Expedition 2: 19-21 June. The objectives of this trip were to follow up on previous findings, and to place stealth game cameras with bait. A secondary objective was to try to pull some fur using duct tape stung from trees and bushes in that area. The third objective was to interview more Forest Service Rangers about their knowledge of the area.
Preston and Mitch from MogollonMonster.com departed from Mesa about 4:30pm. Our plan was to meet Alex Hearn from the Arizona Crypto-zoological Research Organization (AZCRO) and Tom (Arizona Gone Wild) at the campsite for our base of operations. We arrived at the campsite just before dark only to find the entire camp ground had been taken by the Boy Scouts. There were tents everywhere. We found a small clearing near the campground entrance that was just big enough for our tent. Most of the evening the scouts could be heard running up and down the road shouting at each other. I guess they were all very excited about being in the outdoors. The researchers listened to the Scouts playing steal the flag, flashlight tag, and running in the creek.
Preston and Mitch retired early to lie on their cots listening to the occasional shout and pranks being played over in the campground. About 11pm the two researchers began to hear the familiar whistle from previous encounters. It whistling continued and came down off the mountain past our camp and stopped just prior to the first campsite in the campground. We could hear the scouts asking each other about the whistle. Then the cadence of the whistle got very fast. Same tune, but almost like it was enticing the scouts to come out and follow it. I got up and could see the flashlights coming down the trail as they were chasing the whistle. It led them up the small game trail past the researcher’s tent. And finally both the Boy Scouts voices and the whistle faded in the distance.
The next morning Preston and Mitch were up and fixing breakfast when we saw the first Scout vehicle pull out of the campground. They were leaving. On a Thursday, they were leaving. That seemed very odd. Usually, Boy Scout outings encompass the weekends.
The Scout Troop cleared out very quickly and left behind many items. Very strange indeed.
(To be continued ...)
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