Bigfoot Investigator Finds Strange Claw Marks and Moved Trail Camera
Posted Wednesday, August 05, 2026
By Squatchable.com staff
So I just stumbled across this footage from the Steve Searches channel, and let me tell you, Panther Creek is delivering again. If you're not familiar with this spot, it's been a hotbed of activity for researchers, and this latest upload is packed with some seriously intriguing finds that are worth digging into.
Right off the bat, Steve mentions he's heading into a regular investigation area, and the first thing he does is check his trail cameras. Smart move, because you never know what those motion sensors have captured overnight. He pulls up some night shots showing deer bolting through the area, which alone is worth paying attention to. Deer don't typically haul ass like that without a reason, and experienced researchers know that erratic animal behavior is often one of the best indicators that something larger is moving through the woods.
Now here's where things get really interesting. Steve comes across these fence structures in the area, and he references a theory from PNW Rush and his buddy Glenn about what these structures might actually be used for. The theory is that these aren't just old fencing left behind by ranchers or loggers. Instead, they could be strategically placed to funnel game through specific corridors. Think about that for a second. If something intelligent enough was setting up these pathways, it would make hunting so much easier. Steve mentions he's been researching this location for over a year and has actually captured commotion on multiple cameras, with deer just tearing through the area at high speed. That kind of consistent pattern over time is hard to ignore.
The tree damage Steve finds is another piece of the puzzle that's worth examining closely. He points out trees that have gone down, but here's the thing, the root systems are still intact. These weren't cut or broken off by humans. The trees are smaller, which means they were probably still green when they came down. And when he looks at the twisted portions, the wood fibers are pulled out, not snapped clean. This is the kind of damage that suggests tremendous force was applied, the kind of force that doesn't match typical wind events or natural decay. When green trees get twisted down like that, something with incredible upper body strength is usually responsible.
Then there's the bark situation, and this is where your eyebrows should be raising. Steve finds pieces of bark that clearly didn't fall naturally. The color matches the surrounding trees, but the way it's been placed and the clean cuts on it suggest it was deliberately positioned. When bark gets stripped and then placed somewhere intentionally, that's a marker. Researchers have documented this kind of behavior in various hotspots, and it's often associated with territorial displays or communication. Whatever is moving through Panther Creek seems to be leaving signs.
The claw marks Steve discovers are worth discussing too. He notes they look similar to bear damage, but points out that bears typically peel bark all the way back. These marks are different. They're more like scoring or gouging, and they appear at heights and in patterns that don't quite match typical bear behavior. Bears are messy with their marking, while these marks seem more deliberate and controlled.
But the real showstopper in this footage is the stump cam situation. Steve discovers that one of his cameras has been moved, and not just nudged. The camera mount itself has been rotated, and when he tries to turn it back, the entire mount turns with it. He describes it as if something had to grab the camera with one hand and twist it with the other to achieve this kind of movement. That's not wind. That's not an animal accidentally bumping into it. That's deliberate manipulation of equipment, and it's the kind of evidence that makes researchers' hearts race.
And then we get to the audio. Steve mentions hearing heavy thumping sounds, not once but multiple times. He describes them as loud and fairly close, the kind of sound that cuts through the ambient noise of the forest. Thumping sounds are consistently reported in Sasquatch hotspots, and researchers have theorized they could be a form of communication, a territorial display, or even a way to locate other individuals across distances. The fact that Steve heard these thumps while actively investigating the area adds another layer to the mystery.
What really gets me about this footage is how it all comes together. You've got the fence structures, the twisted trees, the deliberate bark placement, the claw marks, the moved camera, and the thumping sounds. Each piece alone might be explainable, but together they paint a picture of an area that's being actively used and monitored by something intelligent. Steve mentions that "every critter on the side of the mountain" has been through this spot, which suggests heavy traffic from wildlife, but the evidence of intelligent manipulation points to something beyond typical animal behavior.
If you haven't checked out this footage yet, do yourself a favor and give it a watch. Panther Creek continues to be one of those locations that keeps delivering evidence, and Steve Searches is documenting it in a way that lets viewers experience the investigation firsthand. The combination of physical evidence and audio phenomena makes this one of those uploads that stays with you long after the video ends. Keep your eyes on this channel, because Panther Creek is clearly not done revealing its secrets.