STRANGE SIGHTINGS

d n english

Strange Sightings

d n english

First I want to confirm that I am a supporter of Solar energy.

This story is a what if story.

It was an exciting time for Haywood County the land had been purchased and the site was being developed. This was going to be the site of a large solar farm providing power to many. There was some environmental concerns but they were brushed aside “for the good of the people”.

Fast forward the solar farm was up and going even had been enlarged all was running smoothly. Or was it?

 For the past few years there had been rumors of strange sightings in Hatchie . Large Bobcats and monster alligator gar.

(Gars are known for their long dart-shaped bodies. They inhabit slow-moving and stagnant water bodies, such as bayous and estuaries. In these habitats they frequently bask like logs at the surface. Gars have the ability to gulp air in response to low-oxygen conditions that often occur in sluggish waters. The air is delivered to a type of primitive lung called a gas bladder or air-breathing organ, which is vascularized to allow for gas exchange with the body. Their jawsand face form a sharp-toothed beak, and their bodies are encased in an armour of diamond-shaped, thick, enameled (ganoid) scales.)

Everyone who lived close to the Hatchie had seen or caught Gar if caught they were released.  But the sightings we are talking about were up to six feet long and weighing over 100 lbs and they were causing  all sorts of problems in the Bottoms. Then there were the 

Bobcats, rabbits and squirrels oversized and very aggressive. The question was why and what was causing these problems.

One day a Forest Ranger was doing a check of a section of Hatchie bottom. What he found was not normal. He found a clearing that had not been there before. In this clearing was one of the huge solar panels. It was less than 50 ft of the river on a built up mound.

The trees around the clearing were twice as big as they had been the last  time he had checked . According to his journal it was just over

18 months ago that he was in this area. He recorded what he was seeing then he heard the sound a low growl like he had never heard before he retreated.

When he got back to the base camp he did some research. First he found a report of a solar panel being stolen about 16 months ago. Then he found a hunters report about activity around the area where he found the clearing. He also found out no body had checked out the complaint.

Calling his supervisor they organized a group to visit this area. The next day they headed out to investigate. What they found was unexplainable . Everything was like he explained but where he had marked one of trees that mark was 2 feet higher. Then when they went into woods they found paw prints of what they thought was a Bobcat . But it was a print like they had never seen before 6 toes and twice the size of a normal Bobcat. 

Then they heard the chattering of a squirrel. They looked up and saw this Huge animal coming out of tree at top speed. One of the Ranger took his gun out and shot. It was a direct hit the offending animal landed just feet from the Ranger. He retrieved the animal it was the largest squirrel he had ever seen. The group decided to head back and discuss the situation.

They sent the body of the squirrel to be examined. When all the facts were discussed it was decided the solar panel was causing the changes.  The area around the panel was emitting not only heat but a low hum. They consulted with the engineers of the solar farm and arranged to remove the panel.

A month later when the panel was removed the area had changed more growth just plain strange. The work crew decided it would be easier to remove the panel by loading it  on a boat and taking it back closer to site. One crew stayed behind and cleared the area but were amazed at the size of the earthworms they discovered.

On the way out of the woods they crossed path of one large rabbit.

This trip gave them so much material for stories.

It has been over six months so a group headed back to see the area .

There had been no new growth the  area seemed back to normal.

 But the reports of larger animals still surfaced i mean the animals were not going back to normal but they were not getting larger. The reports of the aggressive large gar continued. Soon there was a bounty set on the Gar to rid the Hatchie of the creatures.

If you are wandering in the Hatchie Bottoms beware..