Massachusetts Hunter Ernie Davio Describes Bigfoot Encounter Near Drake Mountain

Posted Thursday, June 18, 2026

By Squatchable.com staff

So, I just came across this absolutely fascinating interview over on YouTube, and I had to share it with you all. A hunter named Ernie Davio, an Air Force veteran who holds four separate black belts in four different styles, sat down to share an encounter he had while hunting in Massachusetts. And let me tell you, this one is something else. The setting is Drake Mountain, up near Blandford, Massachusetts, right on the border with Connecticut. For those unfamiliar with the area, this region sits in the Berkshire foothills and has a rich history of unusual activity. The mountain itself features these massive boulder formations, including one called Lookout Rock or Ladder Rock, with some of the stones standing around 40 feet tall. There's even a boulder at the base that locals had painted with three faces of Native Americans, visible from different angles as you approach. The area is also part of what's known as Uncommit's Path, an old trail that runs all the way up through Pittsfield and the surrounding mountains. Ernie had hunted this particular spot many times before. He chose it specifically because the terrain is steep and rugged, with ravines, gorges, and plenty of places to get turned around. Most people were hesitant to venture in there, but Ernie knew the land well. He'd scouted it and figured the deer would be bedding down near these boulder formations, which he affectionately called his "Stonehenge." The day of the encounter was during the last day or two of shotgun season in Massachusetts, which falls in the first week of December. The weather was cooperating, with low temperatures and wind blowing in his favor as he entered from the Granville Reservoir access road. Everything was going according to plan. He jumped three or four deer near the boulders and let them settle before trying to get out in front of them to set up an ambush point near a stone wall and a set of pines. Now here's where things get interesting. Ernie was using a technique he calls the "two-step," walking toe-heel to mimic a four-legged animal and avoid spooking the deer. He had them on his right side, moving through the saplings toward the stone wall. He crouched down with his 12-gauge shotgun ready, waiting for them to come over the wall. That's when he noticed movement at the base of a tree about 35 yards to his left, at his 9 o'clock position. What happened next is the part that makes this encounter stand out from so many others. According to Ernie, the being didn't just appear or run off. It communicated. He describes the individual putting both hands up to its mouth like a megaphone and making three distinct whoop noises, with about a second and a half between each one. Ernie compares the sound to standing next to a lion cage at the zoo and having one roar at you. That's how powerful and intense it was. What's particularly compelling about Ernie's account is his background. As someone who has spent his life hunting and holds multiple black belts, he's trained to stay calm under pressure. He addresses the inevitable question of why he didn't run, and his reasoning makes sense given his experience. He's also someone who, prior to this event, had seen the Patterson-Gimlin film years ago but figured those beings were far away from him and probably didn't exist anymore. He wasn't a true believer going into this. He was a skeptic who happened to find himself in a situation that changed his entire perspective. The area around Drake Mountain and the broader Berkshire region has a history of unusual sightings that goes back generations. The Native American imagery on that boulder, the old fire roads, and the deep woods all add layers to the story. Massachusetts might not be the first place people think of when it comes to Sasquatch reports, but the Northeast has its own rich tradition of these encounters, often involving beings described as more vocal and communicative than their Western counterparts. Ernie mentions that he kept quiet about this for a very long time before finally sharing his story. He notes that most encounters only last between five and eleven seconds, which is typically all someone gets before they either run or the being disappears. His experience lasted longer, and the vocalizations from the being are what make this account particularly noteworthy. If you want to hear the full story straight from Ernie, definitely check out the interview. It's one of those accounts that stays with you, especially when you consider the credibility of the witness and the detail he provides about the terrain, his methods, and the behavior of the being he encountered. The communication aspect, those three whoop noises, is something that really sets this apart from a typical sighting report.