May, 2015 - Robbers Cave State Park, Oklahoma
My wife and I arrived early afternoon and could not check into our cabin, as it was prior to the allowed check-in time. So, we decided on taking a hike up near the cave. We had hiked around The Cave during a previous visit so we checked our map for another trail. Finding, Rugged Canyon Trail on the map, we knew we hadn’t hiked that one yet. We went past Rhe Cave area, crossed a horse trail, and encounter 4 horseback riders. After exchanging greetings we all continued on our way. This is where our hike became very strange.
Until this time I hadn’t followed any Bigfoot reports, and didn’t believe in Bigfoot. I didn’t know what other people were experiencing so when this happened I didn’t think, ‘Bigfoot’. Just after continuing our journey after greeting those horseback riders, my wife and I stopped for a drink of water from my water bottle. She didn’t bring one, thinking this would be a short hike.
Immediately after our drinks, and putting on the lid of my bottle, before we took another step, I noticed something dry strange. Remember, I wasn’t following anything Bigfoot-related, so I didn’t have Ng’s of reference. I grabbed my wife’s arm, and said, “Listen”. She responded, lListen to what? I don’t hear anything!” “That’s just it”, I said. “There are no sounds. Nothing!”
There were no small animal sounds, no birds, no breeze, absolutely nothing. A few seconds later, but before we continued our trek, there came the most unusual animal vocalization either of us had ever heard in the woods. We may have heard similar calls; and that’s what it sounded like, a call; in exotic bird sanctuaries, but never in the wilds. We both heard, “WHOOP, WHOOP, WHOOP”, coming from the hillside in the direction we were heading. It occurred only one time.
We could already see the Rugged Canyon, which ran perpendicular to our trail. The sounds, or call, came from the other side, and above us, latitudinally. Sure, all this seemed odd to us, but nothing to fear, no paranormal indications, and no sense of criptozoolical presence. So, we continued on, discussing what type of bird could have made such a sound. We assumed it must have been a bird, having ruled out all else. We aren’t sure as to when the air and forest sounds resumed back to normal.
From that point we had only a short distance before gaining access to a trail leading down into the Canyon. I playfully had my wife take a photo of me in the stream. We imagined Native women doing laundry at that location. I walked up a steep embankment adjacent to the Canyon, looking for any signs of ancient Indian encampment. Saw none.
We followed the trail, continuing on in the direction we had been taking. Before we began this leg of the trek in ernest, we finished all the water in my bottle. The air seemed much more arid than we had expected. Also, we had not planned such a long hike. Following the trail, it seemed to curve around to our right, and on a slight upgrade. There was a sign to our left for a trail which would have taken us in the opposite direction from the parking lot. So we didn’t want nor did we take that trail.
After ascending slightly, and not going far, we came upon a swampy area. We both remembered seeing this marsh earlier. We turned back, but then came upon a swamp. There could not have been this many marshy areas on the trail we had followed. Now we were becoming anxious. No water, lost, and no cell service. We tried getting free from our predicament just once more.
Again, we came to a swamp. These swamps were always on our left, so that did not seem strange. But now we were panicked. We stopped. Hugging each other we both prayed, “Lord, show us the way out of this, PLEASE”.
In the very next second we heard the voices of young people who were hiking just over the ridge from us. Running to the voices, then seeing humans again, we unhesitantly asked for directions to the parking lot.
Were we entranced by the Bigfoot? I am convinced that the, “WHOOP, WHOOP, WHOOP” call was a Sasquatch, although I only came to that realization in the past year. I am now a believer, but still was not thinking, “Bigfoot” back then; during that encounter.

June 2015 - Osage State Park, Oklahoma
After checking into our cabin around 2:00 that afternoon we drove down to our cabin. We were there for a second honeymoon, so when we saw that our cabin was isolated from the other cabins we were elated. The rest of the afternoon was spent hiking the main trail, which was a short walk down from our cabin, through a narrow wooded area between our cabin and the main trail, through the larger wooded area.
We collected firewood along the way, anticipating an evening of outdoor marshmallow toasting in the fire pit provided by the State, all for our individual cabin. Ah, even more privacy. A short time after dinner I readied the fire pit in the middle of the patio. Just after dusk I started our fire. We talked for so long, throwing more wood on the fire - yes, it was June in Oklahoma - but it was only for us to enjoy. We didn’t notice how dark it got in those woods.
Close to 9:00 we noticed a popping noise around us. All around us - front, sides, back. Our initial thought was acorns falling from the old shade trees, whose huge branches hovered over us. It kept happening. We were never hit by a single, ‘whatever’ was falling around us. They kept coming. Finally, we thought it may be someone in that narrow copse of trees adjacent to our cabin.
Although we heard no voices, no crunching of leaves, nothing to indicate that a person was beyond the tree line just adjacent to our cabin patio. Looking did not help us see anything in those woods. The fire was too bright, and the woods too dark. Besides, it wasn’t hurting anything, or anyone. And I was anxious to get inside the cabin for more second honeymoon activities.
I told my wife to go in ahead of me, and I would put out any embers still burning. Just before opening the door to our cabin, I said in the direction of the tree line, “Goodnight, whoever you are!” It was all in good fun, right!
Not once did either of us think, ‘Bigfoot’ in those woods. I was not listening to the Bigfoot radio programs, yet! I was not a believer, yet! My wife still doesn’t believe, but only believes that these events were both strange. I am now a staunch believer. I now understand that if anyone is in a place where the Bigfoot does not want them, then the Bigfoot will through stones or rocks at them. My understanding is that no one is actually struck by anything thrown by the Bigfoot. As we were not struck by whatever was thrown at my wife and me.

May 2019 - Cushing, Oklahoma, Greenbelt at the Eastern edge of the City

Twenty years ago my wife and I built a house on the last through-street in the City of Cushing. There is a cul-de-sac below our property where two homes were built. Ego do that is a large pond and dense woodlands.
During this past Summer I was sitting on the deck at the rear of our home. It is common to hear geese and herons at the pond behind us. But this particular morning, at 4:00 I heard something that still haunts me.
It sounded as though some Blue Herons at the Eastern edge of the pond, had built for themselves a couple of heronries. They were making their typical deep croaking sound when that which is typical turned stressful.
Shortly after noticing that conventional, guttural tone, there came a loud, chaotic splashing, accompanied by a deep exhale of breathe. I’ll call this entity, ‘Deep Breathe’. The wild and chaotic splashing continued for only a moment, as did the herons making their deep croaking sound. The herons were clearly in distress. Then, as suddenly as ‘deep breathe’ arrived on the scene, all went as suddenly silent. Not another breathe, no more splashing, no more cutter all heron cries.
I sat on my deck, listening for a few minutes longer. Not a sound was coming from the pond. No frogs, no other type of birds, and no more splashing. Sitting there a few seconds longer I suddenly realized that no one else was sitting outside with me. No neighbors would be sitting outside either. It was very quiet until the herons and ‘Deep Breathe’ came around for me to here their moment of distress and feeding! (?).
That was the creepiest noise I have ever heard in the woods. And I really do not want to ever hear it again.

Ken

​I forgot to tell you that I called the Robbers Cave State Park office this past Summer, because I thought they advertised a guided tour in The Rugged Canyon.   When I called and asked about that specific guided tour in The Rugged Canyon, the Ranger told me, “We don’t bring tours into The Rugged Canyon.”  “Oh, I thought I read recently that you do bring tours there, and I wanted to sign up for it”, I said.  “No, we don’t tour that area”.
    I wondered if others had Bigfoot experiences at that location, maybe including Park staff.
    I didn’t think I’d get an affirmative response had I asked over the phone about Bigfoot Sightings.  So, I just let it go and we’ll see what happens the next time we visit Robbers Cave.  But I doubt that the Ranger’s Office will give me a positive answer if I ask them about others having Bigfoot sightings.  I’m sure that their visitor numbers would be greatly reduced if word got out in a big way.
    Thanks for sharing our experiences in the wilds of Oklahoma.

Ken