1 00:00:00,967 --> 00:00:03,235 [Josh Gates] On this episode of Expedition X... 2 00:00:04,070 --> 00:00:06,538 [Phil] Oh, God, this is a graveyard. 3 00:00:06,540 --> 00:00:09,575 [Josh] Jess and Phil journey to America's heartland... 4 00:00:09,577 --> 00:00:12,778 -[Jess] Oh, check this out. Jawbone. -[Phil] Skull. Another one. 5 00:00:12,780 --> 00:00:16,615 [Josh] ...to investigate reports of a winged creature 6 00:00:16,617 --> 00:00:20,386 that began terrorizing the area over a century ago. 7 00:00:20,388 --> 00:00:21,754 He actually fires at the creature. 8 00:00:21,756 --> 00:00:22,821 [gunshot] 9 00:00:22,823 --> 00:00:25,457 [Josh] Now, residents around Van Meter, Iowa, 10 00:00:25,459 --> 00:00:29,695 are claiming the beast is real and and it's back. 11 00:00:29,697 --> 00:00:33,732 -It was flying. Had a real strange long body -[Jess] Mmm-hmm. 12 00:00:33,734 --> 00:00:36,301 [Mike] ...and a face that looked more like a reptile. 13 00:00:36,303 --> 00:00:38,237 It looked directly at us. 14 00:00:39,472 --> 00:00:40,839 [shushing] 15 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:43,242 [Jess whispering] Did you hear all that rustling? Right over there. 16 00:00:43,244 --> 00:00:45,644 - [Phil] Ohh! - [Jess] Careful, careful! 17 00:00:45,646 --> 00:00:47,846 Holy [bleep]. 18 00:00:47,848 --> 00:00:50,015 [Josh] And when the evidence leads underground... 19 00:00:50,017 --> 00:00:51,483 - Oh, boy! - [Jess gasps] 20 00:00:51,485 --> 00:00:53,218 - Look at that. - [exclaiming] 21 00:00:53,220 --> 00:00:55,154 [Josh] ...the team digs for the truth behind... 22 00:00:55,156 --> 00:00:58,090 [Jess] Get the cameras in! Get the cameras in! 23 00:00:58,825 --> 00:01:00,392 [Josh] the Van Meter monster. 24 00:01:01,061 --> 00:01:03,128 My name is Josh Gates. 25 00:01:03,130 --> 00:01:08,033 In my travels, I've experienced strange things that defy logic 26 00:01:08,035 --> 00:01:09,902 and made me question everything. 27 00:01:09,904 --> 00:01:11,837 Oh, my God. 28 00:01:11,839 --> 00:01:14,873 Now, I've put together a team to investigate 29 00:01:14,875 --> 00:01:17,109 the stranger side of the unknown. 30 00:01:17,111 --> 00:01:19,044 Let's go. 31 00:01:19,046 --> 00:01:20,913 Phil Torres is a scientist 32 00:01:20,915 --> 00:01:22,981 who hunts for rational explanations. 33 00:01:22,983 --> 00:01:26,852 [Jess speaking] 34 00:01:26,854 --> 00:01:28,854 [Josh] Jessica Chobot's paranormal research 35 00:01:28,856 --> 00:01:31,323 has made her a true believer. 36 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:35,828 [Josh] Together we're searching for answers... 37 00:01:35,830 --> 00:01:37,496 [Phil] What is that? 38 00:01:37,498 --> 00:01:40,566 [Josh] ...to the world's most extraordinary mysteries. 39 00:01:40,568 --> 00:01:44,169 This is Expedition X. 40 00:01:48,074 --> 00:01:52,277 When I say the name Van Meter, Iowa, what do you think of? 41 00:01:53,179 --> 00:01:54,379 I have nothing. 42 00:01:54,681 --> 00:01:56,982 - Nothing. - [Josh] What? 43 00:01:56,984 --> 00:02:00,486 Not even you, with your encyclopedic knowledge of weirdness, 44 00:02:00,488 --> 00:02:01,753 knows about this story? 45 00:02:01,755 --> 00:02:03,822 This is, like, one of the most vivid 46 00:02:03,824 --> 00:02:06,959 and corroborated crypted sightings of all time. 47 00:02:06,961 --> 00:02:08,026 First of all, Josh, Jess and I 48 00:02:08,028 --> 00:02:11,063 clearly studied very different encyclopedias. 49 00:02:11,065 --> 00:02:12,698 But secondly, what are we talking about? 50 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:15,134 We're talking about a flying creature, 51 00:02:15,136 --> 00:02:16,969 and the origin story for this is a doozy. 52 00:02:16,971 --> 00:02:19,338 It started with this mass sighting 53 00:02:19,340 --> 00:02:21,907 when practically the entire town of Van Meter 54 00:02:21,909 --> 00:02:25,944 had a very close encounter with something that they couldn't explain. 55 00:02:25,946 --> 00:02:29,481 Something that has become known as the Van Meter monster. 56 00:02:33,019 --> 00:02:35,787 1903, Van Meter, Iowa. 57 00:02:35,789 --> 00:02:38,590 Sitting along the idyllic Raccoon River, 58 00:02:38,592 --> 00:02:42,794 this small coal mining town becomes the battleground for a war 59 00:02:42,796 --> 00:02:47,499 between its residents and something that to this day remains unexplained. 60 00:02:48,868 --> 00:02:50,936 Local newspapers report that Van Meter 61 00:02:50,938 --> 00:02:53,872 becomes besieged for nearly a week 62 00:02:53,874 --> 00:02:57,943 by a giant flying bat-like creature. 63 00:02:57,945 --> 00:03:01,180 Night after night, it is said to terrorize the town folk 64 00:03:01,182 --> 00:03:02,714 with its deafening screech. 65 00:03:02,749 --> 00:03:04,016 [screeching] 66 00:03:04,018 --> 00:03:07,452 The community rallies together to bring the monster down... 67 00:03:08,955 --> 00:03:12,191 but their bullets seemed to have no effect on the beast. 68 00:03:13,626 --> 00:03:14,726 In the days that follow, 69 00:03:14,728 --> 00:03:17,529 several of the town's most prominent citizens, 70 00:03:17,531 --> 00:03:21,066 including a banker, a doctor and several business owners, 71 00:03:21,068 --> 00:03:24,970 all put their reputations on the line by going on record 72 00:03:24,972 --> 00:03:27,940 with their extraordinary experiences. 73 00:03:29,075 --> 00:03:31,043 On the final night of the ordeal, 74 00:03:31,045 --> 00:03:32,978 the creature reportedly retreats 75 00:03:32,980 --> 00:03:36,048 into a nearby abandoned coal mine. 76 00:03:36,050 --> 00:03:40,152 The posse quickly seals the entrance, trapping it inside. 77 00:03:41,921 --> 00:03:44,790 Despite the story becoming national news, 78 00:03:44,792 --> 00:03:46,959 in time, it fades to legend. 79 00:03:48,795 --> 00:03:52,898 Now, nearly 120 years after that week of terror, 80 00:03:52,900 --> 00:03:54,800 recent sightings in and around Van Meter 81 00:03:54,802 --> 00:03:58,503 are terrifying a new generation of witnesses, 82 00:03:58,505 --> 00:04:03,942 who all describe seeing something large and black with bat-like wings... 83 00:04:03,944 --> 00:04:07,613 triggering a groundswell of interest in the original case. 84 00:04:07,615 --> 00:04:10,749 What really happened in 1903? 85 00:04:10,751 --> 00:04:13,919 And are the recent sightings the key to solving the mystery 86 00:04:13,921 --> 00:04:16,088 of the Van Meter monster? 87 00:04:16,556 --> 00:04:18,023 This is so up your alley. 88 00:04:18,025 --> 00:04:19,891 - Jess. - I can't believe I've never heard of this. 89 00:04:19,893 --> 00:04:22,628 - It's amazing. - [Jess] It's pretty cool. 90 00:04:22,630 --> 00:04:25,931 I mean, the fact that this whole town saw this thing, 91 00:04:25,933 --> 00:04:27,866 I mean, mass sightings are incredibly rare. 92 00:04:27,868 --> 00:04:30,902 And now that we're getting more reports in modern day 93 00:04:30,904 --> 00:04:32,871 that match up with the previous reports, 94 00:04:32,873 --> 00:04:34,406 that's kind of next level. 95 00:04:34,408 --> 00:04:35,607 Phil... 96 00:04:35,609 --> 00:04:38,176 - I just... It's odd for me. - Come on. 97 00:04:38,178 --> 00:04:41,680 It's night time. Something like a bat flies at you, 98 00:04:41,682 --> 00:04:43,849 - you get scared-- - A bat? 99 00:04:43,851 --> 00:04:46,318 Phil, did you zone out during the package that I just prepared? 100 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:47,085 [Jess chuckles] 101 00:04:47,087 --> 00:04:49,888 The bottom line is we need to focus 102 00:04:49,890 --> 00:04:53,959 on what real animal, people could have been seeing and still seeing today 103 00:04:53,961 --> 00:04:55,727 from the known natural world? 104 00:04:55,729 --> 00:04:57,629 Exactly. The known natural world. 105 00:04:57,631 --> 00:04:59,131 It expands all the time. 106 00:04:59,133 --> 00:05:01,900 Biologists are constantly finding new animals out there. 107 00:05:01,902 --> 00:05:03,769 Not ten-foot-tall ones. 108 00:05:03,771 --> 00:05:05,604 Okay, all right. I don't want this to come to blows. 109 00:05:05,606 --> 00:05:07,172 We're not going to settle this here. 110 00:05:07,174 --> 00:05:10,976 Your mission is to go to Iowa, talk to these eye witnesses, 111 00:05:10,978 --> 00:05:12,811 figure out what they actually saw. 112 00:05:12,813 --> 00:05:15,781 Is this some sort of misidentification? Phil. 113 00:05:15,783 --> 00:05:18,984 Or is this some sort of unknown species? Jess. 114 00:05:18,986 --> 00:05:20,519 That's what you've got to figure out. 115 00:05:20,521 --> 00:05:24,389 And I think you have to investigate the original 1903 sighting. 116 00:05:24,391 --> 00:05:26,792 Separate fact from fiction. 117 00:05:26,794 --> 00:05:30,128 If you could do that, you might just be able to solve the entire case. 118 00:05:30,130 --> 00:05:30,729 - Okay. - All right. 119 00:05:30,731 --> 00:05:32,164 All right? 120 00:05:32,166 --> 00:05:34,700 - I've even got a cab waiting to take you to the airport. - Really? 121 00:05:34,702 --> 00:05:35,867 - Yeah. - Right now? 122 00:05:35,869 --> 00:05:39,471 Right now. Yeah. The Van Meter is running. 123 00:05:39,473 --> 00:05:42,708 - Oh, my God! - What! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. 124 00:05:42,710 --> 00:05:44,042 There's no cab. 125 00:05:44,044 --> 00:05:45,010 Wait, you didn't get us a cab? 126 00:05:45,012 --> 00:05:46,111 No, it just for the joke. 127 00:05:46,612 --> 00:05:48,046 Have a good trip. 128 00:05:49,182 --> 00:05:51,750 [Josh] Phil and Jess fly from New York City 129 00:05:51,752 --> 00:05:53,985 to Iowa's capitol Des Moines. 130 00:05:55,922 --> 00:05:58,957 Then they drive east toward Iowa City. 131 00:06:00,660 --> 00:06:03,428 [screeching] 132 00:06:04,364 --> 00:06:06,131 All right, so what you know about Iowa? 133 00:06:06,133 --> 00:06:09,768 That for every person, there are eight pigs. 134 00:06:09,770 --> 00:06:13,071 What? Eight to one ratio of pig to people? 135 00:06:13,073 --> 00:06:16,074 It's the pig and corn capital of the United States. 136 00:06:16,076 --> 00:06:17,843 There you go. I hope you like bacon. 137 00:06:17,845 --> 00:06:19,544 - I do like bacon. - I love bacon. 138 00:06:19,546 --> 00:06:22,814 Iowa's got a lot going for it, in my opinion. 139 00:06:22,816 --> 00:06:25,784 Well, we got a farm to the right, farm to left, 140 00:06:25,786 --> 00:06:27,753 - but I'm not seeing... - What? 141 00:06:27,755 --> 00:06:32,090 any the giants, winged creatures flying around. 142 00:06:32,092 --> 00:06:35,227 [Jess] Well, we're about to meet some people who have. 143 00:06:37,296 --> 00:06:39,197 We arrive at Terry Trueblood Park, 144 00:06:39,199 --> 00:06:43,869 where Josh has arranged for us to meet Joey Perales and Tia Stauffer. 145 00:06:43,871 --> 00:06:47,839 They say they would have never believed in something like the Van Meter monster 146 00:06:47,841 --> 00:06:51,376 until their terrifying encounter with a large winged creature. 147 00:06:54,380 --> 00:06:57,783 We saw it right here, but the grass was a lot taller. 148 00:06:57,785 --> 00:06:59,785 - And how close were you to where it was standing? - Right on the path. 149 00:06:59,787 --> 00:07:02,287 - You guys were close. - [both] Very close. 150 00:07:04,857 --> 00:07:08,059 [Joey] We were coming down to watch the stars on a clear night. 151 00:07:08,061 --> 00:07:12,097 We're walking down this path. There's no one out here. 152 00:07:12,665 --> 00:07:15,901 We heard rustling in the grass... 153 00:07:15,903 --> 00:07:19,037 [Tia] Then it got progressively louder. 154 00:07:20,039 --> 00:07:22,874 And that's when we thought... 155 00:07:22,876 --> 00:07:25,944 - bat-like but gigantic. - [Joey] Bat-like wings. 156 00:07:25,946 --> 00:07:29,948 It looked directly at us, so we started running. 157 00:07:29,950 --> 00:07:32,217 It was parallel with us. 158 00:07:32,518 --> 00:07:34,352 We made it to the car. 159 00:07:34,354 --> 00:07:37,589 We look back, and the second time, and it was gone. 160 00:07:37,591 --> 00:07:39,791 I know you guys were ready to ditch, 161 00:07:39,793 --> 00:07:42,828 but were you able to glean any kind of details from it? 162 00:07:42,830 --> 00:07:45,063 It was tall, like, seven... 163 00:07:45,065 --> 00:07:46,932 Significantly taller than him. 164 00:07:46,934 --> 00:07:48,066 Significantly. Like, we were looking up at it. 165 00:07:48,068 --> 00:07:49,634 It had, like, tucked in wings. 166 00:07:49,636 --> 00:07:52,838 Aside from the rustling around in the grass, 167 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,607 - did it make any other noises? - [Joey] Besides the grass, no. 168 00:07:55,609 --> 00:07:56,708 [Phil] Any color? 169 00:07:56,710 --> 00:07:59,211 Black. The head was almost like a bird head, 170 00:07:59,213 --> 00:08:01,179 like, a longer beak-snout kinda thing. 171 00:08:01,181 --> 00:08:03,949 I have to say, if you see a beak-snout, 172 00:08:03,951 --> 00:08:06,451 birdlike head... wasn't a bird? 173 00:08:07,420 --> 00:08:08,453 Biggest bird I've ever seen. 174 00:08:08,488 --> 00:08:12,123 I don't think I know a bird with a head that size. 175 00:08:12,125 --> 00:08:15,260 I mean, I worked at a zoo, I've done a lot of, like, biology research, too. 176 00:08:15,262 --> 00:08:16,294 And there's no-- 177 00:08:16,296 --> 00:08:17,929 I can't think of an animal this thing looks like. 178 00:08:17,931 --> 00:08:20,131 - You said you worked at a zoo? - Mmm-hmm. 179 00:08:20,133 --> 00:08:22,701 - So you've been around all sorts of exotic animals. - All sorts. 180 00:08:22,703 --> 00:08:24,836 I did lots of animal observation. 181 00:08:24,838 --> 00:08:28,640 I've had to create all sorts of fact sheets on, like, animal biology. 182 00:08:28,642 --> 00:08:31,977 And it just... I can't say I've ever seen 183 00:08:31,979 --> 00:08:34,079 anything that's even close to what I saw. 184 00:08:34,081 --> 00:08:37,048 - I'm just trying to picture this thing... - You could show him. 185 00:08:37,050 --> 00:08:39,918 - I have the tattoo. - You got a tattoo? 186 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:41,553 I got a tattoo of it. 187 00:08:41,555 --> 00:08:44,523 [Phil] So bird-like head, big, pointy shoulders. 188 00:08:44,525 --> 00:08:46,525 - They were that pointy, that tall? - [Joey] Yeah. 189 00:08:46,527 --> 00:08:49,027 [Jess] And did the wings look leathery like a bat like that? 190 00:08:49,029 --> 00:08:52,464 Yeah. I just wanted to, like, recount my experience. 191 00:08:52,466 --> 00:08:53,632 Never forget it. 192 00:08:53,634 --> 00:08:56,768 [Joey] Never forget it. Never forget. 193 00:08:56,770 --> 00:08:58,970 [Jess] Whatever Tia and Joey saw, 194 00:08:58,972 --> 00:09:02,207 it made a lasting impression on both of them. 195 00:09:03,142 --> 00:09:06,444 And their encounter was not far from Van Meter, 196 00:09:06,446 --> 00:09:09,514 the birthplace of the legend. 197 00:09:09,516 --> 00:09:13,685 - Look at this place! - Oh, it's so quaint and small and awesome. 198 00:09:13,687 --> 00:09:15,453 It's like we've just gone back in time. 199 00:09:16,188 --> 00:09:17,222 [Josh] The town of Van Meter 200 00:09:17,224 --> 00:09:20,859 dates back to 1869, 201 00:09:20,861 --> 00:09:22,561 and not much has changed. 202 00:09:22,563 --> 00:09:23,995 There's one main street, 203 00:09:23,997 --> 00:09:26,631 and nearby lie the remnants of Van Meter's 204 00:09:26,633 --> 00:09:29,367 coal mining and brick manufacturing past. 205 00:09:30,002 --> 00:09:33,572 I've arranged for Phil and Jess to meet Chad Lewis. 206 00:09:33,574 --> 00:09:36,174 Chad is a researcher who studies the relationship 207 00:09:36,176 --> 00:09:38,143 between people's fears and beliefs. 208 00:09:38,145 --> 00:09:38,710 - Hi. - Chad. 209 00:09:38,712 --> 00:09:40,245 Good to see you. 210 00:09:40,713 --> 00:09:42,681 [Josh Gates] He's written several books including an in-depth examination 211 00:09:42,683 --> 00:09:46,518 of what happened here in the fall of 1903. 212 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:50,121 [Phil Torres] So, Chad, what got you interested in this mystery? 213 00:09:50,123 --> 00:09:54,492 I had done several books on odd newspaper stories from the 18-1900s. 214 00:09:54,494 --> 00:09:56,061 Came down here 215 00:09:56,063 --> 00:09:58,697 and, originally, I thought it was going to be very quick stop. 216 00:09:58,699 --> 00:09:59,764 Had to be a hoax. 217 00:09:59,766 --> 00:10:00,932 And the beauty of this town is 218 00:10:00,934 --> 00:10:03,335 it hasn't changed in 100 and some years. 219 00:10:03,337 --> 00:10:06,504 This, right here, is the spot of the week of terror. 220 00:10:08,708 --> 00:10:12,444 First night, a local implement dealer was coming back about 1:00 a.m. 221 00:10:13,112 --> 00:10:15,313 Something flew across the street. 222 00:10:15,948 --> 00:10:17,449 And then disappears. 223 00:10:18,250 --> 00:10:19,618 [Phil] And what happened night two? 224 00:10:19,620 --> 00:10:22,721 A local doctor was sleeping behind his office. 225 00:10:22,723 --> 00:10:24,923 Something or someone woke him up. 226 00:10:24,925 --> 00:10:26,324 So he grabs his weapon 227 00:10:26,326 --> 00:10:28,793 then he starts looking out the window 228 00:10:28,795 --> 00:10:29,861 and he sees this great form 229 00:10:29,863 --> 00:10:31,763 of some monster-creature 230 00:10:31,765 --> 00:10:33,999 but he can't make out the details but it's huge. 231 00:10:34,001 --> 00:10:35,967 He actually fires at the creature. 232 00:10:35,969 --> 00:10:36,768 [gun fires] 233 00:10:36,770 --> 00:10:38,403 But it has no effect. 234 00:10:39,872 --> 00:10:41,906 [Phil] According to newspaper reports, 235 00:10:41,908 --> 00:10:44,309 two nights later, the town's hardware store owner 236 00:10:44,311 --> 00:10:45,910 also shoots at the beast. 237 00:10:45,912 --> 00:10:47,145 [gun fires] 238 00:10:47,147 --> 00:10:49,714 But it doesn't seem to make any impact. 239 00:10:49,716 --> 00:10:52,017 [Chad Lewis] Well, now the town's on high alert. 240 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... 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