Teen Fires Rifle at Bigfoot in 1994 Tree Stand Encounter

A fascinating conversation recently surfaced over on the Dogman Teepee Hunting YouTube channel during their "Friday Night Fowls" segment, and it's one that any serious researcher will want to carve out time for. Host Phil sat down with Jason from Papa Squatch Productions, a field researcher whose journey into the world of Sasquatch began in a way that still gives him chills to talk about nearly three decades later. Jason's origin story is the kind that sticks with you. Back in December of 1994, when he was just 16 years old, he found himself asleep in a tree stand during a hunt. A loud snap jolted him awake, and there it was — a massive figure, somewhere between seven and ten feet tall, wider than the tree he was leaning against, standing roughly 30 yards away and staring right at him. Terrified, Jason fired his rifle. The creature let out what Jason describes to this day as a "hellish howl" — a sound so powerful he could feel the vibrations from 30 yards out. The thing screamed, then bolted west toward the river. What makes Jason's account even more compelling is the corroborating evidence his family stumbled upon in the weeks leading up to the incident. Dead does were found ripped apart, internal organs completely missing, with one hind leg twisted off in a way that doesn't match any known predator behavior in North America. Tracks were followed for a quarter to half a mile through the woods down to the river, with droplets of blood marking the trail before it vanished into the water. His family saw the evidence and still wouldn't acknowledge what had happened — a frustrating reality that so many witnesses know all too well. But the bigger headline from this conversation is the upcoming documentary "Capturing Bigfoot," which is slated for release in late October. Phil made it clear that he's not particularly shaken by claims that the iconic Patterson-Gimlin film might be debunked in the documentary. His reasoning is simple: he's spoken with enough credible people over the years to know that Sasquatch is real regardless of what that 1967 footage shows. What does concern him — and should concern anyone invested in the research community — is whether the documentary presents substantive evidence that the Patterson-Gimlin film was a premeditated hoax. If that turns out to the case, it would send shockwaves through the entire field and force a long-overdue reckoning about how the subject has been presented to the public for decades. The conversation also drifts into some genuinely intriguing territory about consciousness and perception. Phil brings up the heart's electromagnetic field, which extends roughly 20 feet from the body and contains around 40,000 neurons — essentially functioning as a secondary brain. The idea is that when something enters that field, you don't just see it, you sense it. There's a connection that forms before your rational mind even has time to process what's happening. For anyone who's ever had that gut feeling of being watched in the woods, this framework offers a possible explanation for why so many witnesses describe an almost telepathic awareness right before an encounter. The discussion also touches on the broader cryptid community, including mentions of UAP events, folklore research, and even serving police officers who are now openly talking about paranormal experiences. Phil references the Galactic Council and the various factions within the cryptid world who hold strong opinions about what's really out there. One particularly eerie moment comes when Phil describes praying with someone whose mouth was closed, yet a deep guttural voice emerged from their gut — a phenomenon that fits neatly into the long history of channeling and involuntary vocalization reported across countless cultures. There's also a fun tangent about Phil dealing with tinnitus and a persistent static sound in one ear, which he jokingly blames on conspiracy content but genuinely wonders if others in the community are experiencing similar phenomena. Migraines and headaches came up too, with moderator Kate being a recent sufferer — something worth keeping an eye on if you've noticed similar patterns in your own life. The guest list for the evening was stacked. Beyond Jason, Phil brought on Dan, who collaborates with Jason on Papa Squatch Productions, and the chat was moderated by Kate with admin support from Roxy. Regulars like Sasquatch Sister Dawn, Keith from Florida, and Stuart from Paranormal Walks (whom Phil lovingly calls "brass balls" for his solo forest investigations) all chimed in. Scotty Martin also stopped by to set up a future interview. For anyone interested in where Bigfoot research is headed, this is required viewing. The "Capturing Bigfoot" documentary could be a turning point for the entire community, and the conversations happening right now — like this one — are shaping how that moment will be received. Head over to the Dogman Teepee Hunting channel and check out the full episode. It's a long one, but worth every minute.