And yeah, it started as a conversation and then you know, we ended up shooting a little development tape with Martin and put a deck together and sort of outlined our vision for what
the series would be, and they went for it. And then they eventually decided to sort of put it underneath the Monster Quest banner, which I was thrilled with I was honestly, it was like such an honor to sort of feel like, oh, we're bringing it back because it was such a you know, it was a big part of my history, Monster Quest, and I just always thought it was such an awesome show. So that's kind of how it all came to be. But it's been a really thrilling way to spend the last year and a
half of my life. Just tunneling into into the world. We just had conversations with people, and long conversations, I mean really talking about you know, and someone's going to be hey, you should meet such and such person, or you should talk to such. You know. We really wanted to make sure people understood what the show was and
what the show was not. You know, this wasn't a show where we were trying to prove or disprove someone's encounter, you know, where we're trying to undercut it or you know. We really were just trying to present these stories as objectively as possible and then build the history around them. And the history was fascinating to dig into. You know, it's some of these occurrences I would have thought when we met the witnesses oh, that must be just a
one off. There's no such thing as a one off experience. I mean, there's just there really isn't. But it truly was word of mouth. I mean we talked to hundreds of people, you know, and I hear hope the other season because there's just so many more amazing stories and I think, you know what we you know, you kind of start in the casting process and you know, you sort of you have like your top tier, and then you kind of fill it out. And obviously each each
episode is themed. Now that we've been through the first season, so many of those stories that didn't quite make it for that first for the first season, like I would be thrilled to bring into the fold. And I'm sure you know a lot of those people. I mean, there's just there's no shortage of these of these encounters, and they take you all over the globe, all over the United States, all different types of people. There's not a type a person that necessarily like has these encounters, you know.
So yeah, it was really it was all word of mouth, but really just trying not to I really wanted the
show to be defined. It is defined truly by like the witnesses and I really wanted credible witnesses that not only would speak to the people who are already within the crypto community and know them, but also to people, you know, the general history audience that maybe didn't watch the you know, the first installment of Monster Requests that are coming fresh and I so, I, you know, finding people that I felt were speaking very confident, with a lot of credibility, with sort of like you know, like
the Daniel Hamilton details. It's like why you know you could so you know, I was looking for specific ingredients. It was strength. It was a great storyteller. You know, I don't know if you know.
The judge was Shane the dog Man story, right.
Yeah, but I mean he's such a He's an amazing storyteller. You know. It's like he delivers his story with such confidence and clarity and incredible detail. And I think, no matter whether you are somebody who is a believer or non believer, or it is the first sort of Crypti story you've heard, or like the one hundredth or thousandth Crypti story you've heard, that confidence, level of detail and that I think someone speak with means a lot. So, you know, in terms of the casting and how he
found people. That was really it. It was a lot of zoom calls, very long zoom calls, and then obviously, you know, I get them down in the interview chair and then it's a you know, two to three hour two to three hour conversation where you're really trying to pull out those details and those feelings and slow down the story. But it was a blast. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
So are you having to like travel around the US and meet people where they are or is it a mixture like some people are coming to your studios or like how does how is that working for this?
Yeah, you're you're right on. It was a mix. So some people we flew, we flew into Seattle, we filmed all everything here. Other people, you know, some people weren't comfortable traveling or weren't able to travel, so we sort of set up these little satellite areas where you know, it was kind of close to some people. Martin for the development, we were able to go out, you know, to his home and he took out the land between
the lakes. I wish we could do that for every story because it's just I mean, selfishly, it's just a fun, such a fun experience to sort of walk in their shoes and you know, sit shotgun with Martin and just just you know, just spend time with those people. But for the most part, yeah, it was a pretty quick process. You know. We again we have sort of the zoom interview.
Then most people we had them flying the Seattle. We'd sit down for a while, talk a little bit about talk a little bit about one of those parts of their story that they really feel confident and share, you know. And but yeah, I really I think the way I try to approach interviews is I truly am like enthralled, you know, like I am I am, I am locked in when I'm listening to these stories. And that was a lot of fun. But most people, best case scenario, could fly them out here because it just made it
really easy for us. But some people we did go out to where they were.
That's awesome. Man. I was thinking, and maybe maybe this is a thing where you know, I haven't been able to watch all of it of course yet, but it would be really cool if you could get Adam's story on one of the episodes. And I'm talking about the Southern Oregon portal one You've heard Adam to say that one, right.
I think I've heard that story. Adam has a lot of stories. Yeah, story Adam, Adam Davies. You can only stay away from Monster Requests for so long. I feel like he is due. He'd just sit in the chair. Yeah, yeah, he'd be great, he'd.
Be okay, good stuff. It's it's a such a such a great encounter. In my goodness, it's so so good, it's so Regarding the current season on Monster Quest, is there any chance we can get the old graphics back with the super you know what I'm saying, like the crazy graphics? Can we get that back?
Yeah? You know, it's funny. We had that conversation with History, and I think they really wanted to sort of feel like there was an evolution. You know, there was like I know within the community, there's like we can't hear the graphic, like it's like some of those really classic elements from from the old series. You know. I think
History really wanted to sort of freshen it up. I would say a little bit, but absolutely I missed those those original graphics and the original It's just there's something you know when you have that, it's like it makes it's like a it's like a hug, you know, it really is.
Yeah, And I'm speaking. So I'm speaking because I hear a lot from the community and they're like, they're like on their knees, they're packed, like, give us history, give us the old graphics back. We want to see those old graphics. And like, who knows, maybe history, maybe not, but hey.
I'll make a push if we get more. I'll make a strong push. I promise you, I'll make a strong push. All right. There, I'll give you full credit for for for making it happen.
There you go, there you go. I've seen even people on TikTok making videos about I'm like, oh my goodness, this is a pretty big deal. Okay, all right, it's cool though.
It's neat to see how like the the original series it was, it meant a lot to people, you know, I think it was a little before it's time. It introduced I think a lot of people to the worlds of cryptids and on a global scale, and I think to some very cool people within the crypti community like Adam Davies and Jeff Meldrum and a lot of people that were that were doing some really really cool work.
So yeah, I totally get. I totally get the the want to have that that original those original graphics back.
So that's just me throwing my little two cents in there. But you know, Jared, can you take us back to I think it's fascinating that you were involved with the first Monster Quest in the Nepal episode. Do you have any memories of of what it was or stories you're able to share what it was able, what it was like to be able to be, you know, in the filming or involved with that episode, and any cool things you had happened over there.
Oh man, I mean how much time do you have, JAREDI that was a that was a lifelong memory. I feel like almost died on that shoot. Like it was. It was, it was, it was. It was an incredible adventure, harrowing. So yeah, I mean we had you know, I had been brought on to basically do mostly the field production of that of that episode, so I connected with the Adam, you know, and it was like, hey, Adam, you want
to go to the Paul. I'm looking of the Yeddi and you know, I think you know, Adam's pretty game for for very basically everything. Oh yeah, and then I really was into trying to find get in touch with this guy named Ian Redmond who was this He's this great ape expert. He used to work with Diane Fosse before she was murdered, and you know, for and I didn't know where in the world he was, you know, I remember was just like sending random emails and just
constantly trying to get in touch with him. And then one day he finally emerges and he called me like three in the morning and I saw this this number I didn't know, probably from the UK, and I answered it really quickly and it was it was Ian. He's like, I'm sorry, I was I was outstudying cave elephants and I had like a like a wire tied to my foot so when they left the when they left the cave, it would wake me up. And I was just like,
oh my god, this guy's incredible. And I was like, well, Ian, I'm going to Nepal, you know, to look for the Yeddi. You want to come, And he was like, I love to. And so that was it was really cool to have, you know, Adam obviously who's there. He had such such great knowledge of the Yeti and the history and and Ian came from much of the scientific background, his his histories with great apes, and I just thought that was
such a cool a cool team. And then we brought in, you know, a lot of the focus on that was trying to go back to the place where they had found some evidence. And so there was this old climber named Yagihara, really cool guy, and Yaghi had basically was up in this really remote area of Nepal, very high altitude, and it's seen a print a track, and it you know,
sort of was it was. There's some headlines about it, some information, and so I got in touch with him and I said, hey, well you lead us back to that area where you found that track. Now, Yagihara like he's summited Everest multiple times. I mean, he's a very accomplished climber, which was cool. I mean a lot of the stories of the Yetti are from local folklore and climbers. You know, you have Ryanald Messner and different climbers that have that really access these remote parts of the world.
So the other thing we had done, because this was sort of before the age of drones, not that drones. I'm not sure drnes could actually operate up that altitude. But we had worked with this company either out of New Zealand or Australia, and they had built us this this helium platform which we attached a infrared camera to and then it had a signal down that Adam or whoever could hold and so at nighttime we could basically lift this thing up anyway we get to Nepal. I
mean we were very ambitious. We had we helicoptered out to this remote village drop in. We had thirty six sherpas bringing you know, all of our gear. I guess six day trek deep into the Himalayas. I remember there's this guy and I still have Actually, this is it right this is it right here? So this little piece of twine right here is a very famous piece of twine.
This is the twine that he wrote He used to Basically, he had a giant helium tank and he wrapped it around his forehead like this in flip flops and hiked, you know, and trecked, you know, five days carrying this thing with this piece of twine. So when he was done, I was like, can I have a snip of that twine? I feel like that's like the most epid piece of twine I've ever seen. And so anyway, we went up there. Uh,
every day was it was, it was. It was tough going, you know, straight up, straight down, straight up, straight down, met with some remote villagers who had stories along the way, and then we sort of reached this point and sort
of the plan was always to sort of split the teams. So, you know, Adam and Ian were confident that there was you know, there was the area that Yagy had gone to, which was very very high altitude, and then there was this other area down below that was more along a riverbed, and you know, Adam and he were both like, the riverbed is truly more of the habitat likely for a creature like this, more than this sort of desolate, high
altitude place where Yagy saw that that print. So we split so half, and I mean my crew is like just my buddies. I mean that's kind of like the business, right you kind of you say, hey, hey, well you want to go to the pall with me? So you know, nobody's Sean and Ryan are with me, So they stuck with Ian and then Adam myself, this guy named Mick who was sort of in charge of that aerial platform
and Yagihara. We continued up. Now our expedition company that we had hired to sort of, you know, help coordinate this whole event. They're like, you're not going to encounter any snow this type of year. Don't worry about it, Jeremany. The's snow everywhere everywhere, and we're just on this pitch. We we eventually get to this pitch and it is no joke. The mountain is like this and there's no trail, so you're with you know, you're just sort of walking
with your feet like this. And I'm not I don't love heights, but somehow, with my jobs, I always end up in those situations. But you know, like you're walking like this, creating basically like a twelve eighteen inch little walkway that you can walk along. We get up to this location, I mean gorgeous though, I mean just yeah, yeah, I love those moments in life. You're like, how the heck did I get here? Like just amazing. So we
scouted the area. We put up the balloon at night a few times, didn't catch anything, but my DP, who I had worked with multiple times, I mean, I'm already realizing I'm skipping over a few parts of the story that are great. There are places where like, like the trail we on was not like a hiking expedition trail.
It was like the old you know, the Nepal was a monarchy and it was overthrown by the mouse, and so it used to be this sort of The rebels used to live up in the mountains and they would use these trails to basically get into get into more
of the of the city. And so there were areas where the trail was completely gone and you had to almost basically free climb over this cliff and like where all legs are shaky, and then you'd have like these you know, local villagers whore just walking it like it's nothing. But we get up to this altitude and this DP, this guy named Jeff Rhodes who was incredible and summited Everest twice in a day, just really accomplished climber. He's like, listen, Jared,
what we just did was incredibly dangerous. Like we gotta get that, we gotta get we we yeah, I know, you guys have evac insurance. We should evact because if someone's slips, there's we have no ropes, we have no cramp bonds. We have like nothing, nothing to sort of like if something goes wrong and so and no one's faul you know. It's just like knowing that the expedition company didn't expect snow and anyway. So all so we finish our filming, we go to the place of the track.
We don't we don't quite get the information we want. But it was a great expedition, great story was starting to go. So cool to go back up there with the akikara and and it's just me and my little crew of like four to five people. Uh Adams Adams there too, and all the surp was left. And I remember I gave all the all my flashlights and torches because I was like, I'm not gonna need this helicopter's coming to pick us up. We won't need it. So
we're sitting up there the snowfield. We clear off this big helicopter landing plaid and there's only one helicopter in all of Nepal that can reach his altitude, just one. So we hear it come dun d d. He was coming up through the mountains and you're seeing it come in and you're like, oh man, this is I'm just like this is epic trip out of here. It's going to be so cool. It comes, it cir goes once, it cir goes twice, and it leaves, and then we're just like, oh, we had very little food, we had
very little water, we had all of our gear. Uh, it was only the lead sirpa. It was mb he was our sadar up there and his nephew and it was just my crew, and we're like, we have no choice, Like basically, basically the wind shear was too high that he couldn't land. He was too fraid of using a crash, and so it was probably actually, I guess it was probably middle of the afternoon, and it was a two day trek up to this place, and so we quadruple up our loads on our packs and we just start
heading out. And I remember at one point, I remember thinking like my legs were starting to shake, imber thinking, oh my god, I'm mentally like, I'm mentally beating myself. I remember I gave myself a strong pep talk, but people were crying scared. It was. It was harrowing, and we climbed out of there. All through the night, we walked pitch black. I had Adam gave me this little like a little pencil light, like probably the size of this little pen right here, you know, like the size
of my thumb. And it was and it was it was flickering. The battery was just about to go because in the cold, you know, batteries go real quick. Remember I just pointed at my feet and I would just remember walking down, down, down. I remember trying to envision that my legs were just tree trunks, cause my knees hurt so bad. We dropped thousands of feet in elevation. We finally get to the camp, must be like three
in the morning, four in the morning. People are waiting up for us, and by my Signar just breaks down in tears. He's like, I'm so sorry we failed you. Anyways, you know, all these moments, all these adventures were in the moment you're like this is crazy. Then you get through it and you're just like that was awesome. You know,
it's like an incredible experience. The guys down at this stayed down at the river with Ian saw a couple of cool found a couple of cool skeletons of different creatures, but no sign And I remember Ian said a couple things to me on that trip that really stuck with me in terms of sort of me understanding. You know. I was sort of thought, how can these cryptids exist and we don't see them, you know, or we see them in times, but there's no like the photographic video
evidence is minimal. We're not seeing any bodies. And he was like, listen, you know, he said, you know, even the mountain gorillas of Arunga, they weren't found until not that long ago. Before then, they were just like the idea of their traveler's tales and local folklore. And not until two British adventurers went and killed one and brought it back did science finally recognized the mountain gorilla as more
than just local folklore and travelers tales. And here in Nepal we have a creature in the that is probably less a number in a more remote area. And he's like, we may not have seen that YETI, but if the YETI does exist, it's a high likelihood that YETI saw us, you know. And that perspective, that scientific perspective, it's it is really carried with me until today, you know, And I think like that that I love that feeling of understanding that there's more out there in the world than what,
like you know then what then what science? Or what you know? Within what What we're told as where kids growing up is like these are the biological you know animals, These are the animals that we share this awesome planet with. And so, yeah, that gave me a really cool perspective. But man, that was such We did end up getting picked up by a helicopter eventually and and flown and flown back to Katman do. But man, that was a epic, epic adventure.
Oh my goodness. It's such a cool story. I mean, for for one reason, outside of all the adventure, it shows that. So I think a lot of the community when they heard, oh, Monster Quest is back, it's like, I don't know that name. Uh oh, I'm scared. Is this gonna be okay? Does this guy? Can this guy
protect our precious Monster Quest? And this guy, Jared, you've been through adventure encrypted related things, like you're not just some random Joe off the street like oh yeah, I'll do monster quests and it'll be cool, Like you've actually been out in the trenches. So it's it's a very cool example of like the show is in good hands, I'd say, so, thanks.
Lot, I appreciate it. I think the one thing that it really gave me access to is just under meeting people in the community, you know, and I and I and that that really I think the perspective of the cryptive community is something that I really brought into it and wanting wanting the series to meet their expectations. You know, obviously it's not just for that community. It's for a general audience as well as for believers, non believers, skeptics.
But I really, you know, knowing knowing the community, you know, being close to Adam, you know, having a great admiration for people like Martin Groves and Martin not only a lot of the people that we interviewed, the judge. I just really wanted it to be great. I really wanted to be great. And man, we worked our butts off, like we really we really obsessed about this thing and really lived it and wanted it to feel like it was a you know, I missed the days of the expeditions.
I wish we were still going out going on these great adventures and expeditions. It's not where media is right now, but I feel like I felt like with this that we could do something pretty special still, and I really appreciate you saying that that we're we're hitting the mark.
A story you told you gave me a little bit about. I'm kind of excited because it's it's I think it's a bigfoot thing, and I have no idea about the people to do with this story. And I like, I've been doing this for about seven years and it's at the point where it's like, I know, like most of the stories, right, but this, I think is going to be a totally new one for me. So I'm really curious to hear. You know, what happened when you went out with Adam Davies and it was the area of
the PMW and a home to the Big Guy. What happened with that?
Yeah, So I had come back from I'd come back from the Paul, and obviously Adam and I had had kept in touch and we were coming up with all types of different ideas and Adam is he's hilarious because he goes on these expeditions and he's an adventurer, but man, you know, just like me, he gets winded really quickly and it creates the most comical, funny moments, and so we were sort of coming up with all these different ideas.
But he was coming to the Northwest at that time, and I was living in Seattle, and he's like, Hey, I'm going on this going up to the north a place in North Cascades with this woman named Laurie Simmons, And Laurie Simmons is a daughter of this guy named Donald Lee Wallace. And Donald Lee Wile Wallace was this sort of really famous sort of bigfoot researcher, I would say, back in the day where he lived. He lived there for twenty eight years, and this guy just had tapes
and piles of cassette tapes that he just recorded. I just sort of envisioned this guy with sort of like a those old school tape recorders around his neck and he just walked through the woods just recording, just recording
the sounds of nature, hoping. I think that he would record a bigfooter sound like you know, Ron moorehead type moment, serious sounds like something that that really is, like, man, what that is a sound I not ever associated with nature before, you know, because I think when we think of evidence, you know, we think visual evidence, we think auditorial evidence, we think all different types of things, that of something that stands out, that's a little bit outside
the norm. And so Adam was like, yeah, you want to come up? And so I called my buddy Ray. He was you know, he's a good buddy of mine. He's not in film or anything at allways a dentist, but he's loved Bigfoot forever. So it's like, hey, Ray, I'm going up to this place with my buddy, Adam Davies. And he had known the story from the Paul and he said, hey, you know I'm going I'm heading up and what do you want to come? And so we
both we get up. It's like a two hour three hour drive up up by five and like two hours into the mountains. It's right at the beginning of springtime, so there's a little bit of snow on the ground, but not much. And and we get up there and Laurie had been going to this place forever. I mean is where her father went, so she had obviously she went there as a kid, so she really knew this area well. And there was a singular tree that she had gone back to since she was since she was
a child. Then she would go up and she'd bring apples and chocolate, and she'd talk up to the big guy. You know, hey, big guy, it's me. It's Lori. And and you know, initially we heard nothing, like we saw nothing. We heard nothing. And she's like, oh, you'll hear him. He'll he'll make noise, he'll knock on the you know, he'll knock on the ground and nothing like nothing, and uh Adam was there and he had another friend from the UK that was there as well, and he said, Okay,
it's all disappointing. So we kind of walk around a little bit, you know, we sort of look for other evidence, and we don't. We don't really see much. And then Laurie's like, hey, Jared, you know, why don't I like my little DSLR camera a little extra mic. This just something fun to have just in case we found something. And she's like, hey, why don't you come back with me to that tree, but just you and me instead of the whole group. Let's just the two of us go.
I was like, sure, it sounds sounds good. So I go over there and Laurie's like, hey, the guy, Hey is me Laurie, you know, And at this point I'm like, man, is there. It's almost seen it like this is this is getting a little a little, a little silly, like
I'm not sure we're going to fight here anything. You have this tree, and all of a sudden, there's just this this growl that comes from right beneath my feet, and I mean, I wish I could have seen my face, I mean my eyes just and then it was in the ground continued and then it was like if you're in an apartment building and someone's below you and there's
knocking and saying i'd be quiet up there. It's like it was hitting the ground beneath my feet, and it was like and you could fee you'd hear the boom boom boom, like beneath me. And it went on. We sat there, just Lori and I for probably twenty minutes, twenty twenty five minutes, and it just didn't stop. It went on and on and on, and then Adam came and my buddy Ray and we all are at the
base of this tree. This creature, whatever it was, it growled and knocked right beneath our feet, like right beneath this giant, giant tree for an hour, hour and a half probably, and then the ground there I don't know if you know the Northwest, but the whole rainforest, those areas where it's like the ground it's really spongy, really mossy. And the ground in this area was just like that, you know, a really mossy, spongy, beautiful area, a little
bit of snow. And I remember I walked around just being like there must be some sort of like how do you get beneath the tree? How was the end of there? This is a cave? Is it a bear? You know? What is it? But the fact that it was like the same tree that she had been coming to forever, the same tree that her father said this sasquatch lived there, and that we went there and we heard these growlds. I mean, my buddy, I was just I just went to the I just saw him the
other day because he's also he's my buddy before. He's a dentist when I was my dentist, and I was like, and every time I see him, we talk about this story, like every single time. And we stayed there for a really long time and then we left. But I still can't explain it. It was like the weirdest thing I can I just cannot explain it. And the history around it and why that exact tree. It was awesome. It was like just an unforgettable experience. I actually want to
go back up there. I need to get back up to that area and go reinvestigate it because it was an unforgettable moment.
So when she took you over to the tree, did you guys speak out loud or ask for anything before that happened or it just started happening.
I don't think we asked for anything. I mean, she would kind of go over there, she was still talk she kind of I think she was sort of she did sort of like knock the ground a little bit with her foot. I mean, she did stop a little bit. You know. I thought always it a bear in hibernation, you know, and it kind of just was startled awake.
But it was just I don't know, I'm not sold on that, you know, I really I'm not like still that that's like exactly what it was, because I'm like, well, she's been there since she was a kid, Like this has been happening since she was a kid, going to this singular place, like it just feels very I don't know, I guess un likely that it's like the same bear or that I don't know. I'm not convinced it's a bear. I don't know enough about it to be like to
really determine when it was or what it wasn't. But it was so odd and so weird and so unforgettable and so clear. I mean, it wasn't you didn't have to strain to hear this thing. I mean it was a very clear growl, like right at our feet, like right at our feet. So I yeah, I don't know what it did. But she's been coming there for years,
and that's the experience she'd been having for years. And I think it's in a way that she still feels connected to her father, who had passed by that time, to kind of continue to go back to this to this spot. And you know, I think her father called it the big Guy, and so she she called this creature the big Guy. But her father went to that tree believing that there was a Sasquatch or a big foot in that area, and so she had historically gone to that same area. And Laurie wrote some books. I
think Donald Donald Lee Wallace has some books too. But I remember coming back, I thought, man, I'm going to make a feature doc about Donald Lee Wallace, and I'm going to look through all these all these cassette tapes and just like find those those little sounds. But I mean they were jem They were hundreds of tapes, like hundreds of little cassette tapes, and you just think, like what is in there? You know what the time it would take to comb throw that stuff would be incredible.
But yeah, I still I still think about that his work. What's on those what's on those dang tapes? So it feels like a true crime what's on the tapes and that, But that experience was awesome. It was awesome. Do you hear any other stories like that of like growling coming from belief beneath people's feet or like benetil?
I was trying to think, and I've never heard one where it's a growl beneath someone's feet. I did, so I don't know if you could even say it's similar. But I was out in the willam Att National Forest in Oregon the last July and an area just outside of Oakridge. It's a research area called Oak Hole. The individuals that head up the area fifty eight big Foot Information Center Museum that they hit up, and so I
was up in the area. I've been up there a few times, and uh, I was up there with people like M. K. Davis and Ronnie Roseman and and all those guys and and Don Monroe, and so we go up there and we're trying their thing. People are playing guitars, and so I'm like, you know what, this time, I'm going to go out a little bit in the woods by myself, which half of me is like, this is what you tell people not to do, dummy, I'm gonna do it. What could happen?
Right, So every scary story starts exactly check out.
Yeah it is. Yeah. So I go out in the woods in the area where we've had visuals, but out further in the woods, and I'm like, you know, I'm just gonna try something. I'm just going to say, hey, if there's any if there's anything here, can you make a noise? I've never tried it. What could happen? Half a second later, something in the woods goes knock, knock, knock. I'm like, oh, no, I think that just had to be like a weird thing. So I did it again.
I asked it again. Half a second later was like knock, doc, doc, And they got freaked out and went back to the group, and every day I'm like, what would have happened if I just walked twenty feet into the woods. I've said that story so many times since July, and my listeners are like, oh, this story again. But it's like you don't get it until you're in that situation where it's like,
you know, people are like, why didn't you go for it? Well, when you're in a situation like that, things can get really intense really quick, and I didn't really feel like, you know, potential missing four when one that day, or a missing person, we don't really want to deal with that.
You're vulnerable in those moments.
You know you are exactly It's a good way to put it.
You know, whether it's a knock on a tree or a growl or something you see, you're encountering something that you can't explain. And when actually explain something, it's not like, Yeah, some people I think would walk further, but a lot most I think most people would say, I don't know what I'm dealing with, I don't know where I'm at. I'm going to just take a step back to a place so I can live to tell the story. One day. But but it is it's encountering something you cannot explain.
And uh, you know, just going back to sort of I think my experience on on doing this season of Monster Quest, I mean, and it's heart that is, like every single story is somebody encounters something they can't explain and then they go on a journey to try to try to understand it. And I think a lot of people in the community now that that is their entry point. Sometimes often is like they weren't looking for it, they
weren't out there searching. They encounter something they can't explain, and it's brought them to this community to try to understand what that was. Because it's a great minute's These aren't stories. These are stories that like people obsess about they they think about it daily. You know, it's like a it's like a traumatic event. But that's a cool story. That's the cool land. That's a beautiful area.
That's all it really is. And you know, just to say another reason why I'm glad that the show is back, and uh is if you think over the last well maybe even like twenty twenty or so years, I mean, every generation has something that for the TV crowd that they're like, Okay, I came in with in Search of I came in with the original Monster Quest. I came
in with Finding Bigfoot or Expedition Bigfoot. And we're at the point where I was like, man, we got to have something on TV outside the Internet where you know, the next generation can come in. So thankful that you guys are here because this is pretty much this generations like it's going to get them into it. So oh, that's that's tough to you guy.
I appreciate it, you know, and it's it's fun, you know.
I think a lot of these folks now I've been obviously on your podcast, another podcast, and there's been other things they've done, and I would say the thing is like the best stories should be told over and over and over again, you know, and there's so many different Yeah, I mean, I'm I'm stoked, like, oh, I've heard that story before, fantastic, But doesn't mean the Monster qust audience has heard it before, you know, And how can we offer an audience or like you said, even for Martin's
story or Barton's or something where you know it but you're seeing in a different light. And that's I think what we're trying to do. But yeah, it's it's it's neat that there are so many outlets for stories and witnesses right now. One. I think it makes people much more comfortable coming forward and feeling and there's a place where they can try to help wrap their head around what it is that they what it is that they experience.
So I really appreciate that. Yeah, I'm I couldn't be more thrilled that Monster Quest is back and to have a hand in it, it's pretty awesome.
And I agree with you. We are at the point right now where there are so many outlets, and the way I look at it is hopefully it's all working together for one for people to feel like they can actually tell someone their story, They're not gonna be made fun of it. I hope that hopefully all these stories getting out, maybe someday will get a little bit more information or the truth will start to come out about like what's what do people really know about Bigfoot in
the background? Who knows? I hope that will happen someday. But you know, one more question about the show, Jared, do you have a witness that you were I mean you had to work really hard at or you were really excited to be able to get them on film. One that really stands out to you as like you look at the whole series that you were able to film and you're like, oh, that was probably like amazing that we were able to get that one on film.
Man, I could probably say that for most. But the one the one that does come to mind and I and not just because but he isn't this week's episode, but it is also do you know John Mey and Chinski? Oh yeah, dude, Wyoming.
Wyoming, right, and he gets the hand foot Yeah, wind River.
Mountains, Yeah, wildlife biologist spend his whole life up there living with these big horn sheep, sort of following the the the sort of like embedding with the animal approach that like Jane Goodall took with the chimps back, you know, in the day before she before she passed. And his story one we had to go to him. It was like the most remote part of Wyoming. He was like, we flew in, I think the Salt Lake is like
a five hour drive. Is this small town, middle of nowhere, population fifty It was awesome, Like the whole experience was like really really wonderful. And he's the one that I wish I could have just sat out there and hung out with him for just days and days and days. But his I remember leaving that interview with him and thinking, and this is before Jeff Mildrim had passed, and I remember telling John I was like, John, I actually I
truly believed. I was like, this guy is gonna figure it out, Like this guy is going to bring going to figure out the evidence. And we had some conversations about different things he was looking to do. You know, he's an older guy, so he's like, I need young people. I can't do the fieldwork I used to do. And I was like, well, I have those people, like I know exactly. And I remember I got back and I reached out to Jeff Meldrum and I was like, hey,
I just met with John. I just met Johnny and Chinsky, Like let's get on the phone and talk about like a feature doc or a project that you know, hopefully we can raise some money for and go on and really like get evidence. Like when we went to Nepal. I remember sitting there with my crew and I really believed. I was like, man, we're going for this, Like we are going to a remote, remote area we're putting crazy resources.
We're going to get some evidence. I remember looking at my team, my camera team, and being like, we are all responsible for getting the shot, Like don't just keep your eyes on Adam and Ian, you know, and Mick and Yagi, like you guys got to be looking into the into the in like to the mountaintops, like into the bush, like every where you could. But John I really left that feeling like he was positioned to do just like what you said, which is like to provide
the evidence to science that is undeniable. And these parts of it didn't necessarily make the show, but you know, the talking about what science needs evidence wise to actually you know, say we this is a this is a real creature, this is the truth. And that that to me anyway, John was an amazing interview. I mean just like the knowledge, the history, the evidence that he has found, the story of how he came out out the mouth.
I mean, his encounter is interesting, Like his encounter is cool, but it's almost what happened after his encounter that was more interesting to me. You know, it was coming down and I don't want to give away the whole story, but it's you know, it led him to find more evidence. And you know, there's some conversations we had off camera, but yeah, John blew my mind like that he was
his background to have a wildlife biologist. I've talked about this before, but I do think like whether it's the judged wildlife biologists for those guys to come in and big I have experienced something, whether we like to admit or not, they have a bigger no mountain to climb. As far as like there's more risk for somebody in that the most risk for somebody in that world coming out and saying I've had this experience than any other you know, does John get isolated from other biologists being
like I believe that the Sasquatch does exist. I do believe that this is like a real, a real creature. And you know, and he spoke a lot about the Native American history in that area, and he's just he's so tapped into everything in the Windwitterber Mountains that that one really shook me. Have you talked to John? Do you know? Do you know John?
I have never actually talked to John before.
Oh yeah, yeah. He his story, he's great, his credentials are really cool. He's just also a really neat guy, thoughtful. You know. I remember finishing the interview and I texted my buddy, who is our executive history, and I was like, man, we just had an awesome interview. I can't wait for you to see it, like because it just it just it. It wasn't it wasn't. It was a very unexpected individual having that encounter. There was a journey afterwards. I love
the stories where people like Daniel. Daniel had his experience as a kid, then for years he tried to figure out until he saw it. Her Ron Moore head seriously as and he's like, that's a sound I heard. I mean, I don't know about you, but sound smells. Nothing accesses my memory like those, and so I can. I'm like, oh, yeah, that makes total sense that that would take if you heard that sound again, it would take you back to that moment. But John, yeah, John was you should Definitely,
you'd be fascinating to have a conversation. He's a very very busy guy. That guy stays stay, is incredibly busy, but just a fascinating individual. Like Bill does on house out there rides like you know, he rides around the Desert Wind River mountains with this little motorcycle sidecar. I mean, just a character, but really incredibly intelligent and as as just a true believer in really trying to find evidence that sort of changes the entire scientific community's perspective on sasquatch.
So that would be away.
That's awesome, uh man, Jared, what what a fascinating conversation. How many episodes for season one can we be looking for so they'll.
Be eight altogether together? Yeah?
Awesome? And can we say anything about season two yet or or we will see?
No, I don't Yeah, I truly don't know yet, but as soon as I do, you'll probably know, because we'll be asking around looking for stories. I'll probably hit you up and be like, let me who do I what stories do I not know that deserve.
As part of this treatment Big for Society podcast dot com. Go to siting map. All the people I've talked to are on that siting map, and then you can see the episode and it's kind of like I was, like, I got so many people I've talked to, I got to make this map and it's a lot of work, but like people are starting to check it out. So make sure you check that out. And is there anything that we can do to make sure that, you know, maybe we can help a little bit with with season two.
I would just just keep checking it in, just keep talking about it. You know. The the feedbacks has been has been amazing, you know. And I knew that we were the initial Monster Quests at a really high bar for us, you know, and the last thing I wanted to do is put a put a product out that was disappointing to people. And so, you know, it's felt just incredible that it's the community has been so excited
about it, so welcoming. That's felt awesome. But I'll just say just you know, I don't write the history of Tom how much you love the show, but just keep watching and being enthusiastic about it. There are no shortage of stories, you know, there just are no shortage. I remember we finished the first season and we're having conversations and they said, oh, well, you know, what is you know, do you think we could do more? I was like, there are so many stories like this is I wouldn't
even say this is the tip of the iceberg. The these are really amazing stories. But there are more of these histories. There's more of these, you know, as you can see like we're really focusing on like small localized stories, focal or histories that are connected in some way to this witness encounter, and they're everywhere. They're really it's hard to find a place, especially in the United States, that isn't touched by some history of some sort of unknown
cryptid encounter. You can't just ignore that like that is it is, it is. It is literally part of like our human history of like searching for these answers. So I don't know, I'm going off on a couple of tangents, but yeah, I would just say, keep being enthusiastic about show, let history know what you think about it, and keep tuning is the best thing we can do. But yeah, I will sort of let you know the second I know if I'm allowed that there's gonna be another season coming.
But I'm I'm hopeful. I'm certainly hopeful.
There you go. Well, Jared mcgillard, thank you so much for hanging out with us talking about Monster Quest. Guys, make sure that you if you see it on TV. If you see it on TV, watch it, talk about on your social media accounts, share all that good stuff. But thank you so much for coming on the show. Jared jerry Mi It's.
Been a blast. Appreciate it. Thanks for all you're doing too, I really appreciate it.
Have you ever heard all the accounts of bigfoot activity around Oakridge, Oregon and you think to yourself, Man, I would love to get out in those woods and experience it for myself. Well, guess what this year you can. If this is interesting to you, stay tuned because it's pretty cool. Sasquatch Summery Fest is come up July tenth through the eleventh, twenty twenty six. It's gonna be even better than the previous year's. Reason number one, I'll be
one of the speakers. It's gonna be wild. I'll probably I'll say this, there may be stuff you haven't heard anywhere else, because let's just say sometimes it's well, you just got to be there. We'll leave it that more about looking for Bigfoot in the Oakridge Woods. Now check this out. You may know Jason Kenzie from his documentary
series Searching for Sasquatch. Well, this year you can not only go to the festival, but you can also sign up for a track Deep in the Wild Forest outside of Oakridge with Jason Kenzie to the Bigfoot spots to look for Bigfoot. There's only eight spots to sign up for this and yeah, yes, this will also be filmed for the next chapter in his documentary series, which is Searching for Sasquatch. This is a once in lifetime deal. It's just trust it's going to be a wild, wild experience.
To get a ticket, head on over to Sasquatch Summerfest dot com and listeners can use the code b sp like Bigfoot Society Podcast in order to get a two day pass for the price of a one day pass. So thanks to Priscilla for giving me that code so that you guys can can get a little a little help with the cost there. Appreciate that, Priscilla. I hope to see you at the booth in Oakridge this year. We can talk about your encounter. Was able to talk to so many people last year and the year before.
It is an incredible time. You're not going to want to miss it, and I'll see you there. Before we wrap this episode, I want to say something directly to
a very specific group of listeners. If you're in the military, any branch or forces, and if you've seen something that no one can explain, or if you're a National park ranger or forestry worker who's been told to stay quiet, or if you're a pilot who's seen something strange down on the ground, or if you're with the FBI a federal agency, or working intelligence and you stumbled upon something
you're not allowed to talk about. And if you're a firefighter, paramedic, or search and rescue responder who's heard screams or found tracks that didn't make sense. If you're in the logging industry on a remote oil field, or a trucker with government contracts and you've had something happen that you've never told a soul. And if you're a biologist, a wildlife specialist, or a field researcher under contract who has found evidence
you're not allowed to report. If you're a pastor, a missionary, or someone on a spiritual retreat and you saw some that shook your faith, or if you work in the shadows, CIA, NSA, or anything with clearance and you've seen what the public hasn't, then I want to talk to you, Even if it's anonymous. You can reach me at Bigfoot Society at gmail dot com. The world needs to hear what you've been forced to carry alone. And you're not alone. You've got the story,
We've got the mic, see you in the woods. Thank you for listening to this episode of The Bigot Society Podcast. Every encounter we share reminds us that the world is bigger and stranger than we think, and that the truth is often hiding just beyond the tree line. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe to the channel on YouTube hit the bell so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with a friend who's
into mysteries, monsters, or the unexplained. And if you're listening to us on Spotify or Apple podcast, please follow the show there and leave us a five star positive review because all that helps more people discover the show. And remember, if you or someone you know has had a Bigfoot sighting, please I'd love to hear from you, so email me at Bigfoot Society at gmail dot com and let's start
the conversation. If you haven't gotten a chance yet, check out our membership community over at www dot Bigfoot Society podcast dot com and that's where you can hear tomorrow's episode today early in ad free and members only episodes every week. Also, it's a place to connect with other people that are into the Bigfoot subject as much as
you are. Thanks again for following along with the Bigfoot Society until next time, Keep your eyes open, trust your gut, and never stop asking what else might be out there? And see you in the woods.