SO EP:534 A Bigfoot Named Koda: Chapter Two

This week on Sasquatch Odyssey, I’m joined by screenwriter and paranormal podcaster Richard Hatem — the mind behind the screenplay for The Mothman Prophecies and the host of Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf. Richard and I first crossed paths back in September at the Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and I’ve been excited to get him on the mic ever since.In our conversation, Richard takes us inside his first-ever Mothman Festival experience — the energy, the people, and the strange pull Point Pleasant has on anyone who’s even remotely fascinated by the unknown. From there, we dive deep into the making of The Mothman Prophecies: what inspired his approach, how he balanced real-world lore with cinematic storytelling, and the emotional undercurrent he wanted the film to carry. Richard shares what it was like shaping a story that lives in the space between dread, wonder, and grief — and why Mothman remains one of the most haunting and compelling American paranormal legends.We also zoom out into the bigger picture: the strange intersections between Mothman, Bigfoot, UFOs, high strangeness, and the broader paranormal tapestry. Richard offers thoughtful insight into how these phenomena echo each other, why certain stories endure, and what our fascination with the unknown might say about us as human beings.Finally, Richard talks about his show Paranormal Bookshelf and his love for the stories that hide in dusty corners of folklore, eyewitness encounters, and forgotten history — reminding us that the best paranormal discussions aren’t just about proving something exists… they’re about what these mysteries awaken inside us.If you’re into Mothman lore, Bigfoot encounters, or the deeper “why” behind paranormal obsession, this one’s for you.Richard Hatem's Paranormal BookshelfGet Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

12 Joulu 53min

Jerry returns to the show for another deep dive into the South Mountains of North Carolina—a region he calls one of the strangest “hotspot” corridors he’s ever researched. Drawing from decades of local accounts, family histories, and firsthand reports, Jerry traces a chilling pattern of unexplained activity across the South Mountains, the Great Smokies, the Blue Ridge, and even the Pacific Northwest.This episode unfolds like a living archive of the weird: early-1900s stories of eerie vocalizations rolling through the hollers, barns disturbed in the dead of night, and unsettling encounters that left families questioning what really stalks those ridgelines. From Carpenter’s Knob to backroads you’d never notice on a map, the stories stack up—each one different, yet threaded by the same sense of being watched, followed, or hunted.Then the episode pivots into something even darker: the black-eyed children phenomenon.Through Dave, the lifelong partner of Susan, we hear her spine-freezing encounter that followed her mother’s death—a night marked by a knock at the door, a request to be let inside, and the unmistakable terror of realizing something wasn’t human. Susan’s experience mirrors incidents tied to her mother years earlier, raising disturbing questions about generational patterns, grief triggers, and why certain places seem to attract the unexplainable.By the end, you’ll be left wondering what makes these mountains a magnet for high-strangeness—and whether some forces don’t just haunt locations… but follow bloodlines.Get Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsEpisode Timeline00:00 – Welcome back to the South Mountains series01:35 – What makes a “hotspot”? Patterns across mountain regions03:08 – Carpenter’s Knob: the encounters that won’t let go08:48 – Ray’s experiences in the heart of the activity17:11 – Edward’s roadside encounter after dark23:09 – Susan and the black-eyed children: a generational nightmareBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

10 Joulu 40min

In this episode, Fred shares chilling wilderness accounts that remind us how quickly the familiar can turn unnerving in remote places. First, Margaret and Kyle set out for a simple berry-picking outing—until an oppressive feeling of being watched settles in. What starts as subtle unease escalates when they spot an enormous figure moving nearby, forcing them into a tense, instinct-driven retreat.Then we head to the Alcan Highway, where Jonathan’s late-night drive takes a terrifying turn. Alone in his RV, he’s jolted awake by violent impacts against the vehicle—an apparent attack by something powerful, unknown, and determined.With nowhere to run and no clear explanation for what’s outside, Jonathan is left to endure a long, fear-soaked night on one of the most isolated roads in North America.Together, these stories explore the raw, primal dread that can surface in the wild, the sense that we’re not always alone out there, and the haunting questions that linger when encounters defy logic. Listener discretion is advised—these accounts are intense, unsettling, and may stay with you long after the episode ends.Get Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

7 Joulu 38min

In this episode, Brian sits down with filmmaker Eric Fulford—director of Bigfoot Enterprises: The True-ish Adventures of Patterson and Gimlin—joins the show to pull back the curtain on his upcoming film and the real-world story that inspired it.Eric shares how a lifelong fascination with Bigfoot, sparked by the legendary Patterson-Gimlin film, shaped both his creativity and his curiosity.But instead of rehashing the usual debate over what was—or wasn’t—captured on camera in 1967, Eric takes us somewhere deeper: into the human drama behind Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin. Their ambitions, risks, personalities, and the cultural moment they stepped into become the heart of his film.We talk about why this project is less about the creature and more about the characters, and how Eric plans to deliver a respectful, adventurous, and creatively reimagined retelling that still honors the legacy of the original story. He also breaks down the independent, community-powered approach to funding the film, inviting the Bigfoot world to help bring it to life.If you’ve ever been fascinated by the Patterson-Gimlin footage—or wondered about the people who filmed it—this conversation offers a fresh, compelling look at one of cryptozoology’s most iconic chapters.Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the legend, the filmmakers, and the untold story that made Bigfoot history.Support Bigfoot EnterprisesGet Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

5 Joulu 41min

Heads up, everyone — over the coming weeks I’ll be releasing a special Wednesday series centered on the South Mountain region of North Carolina. Jerry will be sharing some truly incredible encounter stories from in and around that area, and each one adds a new layer to the mystery that seems to live in those woods. In this first installment, we’re taken into the South Mountains through a terrifying family experience that began as an ordinary camping trip and turned into something they’ll never forget.As night settled in, strange wood knocks started echoing through the trees, followed by unsettling “whoops” and other sounds that didn’t match anything familiar. The atmosphere shifted fast from quiet wilderness to a feeling of being surrounded, watched, and pushed to the edge of panic. What happened out there left them shaken, confused, and certain that something unknown had moved in close. Jerry also shares additional encounters from across different generations, showing that whatever people are running into in the South Mountains isn’t tied to one era or one family.A mid-century story follows a farm boy confronted by a hulking presence with glowing red eyes, an early-1900s account recalls a grandfather being chased through the woods by multiple creatures, and a modern encounter describes two men hearing disturbing sounds and briefly seeing something near their home that they still can’t explain. Together, these stories paint a chilling picture of a region where the unexplained has never really stopped happening — and where the line between legend and reality feels uncomfortably thin.Check Out Jerry's Tik TokGet Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

3 Joulu 43min

In this chilling episode, Fred from Alaska—shares powerful firsthand accounts of the mysterious being known locally as the “Hairy Man.” Speaking with calm certainty and cultural grounding, Fred explains that these encounters aren’t isolated legends or personal oddities; they’re a long-standing reality for many First Nations families across the region, passed down through lived experience as much as oral tradition.Fred recounts his own unnerving experiences alongside stories from relatives who have faced the Hairy Man in remote stretches of Alaska. One standout moment takes place near a quiet pond, where what begins as an ordinary day turns deeply unsettling when the creature reveals itself—displaying awareness, strategy, and an intelligence that feels deliberate rather than animalistic.The episode then shifts to an even more harrowing hunting camp encounter: nighttime disturbances, unseen movement in the treeline, and a mounting sense of being watched culminate in a terrifying confrontation that leaves no doubt the group was being targeted and tested.Throughout the conversation, Fred emphasizes respect for the land, the people who live closest to it, and the beings that may share it. He calls on more Alaskans—especially Indigenous voices who have kept these stories quietly within families—to come forward. By gathering and comparing accounts, Fred believes we can better understand the patterns, behavior, and purpose of these encounters, and maybe finally bring clarity to one of Alaska’s most enduring mysteries.Get Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

30 Marras 43min

In this episode, North Carolina resident Jerry Millwood shares a decades-long history of Sasquatch encounters, tracing his fascination back to the 1970s after seeing The Legend of Boggy Creek.What began as curiosity grew into a sustained, personal journey of observation and research—one that has included multiple sightings and unexplained events both in the region and on his own property.Jerry walks us through the progression of his experiences, from early signs like unusual tree breaks and activity in the surrounding woods to increasingly close encounters, including sightings near his home and even within view of his front yard. Along the way, he describes recurring patterns of behavior he’s witnessed over the years: rock-throwing incidents, powerful vocalizations, heavy nighttime movement, and what he believes are deliberate visits after dark.Beyond the encounters themselves, Jerry speaks candidly about the difficulty of coming forward with stories like these, the social pressure that often keeps witnesses silent, and why skepticism is essential in separating genuine experiences from misinterpretation or hoaxes. He also highlights the importance of community—how local knowledge, trusted researchers, and shared fieldwork have helped him test what he’s seen and stay grounded in the search for answers.The episode closes with Jerry discussing his involvement in organized research efforts, including groups such as Sasquatch Recon and NCI. He reflects on how documenting and sharing his experiences has led to unexpected validations, new connections, and a deeper commitment to understanding what may be happening in the wild places around him.Whether you’re a long-time believer, a careful skeptic, or somewhere in between, Jerry’s account offers a detailed, thoughtful look at what sustained, real-world Sasquatch activity can feel like over a lifetime.Get Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

28 Marras 54min

Have you ever wondered about the true story behind the first Thanksgiving?Happy Thanksgiving from Sasquatch Odyssey. For this special holiday episode, the show steps away from its usual encounter reports and witness interviews to share something different: an original work of fiction that reimagines one of America’s most iconic moments.What if the first Thanksgiving wasn’t just a meeting between two peoples, but three? What if the Wampanoag arrived at the 1621 harvest celebration with a guest the colonists agreed to protect and keep hidden—an agreement passed quietly through generations for more than four hundred years? This episode tells the story of Yahyel, a Sasquatch elder who reveals himself to William Bradford and the Plymouth colonists, offering ancient wisdom, urgent warnings, and a promise that stretches across centuries.The narrative follows the descendants of that first feast as they safeguard the secret through revolution, expansion, war, and cultural change—carrying it from the earliest days of the colonies into the modern age of DNA databases, thermal drones, and digital discovery.Along the way, the story blends real historical touchstones with cryptid folklore, exploring themes of cooperation, respect for the land, and the responsibility to protect wild places that cannot protect themselves.To be clear: this is fiction. A holiday campfire story created to spark imagination, not to rewrite history. The episode makes no claim that these events occurred, and it is not presented as a factual account.But it invites a simple question: what if something like this could have been true?What if ancient promises still mattered, mysteries still lived in the deep forests, and beings older than human memory were quietly watching—waiting for the moment humanity was ready to meet them with respect instead of fear? Whether you’re a true believer or a friendly skeptic, this Thanksgiving episode is meant to bring a little wonder to your holiday. May your plates be full, your company be warm, and your sense of mystery never fade.Get Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

27 Marras 1h 21min