If you would like to check out the episode of MonsterQuest that I participated in, it is entitled "America's Wolfman" and will air on March 24th on the History channel.
You may want to check your local listings for air times.
Those of you who know me personally, know that I and my family have suffered a tremendous amount of loss accompanied by overwhelming stress in the past two years, and this project came as both a healing intermission and a wonderful experience which I will never forget.
The film/production crew and everyone on the expedition were fantastic!
I dont think I have ever laughed so much in my entire life. What a great bunch! We had so much fun in between filming!
They have become a dear part of my heart and hopefully lifelong chums as well. I truly hope our paths come together again in the future.
Have a howling great day everyone!
-Raven Moonshadow Meindel
Monday, March 8, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Welcome our newest member - June Girardi
Moonshadow Investigations welcomes newest member, June Girardi. June has conducted research in the paranormal field for several years. Having had her own paranormal experiences, she decided to dedicate her efforts to helping other people define the phenomena that goes on in their lives also. When June met Jimmy Trick of M.I., she was delighted to find a local paranormal group and later joined the team as the group's sixth member.
Her background of research, computer skills, equipment knowledge and evidence analysis make her a perfect fit for Moonshadow Investigations.
June loves working with animals and shares her life with three rescued dogs. She's also working on her Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology.
~The M.I. Team~
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
An Introduction to Field Research Thoughts
Hello! My name is Mark and I have recently joined Moonshadow Investigations. During a fairly recent attempt to investigate a locally reported creature sighting, I contacted Raven. I wasn’t actively attached to any paranormal or crypto-zoological group and I was concerned about following through with this report alone, so I contacted Raven to see if she would be interested in this local hunt. She of course was…we were previously acquainted through another web-site AND as she is semi-local it seemed like a good match. Well, the creature investigation fell through after the reporting party seemed to get cold feet, but the relationship with Raven and her partners blossomed! I am now part of the team. I am really stoked about this and I look forward to future investigations!
What I bring to the ‘team’ is a few year’s worth of field work and a genuine interest in crypto-zoological study. I have been searching in the forested areas on the Michigan side of the Michigan / Ohio border. I have not actually seen ‘Bigfoot’, but I have spoken with those who say that they have and I have seen track photos from the search area. All of this was made possible after a good friend of mine (Gerry, who I met online on another site) introduced me to his friend, who I will call “Bigfoot Bob”. Both of these fellows are great people and great company. They took me under their wings showing me the ropes. I owe them both a great deal of thanks for trusting me enough (the green horn!) and including me in their journeys afield.
However, this blog is not about whether Bigfoot actually exists or not. Obviously I think there is something to the reports or I wouldn’t be out walking the woods of Michigan. Since this personal activity started, a close friend of mine has stepped forward and recounted her run-in with a ‘Dogman’ type creature along the shoreline of Lake Michigan some years back with her uncle. I have since learned that there are multiple types of strange creatures reportedly roaming the woods and fields of this State that I call home.
And it is about this roaming that I now write to you. Not the ‘creatures’ roaming, but yours. If you are like me, you may one day say to yourself: “I have watched enough TV shows on the subject - read enough internet accounts - I want to get involved!” (At least that is how it worked for me.) On my first trip into the woods with Bigfoot Bob, I learned that Mark needed to get into better shape AND wear two pair of socks! The blisters weren’t any fun after hiking along the trails with my new hiking boots. We humans visit ‘the woods’. The creatures that inhabit the woods live there and are quite at home. We are at a disadvantage from the get-go. Our eyesight isn’t as keen, and our sense of smell is almost worthless when it comes to detecting the animals that are silently watching us as we stumble along the trail. As I already mentioned, a good pair of comfortable trail rated boots are a must. It will be difficult to pay attention to your surroundings if ‘your dogs are barking’ with discomfort.
Good, loose clothing that wicks moisture away from your body would be good, too. Forget the tight jeans. Layers that can be peeled away are a great idea because you will perspire once you are hoofing it along the rough trails.
Carry water. You need to keep hydrated.
I have a mini battery operated strobe light that rapidly flashes red in my fanny pack. I don’t plan on being out after dark, but things don’t always go as planned in the woods! An emergency strobe might get help to your location quicker than screaming yourself hoarse.
A good coach’s whistle will carry further than your vocal cords and it will sound out-of-place when blown in rapid successive blasts in the woods at night.
Tell someone you trust where you and your partner or party will be and what time to expect you back. Your partner or party? You didn’t go into the woods alone, did you? That is a BAD idea! Unless your name is Rambo, I advise against this. You will be walking trails or maybe even off-trail some of the times. This isn’t the city or suburbs. Something as simple as a twisted ankle (a definite possibility on uneven ground) can be huge trouble even a half mile from your vehicle. A severe sprain in the woods alone and you are in deep doo-doo.
I grew up watching those wonderful Disney films. All the fluffy, cute forest creatures dancing and playing with each other! Forget that too. Some of those fluffy forest creatures are predators and you may look like ‘home delivery’ to them. I spoke with a DNR agent in Ludington Michigan this past spring. I asked him about the cougars that the DNR officially deny exist in Michigan. He told me that ‘is’ the ‘official’ stance, but the field agents have already acknowledged amongst themselves that the big cats are out there. YOU are prey for something like that! Read about some of the attacks online in states where these cats are officially recognized. A big cat attack is fast, furious and pretty horrific for any casual hiker that they come across. Then there are black and brown bears. And wild feral swine are becoming a problem in more and more counties in the tri-state area. If a boar hits you at full speed it can rip you from stem to stern with those nasty looking tusks! So, what do you do about that? Well, I have a CCW and my firearm will be where I can access it fast if need be.
That being said, forget the macho stuff. A big cat or boar attack will happen extremely fast if it happens at all. The shot that I take will likely be an afterthought if I survive the initial attack. That may sound pessimistic, but my (and your) survival under those conditions may depend on how much time you have to react. The attacker won’t signal you first, it will be a sudden burst of speed from a boar or a leap from an overhead branch in the case of a large cat. Your awareness of your surroundings could be the thing that gives you that precious second or two that you’ll need to react and avoid disaster. Be aware of overhead perching spots. Also, watch out when you approach heavy undergrowth. Don’t own or carry a firearm? A good solid walking staff and some pepper spray may be just enough to help you survive.
But give these things some thought. A local wooded patch that you are familiar with in your area may not be as safe as you think either. I live in a subdivision in a heavily populated area. Two blocks from my home I saw a dead coyote on the side of the street at a major intersection, hit by a car. People in my area are losing their pets to these wild beasts. A young and pretty female hiking in Canada was killed by coyotes just last year. She was a singer of some notoriety to the Canadian youth. Now she is dead. The public hiking trails are not as safe as people think.
Now that I have convinced some of you to stay home, the rest of you need to think about the pace of your stride as you walk the trail. What’s the rush? A nice, slow, easy stride - watching both sides of the trail and listening to the sounds around you, that is what the local deer do. Take note of and become familiar as you enter the woods to what the norm is. Is it spring, summer or fall? Or winter perhaps? Each season, indeed, each month changes the woods around you. Get a feel for ‘the business as usual’ of your environment. And then you’ll ‘feel’ if something ‘isn’t right’. When the woods goes from birds twittering and flittering in the trees, insect buzzing and chirping, to dead quiet - the forest creatures are telling you that the something has changed. Stop – Look – Listen. That is what the prey creatures are doing - follow their lead. When it comes to the woods, many of us humans just blunder in not fully realizing that life and death struggles go on every day in that place.
There are many other thoughts to share in future posts. However, I say ‘go for it’! With some forethought, preparation and awareness, a walk in the woods is a fulfilling and rewarding experience! Next time: Signs that maybe something unusual lives in those woods…
Until then - Live life! Go and be a part of it all!
Mark
What I bring to the ‘team’ is a few year’s worth of field work and a genuine interest in crypto-zoological study. I have been searching in the forested areas on the Michigan side of the Michigan / Ohio border. I have not actually seen ‘Bigfoot’, but I have spoken with those who say that they have and I have seen track photos from the search area. All of this was made possible after a good friend of mine (Gerry, who I met online on another site) introduced me to his friend, who I will call “Bigfoot Bob”. Both of these fellows are great people and great company. They took me under their wings showing me the ropes. I owe them both a great deal of thanks for trusting me enough (the green horn!) and including me in their journeys afield.
However, this blog is not about whether Bigfoot actually exists or not. Obviously I think there is something to the reports or I wouldn’t be out walking the woods of Michigan. Since this personal activity started, a close friend of mine has stepped forward and recounted her run-in with a ‘Dogman’ type creature along the shoreline of Lake Michigan some years back with her uncle. I have since learned that there are multiple types of strange creatures reportedly roaming the woods and fields of this State that I call home.
And it is about this roaming that I now write to you. Not the ‘creatures’ roaming, but yours. If you are like me, you may one day say to yourself: “I have watched enough TV shows on the subject - read enough internet accounts - I want to get involved!” (At least that is how it worked for me.) On my first trip into the woods with Bigfoot Bob, I learned that Mark needed to get into better shape AND wear two pair of socks! The blisters weren’t any fun after hiking along the trails with my new hiking boots. We humans visit ‘the woods’. The creatures that inhabit the woods live there and are quite at home. We are at a disadvantage from the get-go. Our eyesight isn’t as keen, and our sense of smell is almost worthless when it comes to detecting the animals that are silently watching us as we stumble along the trail. As I already mentioned, a good pair of comfortable trail rated boots are a must. It will be difficult to pay attention to your surroundings if ‘your dogs are barking’ with discomfort.
Good, loose clothing that wicks moisture away from your body would be good, too. Forget the tight jeans. Layers that can be peeled away are a great idea because you will perspire once you are hoofing it along the rough trails.
Carry water. You need to keep hydrated.
I have a mini battery operated strobe light that rapidly flashes red in my fanny pack. I don’t plan on being out after dark, but things don’t always go as planned in the woods! An emergency strobe might get help to your location quicker than screaming yourself hoarse.
A good coach’s whistle will carry further than your vocal cords and it will sound out-of-place when blown in rapid successive blasts in the woods at night.
Tell someone you trust where you and your partner or party will be and what time to expect you back. Your partner or party? You didn’t go into the woods alone, did you? That is a BAD idea! Unless your name is Rambo, I advise against this. You will be walking trails or maybe even off-trail some of the times. This isn’t the city or suburbs. Something as simple as a twisted ankle (a definite possibility on uneven ground) can be huge trouble even a half mile from your vehicle. A severe sprain in the woods alone and you are in deep doo-doo.
I grew up watching those wonderful Disney films. All the fluffy, cute forest creatures dancing and playing with each other! Forget that too. Some of those fluffy forest creatures are predators and you may look like ‘home delivery’ to them. I spoke with a DNR agent in Ludington Michigan this past spring. I asked him about the cougars that the DNR officially deny exist in Michigan. He told me that ‘is’ the ‘official’ stance, but the field agents have already acknowledged amongst themselves that the big cats are out there. YOU are prey for something like that! Read about some of the attacks online in states where these cats are officially recognized. A big cat attack is fast, furious and pretty horrific for any casual hiker that they come across. Then there are black and brown bears. And wild feral swine are becoming a problem in more and more counties in the tri-state area. If a boar hits you at full speed it can rip you from stem to stern with those nasty looking tusks! So, what do you do about that? Well, I have a CCW and my firearm will be where I can access it fast if need be.
That being said, forget the macho stuff. A big cat or boar attack will happen extremely fast if it happens at all. The shot that I take will likely be an afterthought if I survive the initial attack. That may sound pessimistic, but my (and your) survival under those conditions may depend on how much time you have to react. The attacker won’t signal you first, it will be a sudden burst of speed from a boar or a leap from an overhead branch in the case of a large cat. Your awareness of your surroundings could be the thing that gives you that precious second or two that you’ll need to react and avoid disaster. Be aware of overhead perching spots. Also, watch out when you approach heavy undergrowth. Don’t own or carry a firearm? A good solid walking staff and some pepper spray may be just enough to help you survive.
But give these things some thought. A local wooded patch that you are familiar with in your area may not be as safe as you think either. I live in a subdivision in a heavily populated area. Two blocks from my home I saw a dead coyote on the side of the street at a major intersection, hit by a car. People in my area are losing their pets to these wild beasts. A young and pretty female hiking in Canada was killed by coyotes just last year. She was a singer of some notoriety to the Canadian youth. Now she is dead. The public hiking trails are not as safe as people think.
Now that I have convinced some of you to stay home, the rest of you need to think about the pace of your stride as you walk the trail. What’s the rush? A nice, slow, easy stride - watching both sides of the trail and listening to the sounds around you, that is what the local deer do. Take note of and become familiar as you enter the woods to what the norm is. Is it spring, summer or fall? Or winter perhaps? Each season, indeed, each month changes the woods around you. Get a feel for ‘the business as usual’ of your environment. And then you’ll ‘feel’ if something ‘isn’t right’. When the woods goes from birds twittering and flittering in the trees, insect buzzing and chirping, to dead quiet - the forest creatures are telling you that the something has changed. Stop – Look – Listen. That is what the prey creatures are doing - follow their lead. When it comes to the woods, many of us humans just blunder in not fully realizing that life and death struggles go on every day in that place.
There are many other thoughts to share in future posts. However, I say ‘go for it’! With some forethought, preparation and awareness, a walk in the woods is a fulfilling and rewarding experience! Next time: Signs that maybe something unusual lives in those woods…
Until then - Live life! Go and be a part of it all!
Mark
Friday, December 4, 2009
M.I. welcomes another new member - Ben Franco
Moonshadow Investigations is pleased to welcome our newest member, Ben Franco. Ben is currently a full time student and has had paranormal experiences starting at a very young age. That sparked an interest and as he grew older, that interest exploded into a curiosity that needed to be dealt with. Ben's thirst for answers has brought him to Moonshadow to further his knowledge of the "unknown" and he was excited to be accepted as our latest member. He is looking forward to becoming a Certified Paranormal Investigator and brings with him a great knowledge of sound systems, recording and evidence review. Ben will be of great value to all of us at Moonshadow Investigations. Welcome Ben!
~~The M.I. Team~~
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Winter is upon us!
As I stepped out onto my front porch this morning, the cold crisp majesty of a frosty wonderland welcomed me and sent my breath spiraling up into the air.
"It's here"I thought as the ground crunched beneath my feet.
Winter is indeed upon us, folks, but as everything else slows down around us, things are quite the opposite for the Moonshadow team. We are actually gearing up for a very busy new year.
We have got some pretty exciting investigations underway, and it should be a real interesting 2010!
We have also welcomed another new member to our team and will be introducing him very soon.
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Have a howling good day.
~~Raven
"It's here"I thought as the ground crunched beneath my feet.
Winter is indeed upon us, folks, but as everything else slows down around us, things are quite the opposite for the Moonshadow team. We are actually gearing up for a very busy new year.
We have got some pretty exciting investigations underway, and it should be a real interesting 2010!
We have also welcomed another new member to our team and will be introducing him very soon.
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Have a howling good day.
~~Raven
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thanksgiving blessings.
Tis the season, so they say. And with Thanksgiving upon us, it's time to look back on your life and give thanks where it's due for everything you have been blessed with - family, friends, a job, food on the table, a roof over your head, etc. It only takes a moment of silence on your part to acknowledge a blessing, and doing so will give you a heart-warming feeling. So, on behalf of the entire Moonshadow Investigations Team, we wish you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving holiday and look forward to working with some of you in the near future. Be safe, be happy.
Jimmy
Jimmy
Thursday, November 12, 2009
M.I. welcomes new member Mark Curtiss
We are pleased to welcome the newest member of our team,Mark Curtiss.
He has a great passion for cryptozoology, but also has a masterful knowledge of known animals and their habits as well.
Our team is rounding out nicely and we've got some great adventures ahead, so please stay tuned to our site and blog and we'll keep you updated on how its all going!
Have a howling good afternoon!
~~The M.I. team~~
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