David Paulides Missing 411 ... Disappearances in the national parks

reply to post by onfire49

Thank very much for posting this! I'm not through all of it yet, but it is something I am very interested in.

I live near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and just over the last 2 weeks we had two men, unrelated, go missing in the park within days of each other. The search for both has now been called off. For one it is suspected that we went into the park to "survive or die" and the other they are saying they have reports that he may have been spotted in Gatlinburg and he might have just wanted to "disappear". Both cases have their own oddities.
Search for missing hiker in Smokies expands; sleeping bag, tent, note found in car
Search begins for second missing man in mountains
Park dials back search for missing men in Smokies

The Smoky Mountains has a history of weird and sudden disappearances. I have the book Unsolved Disappearances in the Great Smoky Mountains by Juanitta Baldwin & Ester Grubb and it has some fascinating cases in it. As I'm not thru the entire interview yet, I hope at least one of them is discussed.
From the back of the book:

Three people, Pauline Melton, Trenny Gibson, and Dennis Martin, vanished without a trace during daylight, from different locations, on different dates, and surrounded by other people. These disappearances remain unsolved to this day. Not one clue has ever surfaced to offer a possible explanation.

High weirdness in our National Parks!

OiO

reply to post by onfire49


I think it is a bunch of cases like this Gary Hilton guy. He was a homeless drifter, he killed a Sunday School teacher who had the misfortune of having a flat tire near his little camp. Later, he was caught after he killed some hikers near a wilderness trail in Georgia. This case was a close one to me, and I know some of the details, and it is very likely this guy had been killing in the State and National parks for years, perhaps even decades!

I don't want to turn this into a gun thread, but he did keep the Sunday School teacher alive for several days before he cut off her head and her hands and disposed of her body in pieces.

Anyone venturing out into a wilderness area should be able to defend their self, and their family from all types of predators, weather, animals, and human!

reply to post by onfire49


I had not heard about this book and it seems very intriguing, so thanks for the information. I like the outdoors and have spent a lot of time in national and state parks. One thing I noticed was that some of the disappearances mentioned were in parks with a large bear population, like Yosemite and Yellowstone. But I have not listened to the C2C show yet, so not sure if this is mentioned.

However, I really want to read the book, because all of the missing people were probably not taken away by hungry bears, but I would guess some of them were. I still feel safer in a national park than at a convenience store, but that is just me...

reply to post by PacificBlue


The author mentioned how he thought initially it may have been a bear or other large predator, but the attacks dont seem to be savage attacks like you would get from a bear, they are generally carried off long distances from where they should be, and sometimes they are seemingly placed in positions or situations that it would seem would require hands. Also they saw no clothing in the scat in the area, but thats not a big deal I suppose, could be a lot of scat in a small area

well... i had been looking forward to spending my 30th birthday, totally alone, camping for a full week in a national park.. but this kinda poops on my parade quite a bit.

its all good to know though, i guess.

reply to post by getreadyalready

I agree it is most likely human, or that there is no link between these disappearances, the simplest answer is usually the correct one right? The one thing that bothers me, is the "skill" with which the abductions take place. I mean its hard for me to comprehend that a drifter could be stalking these people on their hikes, without anyone noticing. I mean alot of the stories claim that the abducted person is out of sight for mere seconds or minutes. So that means that the person uses a very small window of time. And then this same person gets the drop on someone so quick, no screams or struggle is heard? Thats my biggest hang up.

Heard the Coast to Coast program. Ordered the book tonight. Spooky. Whatever is the origin of these disappearances, they appear to be well orchestrated, with similar attributes repeated over and over.

reply to post by onfire49


Thank you for your response. I am listening to the C2C show now.

I had to rethink the bear thing, because if someone was being carried off by a bear, they would be yelling, at least I would be, and that is usually what happens. And you are correct, there is usually some kind of evidence left behind. Also, bears do not explain the strange behavior of the tracking dogs. Weird.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I am sure some of these disappearances,are due to the obvious human aspect.

But some.......of the stories?

Not so much.

I personally cant wait for my copy of the book,to read.

reply to post by PacificBlue


Yea the dogs, I forgot about that, just refusing to track. One of the callers pointed out big cats, like mountain lions because they could kill very silently and almost instantly. I suppose a snapped neck would keep you from screaming. I am still willing to believe that there is no one thing. I mean the wilderness is a dangerous place, even without the animals. My question is just what is carrying these people so far away, like the 2 y/o or something that traveled 15 miles in 12 hrs with no shoes? doesnt add up

I ordered vol 2 while he was still on the air...yesterday they announced a missing Boy Scout in Ark that fits his criteria exactly ...10 yts old,near a river,working on a project and was "right there" when he went missing ...can't wait for my book...this is scary scary sh•t....And the FBI is tracking these things.This is happening NOW...today

And the little girl in Michigan that was recovered and said"the dog wouldn't let me"(call for help)

And the hunter in the Yukon that was sitting against a tree and was "taken" from behind...and the large number of elk hunters that are collected

Doesnt slenderman like to kidnap kids?

Descriptions by survivors lean more towards to "two legged 6ft tall beings with faces like a German Shepherd " that keep being seen behind cars in Wisconsin...and it's mostly children but adults don't seem to be safe if alone

I tried to order a book through the North America Bigfoot Search website but they don't do international postage. So I emailed them addressing the email to David Paulides, all I got back was a response that they are selling the books only through that website, and will not consider posting it to the UK. It annoyed me, why is David not letting his book be sold internationaly? I offered to pay the extra postage costs.

I was like many people here really in to David's book and presentation on the radio show, but I'm really annoyed about the NABS response, I don't really want it any more.

Originally posted by Celtic111
I tried to order a book through the North America Bigfoot Search website but they don't do international postage. So I emailed them addressing the email to David Paulides, all I got back was a response that they are selling the books only through that website, and will not consider posting it to the UK. It annoyed me, why is David not letting his book be sold internationaly? I offered to pay the extra postage costs.

I was like many people here really in to David's book and presentation on the radio show, but I'm really annoyed about the NABS response, I don't really want it any more.

I would like to read it as well. oh well

Too much to be only human predation or random animal attacks...

reply to post by Homedawg


Yea, I just can figure out what it would be. Sort of leads me to think there is no "it". I'd like to think that isnt the case though, too many similarities in all the cases.

perhaps. this national park where people go looking for bigfoot is some military/scientific base, where they are conducting experiments and creating this creature. and people that find it are swiftly "taken out of the picture."



yeah, I know, I'm crazy