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[Josh Gates] On this episode
of Expedition X...
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[Phil] Oh, God,
this is a graveyard.
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[Josh] Jess and Phil journey
to America's heartland...
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-[Jess] Oh, check this out. Jawbone.
-[Phil] Skull. Another one.
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[Josh] ...to investigate
reports of a winged creature
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that began terrorizing the
area over a century ago.
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He actually fires
at the creature.
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[gunshot]
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[Josh] Now, residents around
Van Meter, Iowa,
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are claiming the beast
is real and and it's back.
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-It was flying. Had a real strange
long body -[Jess] Mmm-hmm.
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[Mike] ...and a face that
looked more like a reptile.
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It looked directly at us.
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[shushing]
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[Jess whispering] Did you hear
all that rustling? Right over there.
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- [Phil] Ohh!
- [Jess] Careful, careful!
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Holy [bleep].
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[Josh] And when the
evidence leads underground...
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- Oh, boy!
- [Jess gasps]
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- Look at that.
- [exclaiming]
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[Josh] ...the team digs
for the truth behind...
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[Jess] Get the cameras in!
Get the cameras in!
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[Josh]
the Van Meter monster.
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My name is Josh Gates.
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In my travels, I've experienced
strange things that defy logic
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and made me question everything.
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Oh, my God.
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Now, I've put together a team
to investigate
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the stranger side
of the unknown.
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Let's go.
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Phil Torres is a scientist
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who hunts
for rational explanations.
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[Jess speaking]
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[Josh] Jessica Chobot's
paranormal research
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has made her a true believer.
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[Josh] Together
we're searching for answers...
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[Phil] What is that?
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[Josh] ...to the world's
most extraordinary mysteries.
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This is Expedition X.
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When I say the name Van
Meter, Iowa, what do you think of?
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I have nothing.
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- Nothing.
- [Josh] What?
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Not even you, with your
encyclopedic knowledge of weirdness,
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knows about this story?
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This is, like,
one of the most vivid
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and corroborated
crypted sightings of all time.
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First of all, Josh, Jess and I
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clearly studied
very different encyclopedias.
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But secondly,
what are we talking about?
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We're talking about
a flying creature,
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and the origin story
for this is a doozy.
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It started
with this mass sighting
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when practically
the entire town of Van Meter
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had a very close encounter with
something that they couldn't explain.
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Something that has become
known as the Van Meter monster.
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1903, Van Meter, Iowa.
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Sitting along
the idyllic Raccoon River,
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this small coal mining town
becomes the battleground for a war
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between its residents and something
that to this day remains unexplained.
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Local newspapers report
that Van Meter
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becomes besieged
for nearly a week
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by a giant flying bat-like
creature.
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Night after night, it is said
to terrorize the town folk
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with its deafening screech.
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[screeching]
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The community rallies together
to bring the monster down...
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but their bullets seemed to
have no effect on the beast.
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In the days that follow,
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several of the town's
most prominent citizens,
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including a banker, a doctor
and several business owners,
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all put their reputations
on the line by going on record
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with their extraordinary
experiences.
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On the final night
of the ordeal,
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the creature reportedly retreats
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into a nearby
abandoned coal mine.
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The posse quickly seals the
entrance, trapping it inside.
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Despite the story
becoming national news,
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in time, it fades to legend.
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Now, nearly 120 years
after that week of terror,
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recent sightings in
and around Van Meter
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are terrifying
a new generation of witnesses,
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who all describe seeing something
large and black with bat-like wings...
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triggering a groundswell of
interest in the original case.
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What really happened in 1903?
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And are the recent sightings
the key to solving the mystery
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of the Van Meter monster?
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This is so up your alley.
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- Jess.
- I can't believe I've never heard of this.
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- It's amazing.
- [Jess] It's pretty cool.
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I mean, the fact that this
whole town saw this thing,
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I mean, mass sightings
are incredibly rare.
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And now that we're getting
more reports in modern day
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that match up
with the previous reports,
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that's kind of next level.
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Phil...
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- I just... It's odd for me.
- Come on.
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It's night time. Something
like a bat flies at you,
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- you get scared--
- A bat?
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Phil, did you zone out during
the package that I just prepared?
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[Jess chuckles]
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The bottom line is
we need to focus
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on what real animal, people could
have been seeing and still seeing today
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from the known natural world?
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Exactly.
The known natural world.
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It expands all the time.
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Biologists are constantly
finding new animals out there.
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Not ten-foot-tall ones.
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Okay, all right. I don't want
this to come to blows.
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We're not going to
settle this here.
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Your mission is to go to Iowa,
talk to these eye witnesses,
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figure out
what they actually saw.
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Is this some sort of
misidentification? Phil.
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Or is this some sort of
unknown species? Jess.
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That's what
you've got to figure out.
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And I think you have to
investigate the original 1903 sighting.
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Separate fact from fiction.
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If you could do that, you might
just be able to solve the entire case.
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- Okay.
- All right.
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All right?
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- I've even got a cab waiting to take you to the airport.
- Really?
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- Yeah.
- Right now?
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Right now. Yeah. The Van Meter
is running.
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- Oh, my God!
- What! I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
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There's no cab.
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Wait, you didn't get us a cab?
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No, it just for the joke.
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Have a good trip.
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[Josh] Phil and Jess fly
from New York City
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to Iowa's capitol Des Moines.
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Then they drive east
toward Iowa City.
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[screeching]
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All right, so what you know
about Iowa?
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That for every person,
there are eight pigs.
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What? Eight to one ratio
of pig to people?
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It's the pig and corn capital
of the United States.
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There you go.
I hope you like bacon.
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- I do like bacon.
- I love bacon.
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Iowa's got a lot going for it,
in my opinion.
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Well, we got a farm
to the right, farm to left,
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- but I'm not seeing...
- What?
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any the giants, winged
creatures flying around.
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[Jess] Well, we're about
to meet some people who have.
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We arrive
at Terry Trueblood Park,
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where Josh has arranged for us to
meet Joey Perales and Tia Stauffer.
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They say they would have never believed
in something like the Van Meter monster
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until their terrifying encounter
with a large winged creature.
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We saw it right here, but
the grass was a lot taller.
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- And how close were you to where it was standing?
- Right on the path.
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- You guys were close.
- [both] Very close.
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[Joey] We were coming down to
watch the stars on a clear night.
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We're walking down this path.
There's no one out here.
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We heard rustling
in the grass...
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[Tia] Then it got
progressively louder.
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And that's when we thought...
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- bat-like but gigantic.
- [Joey] Bat-like wings.
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It looked directly at us,
so we started running.
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It was parallel with us.
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We made it to the car.
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We look back, and the
second time, and it was gone.
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I know you guys were
ready to ditch,
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but were you able to glean
any kind of details from it?
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It was tall, like, seven...
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Significantly taller than him.
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Significantly. Like,
we were looking up at it.
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It had, like, tucked in wings.
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Aside from the rustling
around in the grass,
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- did it make any other noises?
- [Joey] Besides the grass, no.
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[Phil] Any color?
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Black. The head was
almost like a bird head,
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like, a longer beak-snout
kinda thing.
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I have to say,
if you see a beak-snout,
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birdlike head...
wasn't a bird?
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Biggest bird I've ever seen.
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I don't think I know a bird
with a head that size.
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I mean, I worked at a zoo, I've done
a lot of, like, biology research, too.
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And there's no--
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I can't think of an animal
this thing looks like.
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- You said you worked at a zoo?
- Mmm-hmm.
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- So you've been around all sorts of exotic animals.
- All sorts.
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I did lots of
animal observation.
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I've had to create all sorts of
fact sheets on, like, animal biology.
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And it just...
I can't say I've ever seen
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anything that's even close
to what I saw.
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- I'm just trying to picture this thing...
- You could show him.
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- I have the tattoo.
- You got a tattoo?
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I got a tattoo of it.
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[Phil] So bird-like head,
big, pointy shoulders.
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- They were that pointy, that tall?
- [Joey] Yeah.
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[Jess] And did the wings look
leathery like a bat like that?
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Yeah. I just wanted to, like,
recount my experience.
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Never forget it.
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[Joey] Never forget it.
Never forget.
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[Jess]
Whatever Tia and Joey saw,
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it made a lasting impression
on both of them.
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And their encounter
was not far from Van Meter,
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the birthplace of the legend.
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- Look at this place!
- Oh, it's so quaint and small and awesome.
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It's like we've just
gone back in time.
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[Josh]
The town of Van Meter
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dates back to 1869,
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and not much has changed.
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There's one main street,
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and nearby lie
the remnants of Van Meter's
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coal mining
and brick manufacturing past.
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I've arranged for Phil
and Jess to meet Chad Lewis.
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Chad is a researcher
who studies the relationship
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between people's
fears and beliefs.
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- Hi.
- Chad.
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00:09:38,712 --> 00:09:40,245
Good to see you.
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[Josh Gates] He's written several
books including an in-depth examination
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of what happened here
in the fall of 1903.
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[Phil Torres] So, Chad, what
got you interested in this mystery?
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00:09:50,123 --> 00:09:54,492
I had done several books on odd
newspaper stories from the 18-1900s.
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Came down here
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and, originally, I thought it
was going to be very quick stop.
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Had to be a hoax.
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And the beauty of this town is
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it hasn't changed in
100 and some years.
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This, right here, is the spot
of the week of terror.
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First night, a local implement dealer
was coming back about 1:00 a.m.
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Something flew
across the street.
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And then disappears.
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[Phil] And what happened
night two?
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A local doctor was sleeping
behind his office.
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00:10:22,723 --> 00:10:24,923
Something or someone
woke him up.
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00:10:24,925 --> 00:10:26,324
So he grabs his weapon
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then he starts
looking out the window
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and he sees this great form
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of some monster-creature
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but he can't make out
the details but it's huge.
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00:10:34,001 --> 00:10:35,967
He actually fires
at the creature.
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00:10:35,969 --> 00:10:36,768
[gun fires]
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But it has no effect.
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[Phil] According to
newspaper reports,
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two nights later, the town's
hardware store owner
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00:10:44,311 --> 00:10:45,910
also shoots at the beast.
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00:10:45,912 --> 00:10:47,145
[gun fires]
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But it doesn't seem
to make any impact.
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[Chad Lewis] Well,
now the town's on high alert.
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00:10:52,852 --> 00:10:54,853
And out at the brick
and tile factory
241
00:10:54,855 --> 00:10:56,588
right next to
the abandoned coal mine,
242
00:10:56,590 --> 00:10:59,924
the plant manager's been hearing
weird noises for several nights.
243
00:10:59,926 --> 00:11:02,794
He finally gets
the courage to walk over
244
00:11:02,796 --> 00:11:06,498
about 200 yards to the old
abandoned coal mine
245
00:11:06,500 --> 00:11:07,799
and he sees this creature
246
00:11:07,801 --> 00:11:10,001
descending into
the old abandoned coal mine.
247
00:11:10,003 --> 00:11:12,570
And the town quickly
boarded it up.
248
00:11:12,572 --> 00:11:14,839
That's where the story ends.
249
00:11:14,841 --> 00:11:17,175
Nobody's ever gone out there
to try and dig it up?
250
00:11:17,177 --> 00:11:19,911
It's been boarded up
since the last sighting.
251
00:11:19,913 --> 00:11:21,179
Nobody's touched it.
252
00:11:21,181 --> 00:11:24,149
The coal mine today you
wouldn't know you were on top of it.
253
00:11:24,583 --> 00:11:27,018
[Jessica Chobot]
If the 1903 story is true
254
00:11:27,020 --> 00:11:30,422
and the townspeople trapped
whatever this thing was inside that mine
255
00:11:30,424 --> 00:11:32,857
by blocking the entrance,
256
00:11:32,859 --> 00:11:36,227
then it's possible there are
physical remains left behind.
257
00:11:36,229 --> 00:11:37,729
And what about
the recent sightings?
258
00:11:37,731 --> 00:11:40,632
Chad tells us that
just like back in 1903
259
00:11:40,634 --> 00:11:42,734
there have been several
reported encounters
260
00:11:42,736 --> 00:11:44,703
around the abandoned
brick factory.
261
00:11:44,705 --> 00:11:46,938
Well, I'll tell you what,
we would love to
262
00:11:46,940 --> 00:11:48,840
be able to check out
the old brick factory.
263
00:11:48,842 --> 00:11:49,974
Yeah, I know the owner.
264
00:11:49,976 --> 00:11:51,643
[Jessica] You mind
giving your friend a call?
265
00:11:51,645 --> 00:11:53,311
[Chad] Yeah,
I'll do that right now.
266
00:11:54,513 --> 00:11:56,114
[Jessica]
As the sun begins to set,
267
00:11:56,116 --> 00:11:58,450
we get word the property owner
has given us permission
268
00:11:58,452 --> 00:12:00,885
to check out the old factory.
269
00:12:00,887 --> 00:12:04,489
This abandoned complex next
to a thick forest and a stream
270
00:12:04,491 --> 00:12:07,492
would make a great hidden
shelter for a large creature.
271
00:12:11,063 --> 00:12:13,865
[Phil] Most of the alleged
sightings happened at night
272
00:12:13,867 --> 00:12:16,501
so this is the best time
to investigate.
273
00:12:17,269 --> 00:12:19,070
[Jessica] This whole
thing's collapsed.
274
00:12:20,106 --> 00:12:22,774
I can't really tell if we're
on the outside of the building
275
00:12:22,776 --> 00:12:24,409
or on the old inside
of the building.
276
00:12:26,011 --> 00:12:26,778
Perfect place to hide
277
00:12:26,780 --> 00:12:28,913
and nobody would see you.
278
00:12:28,915 --> 00:12:32,751
[Phil] First, we wanna search
the old factory's main office building
279
00:12:32,753 --> 00:12:34,953
or at least what's left of it.
280
00:12:35,187 --> 00:12:36,421
[Jessica]
Well, check this out.
281
00:12:36,423 --> 00:12:38,089
That's where in 1903,
282
00:12:38,091 --> 00:12:41,059
the manager of the brickyard
said he heard strange noises
283
00:12:41,061 --> 00:12:43,194
coming from
the nearby coal mine.
284
00:12:44,697 --> 00:12:46,164
- Here we go.
- [Phil] Oh, God.
285
00:12:46,166 --> 00:12:48,333
[suspenseful music playing]
286
00:12:53,038 --> 00:12:54,973
[birds chirping]
287
00:12:54,975 --> 00:12:56,775
[Phil] This is full of
barn swallows.
288
00:12:56,777 --> 00:12:58,409
[chirping]
289
00:13:02,314 --> 00:13:04,115
- [Jessica] Oh, Jesus!
- [Phil] Oh!
290
00:13:09,121 --> 00:13:10,955
[Phil] This is full of
barn swallows.
291
00:13:10,957 --> 00:13:12,390
[chirping]
292
00:13:14,126 --> 00:13:15,827
- [Jessica] Oh, Jesus!
- [Phil] Oh!
293
00:13:15,861 --> 00:13:18,129
A bat.
294
00:13:18,131 --> 00:13:19,831
He's the calmest one
out of all of 'em.
295
00:13:19,833 --> 00:13:21,633
[whispering] Definitely is.
296
00:13:21,635 --> 00:13:23,434
[Jessica] Oh, hey, look.
There's an upstairs.
297
00:13:29,642 --> 00:13:31,876
Looks like the floor's
somewhat intact.
298
00:13:31,878 --> 00:13:33,845
It's all covered in hay
so I can't really tell
299
00:13:33,847 --> 00:13:35,413
if there's holes
in the wood or not.
300
00:13:37,082 --> 00:13:39,250
[Phil] Oh, yeah.
Look at that right there.
301
00:13:47,927 --> 00:13:49,093
[whispering] Careful
where you're stepping.
302
00:13:49,095 --> 00:13:50,495
Yeah.
303
00:13:50,497 --> 00:13:53,131
Oh, what is that pile
back there?
304
00:13:53,966 --> 00:13:55,600
Look we got bone here.
305
00:13:55,602 --> 00:13:56,835
Another bone there.
306
00:13:56,837 --> 00:13:59,270
So what do you think that this,
whatever's living up here
307
00:13:59,272 --> 00:14:01,472
is using this
as like a nest home.
308
00:14:01,474 --> 00:14:03,007
Something like that.
309
00:14:03,009 --> 00:14:04,609
It's clearly eating up here
310
00:14:04,611 --> 00:14:06,744
and dropping up here.
311
00:14:06,746 --> 00:14:09,848
There's tens of pounds
of feces up here.
312
00:14:09,850 --> 00:14:12,717
[Jessica] Yeah. This doesn't
look like bird poo to me.
313
00:14:12,719 --> 00:14:14,052
This is big scat.
That's gotta be a big animal.
314
00:14:14,054 --> 00:14:15,720
[Jessica] Could it be coyote?
315
00:14:15,722 --> 00:14:17,155
[Phil] This doesn't really
look like coyote poop.
316
00:14:17,157 --> 00:14:18,723
It's usually
a little more tapered.
317
00:14:18,725 --> 00:14:20,692
And I just don't see
how a coyote
318
00:14:20,694 --> 00:14:23,294
could take the stairs every
single day to get up here.
319
00:14:24,930 --> 00:14:26,965
Let's keep going,
I'm gonna take some photos.
320
00:14:26,967 --> 00:14:28,299
[camera shutter clicking]
321
00:14:33,072 --> 00:14:35,840
Oh, dead animal.
322
00:14:35,842 --> 00:14:38,710
This... Why are so many
dead things up here?
323
00:14:38,712 --> 00:14:40,879
[Jessica] Dead animals.
Something was eating up here.
324
00:14:40,881 --> 00:14:42,780
[Phil] We can definitely know
this thing's getting used
325
00:14:42,782 --> 00:14:45,083
heavily by some things.
326
00:14:45,085 --> 00:14:46,718
Whatever is using this space is
327
00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:48,419
is big enough to carry
prey the size of
328
00:14:48,421 --> 00:14:50,889
- rabbits and possums.
- Yeah.
329
00:14:50,891 --> 00:14:52,957
Why don't we bust out
the trail cam?
330
00:14:52,959 --> 00:14:54,626
Do you wanna try
putting it right there
331
00:14:54,660 --> 00:14:55,827
so that it covers the stairs
332
00:14:55,829 --> 00:14:57,896
and kind of just anything
that might come up here?
333
00:14:57,898 --> 00:14:59,831
That's a good idea. If there's
something crawling up here
334
00:14:59,833 --> 00:15:00,732
it has to take the stairs.
335
00:15:00,734 --> 00:15:02,066
If something's flying in here
336
00:15:02,068 --> 00:15:05,003
- we'll be able to catch it flying in one of these ways.
- Yeah.
337
00:15:08,908 --> 00:15:11,042
All right, Jess,
let's get out of here.
338
00:15:15,748 --> 00:15:17,115
[Jessica]
The factory building,
339
00:15:17,117 --> 00:15:19,017
I think that thing was huge.
340
00:15:19,019 --> 00:15:21,019
There's just so many walls
that fell down.
341
00:15:21,021 --> 00:15:22,720
It's all crumbled.
342
00:15:24,890 --> 00:15:28,259
[Phil] We also set up multiple cameras
around the perimeter of the brickyard.
343
00:15:28,261 --> 00:15:30,962
You wanna put one right here
so it's facing the main entrance?
344
00:15:30,964 --> 00:15:32,463
[Phil] All right.
345
00:15:35,768 --> 00:15:39,070
If something crosses we'll get
a notification on my phone.
346
00:15:43,776 --> 00:15:46,744
[Phil] We decide to cover
more ground by splitting up.
347
00:15:46,746 --> 00:15:50,114
Any animal out here is
going to need water to drink
348
00:15:50,116 --> 00:15:53,484
so I head toward the large
stream at the edge of the lot.
349
00:15:58,057 --> 00:15:59,324
I hear water.
350
00:16:02,728 --> 00:16:04,696
[whispering] Right here
it gets pretty thick forest.
351
00:16:04,698 --> 00:16:07,131
So I'm gonna get out
the FLIR camera.
352
00:16:07,133 --> 00:16:10,101
So it'll pick up any heat signatures
of anything moving in here.
353
00:16:11,971 --> 00:16:13,338
[rustling]
354
00:16:15,140 --> 00:16:17,308
[suspenseful music playing]
355
00:16:21,981 --> 00:16:23,081
Look at this.
356
00:16:23,083 --> 00:16:26,184
There's something
in the tree up there.
357
00:16:26,186 --> 00:16:28,486
Oh, we definitely have a
hotspot right there.
358
00:16:29,955 --> 00:16:31,389
Seems like it's moving.
359
00:16:33,759 --> 00:16:36,160
That is not a small animal.
360
00:16:39,798 --> 00:16:42,000
I lost it. I don't see it.
361
00:16:45,838 --> 00:16:48,773
Whatever it picked up up here
has definitely moved on.
362
00:16:48,775 --> 00:16:50,508
Let me try to set up
a camera trap.
363
00:16:50,510 --> 00:16:52,510
I think we have a really
high chance of picking up
364
00:16:52,512 --> 00:16:55,346
of the wildlife
coming up this tree.
365
00:17:01,453 --> 00:17:03,855
[Jessica] While Phil
checks out the stream,
366
00:17:03,857 --> 00:17:06,624
I focus on the area around
the abandoned buildings.
367
00:17:06,626 --> 00:17:08,026
I'm searching for any evidence
368
00:17:08,028 --> 00:17:11,362
that might help identify
what creature is living here.
369
00:17:12,231 --> 00:17:16,167
Whoa. It's just wires,
storage, some more nests.
370
00:17:18,971 --> 00:17:21,005
Let's check the back.
371
00:17:22,975 --> 00:17:25,109
Oh, look at this. Come here.
Come here. Come here.
372
00:17:25,111 --> 00:17:27,045
[whispering] Look you can tell
it got ripped out
373
00:17:27,047 --> 00:17:28,713
because all the hairs
on the bottom half,
374
00:17:28,715 --> 00:17:31,049
like the roots
still attached to it.
375
00:17:31,051 --> 00:17:35,753
Could be anything.
Cow, coyote, monster.
376
00:17:35,755 --> 00:17:37,255
Let me take a picture
of this for Phil.
377
00:17:37,257 --> 00:17:38,523
[camera shutter clicks]
378
00:17:39,925 --> 00:17:43,094
And then, I'll also collect a
sample so we can test any DNA.
379
00:17:44,663 --> 00:17:46,397
[Phil speaking]
380
00:17:48,667 --> 00:17:51,169
Witnesses have described
a bat-like creature
381
00:17:51,171 --> 00:17:55,273
so I brought along some bat-tech
that would even impress Bruce Wayne.
382
00:17:55,908 --> 00:17:58,476
Bat's navigate by echolocation
383
00:17:58,478 --> 00:18:00,945
which means they vocalize
a high-pitched noise,
384
00:18:00,947 --> 00:18:03,448
then pick up the sound waves
as they bounce back
385
00:18:03,450 --> 00:18:05,183
off objects in the environment.
386
00:18:05,185 --> 00:18:08,820
Those sounds are beyond
the range of the human ear.
387
00:18:08,822 --> 00:18:10,054
But the Echo Meter Touch 2 PRO
388
00:18:10,056 --> 00:18:12,857
is designed to record
those bat sounds
389
00:18:12,859 --> 00:18:14,926
and identify
the specific species
390
00:18:14,928 --> 00:18:16,461
all in real time.
391
00:18:21,733 --> 00:18:23,668
[echo meter chirping]
392
00:18:23,670 --> 00:18:26,370
I just got my first bat hit.
It was a hoary bat.
393
00:18:28,006 --> 00:18:29,974
We're getting hits
on the bats but
394
00:18:29,976 --> 00:18:33,845
the wingspan's probably
only about this big.
395
00:18:33,847 --> 00:18:37,482
The only action I'm getting
here are relatively small bats.
396
00:18:40,752 --> 00:18:42,987
I'm not entirely ruling out bats
397
00:18:42,989 --> 00:18:45,990
but I'm also thinking there
could be large raptors in this spot
398
00:18:45,992 --> 00:18:48,626
like vultures, eagles or owls.
399
00:18:48,628 --> 00:18:50,828
But eagles and vultures
aren't nocturnal
400
00:18:50,830 --> 00:18:54,098
and owls have round
flat faces that don't match
401
00:18:54,100 --> 00:18:56,000
the descriptions we've heard
of the creature.
402
00:18:56,002 --> 00:18:59,070
So far, nothing really adds up.
403
00:19:02,774 --> 00:19:04,842
[Jessica] Let's see if I can
zoom in a little bit more.
404
00:19:04,844 --> 00:19:07,512
[gasps] I just got a hit
on one of the cams.
405
00:19:07,514 --> 00:19:09,747
[over radio] It's the cam
by the brickyard.
406
00:19:09,749 --> 00:19:10,815
-[Phil over radio] Meet you over there.
-Let's go.
407
00:19:10,817 --> 00:19:14,118
[dramatic music playing]
408
00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:15,920
-[Phil] What you got there?
-[Jessica] Check it out. Check it out.
409
00:19:15,922 --> 00:19:17,955
Look at this.
410
00:19:18,857 --> 00:19:21,726
Look at that. See it's dropping
and it's kinda flying away?
411
00:19:21,728 --> 00:19:23,161
- What the hell is that?
- Look at all the bricks.
412
00:19:23,163 --> 00:19:25,663
So that's that camera over there,
that first building that we went to.
413
00:19:25,665 --> 00:19:28,099
- [Phil] All right, let's go.
- [Jessica] Let's go.
414
00:19:29,501 --> 00:19:32,270
- [Phil] You see the camera?
- [Jessica] That camera's right there. It looks okay.
415
00:19:32,671 --> 00:19:35,506
We got cameras set up here
416
00:19:35,508 --> 00:19:38,276
- in the barn, down by
the river-- - [shushes]
417
00:19:39,811 --> 00:19:41,345
Did you hear all that rustling?
418
00:19:43,348 --> 00:19:44,949
Right over there.
419
00:19:44,951 --> 00:19:47,018
[Phil] It sounds like it's on
the other side of this wall.
420
00:19:50,556 --> 00:19:52,823
[grunts]
421
00:19:52,825 --> 00:19:54,358
[Jessica] Be careful
'cause that's all loose.
422
00:19:57,229 --> 00:19:58,362
[Phil] Oh, God.
423
00:19:58,931 --> 00:19:59,997
What? What? What?
424
00:20:00,032 --> 00:20:02,066
-[Phil] Dead animal. Another one.
-Another one?
425
00:20:02,068 --> 00:20:04,769
[Phil] Maybe two. Looks like
a dead fox or something.
426
00:20:04,771 --> 00:20:07,338
Like something's
been eating up here.
427
00:20:07,340 --> 00:20:09,440
All right. I'm gonna try
to get a closer look.
428
00:20:10,142 --> 00:20:11,909
[grunting]
429
00:20:11,911 --> 00:20:12,810
[Jessica yells] Careful.
Careful! Careful!
430
00:20:12,812 --> 00:20:14,312
[thuds]
431
00:20:17,783 --> 00:20:19,951
[Phil] Looks like something's
been eating up here.
432
00:20:20,953 --> 00:20:23,287
All right. I'm gonna try
to get a closer look.
433
00:20:24,323 --> 00:20:26,490
-[grunting] -[Jessica]
Careful. Careful! Careful!
434
00:20:26,492 --> 00:20:27,658
[thuds]
435
00:20:27,660 --> 00:20:30,928
- Crazy.
- [Phil] Holy [bleep]!
436
00:20:30,930 --> 00:20:32,964
[Jessica] While climbing
over the crumbling wall,
437
00:20:32,966 --> 00:20:35,366
our cameraman, Ryan,
falls onto his shoulder.
438
00:20:35,968 --> 00:20:37,735
[Ryan groans]
439
00:20:37,737 --> 00:20:38,769
[man speaking]
440
00:20:38,771 --> 00:20:40,972
- A little bit.
- Let me see.
441
00:20:40,974 --> 00:20:43,007
All right. I feel it.
Look at that.
442
00:20:43,009 --> 00:20:44,141
[Jessica] You popped
your shoulder?
443
00:20:44,143 --> 00:20:44,942
[Ryan groans]
444
00:20:44,944 --> 00:20:46,744
Oh, [bleep].
445
00:20:46,746 --> 00:20:49,013
- Oh.
- Seems like it's a little dislocated right now.
446
00:20:49,015 --> 00:20:50,514
You want to try to pull it back?
447
00:20:50,516 --> 00:20:51,949
- [Jessica] What?
- Push it back in?
448
00:20:51,951 --> 00:20:54,051
- Yeah.
- Have you done that for somebody before?
449
00:20:54,053 --> 00:20:56,053
I've seen it done
for somebody before.
450
00:20:56,055 --> 00:20:57,021
Well, I've seen it done, too,
on Karate Kid,
451
00:20:57,023 --> 00:20:59,123
but I'm not gonna [bleep]
do it to somebody.
452
00:21:00,892 --> 00:21:02,226
I'll just lay down
and you keep our light on.
453
00:21:02,228 --> 00:21:04,061
[Phil] Lay down.
454
00:21:07,199 --> 00:21:08,399
- Okay, you ready?
- Yeah.
455
00:21:09,101 --> 00:21:11,235
One, two, three.
456
00:21:12,437 --> 00:21:13,371
[Jessica] No!
457
00:21:13,972 --> 00:21:15,072
[shoulder pops]
458
00:21:15,074 --> 00:21:16,207
[Ryan] There it went.
459
00:21:16,308 --> 00:21:17,408
[groans]
460
00:21:20,979 --> 00:21:22,280
[Phil] How's it feeling?
461
00:21:22,282 --> 00:21:23,381
[Ryan] I feel better.
462
00:21:23,949 --> 00:21:24,882
[grunts]
463
00:21:24,916 --> 00:21:26,617
I'm good.
464
00:21:26,619 --> 00:21:28,886
[Jessica] Ryan says he's okay,
but he shouldn't lug around
465
00:21:28,888 --> 00:21:31,088
that heavy camera rig
on his shoulder.
466
00:21:31,090 --> 00:21:33,190
Plus, all this commotion
has likely scared off
467
00:21:33,192 --> 00:21:35,426
any wildlife in the area.
468
00:21:35,428 --> 00:21:37,762
It's time to call it a night.
469
00:21:37,764 --> 00:21:41,032
There's definitely something
preying on animals here.
470
00:21:41,034 --> 00:21:42,099
We'll leave
our trail cams running
471
00:21:42,101 --> 00:21:44,502
so we can capture a shot
of whatever it is.
472
00:21:47,739 --> 00:21:49,307
According to historical records,
473
00:21:49,309 --> 00:21:50,741
the brick factory is just
474
00:21:50,743 --> 00:21:52,810
a stone's throw away
from the old coal mine
475
00:21:52,812 --> 00:21:54,512
where, back in 1903,
476
00:21:54,514 --> 00:21:56,480
the townsfolk supposedly trapped
477
00:21:56,482 --> 00:21:59,650
and then buried
the Van Meter monster.
478
00:21:59,652 --> 00:22:01,719
Now, the current landowner
has given us permission
479
00:22:01,721 --> 00:22:04,121
to be the first
to access the mine.
480
00:22:04,123 --> 00:22:07,825
If we can find it hidden under
more than a century of dirt,
481
00:22:07,827 --> 00:22:09,293
we're going to need some help.
482
00:22:09,961 --> 00:22:11,729
- Hey, guys!
- Oh, hey, Josh.
483
00:22:11,731 --> 00:22:12,697
Hey, Josh. How you doing?
484
00:22:12,699 --> 00:22:14,065
I'm good. Have you figured out
485
00:22:14,067 --> 00:22:16,067
what's terrorizing
the skies over Iowa?
486
00:22:16,069 --> 00:22:18,969
Not yet, but, oh, my God.
487
00:22:18,971 --> 00:22:22,139
The story of the Van Meter
monster is next level.
488
00:22:22,141 --> 00:22:24,709
Yeah, that 1903 encounter is
489
00:22:24,711 --> 00:22:26,143
an insane story.
490
00:22:26,145 --> 00:22:27,945
So what's happening there now?
491
00:22:27,947 --> 00:22:30,614
Well, we did investigate
the old brick factory,
492
00:22:30,616 --> 00:22:32,750
and we actually found
a lot of stuff.
493
00:22:32,752 --> 00:22:35,886
- We found scat.
- Found dead animals everywhere.
494
00:22:35,888 --> 00:22:37,988
- Chunks of fur.
- [Jessica] And then we ended up
495
00:22:37,990 --> 00:22:39,724
setting up some trail cams.
496
00:22:39,726 --> 00:22:40,958
And we actually got a hit.
497
00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:42,693
It looks kind of like,
I don't know,
498
00:22:42,695 --> 00:22:44,028
- like a wing.
- Wing-ish.
499
00:22:44,030 --> 00:22:46,497
Wow. Okay, well,
send it all to me.
500
00:22:46,499 --> 00:22:48,065
The fur. The [bleep].
All of it.
501
00:22:48,067 --> 00:22:49,967
I'll make sure it gets analyzed.
502
00:22:49,969 --> 00:22:52,536
In the meantime, what's
going on with that mine?
503
00:22:52,538 --> 00:22:53,804
Any luck with getting in there?
504
00:22:53,806 --> 00:22:55,940
[Jessica] Yes. We got
permission from the owner
505
00:22:55,942 --> 00:22:57,975
to come on his property
and look for it.
506
00:22:57,977 --> 00:22:59,910
The problem is,
we don't know where it is,
507
00:22:59,912 --> 00:23:01,946
and it's probably all covered up
508
00:23:01,948 --> 00:23:03,914
according to the history,
and who knows what's in there.
509
00:23:03,916 --> 00:23:05,649
- Yeah.
- [Josh] All right.
510
00:23:05,651 --> 00:23:07,985
It sounds like the first
challenge is just finding this place,
511
00:23:07,987 --> 00:23:10,988
and then excavating
old mines is no joke.
512
00:23:10,990 --> 00:23:12,823
I mean, real risks of cave ins,
513
00:23:12,825 --> 00:23:15,326
collapses, toxic gases,
you name it.
514
00:23:15,328 --> 00:23:17,962
So, I know a geologist
in Des Moines.
515
00:23:17,964 --> 00:23:21,065
Let me call him. Maybe he
can help you pinpoint this place
516
00:23:21,067 --> 00:23:23,701
and then, hopefully,
help you explore it safely.
517
00:23:23,703 --> 00:23:25,069
- Cool. Works for me.
- Amazing.
518
00:23:25,071 --> 00:23:27,805
Oh, and I've got another
new lead for you as well.
519
00:23:27,807 --> 00:23:30,674
I was able to track down
a recent eyewitness
520
00:23:30,676 --> 00:23:33,778
who had an experience in
a place called Colfax, Iowa,
521
00:23:33,780 --> 00:23:36,247
which is less than 40 miles
from Van Meter.
522
00:23:36,249 --> 00:23:38,582
Awesome. Okay.
Well, I'll go talk to him.
523
00:23:38,584 --> 00:23:39,483
All right. Good luck.
524
00:23:39,485 --> 00:23:41,452
And don't get eaten
by a flying monster.
525
00:23:41,454 --> 00:23:43,287
- See you, Josh.
- Bye!
526
00:23:47,893 --> 00:23:50,494
[Phil] While Jess heads out to
talk with our new eyewitness,
527
00:23:50,496 --> 00:23:52,163
I meet up with John Jungman,
528
00:23:52,165 --> 00:23:54,031
the third generation
owner of the property
529
00:23:54,033 --> 00:23:57,735
that housed a coal mining
operation in the late 1800s.
530
00:23:57,737 --> 00:23:59,904
That mine is now supposedly
531
00:23:59,906 --> 00:24:02,606
the unmarked grave of
the Van Meter monster.
532
00:24:02,608 --> 00:24:03,908
For the first time ever,
533
00:24:03,910 --> 00:24:05,843
he's allowing
an excavation operation
534
00:24:05,845 --> 00:24:07,978
to search for the entrance
to the mine.
535
00:24:07,980 --> 00:24:10,214
I would say it's in
this area right here.
536
00:24:10,216 --> 00:24:12,082
[Phil] Hopefully,
we can find it.
537
00:24:12,651 --> 00:24:13,784
There he is right now.
538
00:24:13,786 --> 00:24:16,754
Josh's geologist
contact is Ryan Clark.
539
00:24:16,756 --> 00:24:18,989
He works with
the Iowa Geological Survey
540
00:24:18,991 --> 00:24:22,726
and has spent years studying
the state's coal mining past.
541
00:24:22,728 --> 00:24:24,929
- Thanks for coming out.
- All right, thanks for having me.
542
00:24:24,931 --> 00:24:27,164
[Phil] He can help us
pinpoint where to dig
543
00:24:27,166 --> 00:24:30,100
so we don't make Swiss cheese
out of John's land.
544
00:24:30,102 --> 00:24:31,802
Do you have an idea of how wide
545
00:24:31,804 --> 00:24:33,571
the entrance would have been?
546
00:24:33,573 --> 00:24:34,939
[Ryan Clark] Probably
ten feet by ten feet.
547
00:24:34,941 --> 00:24:38,142
[exhales] So that doesn't
exactly narrow it down in this area.
548
00:24:38,144 --> 00:24:41,011
[Ryan] Yeah, but, you know,
luckily, I brought along some maps
549
00:24:41,013 --> 00:24:42,279
that we can take a look at.
550
00:24:42,881 --> 00:24:44,114
[Phil] What you got for us?
551
00:24:44,116 --> 00:24:46,517
What we've got here is,
this is a map
552
00:24:46,519 --> 00:24:48,018
that shows you really
high resolution
553
00:24:48,020 --> 00:24:49,753
land surface elevation.
554
00:24:49,755 --> 00:24:53,190
- Okay.
- Your property sits right in this area here.
555
00:24:53,192 --> 00:24:57,161
And these green symbols
are mine locations.
556
00:24:57,163 --> 00:24:58,863
[Phil] So this structure here,
557
00:24:58,865 --> 00:25:01,799
that's the abandoned
brick factory?
558
00:25:01,801 --> 00:25:02,733
[Ryan] Yep. The hills right
559
00:25:02,735 --> 00:25:04,969
kind of back behind us there.
560
00:25:04,971 --> 00:25:07,571
[Phil] Ryan's maps indicate
that the mine opening
561
00:25:07,573 --> 00:25:08,973
is close to where
we're standing,
562
00:25:08,975 --> 00:25:11,308
but there's no sign of it
from the surface.
563
00:25:11,310 --> 00:25:15,045
So, we're going to need some
heavy duty equipment to locate it.
564
00:25:15,047 --> 00:25:16,881
John, are you sure
565
00:25:16,883 --> 00:25:18,782
we can make a giant hole
on your property?
566
00:25:18,784 --> 00:25:20,818
- You're okay with this?
- Let's give it a go.
567
00:25:20,820 --> 00:25:22,520
- Let's give it a go!
- [Ryan laughs] All right.
568
00:25:23,054 --> 00:25:24,488
[Jessica] While Phil digs in,
569
00:25:24,490 --> 00:25:27,258
I'm driving to
the nearby town of Colfax.
570
00:25:27,726 --> 00:25:29,059
- Hey, Mike.
- Hey. How are you?
571
00:25:29,494 --> 00:25:32,496
[Jessica] Local minister and
avid bird watcher, Mike Evans,
572
00:25:32,498 --> 00:25:33,964
grew up in Iowa.
573
00:25:33,966 --> 00:25:36,767
He says what he saw
in the sky a few weeks ago
574
00:25:36,769 --> 00:25:39,770
was unlike any wildlife
he's ever seen here.
575
00:25:39,772 --> 00:25:41,705
I'm hoping this
new sighting will give us
576
00:25:41,707 --> 00:25:44,208
a clue about where
the creature is now.
577
00:25:45,076 --> 00:25:46,877
Tell me what happened
that night.
578
00:25:46,879 --> 00:25:48,012
[Mike Evans] I was driving
down the road
579
00:25:48,014 --> 00:25:49,980
and looked off into the distance
580
00:25:49,982 --> 00:25:53,117
and I could see the top
of the hill was flying.
581
00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,052
[Jessica] What did
this thing look like?
582
00:25:55,054 --> 00:25:57,121
[Mike] It had
a real strange, long body
583
00:25:57,123 --> 00:26:01,492
with a tail and a face that
looked more like a reptile.
584
00:26:01,494 --> 00:26:03,160
Like more pointed in the...
585
00:26:03,162 --> 00:26:04,495
Yeah, more pointed
with the snout.
586
00:26:04,497 --> 00:26:06,664
- Okay.
- It was probably six to eight foot
587
00:26:06,666 --> 00:26:08,499
and bat-like wings.
588
00:26:08,501 --> 00:26:10,134
I grew up doing
bird watching, hunting.
589
00:26:10,136 --> 00:26:12,803
You know what to look for
around here versus
590
00:26:12,805 --> 00:26:14,138
what is something
that is out of place.
591
00:26:14,140 --> 00:26:15,306
Yes, I grew up here.
592
00:26:15,308 --> 00:26:16,941
This wasn't something normal.
593
00:26:16,943 --> 00:26:18,909
So what direction
was it flying in?
594
00:26:18,911 --> 00:26:21,946
Uh, it was flying southeast,
maybe towards, like, Red Rock.
595
00:26:21,948 --> 00:26:23,714
It's a river with some bluffs.
596
00:26:23,716 --> 00:26:25,149
- Mmm-hmm.
- There's a lot of marshy area
597
00:26:25,151 --> 00:26:26,951
that something like this
could hide in.
598
00:26:26,953 --> 00:26:28,786
Okay, well, thank you so much
599
00:26:28,788 --> 00:26:29,954
- for sharing your story with me.
- Oh, yeah.
600
00:26:29,956 --> 00:26:31,922
This was super informative.
601
00:26:31,924 --> 00:26:33,958
[Phil] A little bit more!
A little more!
602
00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:34,992
Let's get digging!
603
00:26:34,994 --> 00:26:37,027
[dramatic music playing]
604
00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:43,467
Look who it is.
605
00:26:45,503 --> 00:26:46,837
[Jessica] What are you doing?
606
00:26:46,839 --> 00:26:48,672
We're digging a hole.
607
00:26:48,674 --> 00:26:51,041
- Do you want to go gear up?
- [Jessica] Yeah, I will.
608
00:26:53,144 --> 00:26:55,012
[radio chatter]
Okay hold right there.
609
00:26:56,948 --> 00:26:58,082
[Phil] Hey, Ryan!
610
00:26:58,084 --> 00:26:59,450
You mind taking a look at this?
611
00:26:59,951 --> 00:27:00,851
[Ryan] What you got?
612
00:27:00,853 --> 00:27:03,020
[Jessica] So why is this dirt
613
00:27:03,022 --> 00:27:04,922
so much darker
than everything else?
614
00:27:04,924 --> 00:27:06,790
Is that coal mixed in?
615
00:27:06,792 --> 00:27:08,792
Yeah, this looks like
it could be coal.
616
00:27:08,794 --> 00:27:09,827
- We found coal?
- Already.
617
00:27:09,829 --> 00:27:11,395
Yeah. I mean,
if you think about it,
618
00:27:11,397 --> 00:27:13,430
mining coal is kind of
a dirty business.
619
00:27:13,432 --> 00:27:15,933
And they didn't grab every
single little grain and gram of it,
620
00:27:15,935 --> 00:27:18,736
so there would've been coal
scattered all over the place.
621
00:27:18,738 --> 00:27:19,937
We got this brick layer on top,
622
00:27:19,939 --> 00:27:21,972
which happened
after the coal mine.
623
00:27:21,974 --> 00:27:23,741
This is evidence that
they're filling this in
624
00:27:23,743 --> 00:27:25,609
with whatever
they had laying around.
625
00:27:25,611 --> 00:27:27,978
One of the pieces of evidence
that we're looking for
626
00:27:27,980 --> 00:27:30,981
if this is a mine shaft
that's been filled in
627
00:27:30,983 --> 00:27:33,083
is we don't want to
see normal soil.
628
00:27:33,085 --> 00:27:35,619
We want to see evidence of junk
629
00:27:35,621 --> 00:27:37,054
that shouldn't
naturally be there.
630
00:27:37,056 --> 00:27:38,756
- [Jessica] Yeah.
- So we're on to something.
631
00:27:38,758 --> 00:27:39,990
Let's keep digging.
632
00:27:40,191 --> 00:27:42,126
[dramatic music playing]
633
00:27:48,033 --> 00:27:50,100
We're getting deep now.
634
00:27:50,735 --> 00:27:52,002
[Jessica] Did you hear
that scrape?
635
00:27:52,004 --> 00:27:54,271
- Oh!
- Oh, boy. Look at that.
636
00:27:54,273 --> 00:27:55,906
[Jessica gasps]
Get the cameras in!
637
00:27:55,908 --> 00:27:58,042
Get the cameras in!
638
00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,048
- [Jessica gasps] Holy crap!
- [Phil] Oh!
639
00:28:06,785 --> 00:28:08,318
[Jessica] Look at that plank!
640
00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,154
[Phil] Holy [bleep].
641
00:28:10,156 --> 00:28:11,055
[Jessica grunts]
642
00:28:11,057 --> 00:28:11,855
Look at that right angle.
643
00:28:11,857 --> 00:28:15,726
[exhales] That is
absolutely cut.
644
00:28:15,728 --> 00:28:18,495
[Phil] The beam is intact
but soft and crumbling,
645
00:28:18,497 --> 00:28:19,830
meaning it has likely been
646
00:28:19,832 --> 00:28:22,900
deteriorating underground
for a long time.
647
00:28:22,902 --> 00:28:24,034
Could have been part
of the framework
648
00:28:24,036 --> 00:28:25,803
that supported the mine.
649
00:28:25,805 --> 00:28:28,005
[Ryan] So that timber
came out of there.
650
00:28:28,007 --> 00:28:31,208
[Phil] This could have been
the entrance right on this side.
651
00:28:31,210 --> 00:28:32,843
[Ryan] That's what
it looks like to me.
652
00:28:32,845 --> 00:28:34,211
And then he's been pulling up
653
00:28:34,213 --> 00:28:36,213
- really big slabs.
- [Jessica] Oh, yeah.
654
00:28:36,215 --> 00:28:37,047
[Phil] Big slabs. Yeah.
655
00:28:37,049 --> 00:28:39,216
That tells me
they really didn't want
656
00:28:39,218 --> 00:28:40,984
somebody going through there.
657
00:28:40,986 --> 00:28:41,985
[Jessica] Or coming out.
658
00:28:41,987 --> 00:28:43,487
Mmm, or coming out.
659
00:28:43,489 --> 00:28:45,089
That's an awful lot of work
660
00:28:45,091 --> 00:28:45,989
just to cover up a hole.
661
00:28:45,991 --> 00:28:47,491
Let's keep digging.
662
00:28:50,729 --> 00:28:53,831
I'll admit that what
we're finding is compelling.
663
00:28:53,833 --> 00:28:55,132
But I'm not seeing any evidence
664
00:28:55,134 --> 00:28:57,134
of a creature buried here.
665
00:28:58,103 --> 00:29:00,070
We're still getting
brick down here.
666
00:29:04,876 --> 00:29:06,543
[Ryan] That looks
like a lot of fill.
667
00:29:06,545 --> 00:29:09,480
Who knows how far we'd have
to dig to get anywhere here.
668
00:29:09,482 --> 00:29:11,982
[Phil] It's true. Probably
not going to see much more.
669
00:29:11,984 --> 00:29:13,884
Judging by the moisture
in the soil
670
00:29:13,886 --> 00:29:15,953
and the deterioration
of the wood beams,
671
00:29:15,955 --> 00:29:18,756
it's possible that after
100 plus years
672
00:29:18,758 --> 00:29:21,525
any physical remains
like animal bones
673
00:29:21,527 --> 00:29:23,527
would have
completely disintegrated,
674
00:29:23,529 --> 00:29:26,497
leaving nothing but
a questionable legend behind.
675
00:29:26,499 --> 00:29:29,600
[Ryan] This is all still just junk
fill that was dumped in here.
676
00:29:29,602 --> 00:29:31,568
[Jessica] We now know
that at least one part
677
00:29:31,570 --> 00:29:34,872
of the Van Meter monster
origin story is true.
678
00:29:34,874 --> 00:29:37,474
There was an old mine shaft
next to the brick factory,
679
00:29:37,476 --> 00:29:38,942
and it was closed up.
680
00:29:38,944 --> 00:29:40,477
As for the rest of the legend,
681
00:29:40,479 --> 00:29:42,780
we've hit a historical dead end.
682
00:29:42,782 --> 00:29:45,849
But there are still recent
sightings to be investigated.
683
00:29:45,851 --> 00:29:47,618
So we say goodbye
to Ryan and John.
684
00:29:47,620 --> 00:29:48,986
- [John Jungman] Thank you.
- [Phil] See ya.
685
00:29:48,988 --> 00:29:49,920
[Jessica] And while
there's still daylight,
686
00:29:49,922 --> 00:29:51,955
we head towards Lake Red Rock,
687
00:29:51,957 --> 00:29:55,859
in the direction that our new
witness said the creature flew.
688
00:29:55,861 --> 00:29:58,962
This lake is not only
the largest in all of Iowa,
689
00:29:58,964 --> 00:30:01,198
it's a massive wildlife habitat.
690
00:30:02,233 --> 00:30:03,200
Looking at a map,
691
00:30:03,202 --> 00:30:05,702
it sits in between
the recent sightings
692
00:30:05,704 --> 00:30:07,204
and the town of Van Meter.
693
00:30:08,206 --> 00:30:10,040
[Phil] I'm thinking
my original instinct
694
00:30:10,042 --> 00:30:11,942
about this case is correct.
695
00:30:11,944 --> 00:30:15,679
That the eye witnesses are
misidentifying flying wildlife.
696
00:30:15,681 --> 00:30:17,781
Look at the size of this lake.
697
00:30:17,783 --> 00:30:18,882
[Jessica] This is
where we're going.
698
00:30:18,884 --> 00:30:19,950
[Phil] This is where we're going
699
00:30:19,952 --> 00:30:21,785
but first, we got a little
stop to make, Jess.
700
00:30:21,787 --> 00:30:23,987
I've been hung up on
trying to figure out
701
00:30:23,989 --> 00:30:26,924
who our prime suspects
are around here
702
00:30:26,926 --> 00:30:29,026
as far as native wildlife.
703
00:30:29,028 --> 00:30:31,461
So, I got a guy.
704
00:30:31,463 --> 00:30:33,197
- You got a guy?
- I got a guy.
705
00:30:33,199 --> 00:30:36,433
- Who's your guy?
- Let's just say he's slightly obsessed with bats.
706
00:30:36,768 --> 00:30:39,102
Oh. So he's a batman.
707
00:30:39,104 --> 00:30:40,904
He's batman. We're going
to meet Batman, Jess.
708
00:30:40,906 --> 00:30:41,972
[mimicking Batman]
Does he talk like this?
709
00:30:41,974 --> 00:30:43,373
[laughs]
710
00:30:45,610 --> 00:30:47,978
Oh, yeah.
Look at that license plate.
711
00:30:47,980 --> 00:30:50,447
- [Jessica] BATSRUS.
- I think we found him.
712
00:30:52,784 --> 00:30:54,885
Russ Benedict is a biologist
713
00:30:54,887 --> 00:30:57,588
with more than 25 years
of experience
714
00:30:57,590 --> 00:31:00,057
exploring the prairies
and woods of the Midwest.
715
00:31:00,059 --> 00:31:02,826
So we're looking for
the Van Meter monster,
716
00:31:02,828 --> 00:31:04,895
and essentially
what people were reporting
717
00:31:04,897 --> 00:31:07,030
is this
seven-eight foot creature
718
00:31:07,032 --> 00:31:09,867
with leathery bat-like wings.
719
00:31:09,869 --> 00:31:11,869
So the biggest bat
that we have around here
720
00:31:11,871 --> 00:31:13,704
has a wingspan
of about 18 inches.
721
00:31:13,706 --> 00:31:17,708
So, small, but yet play a
huge role in the eco-systems.
722
00:31:17,710 --> 00:31:20,711
[Phil] I'd love to see one
up close, is that possible?
723
00:31:20,713 --> 00:31:24,147
We have 40 to 60 bats
up in the roof up above us.
724
00:31:24,149 --> 00:31:25,515
- Right up here?
- [Russ] They're there now.
725
00:31:25,517 --> 00:31:29,920
They're hidden within
the spaces up above us.
726
00:31:29,922 --> 00:31:32,823
So what we're gonna do is we'll string
up a couple of what are called 'mist nets',
727
00:31:32,825 --> 00:31:34,524
and once it gets dark,
they'll start flying around 'em
728
00:31:34,526 --> 00:31:36,827
and we'll see
if we can catch some.
729
00:31:36,829 --> 00:31:39,930
[Phil] We set up these soft
nylon nets in front of the window.
730
00:31:39,932 --> 00:31:41,999
We don't have long
to wait until dusk
731
00:31:42,001 --> 00:31:46,270
when the bats wake up and start
flying in search of their bug breakfast.
732
00:31:51,576 --> 00:31:53,443
[Jessica] I got one.
733
00:31:54,913 --> 00:31:56,947
[Phil] They're all over
the place up there.
734
00:31:56,949 --> 00:31:59,116
Bats. [imitates whooshing]
735
00:31:59,118 --> 00:32:00,350
[Jessica] There's one there!
There's one!
736
00:32:01,819 --> 00:32:03,520
[Phil] Oh.
737
00:32:06,991 --> 00:32:09,192
- [Russ] Look at how pretty she is.
- [Phil] Beautiful.
738
00:32:09,194 --> 00:32:10,994
Look at that fur.
739
00:32:10,996 --> 00:32:13,297
[Russ] That's a big, brown bat,
740
00:32:13,299 --> 00:32:15,032
the second biggest bat in Iowa.
741
00:32:15,034 --> 00:32:18,869
[Jessica] I don't see how anyone
could confuse this with a flying monster.
742
00:32:18,871 --> 00:32:21,872
The wingspan is impressive,
but that body is so tiny.
743
00:32:21,874 --> 00:32:24,207
-[Russ] Right, right.
-[Jessica] So tiny. Oh, my gosh.
744
00:32:24,209 --> 00:32:26,410
So when you light her up...
745
00:32:26,412 --> 00:32:29,680
That shadow is huge. Wow!
746
00:32:29,682 --> 00:32:32,783
The shadow of the bat cast
against the wall of the barn
747
00:32:32,785 --> 00:32:35,152
makes me think that
maybe back in 1903,
748
00:32:35,154 --> 00:32:37,454
this is what people saw.
749
00:32:38,690 --> 00:32:39,756
[Jessica] That looks
like it could
750
00:32:39,924 --> 00:32:43,126
potentially be a seven-foot
creature with bat wings.
751
00:32:43,695 --> 00:32:46,063
During that time, they had just
752
00:32:46,065 --> 00:32:48,598
brought electricity and
streetlamps into the town.
753
00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,167
- Okay.
- So, potentially,
754
00:32:50,169 --> 00:32:53,170
they weren't used to seeing
shadows that strong.
755
00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:58,875
[Jessica] It would also explain why
the bullets the townspeople fired...
756
00:32:58,877 --> 00:33:00,744
- [gunshot] - ...had no
effect on the monster.
757
00:33:00,746 --> 00:33:03,547
They were firing at a shadow.
758
00:33:03,549 --> 00:33:07,084
[Phil] But I don't think witnesses today
would be confused by a bat shadow.
759
00:33:07,086 --> 00:33:11,555
I think they're seeing a bigger
winged animal, a large species of bird.
760
00:33:11,557 --> 00:33:13,090
Well, I'll tell you what,
I think we can,
761
00:33:13,092 --> 00:33:15,726
thanks to you, cross bats
off the suspect list.
762
00:33:15,728 --> 00:33:18,195
- [Jessica] Yeah.
- Excellent.
763
00:33:18,197 --> 00:33:20,664
[Jessica] Now that it's night,
we continue on our mission
764
00:33:20,666 --> 00:33:22,933
to check out Lake Red Rock.
765
00:33:22,935 --> 00:33:26,103
It seems like a perfect home
for a giant flying monster
766
00:33:26,105 --> 00:33:30,040
with plenty of water,
shelter and prey.
767
00:33:30,042 --> 00:33:32,075
- [Phil] Goin' in.
- [Jessica] All right.
768
00:33:32,077 --> 00:33:33,410
Woohoo!
769
00:33:35,013 --> 00:33:36,713
[Phil] This lake
is a massive habitat.
770
00:33:36,715 --> 00:33:39,316
Several large predatory birds
nest here,
771
00:33:39,318 --> 00:33:43,086
like eagles, herons, and even
cranes that migrate through the area.
772
00:33:48,026 --> 00:33:50,727
Do you see how close the forest
gets to the rock formations here?
773
00:33:50,729 --> 00:33:51,695
[Jessica] Yeah.
774
00:33:51,697 --> 00:33:53,196
[Phil] So that's
the type of place where
775
00:33:53,198 --> 00:33:56,066
the bird that feeds
on the lake by day
776
00:33:56,068 --> 00:33:57,934
would roost at night.
777
00:33:57,936 --> 00:34:00,003
I think we need
to get up there, Jess.
778
00:34:00,605 --> 00:34:03,140
- Okay, grab the gear.
- Thank you.
779
00:34:06,110 --> 00:34:08,979
Now everybody has to be
real careful on this edge.
780
00:34:08,981 --> 00:34:10,947
[Jessica] Oh, whoa,
you're not kidding.
781
00:34:10,949 --> 00:34:12,182
[Russ] Oh, no.
782
00:34:12,184 --> 00:34:13,817
[Jessica] Oh, check this out.
783
00:34:13,819 --> 00:34:16,920
- Jaw bone.
- [Phil] Ooh.
784
00:34:16,922 --> 00:34:18,822
Teeth are flat,
like an herbivore.
785
00:34:18,824 --> 00:34:20,557
Maybe a deer.
786
00:34:20,559 --> 00:34:23,060
Oh, [bleep],
another one right here.
787
00:34:23,062 --> 00:34:26,596
So a lot of birds of prey will have
an area that they take their food to
788
00:34:26,598 --> 00:34:28,899
and then eat it perched up high,
789
00:34:28,901 --> 00:34:32,836
so that they can keep an eye on
anything else coming to steal their food.
790
00:34:32,838 --> 00:34:34,838
[Jessica]
Their feeding grounds.
791
00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:36,206
Is that another bone?
792
00:34:36,208 --> 00:34:38,075
[Phil] This is
a graveyard out here.
793
00:34:38,077 --> 00:34:40,944
This is the most bones
I think I've ever found
794
00:34:40,946 --> 00:34:43,213
in a single place on the planet.
795
00:34:44,082 --> 00:34:46,083
Another skull.
796
00:34:46,085 --> 00:34:49,486
So we've got beaver, deer, fox.
797
00:34:49,488 --> 00:34:51,955
It would have to be a big bird
798
00:34:51,957 --> 00:34:53,957
to be able to carry something
the size of these
799
00:34:53,959 --> 00:34:56,193
all the way up here to feed.
800
00:34:57,061 --> 00:34:58,128
Why don't you take the Foxpro,
801
00:34:58,130 --> 00:34:58,862
see what you can blast out
802
00:34:58,864 --> 00:35:01,098
and then I'll go take the FLIR
803
00:35:01,100 --> 00:35:04,067
over in that area and I'll scan
to see what you might bring in?
804
00:35:04,069 --> 00:35:05,268
- Okay.
- [Jessica] Cool?
805
00:35:07,472 --> 00:35:09,573
[Phil] You got it.
806
00:35:09,575 --> 00:35:11,608
While Jess searches
the tree line along the cliff,
807
00:35:11,610 --> 00:35:13,710
I'm going to try
drawing out whatever
808
00:35:13,712 --> 00:35:17,214
may have been snacking
on parts of some big animals.
809
00:35:17,216 --> 00:35:20,016
The Foxpro mimics
the mating calls of wildlife.
810
00:35:20,018 --> 00:35:22,919
Let's just hope whatever the
Van Meter Monster really is,
811
00:35:22,921 --> 00:35:24,988
it's feeling
a little frisky tonight.
812
00:35:24,990 --> 00:35:28,692
[whispering] Got some
of the birds loaded up on here
813
00:35:28,694 --> 00:35:31,661
All right, Jess, I'm about to
call out the great blue heron.
814
00:35:31,663 --> 00:35:33,997
Great blue herons
are huge birds,
815
00:35:33,999 --> 00:35:35,465
up to four and a half feet tall,
816
00:35:35,467 --> 00:35:38,168
with wingspans up to
six and a half feet.
817
00:35:38,170 --> 00:35:41,371
They eat fish and sometimes
small mammals as well.
818
00:35:42,540 --> 00:35:43,507
Ready?
819
00:35:46,277 --> 00:35:48,645
Yeah, I'm ready,
I think we're in a good spot.
820
00:35:48,647 --> 00:35:50,514
All right, standby.
821
00:35:50,516 --> 00:35:55,218
[great blue heron call playing]
822
00:35:58,823 --> 00:36:00,857
[Jessica]
I'm not getting anything.
823
00:36:00,859 --> 00:36:02,926
You wanna try again?
824
00:36:02,928 --> 00:36:06,963
All right, Jess,
next up is turkey vulture.
825
00:36:07,899 --> 00:36:12,169
[turkey vulture call playing]
826
00:36:13,037 --> 00:36:14,137
[Jessica gasps]
827
00:36:15,773 --> 00:36:17,340
It's going this way.
828
00:36:19,644 --> 00:36:22,879
[Phil on walkie-talkie]
Jess, you hear that?
829
00:36:22,881 --> 00:36:25,515
- [Jessica] Yeah, I hear that.
- [Phil] Can you pick it up on your flashlight?
830
00:36:25,517 --> 00:36:28,451
[Jessica] I'm looking
but it's flying by.
831
00:36:36,027 --> 00:36:40,096
Whatever flew by, 'cause that
thing scared the crap out of me.
832
00:36:40,098 --> 00:36:42,532
- At night, if you wanna...
[gasps] - [wings flapping]
833
00:36:45,970 --> 00:36:47,837
You may have noticed
the descriptions
834
00:36:47,839 --> 00:36:49,873
of the Van Meter Monster
are eerily similar
835
00:36:49,875 --> 00:36:52,475
to a pre-historic pterodactyl.
836
00:36:53,711 --> 00:36:57,147
But since they went extinct
about 66 million years ago,
837
00:36:57,149 --> 00:36:59,482
they probably aren't
making a comeback.
838
00:36:59,884 --> 00:37:01,885
Or are they?
839
00:37:01,887 --> 00:37:06,690
Present day birds are living
descendants of dinosaurs.
840
00:37:06,692 --> 00:37:09,125
And some scientists believe
it may be possible
841
00:37:09,127 --> 00:37:11,194
to manipulate poultry DNA
842
00:37:11,196 --> 00:37:13,997
to turn back
the evolutionary clock.
843
00:37:13,999 --> 00:37:16,499
Inside an egg, an unborn chick
844
00:37:16,501 --> 00:37:17,867
could theoretically
be engineered to
845
00:37:17,869 --> 00:37:22,239
grow teeth a long tail
and a pre-historic beak.
846
00:37:22,241 --> 00:37:24,908
Such a creature could give us
a greater understanding
847
00:37:24,910 --> 00:37:26,476
of evolution.
848
00:37:26,478 --> 00:37:29,012
Or it might break out
of its cage and kill us all.
849
00:37:29,014 --> 00:37:32,148
So even if the Van Meter
Monster turns out to be a legend,
850
00:37:32,150 --> 00:37:36,052
keep your eye on the skies
for chickenasaurus.
851
00:37:40,491 --> 00:37:42,392
That thing scared
the crap out of me.
852
00:37:43,628 --> 00:37:46,463
- At night, if you wanna...
[gasps] - [wings flapping]
853
00:37:47,732 --> 00:37:49,966
[Phil on walkie-talkie]
Jess, you okay?
854
00:37:49,968 --> 00:37:52,168
[Jessica] Something's flapping
around over here.
855
00:37:53,004 --> 00:37:55,305
[bleep]
856
00:37:57,842 --> 00:38:01,278
I definitely had something
going berserk over on this side.
857
00:38:01,712 --> 00:38:02,679
Was it big?
858
00:38:02,681 --> 00:38:03,780
[Jessica] Can't tell
what it was.
859
00:38:03,782 --> 00:38:06,750
Hey, I'm gonna climb a little
further into the woods
860
00:38:06,752 --> 00:38:10,887
just to see if I can scare out whatever it
was that was freaking out in the bushes.
861
00:38:10,889 --> 00:38:12,922
Why don't you hit that call
one more time?
862
00:38:12,924 --> 00:38:14,057
All right, let me know
what you find.
863
00:38:14,059 --> 00:38:15,925
I'm gonna call out
some other birds.
864
00:38:15,927 --> 00:38:16,993
[Jessica] Gotcha.
865
00:38:19,196 --> 00:38:21,865
Next up is sandhill crane.
866
00:38:21,867 --> 00:38:24,734
Sandhill cranes are big,
867
00:38:24,736 --> 00:38:27,270
with wingspans
of over seven feet.
868
00:38:27,738 --> 00:38:31,308
[sandhill crane call playing]
869
00:38:38,249 --> 00:38:40,517
[Phil] Jess, you getting
anything on the FLIR?
870
00:38:41,085 --> 00:38:42,385
Nothing.
871
00:38:49,894 --> 00:38:52,929
Look at this.
872
00:38:52,931 --> 00:38:54,364
I just found something.
873
00:38:54,965 --> 00:38:56,433
[Phil] Okay, on my way.
874
00:38:59,503 --> 00:39:01,004
[Jessica] Check this out.
875
00:39:01,006 --> 00:39:03,139
- [Phil] What?
- [Jessica] Right here.
876
00:39:04,642 --> 00:39:06,509
That's...
877
00:39:06,511 --> 00:39:09,112
That's gotta be
turkey vulture. That is huge.
878
00:39:09,114 --> 00:39:11,081
- [Jessica] Okay, um...
- [Phil] Huge animal.
879
00:39:11,083 --> 00:39:11,981
[Jessica] Yeah, look at this.
880
00:39:11,983 --> 00:39:13,516
[Phil] Another bone.
881
00:39:13,518 --> 00:39:16,653
[Jessica] So they just come
here with their takeout
882
00:39:16,655 --> 00:39:17,921
and then take off.
883
00:39:17,923 --> 00:39:20,957
[Phil] Turkey vultures
don't usually fly at night.
884
00:39:20,959 --> 00:39:23,626
So even a witness
who is familiar with the bird
885
00:39:23,628 --> 00:39:25,595
might misidentify
one in the dark
886
00:39:25,597 --> 00:39:28,898
if they stumble across it
and startle it into flight.
887
00:39:28,900 --> 00:39:32,869
So when you think of witnesses
in modern times seeing things,
888
00:39:32,871 --> 00:39:36,740
I just can't help
but think of birds.
889
00:39:36,742 --> 00:39:39,509
When it's this quiet
and still out,
890
00:39:39,511 --> 00:39:41,878
and something flies by, I mean,
891
00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,214
if you're not expecting it,
you jump.
892
00:39:44,216 --> 00:39:46,850
And brains will see things
as bigger
893
00:39:46,852 --> 00:39:48,151
when you're terrified.
894
00:39:50,921 --> 00:39:52,922
[Josh] It's hard
to put too much stock
895
00:39:52,924 --> 00:39:55,992
in the original news report
of the Van Meter Monster.
896
00:39:56,093 --> 00:39:58,128
A flying, screeching beast
897
00:39:58,130 --> 00:40:00,930
that's allegedly
impervious to bullets,
898
00:40:00,932 --> 00:40:02,932
living in a local coal mine.
899
00:40:02,934 --> 00:40:06,903
It's a wild tale that just
doesn't really seem to fly.
900
00:40:06,905 --> 00:40:09,005
Phil and Jess did dig up
what could be
901
00:40:09,007 --> 00:40:10,807
a terrified town's attempt
902
00:40:10,809 --> 00:40:12,976
to eradicate
something threatening.
903
00:40:12,978 --> 00:40:14,911
This could have been the
entrance right on this side.
904
00:40:14,913 --> 00:40:17,447
[man] That's what
it looks like to me.
905
00:40:17,449 --> 00:40:20,617
[Josh] As for the modern-day
sightings of this flying horror,
906
00:40:20,619 --> 00:40:24,020
the cameras my team left
running in the old brick factory
907
00:40:24,022 --> 00:40:27,690
captured several more images
of what look like wings.
908
00:40:27,692 --> 00:40:29,893
- We got tons of scat up here.
- [camera clicks]
909
00:40:29,895 --> 00:40:30,960
[Josh] The droppings
Phil found there
910
00:40:30,962 --> 00:40:33,496
were identified as raccoon.
911
00:40:33,498 --> 00:40:36,833
The hair that Jess collected,
domestic cattle.
912
00:40:36,835 --> 00:40:38,935
So what animal
is the most likely culprit
913
00:40:38,937 --> 00:40:41,738
when it comes to
the Van Meter Monster?
914
00:40:41,740 --> 00:40:45,675
While the largest bat in Iowa
only has an 18-inch wingspan,
915
00:40:45,677 --> 00:40:48,044
its eerie shadow
stretching across a wall
916
00:40:48,046 --> 00:40:50,713
could definitely bring
a monster to mind.
917
00:40:50,715 --> 00:40:52,882
[Jessica] That looks like
it could potentially be
918
00:40:52,884 --> 00:40:55,718
a seven-foot creature
with bat wings.
919
00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:57,520
[Josh] Five-foot-tall
sandhill cranes
920
00:40:57,522 --> 00:40:58,922
were once rare in Iowa,
921
00:40:58,924 --> 00:41:01,825
but their numbers have
increased in recent years,
922
00:41:01,827 --> 00:41:06,062
right along with new sightings
of the Van Meter Monster.
923
00:41:06,064 --> 00:41:09,799
Turkey vultures are big,
black, have featherless faces,
924
00:41:09,801 --> 00:41:11,768
a six-foot wingspan,
925
00:41:11,770 --> 00:41:14,938
and they'll scavenge carcasses
as big as a deer.
926
00:41:14,940 --> 00:41:18,007
Put it all together on a dark,
quiet night,
927
00:41:18,009 --> 00:41:21,044
add a dash of imagination
and a pinch of panic,
928
00:41:21,046 --> 00:41:24,180
and the result
could seem monstrous.
929
00:41:24,182 --> 00:41:27,016
For more information
on Expedition X,
930
00:41:27,018 --> 00:41:30,086
head to... [reading]