‘Something Is Watching Us’
Things get interesting during a night investigating Bigfoot in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
On the night of October 11, 2021, I found myself deep in the mysterious heart of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, leading an investigation into one of the most legendary cryptids of all time, Bigfoot.
This wasn’t just any investigation. I was joined by my close friend and trusted teammate, spirit medium Dominic Sattele, along with two of New Jersey’s most experienced Bigfoot researchers, Eric Spinner and Art Mack. Our destination: a remote, eerie location known to locals as “the Bowl.” Spinner had told me about this place for years, calling it one of the most active Bigfoot hotspots in the state. Now I was finally seeing it for myself.
We had driven about five miles into the Pine Barrens, thousands of acres of dense, untouched forest. As we stepped out of the trucks, the air immediately shifted. It was thick, still, and unnaturally quiet. No birds. No bugs. Just an uneasy silence hanging over us like a warning. It felt like we had crossed into another realm. A strong sense of isolation hit me.
Eric Spinner, who also owns Health Haven II in Medford, New Jersey, has been researching Bigfoot for over two decades. He and Art Mack have spent countless nights in the Bowl, documenting tree structures, strange howls, and tracks. That night, they welcomed us into the mystery—and it didn’t take long for things to get interesting.
There was only a sliver of moonlight as we gathered our gear, thermal cameras, audio recorders, night-vision scopes, and EMF detectors, and made our way into the woods to set up base camp. Dominic immediately sensed something unusual.
“There’s a presence here,” he said quietly. “Something is watching us. Curious, not angry. It feels old. Almost like a guardian of this place.”
That’s what makes Dominic such an essential part of our team. While I investigate using logic, tech, and years of experience, Dominic taps into the unseen. And in a place like the Pine Barrens, you need both.
As soon as we set up camp, we began talking about the research and how Eric and Art collect evidence. We all heard a loud whoop coming from the woods behind us. We froze. Seconds later, Eric’s wife, Heather, responded with a whoop of her own. Immediately, another call answered back, louder, more primal, and clearly not human. The sound sent chills down our spines. It was close to us. This went on for a few minutes, and we recorded all of it on video.
About 15 minutes later, as the activity calmed down, we conducted a spirit communication session. While not typical in most Bigfoot investigations, Eric encouraged Dominic to try it, especially given the overwhelming energy he was sensing. As he channeled, Dominic described what he called “a forest guardian, not just physical, but dimensional.”
We’ve heard similar theories before, that Bigfoot might not be a hidden species, but something stranger. Time and again, sightings are linked to unexplained lights, electromagnetic disturbances, and psychic impressions.
That night in the Bowl, we experienced all of it. The energy was intense. At various times, we saw small red pinpoints of light, like eyes watching us from the darkness.
As the night wore on, the activity eventually quieted, but the feeling of being watched never went away. There were no final scares or dramatic reveals, just the steady, unshakable sense that we were being monitored the entire time.
On the ride home, Dominic turned to me and said, “It saw us. And it knows we’ll be back.”
He’s probably right. I’ve done dozens of investigations, but few places have left the kind of mark the Pine Barrens did. The Bowl isn’t just a creepy spot in the Pine Barrens, but a place of power and mystery, with something watching from the shadows.
We didn’t catch Bigfoot on camera that night. But what we experienced was real and unforgettable.
We didn’t catch Bigfoot on camera that night. But what we experienced was real and unforgettable.
Whatever’s in the Bowl is still out there. And someday, it just might step out of the shadows and make its presence known.
Watch the full investigation on the Eric Mintel Investigates YouTube Channel, and tune in to Eric Mintel Investigates on the Beyond Paranormal Channel. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and all social media platforms as we continue to explore the unknown.
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, July 2025
