HUNT THE SKINWALKER

IT ALL STARTED WITH A RANCH IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

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The name “Hunt the Skinwalker” is both a mission statement and a metaphor, a goal that is both literal and figurative. In the religious traditions of some Native American tribes, a skinwalker is a shapeshifter, a sorcerer, a witch and a trickster. It is the blanket explanation used by the Ute tribe of northeastern Utah to explain a myriad of frightening, seemingly paranormal events that have occurred in the Uintah Basin for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Reported phenomena include orbs, UFOs, animal mutilations, unknown creatures, poltergeist-type events, and many other inexplicable incidents that seem to defy our known reality.

This website was inspired by the book "Hunt for the Skinwalker", which chronicles the work of NIDS, the National Institute of Discovery Science, as it conducted the most intense scientific study of a paranormal hotspot in history. The results of that study were inconclusive. Nonetheless, the scientific team was able to document and investigate scores of mind-boggling events, as reported by a multitude of witnesses over a period of several decades.

Our hope is to use both the scientific and journalistic models to, in effect, Hunt the Skinwalker - that is, to explore, investigate, document, and report any incidents, events, and encounters involving a wide range of unusual or unexplained phenomena; to explore hypotheses, and to engage with other researchers, scientists, journalists and eyewitnesses.

It is entirely possible that the explanation for the broad range of unusual (and occasionally hostile) activity is beyond the ability of humans to comprehend or to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Nonetheless, the pursuit of truth is still a worthwhile endeavor, and could eventually help us to understand our place and our role in the cosmos.

The events documented at the Skinwalker ranch - and at several other locations around the world - represent both a warning and an invitation.