Sasquatch Chronicles: EP 1230 — Chased Out of Our Campsite

Date: February 15, 2026
Host: Wes
Guest: Red
Location of Main Encounter: Stephens State Forest, South Central Iowa (August 2023)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Red’s harrowing encounter with multiple Sasquatch while camping with a friend in Iowa’s Stephens State Forest. Red recounts both the chilling events that drove them from their campsite and follow-up anomalous happenings near his new home. The story paints a vivid, unsettling portrait of Bigfoot's presence in less-discussed regions like Iowa, exploring not just the physical but the psychological impacts and speculating about Sasquatch’s nature.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background & Setting

• Red and a close friend, both seasoned outdoorsmen and amateur archaeologists, were on an arrowhead-hunting and camping trip to Stephens State Forest (03:25).
• Camped in a rarely-used site, described as isolated, hilly, and with thick brush (05:00).
• No other campers present; arrival at dusk, established camp with minimal equipment.

2. The Encounter Unfolds

Strange Animal Calls

• While searching for firewood, Red hears unfamiliar loud megafauna calls—neither coyote nor elk—in the otherwise quiet forest (13:00).
• Both Red and his friend unable to identify the sound, though coyotes are also active in the distance.

First Direct Sasquatch Vocalization (Whoop)

• Roughly 20-30 minutes after settling by the fire, a "howler monkey the size of a refrigerator" vocalizes from the tree line, startling both men (21:50).

  "It sounded like a howler monkey the size of a minivan or a refrigerator... so alarmingly loud that I jumped out of my skin." — Red (21:55)

Wood Knocks and Movements

• Six clear wood knocks follow ("knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock"), from about 150–200 feet into the forest (24:00).
• Breaking branches and slow, heavy movements heard down in a ravine—deliberate, not deer-like (26:00).
• Despite the shock, both men remain, paralyzed by "primal fear" (28:10).

Second, Closer Whoop and Chatter

• About 30 minutes later, a second series of four vocalizations erupts from an oak tree roughly 50 feet behind their site (31:00).
• This time, Red describes the vocalizations as "samurai chatter," garbled and aggressive—escalating the tension.

Visual Encounter: Sasquatch Revealed

• Red spots a "huge, black void" near the oak tree, initially mistaking it for a stump (43:30).
• On closer scrutiny, it morphs into the silhouette of an immense crouching figure that suddenly "dove hands first into the forest" with incredible length and agility:

  "It was so long... I've never seen something move with that agility... It reminded me of... a little bird, almost mechanical, it's so fast." — Red (45:11)

• The movement is silent, almost supernatural, reinforcing the creature's mastery of its environment.

Fleeing the Campsite

• Adrenaline and terror finally break their paralysis. Red hurriedly packs up, arguing with his friend over leaving gear behind:

  "What are you doing? You know, we gotta get out of here, man. These things don't want us here." — Red (47:00)

• They depart around 10 PM, too shaken to think clearly, and drive for hours before returning home.

3. Aftermath and Psychological Impact

• Red’s adrenaline surge lasts for hours after the event; he avoids returning to the woods for an extended period (49:00).
• The encounter leaves Red with a profound, lasting sense of the creatures' reality and capabilities.

4. Analysis: Intentions of the Sasquatch

• Wes asks about the creatures’ intentions (54:45). Red reasons they were not in immediate danger, but the beings wanted them gone, “saying get out of here, this is our place.”
• Speculates these encounters may explain why the campsite is so seldom used—locals may be frightened away.

  “I assume these things chase people out of there... and maybe not all the time.” — Red (36:30)

5. Ongoing Activity Near Home

• After moving to a rural riverside property, Red hears an “Ohio howl” months later (56:06).
• He describes a night when he and a friend heard a bizarre chorus—multiple “owls” then “coyotes”—so unnatural it unsettled both men (56:45).
• Red’s son later sees a “coyote man” — a large, hairy, man-shaped figure near the home, causing significant distress (59:00).
• Periods of inexplicable animal-like baying and crying are heard in the woods but never identified.

6. The Nature of Sasquatch

• Wes invites Red’s theories; Red believes Sasquatch may be a Homo-line hominid, highly intelligent, with possible psychic abilities (“mind speak,” cloaking, etc.)—more human than animal, yet potentially capable of things beyond current human understanding (1:02:15).

  “I think these things are extremely intelligent... more human than animal. But sometimes, maybe it’s some sort of spiritual being... that just comes and goes from this reality.” — Red (1:05:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the primal fear:

  "There was some...inexplicable primal fear that had just immediately activated in us, at least in me." — Red (28:15)

• On seeing the creature:

  “It was so long. I've never seen something move with that agility…almost mechanical, so fast…these things would make Navy SEALs look like fools in the forest.” — Red (45:10)

• Red’s son on the “Coyote Man”:

  “He just kept describing it as a coyote man. And it scared the hell out of him.” — Red (1:00:00)

• On the site’s rarity of use:

  “There was grass growing in most of the fire rings... I don’t think people camp at this place very often.” — Red (07:00)

• Reflecting on the lesson:

  “If they're here, they're everywhere, man. They're everywhere.” — Red (36:00)

• On Sasquatch’s nature:

  "They're so good at hiding that most people around the world don't know they exist and don't believe they exist. That is a feat that is...wild." — Red (37:25)

Key Timestamps

• 03:25 — Introduction to Red’s background and purpose of the trip
• 13:00 — Unexplainable animal calls heard
• 21:50 — First terrifying vocalization behind the campsite
• 24:00 — Series of six wood knocks
• 28:10 — Paralyzed by fear, continued unexplained forest noise
• 31:00 — Second round of vocalizations, much closer and more aggressive
• 43:30 — Visual sighting of the crouched, black creature
• 45:10 — Description of its inhuman movement
• 47:00 — Packing up and heated debate over fleeing
• 49:00 — Aftermath and psychological impact
• 56:06 — Bizarre animal activity & Sasquatch-like sounds near Red’s new home
• 59:00 — Red’s son’s “coyote man” sighting
• 1:02:15 — Red’s thoughts on Sasquatch’s nature and possible abilities

Conclusion

Red’s account offers a raw, articulate glimpse into the terror and bewilderment of a close Sasquatch encounter, anchored by detailed observations, honest emotional response, and thoughtful post-event reflection. The episode also presents compelling side phenomena—strange animal vocalizations, children’s reports of cryptid figures—reinforcing the complexity and persistence of Bigfoot experiences, even in unexpected rural Iowa. Through this conversation, the show continues its mission: collecting diverse, credible witness testimony to unravel the enduring mystery of Bigfoot.