Giant Wolves, UFOs, and Invisible Monsters
Hunt for the Skinwalker
Hunt for the Skinwalker
Hunt for the Skinwalker, by molecular biologist Colm Kelleher and investigative journalist George Knapp, is the true account of a remarkable and disturbing series of events that visited the “Gorman” family at their 480-acre ranch in northeastern Utah, beginning in the fall of 1994. The first chapter finds Tom and Ellen Gorman, their son and daughter, and Tom’s father, Ed, newly arrived at their recently-purchased ranch.
As the Gormans stood on their property unloading some items from their truck, they saw an unusually large wolf approaching them from across a field. The creature appeared to be completely unconcerned with the Gorman’s presence, and in fact, seemed determined to make contact with them. As the animal approached it was apparent that it was indeed a wolf of tremendous size, standing chest high to the six foot-plus Tom Gorman and weighing an estimated 200 pounds.
As intimidating as the beast’s size was, it appeared to be quite docile as the Gormans petted it and stroked its fur, leading them to believe that it might have been someone’s pet. However, the huge wolf made a sudden bound toward the pen containing the Gorman’s prized Angus cattle and grabbed one of the calves by the muzzle and began to pull the bleating animal through the posts of the split-rail fence. With a curse, Tom Gorman sprang to action and running over to the animal, began kicking it in the ribcage with all his strength. The huge wolf seemed unperturbed and did not relinquish its grip on the calf, even as Ed Gorman began beating the creating across the back with a baseball bat. Tom then called to his son to retrieve his .357 Magnum handgun and proceeded to pump three rounds into the massive beast’s chest and abdomen from point-blank range.
The huge wolf neither bled, flinched, or even yelped, and only after the third shot did it release the calf and slowly backed away. Both astonished and disturbed, Tom then took his thirty aught six rifle from his truck and again shot the animal and close range. This time, the only reaction that the creature gave was to again slowly back away a few paces as it continued to gaze at the Gorman family. Only after another few minutes did the gigantic wolf casually trot off across the field. Tom and his teenage son, Tad, gave pursuit, and guns in hand, followed the wolf into a grove of trees at the far end of the field. They were close behind it and following a clear set of tracks that were deeply embedded in the soft ground, when the wolf’s paw prints suddenly vanished. The clear trail of prints simply disappeared, as if the animal evaporated into thin air. Frightened and confused, Tom and Tad returned back to the ranch, at a loss to explain these strange events. It was later learned that the last known wolf in Utah had been shot in 1929.
This is how Hunt for the Skinwalker begins, and the incident with the huge wolf (not the last) would prove to be only the first of an ongoing and frightening series of events of high strangeness that eventually caught the attention of the National Institute of Discovery Science (NIDS). NIDS is a research organization that was founded and privately funded by real estate and aerospace magnate Robert Bigelow for the purpose of applying rigorous scientific study of anomalies. Employing highly qualified and experienced scientists and a world-class review board, NIDS was headed by molecular biologist Colm Kelleher, PhD., the organization’s Deputy Administrator.
The Gorman family, however, lived at their Utah ranch for two years before the NIDS team set up a research station and began their long study of the events taking place therein. After the encounter with the wolf, the Gorman’s experiences continued, first with trickster-like phenomena involving missing kitchen utensils, tools, and other items around the household and property and increased in intensity and strangeness as time went on. Strange, poltergeist-type phenomena continued in and around their home, and soon they began seeing floating globes of light, seemingly under intelligent control. Some flying objects seen over their property were rectangular refrigerator-like objects similar to the “chupas” reported in Brazil and discussed by Jacque Vallee in his excellent book Confrontations: A Scientist’s Search for Alien Contact. Other bizarre phenomena included:
- Visits by a semi-visible, “Predator”-like creature that struck terror in the Gorman’s cattle
- Otherworldly orange structures that would hover above the trees and change shape
- Sightings of UFOs of various sizes and shapes, from glowing orbs to box-like rectangular craft
- A distinctly blue, day-lit sky seen at night through a tear or rent in the night sky — perhaps a glimpse into another world or time?
- Mysterious disappearances and relocation of their prized Angus and Simmental cattle
- Bizarre cattle mutilations, seemingly performed with surgical precision
- A 3-D tunnel that opened up, out of which climbed a large, black bigfoot type of creature
- A huge, three-toed dinosaur-like foot print and other strange prints on the property
- The apparent incineration of three of the family’s dogs by a floating blue orb
It was the baiting and subsequent killing of the Gorman family’s faithful cattle dogs by the glowing blue orb that was the final straw. After almost two years of being terrorized by these ongoing phenomena, the Gormans were mentally and emotionally exhausted, as well as being nearly financially ruined by the frequent disappearance and mutilation of their prized cattle. It was also at about this time that news of the bizarre events at the Utah ranch made the national press, catching the attention of billionaire hotel and aerospace entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, founder of the National Institute of Discovery Science.
Shortly after the initial inspection and investigation of the property, an offer was made by NIDS to purchase the ranch from the Gormans. The Gormans accepted the offer in August 1996, and Tom Gorman was hired to stay on as the ranch manager. The NIDS team of scientists then set up camp on the property. Between August 1996 and February 1997 there was little activity, as if whatever intelligence was governing these events was unwilling to reveal itself to the newcomers. However, in March 1997 a new series of bizarre and startling events began, including the appearance of an invisible beast that terrorized the cattle and sent the NIDS team’s magnetometer readings spiking. These events that began in March 1997 continued from that point through the summer of 1997, and was the most intense and frequent period of activity during the NIDS team’s tenure at the ranch. By 1999 the activity had lessened to the point that only a couple of scientists were posted on the ranch, and by 2004, when Colm Kelleher had left NIDS, it was several years since any significant activity had occurred — although it is reported that strange phenomena still take place at the property.
Without recounting all of the many events of the book, Hunt for the Skinwalker is a story that is unique for the fact that it was studied for several years with scrupulous scientific rigor by a highly qualified and dispassionate team of scientists. The NIDS team were equipped with an array of night vision surveillance cameras, magnetometers, spectrometers, and other audio, video, and forensic analysis equipment, and gathered a very compelling body of physical evidence of the various phenomena that visited the ranch. Remarkable too, is the fact that such a great variety of type of phenomena occurred, running the gamut from poltergeist activity, sightings of anomalous creatures and bigfoot-like beings, UFO sightings, and more. Also of note was the interactive, “trickster” nature of these experiences with the Gorman family and the NIDS team, giving support to the notion that these events were under intelligent design, and not random phenomena.
We would be remiss if we did not mention that this particular tract of land where the ranch is located has had a long tradition among the native Ute tribe as being cursed, and in “in the path of the Skinwalker”. The Skinwalker, according to the lore of the Navajo people, is a witch or sorcerer, capable of shape-shifting, summoning demons, and casting evil spells. Because of the numerous witnesses to the phenomena in and around this ranch, the documentation of the NIDS scientists, and the Native American beliefs concerning the area, this makes for a very compelling account of high strangeness and the paranormal. I encourage anyone interested in these areas to read this fascinating book, published by Paraview Press.
For those who are interested in learning more, listen to George Noory’s interview with George Knapp and Colm Kelleher on Coast to Coast AM. Here is part one of eleven:
Also of interest: http://prairiespecters.blogspot.com/2009/02/skinwalkers.html
John Carlson is a husband, father, and business owner. He’s been a self–employed Web designer/developer and consultant for almost ten years. John was raised in New Jersey USA where he currently resides with his wife and two sons.
This isn’t a review, it’s a summary/promotion. A review would bring up the fact that no evidence was ever presented to the public that any of this ever happened, and the book doesn’t contain even *one photograph*.
Okay, you can call it what you want. Maybe ‘Book Discussions’ would be a better title for this section of my website. I’m hardly a critic, I just put out things that I find interesting. Seems that they had multiple witnesses to a lot of strange and varied phenomena at the so-called Skinwalker Ranch, and that these sort of anomalies were present and witnessed by others long before the Gorman family arrived there.
Also, I think western civilization is a little too quick to dismiss Native American lore as being simply myth. There’s quite a bit about that in the book, which I didn’t really get into that in my review/summary (‘promotion’ I’d take exception to, because I have no reason or motive to promote anyone). I agree though, some photographic evidence would have helped to make their case more convincing.
Unless you’re of the mindset that unless there’s irrefutable evidence of the phenomena, then it’s all a lot of b-s, it’s an interesting, entertaining, and thought-provoking book. But if you’re a hardcore skeptic, you probably won’t go for this one. It is, admittedly, “out there” and pretty outlandish. Just that much extremely weird stuff going on in one place is difficult to accept, true. But a damn entertaining book for anyone interested in the Fortean. I’d love to interview George Knapp and/or Colm Kelleher.
Thanks for checking in.
Just say it plain, Mr. Carlson: FACTS DON’T MATTER!
It’s a good story and you want to believe, so it must be true. Facts are for dastardly skeptics.
As I said, it’s a fairly outrageous story, and there are aspects of it that would be very difficult – probably impossible – to prove. Trust me, I’m not a “believer” of all things strange and paranormal, although I find this stuff interesting; and I don’t view skeptics as the enemy. I do, however, keep an open mind to things that go beyond what we’d consider rational. If all accounts of such phenomena are dismissed out of hand because of a lack of hard evidence, then the conversation is over before it starts.
Certainly, if they had captured one of these giant wolves or had compelling video evidence of one of the flying refrigerator-like vehicles, that sure would have been nice. The very nature of much of this type of phenomena is very difficult or impossible to prove, which is one of the aspects that make it both fascinating and frustrating to those who study it. But let’s take one aspect of the many strange happenings at the Gorman’s ranch, the cattle mutilations. These were typical of the phenomena — the animals were seemingly dissected with surgical precision, lips, tongues, eyeballs, anuses, reproductive organs removed, with no jagged tears and rips that you’d typically see if the creatures were victims of predation by wild animals. Also, no paw prints, footprints or tire tracks were found near the mutilated cattle. The Gormans were by all accounts, very accomplished ranchers and experts in animal husbandry, and had a very low attrition rate for their animals. Yet, after moving to the ranch in Utah, they lost a frightful number of their prized cattle to these bizarre mutilations, to the point of nearing bankruptcy.
Cattle mutilations are a very strange area, and it’s difficult to prove any kind of otherworldly influence at work there. Yet, there are aspects of the phenomena that are undeniably bizarre and inexplicable. Should we dismiss that anomaly too, because we don’t have hard physical evidence of its cause? There are many ranchers in the western part of the USA that would argue that this is going on and that it’s had a financial impact on them. But what is the cause? I don’t have an answer for that, but that’s not to say that I’m willing to dismiss the subject because there are no photos or video *proof*.
I frankly don’t care if the Skinwalker story is true or not. I think its value is in opening up a discussion. If these events actually happened, then what are we to make of it? If this was truly going on, how does that change or fundamental view of reality? And for the record, I only want to believe that hobbits and Middle Earth are real.
*amused*
Don’t worry about the crank-skeptics, Mr. Carson. Even if photographic evidence or a bite-mark on their own asses appeared, they would still strive to prove it didn’t exist. *chuckles* They exist for little other reason than to be kill-joys for the mysteries of life.
Interesting tale. The fact that the wolf did not attack the family, even after they shot it multiple times, implies intelligence to me, and a reservation against taking human life; which it obviously, easily could have done. The wolf itself sounds like something prehistoric, i.e a Direwolf, prior to the last ice age. I always wanted one of those as a pet; the dog the size of a cow. lol.
It does not sound to me, as if all the described events are from one source or phenomena. Perhaps the ranch is at the nexus of something? but again, humans have not been harmed from what you’ve said. Very puzzling.
Oh, and for the record, according to current multiple universe theory, Hobbits and Middle Earth WERE real, on SOME version of Earth.
Our problem is to find out WHICH one and how to GET there. :>
Peace!
Thanks for the support! Skinwalker is a very interesting book, co-written by an award winning journalist and a very qualified PhD-level scientist, so it’s difficult to dismiss. Also impossible to prove it irrefutably, too — but that’s always going to be the case with anomalous events like this. The nature of such phenomena just doesn’t lend itself to scientific measurement. I don’t think that’s reason to scoff at it, however. That’s just very narrow-minded to me.
I’d read the book a couple of years ago and just began re-reading it before I wrote the article. I’d forgotten the variety and scope of weirdness that was present there. There are a lot of things that I hadn’t even mentioned in my summary/review. One of these was the fact that they mentioned that the huge wolf had very serene and intelligent-looking light blue eyes. Mrs. Gorman had another encounter with an even larger wolf after that. She was in her car on their property, and a wolf came up to her who’s head was higher than the roof of her car. She claimed that it had to lower it’s head to look in her window (which, I assume, was rolled up!). Also, bright red, tropical-looking birds appeared at one point — very out of place for northern Utah — as well as extremely large spiders. These things often came and went and were not seen again, almost like they were passing through. So yes, the property could have been some kind of nexus, a “grand central station” as they put it in the book, for interdimensional travel.
Of course the whole thing could have been a load bull crap, but if you read the book, there’s much evidence to suggest it wasn’t. But for people who just don’t want to entertain these concepts, there’s just no use in even discussing it with them.
I think the Multiverse theory makes a lot of sense in relation to these type of phenomena, and I sincerely hope that one of them is Middle Earth. If you find out how to get there, please let me know. I want to drink beers in the Green Dragon with hobbits.
very interesting story , well for most ; I am an artist , each time I read paranormal its like that my imagination runs wild ; as much like I read an sci-fi or fantasy books except that paranormal story can be true ! I must admit that I am very interested in paranormal to the point of obsession ( since then my pop stop talking about it because I annoyed too much)
The only thing that I don\’t like is that sometimes the authors of paranormal books become obsess with his own interpretation of the phenomena. Thus its the biggest critics of skeptics and co . In the same time , people and scientific institution completely dismiss the phenomena or only look at it with a blink of the eyes. very rare people actually attempts to find the Truth and most of time they don\’t have the resources to do so.
The truth is that people of all culture don\’t write silly story to record their history for nothing. Their is a consensus that something happened in the past , Amerindians and aboriginal legends and lore records story of Giants sometimes horned , whit numerous creatures and being appearing like Thunderbird for example . And people still see those phenomena in front of their eyes even now without knowing of those legends.
But still I guess this book is one of the best material on the subject since so few actually took time to Investigate ,study and give an interpretation (rather than answer\" you are crazy\" , \"Its a weather balloon\" ).
an multidimensional theory would be nice hahaha , I wonder if dimension can merge together…UFO seems to be related to this phenomena of skinwalker. then ,are skinwalker alien capable of shapeshifting ? fascinating …
I have read story from the aboriginal of Australia talking about a Dream time
Where things were quite strange . I guess they know something since they are the oldest human group that didn\’t interact with other people for 10 000 until recently.I guess their story don\’t get contaminated from civilization . Amerindians creation of the world story seems even more fascinating , like the Hopi tribes who claims to ascend from an netherworld corrupted by sins . Other Amerindians tribes talk about Giants , dwarfs , monster , witch and skin walker . I really like to dig those story ; they are truly fascinating.
Very interesting review I might get at read on that book!
Parady
Hunt for the Skinwalker is absolutely one of the more fascinating books out there if you enjoy this kind of stuff. I can see where a person who takes a more skeptical stance might be put off by this one, though. It’s extremely weird. But considering the fact that there was a long history of strange sightings of creatures and flying objects in and around this property going back far before the Gorman family bought the place, that gives the story more credibility. Also, the NIDS team were by all accounts very well qualified and experienced scientists, and they recorded a lot of anomalous activity on the ranch. Also, according to the Ute people, stories of this place being “cursed” and of paranormal events occurring there go back generations.
There’s a lot in the book that I didn’t cover, too. It’s worth reading it through and making up your own mind. My personal theory is that a lot of these anomalies that we want to put into nice, neat categories are, at the root level, connected with each other. George Knapp writes very eloquently about just that, and I have to say that I agree with him.
Thanks for checking in again, Parady.
> Don’t worry about the crank-skeptics
requiring evidence above the level of hearsay for magical claims makes one a crank?
> They exist for little other reason than to be kill-joys for the mysteries of life.
I am very interested in the confabulist properties of the human mind. Keep typing.
Thank you, I will. I’ll have a new article online today. Trying to do at least a two or three a week, but I got a bit behind this past week. Thanks for for reading.
Haven’t read Hunt for the Skinwalker, yet, but am very familiar with the story. What people who knock the book should think about is the stories from the ranch predate the “Gorman” family by a number of years. These people should also take into consideration that, AFAIK, no one has ever been accused of hoaxing these stories. They should also think about the fact that even though many of the occurrences at the ranch have had multiple witnesses no one has ever tried to profit from the stories. In fact just the opposite. They have not been willing to talk about or when they have they have wanted to do it either anonymously or have their names changed.
Don’t remember the exact quote but there is a quote that basically says, ‘truth is not only stranger than fiction, but strange than fiction can ever be’. I agree with hall442 that most these people who have made the negative comments would try to explain away anything out-of-the-ordinary that would happen to them. I would like to add that those who didn’t try to explain it away would suddenly be hit with an attack of amnesia.
Thanks for the input, Morris. There are a lot of other aspects of the story that make it very difficult to believe that it was simply a hoax. For anyone who is wondering about it, I’d recommend reading the book. If anything, it’s an entertaining read whether you buy into the truthfulness of the story or not. I’d also check out the YouTube video of Colm Kelleher and George Knapp on Coast to Coast with George Noory. They’re both very well respected in their fields and highly qualified and experienced, and both have had careers that have not focused on the paranormal – i.e., they’re not guys who make a living trying to “prove” that ghosts and UFOs exist. Kelleher is a real scientist with a PhD, and Knapp is an award-winning journalist who, until he did the story on Bob Lazar and Area 51, was a mainstream news guy that covered regular, non-paranormal news stories. The “Gormans” also seemed bent on avoiding publicity and haven’t even used their real last name. I don’t know. It could be big lie or hoax, but if it is not, then we have to contemplate the idea that our understanding of reality is very incomplete.
the question is this do werewolves exist do kenites exist how the remains of giants
do they exist how reptoids and dulcey nm where there is supposed to exist a race of reptiles of reptoids or called nordic type of giants who have scales like a lizard but from all accounts they do exist and are in league with the new world order or what about the metamorphs who are the bush family and the queen of england are of this branch and they are probley are the ones the movie V is about get in touch with jonathan gray or grey he has web site about creatures like this are world is far older than this and that evolution is a lie from the start
and that they wish to destroy the seed of adam