DATE: 1944

LOCATION: Lincoln County, Wyoming, Fontenelle Creek basin, 30 miles n. of Kemmerer

WITNESSES: Charlie, Jon and Willis Redwillow Mr. Wilcox, first name unknown Foreman of KBXQ Cattle Co. at the time. numerous Ranch workers on this range, mostly Nez Perce, Sioux and Shoshone Indian cowboys.

EVENT: Numerous livestock, cattle, horses, sheep, etc. were being lost by the KBXQ Cattle Company by an unknown animal. After many months of failed attempts to kill or trap the culprit, Mr. Wilcox, the operating Foreman of the effected grazing range, contacted Mr. Charlie Redwillow and his two sons, Jon and Willis of Bozeman Montana. Mr. Redwillow was a renowned tracker and game hunter throughout the area. Contracting Mr. Redwillow and his two sons to eliminate the predator for the sum of one thousand dollars, the operation was set into motion. Arriving at the base of operations for the companies grazing leases, Mr. Redwillow questioned various witnesses to the animals depredations and sightings. He was alarmed as well as surprised by the reports, quickly realizing he was up against a predator of an unknown type. From various Indian ranch hands involved he received the following information: 1. The creature was a biped about 4 to 51/2 feet tall. 2. It was covered completely by long reddish orange hair. 3. It possessed very wide shoulders and exceptionally long arms. 4. The creature named the "Howler" by the Indian observers, reported that the creature emitted loud yowlings not unlike a wolf. 5. The creature possessed unbelievable speed and strength. It had out run a quarter horse while being chased by ranch hands, as it carried off a two year old heifer under its left arm. Due to the creatures small stature, this amazed the cowboys even more as the cow, being still alive, had fought and kicked, dragging its feet upon the ground during the chase. It was witnessed that the creature had killed the heifer with a single blow to the head as it ran off. 6. The Howler, seemed to kill wantonly and for pleasure without consuming the kills for the most part. The carcasses of cattle, horses, sheep, deer, antelope and numerous small animals had been found killed by crushing, blows to the head or broken necks, surrounded by the distinctive man like, barefoot prints. 7. The creature showed amazing intelligence at eluding traps, the disarming of such and the stealing of baits. Many occasions had been observed as the Howler seemed to reason things out intelligently and successfully evade capture. It would use stealth and cunning while stalking an occupied camp site or guarded animal herd. Most often escaping detection until after its wrought destruction was detected. Camps were destroyed along with personal belongings when ever left unattended. The latter appeared to be an act of vengeance for its pursuit. No personal attack was reported on humans and the Howler seemed to fear man and fire, keeping distance between itself and ranch workers. 8. To a man, the reporters declared that the howler was not Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Chiha Tanka, Big Elder Brother, Tso Apittse, or The Big Man, having known of this creature through tribal legends or personal experience. They believed Howler was an evil spirit and could not be killed or captured. No one would shoot at it in fear of having its evil wrath turned upon themselves. Taking note of this and fighting his own tribal Blackfoot beliefs, Charlie and his two sons set out to complete their contract. Over several weeks of hard chasing they observed the howler several times and examined many animal carcasses. They found that the reported incidents and observations were true. From the foot prints Charlie estimated that although the creature was indeed only the reported 5 1/2 feet tall, it weighed over three hundred pounds judged by the depth of the tracks and hardness of the ground. On several occasions the three men had ample opportunity to shoot the creature. But due to their personal beliefs and the fact that the Howler's close resemblance to a man, they could not bring themselves to fire. On one occasion the howler attacked their night camp killing two horses and a mule. After failing to trap the animal, Charlie devised a plan to do away with the evil predator without bringing bad spirits to themselves by killing it personally. Calling Wilcox in to witness the fulfillment of the contract personally. Charlie and his two sons staked out a cow in the bottom of a box canyon, planting Dynamite all along the canyons rim. At the narrow entrance they piled firewood and waited. In the early hours of the fourth day the Howler entered the canyon after the cow. Immediately the men distributed the firewood across the canyons entrance and set it afire. From a vantage point, they observed the Howler kill the cow with a single blow to the head and try to leave the canyon. The now burning fire prevented its escape as it spread into the canyon. The Howler tried to climb the sheer rock walls emitting terrible yowls of anger. After several unsuccessful attempts at escape, it was witnessed to squat down on a narrow ledge and await its fate. At that time the men set off the dynamite charges and the canyon fell in upon itself burying the Howler under tons of rock and dirt.

AFTERMATH: Word of the hunt for the creature circulated around the adjacent counties. Several influential men deciding that the live capture of the "wild man" may lead to profit, suggested that the Lincoln County Sheriff prevent its being killed. Unofficially word was spread that the killing of the creature would be construed as murder and be prosecuted as such. Wilcox, not wanting to be entangled in a charge of possible murder, paid Charlie and his sons the bounty and suggested they leave the state of Wyoming, which they promptly did. Wilcox never reported the killing and as reports of animal losses and sightings of the Howler died out the incident was forgotten. Charlie never again entered the state of Wyoming for the rest of his life in fear of a possible reprisal and prosecution on a murder charge.

CONCLUSION: I myself was told this story in 1970 by Charlie Redwillow shortly before his death and later confirmed its contents with his two sons Willie and Jon. Although I was never able to find written confirmation in records of the incident, I did speak personally to several old timers at Wind River reservation who admitted they either knew about it or had been working the area at the time. Two of these witnesses admitted they had seen the Howler but would not comment on its demise saying only that it went away. Knowing the quality of man Mr. Redwillow was and his unquestioned honesty and impeccable reputation I believe the report is true as stated. I was told the story only after agreeing not to publish this incident until the death of those involved had occurred. This in itself lent veracity to the story as it demonstrated to me that the three Redwillows still feared reprisals for their involvement. Mr. Wilcox died sometime in the mid fifties, and the last of the Redwillows involved passed away in 1985. So I have fulfilled my vow. Any thoughts this would be appreciated.

Newspaper article : Idaho Falls Post-Register; June 18,1980

TWO MEN REPORT SEEING HUGE HAIRY CREATURE

JACKSON - Two men reported seeing a "Big Foot-like creature" on Snow King Mountain near Jackson, Wyo., early Tuesday morning, a spokesman for the Jackson Police Department said.

Robert Goodrich and Glenn Towner, no hometown or ages listed, reported to police that they were chased off Snow King Mountain by a "Big Foot-like creature" 12 feet tall with long, dark hair and arms, which hung almost to the ground. The two men said that they were going to visit a friend who had built a lean-to on the mountain when they encountered the creature, the spokesman said. The men told police the creature breathed heavily and made a moaning growl-type noise. They described the creature as having a simian-like face as big as a stop sign and that the creature was hunchbacked, the spokesman said. Goodrich and Towner told police that they ran when they spotted the creature, and that it followed them. The last time they saw the creature, it was standing under a street light near the Ramada Snow King Inn in Jackson, the spokesman said. The two men said they were going back Tuesday to take pictures of any possible tracks and to see if they could find their friend.

The police reported that the two men had not been drinking.

DATE: July 24th,1997

LOCATION: Yellowstone Park on the East entrance into the park coming from Cody Wyoming direction.As we were driving out of the park there was alot of road construction involving the park roads. The work crews were all along the area in which I saw it high up on the side of the mountain. There was snow a large patch that it was walking beside and then it took several strides across the slope and stopped. As we were traveling in the car we couldnt stop pull off because of the road construction. I would like to know if there have been sightings of this thing in the area of the park before. The flag girl on the road site was not aware of any sightings. But am interested to find this out.Since my husband was driving he was unable to see it but my younger son saw the same sight as myself.

OBSERVED: read the above note

ENVIRONMENT: At the base of the mountain the road crews had huge gravel piles that they were using in building this new road. I was looking up the mountain to see if I could spot Bighorn sheep as we had seen Grizzley and many other of the Yellowstone animals while driving the loop of the park. I immediately noticed at on the side of the mountain nearst the top a large triangular patch of snow and walking in large strides a tall 8-9 foot hairy unright Big Foot like animal. It was so tall that you couldnt help but not see it. Then it made three strides acorss this rocky terrain and stopped just above a green grassy like area next to the snow. My son saw the same sight as I because he was excited saying that it looked like and walked like Chewbaca the Star Wars actor.Even though it was so high above us you could make out what it was. Im only sorry that we couldnt stop and pull off but the traffic was fast and no where to pull off because of the road crews.

ACTIVITIES OF WITNESS(ES): Son was looking up in the mountains because he couldnt find any Big Horn Sheep and it was the end of the day leaving Yellowstones Park. He had spotted and taken pictures of everything else.

DATE: 11-2-97 - between 4:00 and 5:00 PM

LOCATION: Park County, Wyoming. Along the North Fork of the Shoshone River, on the road from Cody to the east gate Yellowstone entrance.

OBSERVED: The following incident occurred November 2, 1997 I was cutting firewood in a designated timber cut area with my brother approximately half way between Cody and Yellowstone. We were south of the highway, very near the north bank of the North Fork (an easterly-flowing tributary of Buffalo Bill Reservoir).

The timber in this area is not dense and affords good views of the high north-facing mountain slopes south of the river. Shortly before sundown I noticed movement high up on a slope across the river. At first I concluded that it must be a bear or elk and pointed it out to my brother.

My brother fetched the binocs from the pickup to have a closer look, as we are hunters and like to keep track of where we see elk. At first he seemed startled in that he didn't recognize what he was looking at. Rather than jump to a conclusion, he handed me the glasses and asked me to look.

By the time I got the glasses up, the animal had disappeared into the tree line and I couldn't see it. Shortly after, I noticed it again lower down on the slope in a clearing, moving all the while. At this point I would estimate the creature at a quarter mile from us, moving closer (downslope towards the river).

This time I got a good look at it through the glasses. It was definitely upright, walking on two legs. Though there is no way to say at this distance, the specimen appeared to be between 6 and 10 feet in height. More striking, however, was its mass. The creature, covered in dark hair, almost seemed fat. Maybe obese. This was no bear. I saw it walk for a good 100 yards and it never came down on all fours. There is something on the North Fork that I have sure never seen before.

About half an hour after my last sighting, we were loading the truck. The chainsaw wasn't running so we could hear reasonably well (the river makes some noise). Right before we left (almost completely dark) I heard a high pitched, eerie squealing noise coming from a few hundred yards up river. I have never heard anything like it. Though it is about the right time of year still to hear elk bugle, this was no elk.

ENVIRONMENT: High north-facing slope of the Absaroka Mountains, just south of the North Fork of the Shoshone River, half way between Cody and Yellowstone.

ACTIVITIES OF WITNESS(ES): We were cutting firewood.

CONFIDENTIALITY: I am sorry, maybe I will say more later, but I just can't bring myself to list a name and info with this. I am a local professional and fear for my reputation.