Date Report Submitted to the RFPRP: March 15, 2006

Date of Encounter: March 12 and 13, 2006

Time of Incident: During both nights

Weather Conditions: Stormy the first night, cloudy and cool the next day and night.

State: Arkansas

County: Saline

Nearest City or Town: Paron

Location: Adjoining the Ouachita National Forest, exact location withheld.

Nearest highway or road: NFR #114

General Land Use Description: Timberlands, no residences or farms.

General Terrain Description: Mountains

Nearest Lakes or Streams: Near the Alum Fork of the (eastern) Saline River which flows into Lake Winona.

Witness Profile: Man and wife, he is 28, she 24.

Activities of Witness Prior to Encounter/Incident: Camping.

Details of Encounter / Incident: The couple set up their tent and camping equipment during the morning of the first day. They brought with them their Jack Russell terrier. That night they built a fire and sat by it to talk and listen to the night sounds. About one hour after darkness fell, the dog -which had been asleep in the woman's lap-suddenly awoke and started acting strangely. A few seconds later it became aggressive while staring intently at something in the woods. Then the dog became frightened and started shaking, all the while growling constantly in a very low tone. The dog never took its eyes off one particular spot in the woods adjoining the camp. After about 20 minutes the dog relaxed somewhat, but was still very nervous. At that time the woman turned to her husband and, with a frown, told him that he stunk horribly. He told her it was not him that she smelled, and asked her what kind of smell did she detect. She said that is was a "stinking, rotten smell." During this time strong storms were moving into the area, and they soon retreated to the cover of their tent. After hours of staying awake and keeping the tent from being blown away, the storms passed and they went to sleep. (Heavy thunderstorms & tornados passed through the State that night.)

The next night they built a fire about an hour before dark. About one-half hour after dark they heard "a horrifying sound which was a mix between a howl and scream." The woman immediately asked, "What the hell was that?" The man did not respond, although he stated later it was nothing he had ever heard before. About 30 minutes later the woman shivered and told her husband that she felt like someone or some thing was watching her. At the same time the dog became extremely nervous and began a low continuous growl as it stared intently at the same place in the woods as the night before. Several minutes later they both began to smell a very strong odor similar to that of an outhouse. They decided to go into the tent to get out of sight. They then began to hear the sounds of something walking slowly around one side of the tent. As those sounds intermittently continued, the woman insisted on turning on a portable radio to drown out the sounds, and hopefully cause whatever was making them to leave. After laying awake for hours, they finally went to sleep. They broke camp the next morning and left the area.

Description of Animal: None seen.

Photos or Drawings Made?: None.

Description of Related Sounds: The vocalization was described as a very loud mix of a howl and a scream.

Description of Related Scents / Odors: The first night the smell was said to be like very strong unwashed-body odors. The second night the odor was described as being similar to that from an old and well used outdoor toilet.

Other Details: While interviewing this couple, the man volunteered the information that at the time of the incident his wife was only a couple of days away from the start of her menstrual period and that she had relieved herself in several different locations in the woods on the side of the tent where the walking sounds had been heard, and where the dog had stared intently.

Historical Notes: This area has generated numerous reports of enigmatic animals since it was first settled by homesteaders. Many of those recent, first-hand reports have been recorded by the writer. The location adjoins the primary study area for The RFP Research Project in Arkansas. Although many who camp in this area have heard these animals very late at night, seldom do the animals come close enough to the camps early in the night to be detected by their odor, travel or vocalizations
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Report received and recorded by:
Tal H. Branco, Field Researcher/Investigator, The RFP Research Project