Bass River State Forest Encounter
-November 2005 Update-
by
M.A. Frizzell
Recently I received an email from Ron Evans[i], a
longtime New Jersey resident and businessman who claimed to have had an
unusual encounter with an unidentified animal in a fringe area of the Bass River State Forest[ii] and the Stafford Forge[iii]
Wildlife Management Area. His experience was set apart from more recent Bass River events in that it happened in 1985. Ron wrote to us
saying that over the years he has largely kept the weird incident a secret. He
ultimately decided to report it to the Enigma Project in view of our treatment
of other Bass
River State Forest accounts.[iv] Over the
last two months, our correspondence with Ron has continued and we have greatly
appreciated his sincerity and kind cooperation. On Sunday, November 13, 2005, Enigma Project investigators returned to the Bass River State Forest (see
Figure 1) for the purpose of visiting the
site of Ron Evans’ alleged encounter. This report is the culmination Ron’s
information and our personal observation of the area.
Figure 1- Enigma Project Camp at Bass River State Forest (near Lake Absegami & Officer X’s encounter site)
The Location
Site Coordinates
Latitude-
N39°42.124'
Longitude-
W74°23.194'
Elevation: 98
ft.
The northern sections of the Stafford Forge WMA and
the Bass River State forest are distinctly different from the tall
woodlands found just a few miles south.[v]
This northern area is a sandy, coastal plain densely covered with bushy scrub
and dwarf pine trees that rarely exceed 15 feet in height (see Figures 2 & 3). The soil is a mixture of coarse sand and fine
gravel. When wet, it retains sharp impressions. However, the effects of wind
erosion, drying sun, and rain will quickly reduce the most defined imprints to
amorphous blobs (see Figure 4). Interestingly, the 1.5 mile unpaved road that runs
through this area abruptly terminates in the Warren
Grove Gunnery Range,[vi] a
gated military reservation managed by McGuire AFB, NJ, that is used for
ordinance practice and testing (see Figure
5).[vii]
Figure 2-
Investigators in background examine dense coastal scrub. Figure 3- Immense area of dwarf pines. Pond site in left
background.
Figure 4- Fresh Deer
track near others that the elements dissolved. Figure
5- Entrance gate to Warren Grove Gunnery Range
The Encounter
Evans explained that, as an avid hunter years ago,
with the approach of deer season, he would go out at night to a wildlife
management area near Tuckerton, New
Jersey to spot
the animals with a portable light.
At 11:00 PM, on one mid-November evening in 1985, Ron Evans drove out to a lonely
stretch of Pine Barrens near the northern-most edge of the Bass River State Forest.[viii]
As he coasted along the dirt road looking for a good location to survey his quarry,
he stopped near a seasonal pond that past experience proved to be a favored
habitat (see Figures 6 & 7). He mentioned that during periods of drought the
pond dries up to become a shallow bowl of lush grassland. Since this was one
such period, he left his car, with spotlight in hand, and climbed atop a large,
roadside pile of earth that had been mounded at the pond’s edge.[ix]
Evans cast the powerful light’s beam across the grassy expanse. As in past
visits to this place, he hoped to see some deer eating the sweet vegetation. He
wasn’t disappointed. Within the light’s path he saw several deer standing in
the tall grass. Evans noticed that the animals’ behavior was somewhat odd.
Usually, after overcoming their brief surprise of his presence, the deer would
quickly bolt out of the area and vanish. This time they seemed transfixed by
something several yards to the right of their location and were looking
intently, not at Evans, but away from him, toward the back of the pond. Curious
about what had captured their interest, Evans panned his spotlight in that
direction. As the beam cut its path through the dense meadow, he caught sight
of a crimson glint which at first he mistook for a red reflector on a stick in
the grass. Ron Evans soon realized that the colored flash was actually light
being reflected from an animal’s eyes--an animal that quickly revealed itself
by rising out of the tall grass. At first, he thought the creature was a giant
bear. However, what his spotlight revealed was obviously not a bear or anything
else he had ever seen. Within the 15 seconds that the animal was illuminated,
Evans could see a massive, 7 foot tall human-like form completely covered with
grayish-brown hair. Its eyes glowed bright red in the light’s beam. His notion
that the beast was some commonplace animal was completely dispelled as it
raised its forearm to block the spotlight’s glare. From the arm, hair about 3
inches long hung straight down. To Evans’ further bewilderment he saw that the
creature’s forearm did not terminate in a paw, but a hand--a really big hand.
He estimated that the unknown beast was a mere 60 feet from his position and he
reports that at no time did he detect any odor other than wet grass.
Figure 6- Pond site. Encounter occurred at right near trees Figure
7- Encounter site foreground center of frame near water
What happened to Evans next he could only describe as
“amazing.” He asserts that the animal groaned at him in a way that conveyed exasperation.
Evans got the distinct impression that he and his spotlight had spoiled the creature’s
hunt. Apparently, the strange animal’s frustration quickly phased to
anger as it then screamed at Evans so loudly that he said he could feel the
vibration of its yell in his chest. With that, the beast abruptly ran away and
Evans frantically followed suit, running to his car and hastily leaving the
area (see Figures 8 & 9).
Figure 8- Significant GPS waypoints struck along road in wildlife
management area
Figure 9- Area of encounter is NJ Wildlife Management Area near the
northern borders of the Bass River State Forest and the Stafford Forge Fish & Wildlife Management area.
In recounting the incident to this writer--some 20
years after the fact--Ron Evans said he still get chills thinking about the
weird experience. Ron also reasoned that other people have probably had similar
experiences but prefer not to speak of them, as he did for many years. Evans
explained that when the opportunities arise, he makes discreet inquiries of
friends and acquaintances concerning unusual sounds and sights in the coastal New Jersey region.
Additional Claims
In subsequent communiqués from Ron, he expounded on
the details of other experiences that he made reference to in his first email
regarding 1985 encounter. Since that time, in other areas of coastal New Jersey, both Evans and others he has talked to have
allegedly heard unusual vocalizations during various outings and hunting trips.
Ron went on to describe a memorable nighttime fishing
trip near Hammonton, New
Jersey in
August 1992. All through that night he and a friend had been trying their luck
at various ponds in the area. On their last pond, at around 4:00 AM, they were ready to pack up and head home when they
began to hear odd sounds they couldn’t identify. The strange noise began as a
kind of high-speed guttural language which progressed to a long, sad, unnerving
moan. Evans said the ‘language’ part of the noise sounded something like
Chinese but clearly wasn’t. Even more unsettling in the darkness, was the
nearby sound of heavy footfalls and snapping branches that coincided with the
strange cry. Within a short time, the weird noise was heard again—this time
louder and closer. Evans and his friend were so intimidated by the sounds that
they grabbed their tackle and left the area immediately.
Another account that Ron mentioned
involved at least 4 couples (men and women) enjoying some off-road fun along a
four-wheel drive trail near Chatsworth, New Jersey in the summer of 2003. As
nightfall descended, the group stopped their vehicles and got out to rest near
a cranberry bog. While talking they were suddenly startled by the menacing
screams of some nameless animal in the darkness. With spotlights from their
vehicles, they searched the approaching darkness for some source of the sounds.
They found none. The group maintained that the peculiar wails seemed to be
following the perimeter of the bog. As the screams persisted and grew more
frenetic, the couples became frightened and headed for safer ground. Ron
explained that while he did not take part in this trip, he had spoken to all of
the witnesses and each of these people related the same account.
Lastly,
Ron told us of some curious tales he heard while attending a party last month. Both
stories involved people hearing very loud, unknown growls.
One account concerned a gentleman who, as a child in
1978, lived with his family a few miles north of New Gretna.[x] He
claims that every night for an entire week during the fall of that year something
unknown would shriek loudly from the direction of a pond they had on their
property. The source of the unidentified sounds was never determined.
The second story, which allegedly occurred earlier
this year, involved local residents Mike and Nancy Lerner[xi]
and their children. In February 2005, the Lerner family decided to enjoy some
ice skating on a cranberry bog located about 3 miles west of Bass River State Forest. At one point, as they all skated along the frozen
area, Mike Lerner pulled away from the others and glided to the edge of the
bog. As he did this, something unseen (and unfamiliar) screamed very loudly at
him from within the nearby woodland.
Reports of unusual animal sightings and sounds being
perceived throughout this region are intriguing (see Figure 10).
Figure 10- Shows NJ encounter sites detailed in text.
In view of these persistent claims, the Enigma Project
will continue its investigation of this area. Reports and updates on
significant findings will be provided.
******