| Mountain Monsters | |
|---|---|
 Season 3 intertitle | |
| Genre | Reality Television |
| Starring |
|
| Narrated by | Michael Berger [1] |
| Theme music composer | Last American Cowboys |
| Opening theme | "Mountain Man Town" |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 8 |
| No. of episodes | 79 ( list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | American Chainsaws |
| Running time | 42-60 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network |
Destination America (2013–17) Travel Channel (2019–present) Discovery+ (2021–present) DMAX (2013–19) Max (streaming service) (2023) |
| Release | June 22, 2013 – present |
Mountain Monsters is an American cryptozoology-themed reality television series airing on Travel Channel. It originally premiered on June 22, 2013, on Destination America. The series follows the Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings (A.I.M.S) team, a band of six native West Virginian hunters and trappers, as they research and track unidentified creatures in the Appalachian Mountains. There is also a side-series titled Mountain Monsters: By The Fire that features extra facts and never-before-seen footage from different episodes of the series.
The series aired for five seasons on Destination America. [2] After an 18-month hiatus, it was announced that the series was renewed for a sixth season and would be moving to Travel Channel. [3]
In 2021 it was announced that a TV special titled Mountain Monsters: A Tribute to Trapper would premiere on January 3, 2021. It was also announced that the seventh season will premiere on January 10, 2021. [4] It was announced shortly after the premiere of Season 7 that new episodes would be streaming exclusively on Discovery+. [5]
The official Mountain Monsters Instagram account revealed on December 10, 2021, that an eighth season would premiere in January 2022. [6] The season premiered on 2 January 2022 and ran for 10 episodes, ending its run on 13 March 2022. [7] Travel Channel has renewed Mountain Monsters for a ninth season. Filming for season 9 will begin in 2024. Season 9 is expected to appear in late 2024 or early 2025. The delay is due to the strike in 2023.
Premise
The A.I.M.S team is a self-styled, cryptozoology research team founded by West Virginians John "Trapper" Tice, Jeff Headlee, and Willy McQuillian. Their goal is to prove the existence of mysterious creatures such as Bigfoot, Wampus cat, Werewolf, Hellhound, Lizard Man, and Mothman. The episodes normally begin with Trapper, Jeff, Huckleberry, and Buck discussing the specific creature they are hunting on the way to the location where the creature was spotted. They then meet with eyewitnesses who have encountered the creature, giving the team an idea of where to conduct an initial night investigation to find evidence of the creature being in the area.
After concluding their initial night hunt, Willy and Wild Bill begin work on a trap to contain the creature while the rest of the team searches for more evidence, meeting with additional eyewitnesses who normally possess photographic, video, or audio evidence of the creature. After testing the completed trap the team begins the final night hunt.
The creatures are, supposedly, occasionally caught on camera, such as the Cave Creature, Chupacabra, Wildman (Bigfoot), Waya Woman and Smoke Wolf's eyes. They are also shown as a digital rendering that appears before and after commercial breaks. The team attempts to capture these creatures (with Hogzilla, three Devil Dogs and two wolves from the Tygart Valley being their most recent trapped creatures). In some instances, the team places trail cameras and/or infrared camcorders near the trap to capture photographic evidence of the creature in question. They have caught fleeting, blurry images of what they claim to be the Grassman, Shadow Creature, Cherokee Death Cat, Black Wolf and the Bigfoot from the Tygart Valley on camera, to name but a few. More recently a recurring rogue team has spied on and sabotaged the A.I.M.S team and their investigations. But the Rogue Team did not have much involvement in the show's 6th season, which focused more on the team hunting monsters like in the earlier seasons.
As of the 7th season, Trapper has died, and the rest of the team continues to hunt creatures in his legacy.
Cast members
| Character | Role | Mountain Monsters Season | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 1 |
2014 2 |
2015 3 |
2016 4 |
2017 5 |
2019 6 |
2021 7 |
2022 8 |
2024 9 | ||
| John "Trapper" Tice | Team Leader | Main | Recurring | His death 2019 | ||||||
| Jacob "Buck" Lowe | Expert Caller | Main | ||||||||
| Joseph "Huckleberry" Lott | Security | Main | ||||||||
| Jeff Headlee | Researcher | Main | ||||||||
| Willy McQuillian | Trap Builder | Recurring | Main | |||||||
| William "Wild Bill" Neff | Expert Tracker | Recurring | Main | |||||||
Production
Prior to the season six premiere, John "Trapper" Tice announced that he would have limited involvement due to a myriad of serious health issues. [8] He made a minor appearance in the first episode of the season where he was visited by Huckleberry and Buck to whom he expressed the severity of his situation. He made one more brief appearance in the season's eighth episode. Tice died on December 16, 2019. [9]
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 6 | June 22, 2013 | July 27, 2013 | |
| 2 | 14 | April 4, 2014 | July 25, 2014 | |
| 3 | 8 | March 7, 2015 | April 25, 2015 | |
| 4 | 11 | January 23, 2016 | April 16, 2016 | |
| 5 | 8 | April 8, 2017 | June 3, 2017 | |
| 6 | 10 | August 21, 2019 | November 20, 2019 | |
| 7 | 8 | January 3, 2021 | March 7, 2021 | |
| 8 | 10 | January 2, 2022 | March 13, 2022 | |
| 9 | TBA | 2024/2025 | TBA | |
After the merger with Discovery, Max made the series available for streaming, but concatenated the first two seasons into Season 1, the second two into Season 2, and then proceeds with the rest of the series numbered from there. [10]
Episodes
Season 1: (2013)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 [11] | "Wolfman of Wolfe County" | June 22, 2013 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team heads to Wolfe County, Kentucky to use their backwoods and monster-hunting knowledge to catch the legendary Wolfman and make Appalachia safe once again. | ||||
| 2 | 2 | "Grassman of Perry County" [11] | June 29, 2013 | |
| Residents of Perry County, Ohio have reported a 1,000 pound Ohio Grassman seen in the woods, and so the A.I.M.S team heads there to try to capture it. | ||||
| 3 | 3 | "Devil Dog of Logan County" [11] | July 6, 2013 | |
| The A.I.M.S team try to capture the blood-sucking Devil Dog that is terrorizing a region in Logan County, West Virginia. | ||||
| 4 | 4 | "Wampus Beast of Pleasants County" [11] | July 13, 2013 | |
| When a 500-pound Wampus Beast is rumored to have been killing the cattle in Pleasants County, West Virginia, the A.I.M.S team heads there to catch it. | ||||
| 5 | 5 | "Mothman of Mason County" [11] | July 20, 2013 | |
| Mason County, West Virginia has been terrorized by a flying beast, known as the Mothman for several decades, it appears he is back again. The A.I.M.S team must capture it once and for all. | ||||
| 6 | 6 | "Lizard Demon of Wood County" [11] | July 27, 2013 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team sets out for Wood County, West Virginia, to capture a creature known as the Lizard Demon. | ||||
Season 2: (2014)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | "Kentucky Hellhound of Pike County" | April 4, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Pike County, Kentucky, to investigate a huge canine predator who is menacing the local farming community. The team meets with eyewitnesses and races to construct a giant bamboo box trap before the creature migrates for the winter. | ||||
| 8 | 2 | "Grafton Monster of Taylor County" | April 11, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Taylor County, West Virginia, to investigate a huge bipedal predator nicknamed the "Headless Horror." The team meets with eyewitnesses, tracks the creature, and attempts to capture it inside of a massive wooden trap. | ||||
| 9 | 3 | "Yahoo of Nicholas County" | April 18, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Nicholas County, West Virginia, to investigate a large Bigfoot-like creature called "The Yahoo". The team meets with eyewitnesses, tracks the beast, and attempts to capture it inside of a giant log-fall trap. | ||||
| 10 | 4 | "Werewolf of Webster County" | April 25, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Webster County, West Virginia, to investigate the legendary Webster Werewolf, a massive wolf-like creature with ancient mythical ties. The team meets with eyewitnesses and works to complete a pit-trap before the full moon passes. | ||||
| 11 | 5 | "Fire Dragon of Pocahontas County" | May 2, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Pocahontas County, West Virginia, to investigate a gigantic, aquatic reptile called the "Fire Dragon". The team meets with eyewitnesses and constructs an elaborate water trap before pursuing the creature on land and boat. | ||||
| 12 | 6 | "Sheepsquatch of Boone County" | May 9, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Boone County, West Virginia, to investigate a bizarre and aggressive creature called "The Sheepsquatch." The team meets with eyewitnesses and builds a custom razor wire trap before embarking upon a perilous night hunt. | ||||
| 13 | 7 | "Shadow Creature of Braxton County" | May 30, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Braxton County, West Virginia, to investigate a clandestine killer known as "The Shadow Creature". The team rappels cliffs and navigates the big timber as they chase the monster toward a super-sized snare trap. | ||||
| 14 | 8 | "Wild Bill's Bear Beast" | June 6, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Raleigh County, West Virginia, to investigate a killer bear-canine hybrid called the "Red-Eyed Bear Beast." The team tracks the creature across treacherous terrain and rivers and attempts to capture it inside of a caldron trap. | ||||
| 15 | 9 | "Death Cat of Cherokee County" | June 13, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Cherokee County, North Carolina, to investigate a ferocious feline called "The Cherokee Death Cat." The team works to unravel the myth surrounding the creature and attempts to capture it inside of a complex wooden trap. | ||||
| 16 | 10 | "Snallygaster of Preston County" | June 27, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Preston County, West Virginia, to investigate a huge flying predator called "The Snallygaster." The team encounters great danger when they invade the creature's territory and attempt to capture it inside of a large wooden box trap. | ||||
| 17 | 11 | "Cave Creatures of Greenbrier County" | July 11, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Greenbrier County, West Virginia, to investigate a humanoid bipedal called "The Cave Creature." The team tracks the elusive creature through a twenty-mile cave system toward a series of snare traps. | ||||
| 18 | 12 | "Hogzilla of Hocking Hills" | July 18, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to the treacherous terrain of Hocking Hills, Ohio, to investigate a huge hog-like creature called "Hogzilla." After meeting with eyewitnesses, the team races to capture the beast inside of a massive steel cage trap. | ||||
| 19 | 13 | "Bloodless Howler of Harrison County" | July 25, 2014 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travel to Harrison County, West Virginia, to investigate a vicious canine-feline hybrid known as "The Bloodless Howler." The team tracks the predator toward their Asian tiger-box trap in frigid temperatures. | ||||
| 20 | 14 | "Grassman's Revengeance" | July 31, 2014 | |
| In the two-hour season finale, the A.I.M.S. team travel back to Perry County, Ohio, to settle an unfinished score with a massive Bigfoot-like creature. The team works to unravel the mystery of the Ohio Grassman's identity and faces their greatest danger yet. | ||||
Season 3: Bigfoot Edition Part 1 (2015)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | "Bigfoot of Central Kentucky" | March 7, 2015 | |
| The Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings begin their epic quest to prove the existence of Bigfoot in the Appalachia as they head out to Central Kentucky after what they believe is the first Bigfoot to emerge from the Mammoth Cave System: the Midnight Whistler. | ||||
| 22 | 2 | "Bigfoot of Putnam County" | March 14, 2015 | |
| Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings travel to Putnam County to investigate the Chupacabra, known as the West Virginia Vampire. The team must meet with eyewitnesses and build an elaborate maze trap in an attempt to capture the creature. | ||||
| 23 | 3 | "Bigfoot of Eastern Kentucky" | March 21, 2015 | |
| Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings travel to Eastern Kentucky to investigate the Wildman, known as the most dangerous and aggressive Bigfoot in the region. The team searches for a missing eyewitness and builds the largest and strongest trap. | ||||
| 24 | 4 | "Bigfoot of Lincoln County" | March 28, 2015 | |
| Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings travel to Lincoln County to investigate the Hellhound who left a bad taste in their mouth after evading them last autumn. | ||||
| 25 | 5 | "Bigfoot of Clay County" | April 4, 2015 | |
| Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings travel to Clay County to investigate the " Yahoo", who threw trees at them and destroyed their trap in Nicholas County last autumn. The team must build an electrified trap to contain this Bigfoot. | ||||
| 26 | 6 | "Bigfoot of Washington County" | April 11, 2015 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team travels to Washington County to investigate the "Dustman", thought to be the fastest and most agile Bigfoot in the region. They must build a quicksand pit trap, and repel down a cliff at night to its cave lair. | ||||
| 27 | 7 | "Bigfoot of Ashe County: A.I.M.S. Under Attack" | April 18, 2015 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team head to Ashe County, North Carolina in search of the " Cherokee Devil". This Bigfoot is thought to possess mind control abilities. When Buck has an encounter with the creature the team fights back, only to have another team member fall under its supposed spell. | ||||
| 28 | 8 | "Bigfoot of Ashe County: A.I.M.S. Erupts" | April 25, 2015 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team go back to Ashe County to hunt the "Cherokee Devil" a savage Bigfoot that has already scarred members of the team. As the mission continues the biggest rift in A.I.M.S. history erupts and some members debate hanging up their gear for good. | ||||
Season 4: Bigfoot Edition Part 2 (2016)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | US viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 1 | "Bigfoot of Harrison County: Stonish Giant" | January 23, 2016 | 0.511 [12] | |
|
The team heads to Ohio to investigate the Stonish Giant, a Bigfoot that Native American folklore says has a coat of fur so thick it cannot be pierced by arrows. Note: This was Trapper's final hunt with the team, before he fell ill. | |||||
| 30 | 2 | "Bigfoot of Central Kentucky: Squalling Savage" | January 30, 2016 | 0.525 [13] | |
| AIMS find themselves caught in the middle of an epic Bigfoot battle in central Kentucky. The team must take on both terrifying clans after one of the guys has a brush with death. | |||||
| 31 | 3 | "Bigfoot of Blair County: Lightning Man" | February 6, 2016 | 0.535 [14] | |
| The team travels to Pennsylvania in search of a Bigfoot known as the Lightning Man. After meeting the eyewitnesses, the team believes the key to the investigation may be a Native American lightning symbol hidden inside a secluded barn. | |||||
| 32 | 4 | "Bigfoot of Blair County: Thunder Brothers" | February 13, 2016 | 0.463 [15] | |
| The team returns to Pennsylvania to solve the mystery of the Lightning Man and his clan of Bigfoot known as the Thunder Brothers. A meeting with a local Bigfoot expert reveals they've uncovered something that wasn't meant to be unearthed. | |||||
| 33 | Special | "Scariest Moments" | February 20, 2016 | 0.344 [16] | |
| The AIMS team revisits the most terrifying moments from their epic investigations. Highlights include the Hellhound, Cherokee Death Cat, Cave Creature, Bear Beast, Shadow Creature and the massive Hogzilla. | |||||
| 34 | 5 | "Bigfoot of Pendleton County: Great Fire Ape" | February 27, 2016 | 0.460 [17] | |
| The team heads to Pendleton County to track down a Bigfoot that is drawn to fire. The team incorporates fireworks into their final hunt strategy but soon learn no one is safe from the Fire Ape when a crew member goes missing. | |||||
| 35 | 6 | "Bigfoot of Wirt County: The Ash Man" | March 5, 2016 | 0.464 [18] | |
| The team heads to Huckleberry's hometown in Wirt County to hunt down a Bigfoot known as the Ash Man. They construct their largest trap to date in order to capture the massive creature. | |||||
| 36 | 7 | "Bigfoot of Lee County: Raven Mocker" | March 12, 2016 | 0.411 [19] | |
| The team goes on the hunt for a shapeshifting Bigfoot known by the Cherokee people as the Raven Mocker. A terrifying encounter leads them to believe there is something eviler than they ever imagined haunting the forests of Virginia. | |||||
| 37 | Special | "Best of Bigfoot" | March 19, 2016 | 0.410 [20] | |
| The AIMS team revisits the most thrilling moments along the way of their epic Bigfoot quest. Highlights include the Midnight Whistler, the Wildman, the Yahoo, the Dustman and the most mysterious Bigfoot of all, the Cherokee Devil. | |||||
| 38 | 8 | "Raven Mocker: Back to Trapper" | March 26, 2016 | 0.468 [21] | |
| The AIMS team reunites with Trapper to get his opinion on how they should take on the legendary Raven Mocker. They soon learn their only option is to face-off against the shapeshifting Bigfoot. | |||||
| 39 | 9 | "Bigfoot of Wood County: The Phantom of the Forest" | April 2, 2016 | 0.442 [22] | |
| The team heads to Wood County to track down a Bigfoot known as the Phantom of the Forest. They soon find themselves caught in a feud with local poachers who are out to kill the massive beast. | |||||
| 40 | 10 | "Return of the Rogue Team" | April 9, 2016 | 0.536 [23] | |
| The team heads back to Perry County to go after the biggest, baddest Bigfoot on the planet, the Ohio Grassman. AIMS soon realize they're being followed by the rogue team that has been tracking them through the Appalachian Mountains. | |||||
| 41 | 11 | "AIMS vs The Rogue Team" | April 16, 2016 | 0.659 [24] | |
| AIMS continue their mission to discover the identity of the mysterious and dangerous rogue team. They must make a decision on whether they should carry on with this deadly game of cat and mouse, or if they should finally admit defeat and back down. | |||||
Season 5: Secrets of the Dark Forest (2017)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | 1 | "The Rogue Team Rises: Part 1" | April 8, 2017 | |
| After nine months of silence, the Rogue Team emerges from the shadows after team member Buck tries to take matters into his own hands; the A.I.M.S. team meets face to face with this other mysterious team to find out who they are and what they are after. | ||||
| 43 | 2 | "The Rogue Team Rises: Part 2" | April 15, 2017 | |
| After being abducted, the A.I.M.S. team faces a mysterious man who offers them a deal with an incredible payoff. The team suddenly realizes Trapper is missing and they set off to locate him in a race against time after finding a trail of his blood. | ||||
| 44 | 3 | "Enter The Dark Forest" | April 22, 2017 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team enters the Dark Forest to capture the Woman of the Woods but realize that the forest is the home to another mysterious creature: the Black Wolf. | ||||
| 45 | 4 | "The Black Wolf" | April 29, 2017 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team learns that a mysterious creature known as the Black Wolf roams the Dark Forest; a shaman reveals that the Black Wolf's presence may spell disaster for Jeff whose behavior continues to trouble the team. | ||||
| 46 | Special | "Superfan Edition" | May 6, 2017 | |
| The A.I.M.S. team shares their thoughts, answers fans' biggest questions and tell some of their favorite stories from the road. | ||||
| 47 | 5 | "Huckleberry's Predator" | May 13, 2017 | |
| After the A.I.M.S. team is split in half, Jeff must come up with answers about the Dark Forest; while the team gets proof of the Black Wolf, Huckleberry reveals that a mysterious creature is stalking the team and finds himself in a fight for his life. | ||||
| 48 | 6 | "The Three Rings of the North" | May 20, 2017 | |
| After a shocking discovery, Buck heads into the Dark Forest and encounters someone from his past; Huckleberry realizes that the predator he faced off with wants revenge; the team follows a trail left by Jeff and discovers the mysterious Three Rings. | ||||
| 49 | 7 | "The Secret of the Little Girl" | May 27, 2017 | |
| The team discovers what Jeff was doing at the Three Rings; the team learns what Buck found on his phone; Buck heads to the Three Rings to contact the Little Girl, who seems to be the key to the Dark Forest. | ||||
| 50 | 8 | "The Blood Skull and Woman of the Woods" | June 3, 2017 | |
|
Buck searches for the Little Girl after he makes contact with her and she vanishes; the rest of the A.I.M.S. team sneaks into a cabin looking for answers about the other team's intentions; Buck winds up face to face with the Woman of the Woods. Note: This episode was made available on May 27, 2017 via the Destination America app – the first time a Mountain Monsters episode was available prior to its regularly scheduled airing. [25] | ||||
Season 6: The Quest for Spearfinger (2019)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 1 | "The Dark Forest Revealed" | August 21, 2019 | |
|
Continuing right after the events of the previous episode, the team leaves the Dark Forest broken and hurting. 18 months later, the team is inactive and are scared to go back to the dark forest. But after realizing that Buck lost a camera there, they return looking for it. But instead are led to an unusual barn. Here they watch a film of the Rogue Team, who tells them they must find 6 creatures that will lead them to Spearfinger. Note: This is the first episode of the show after an 18-month break, and the first episode to be aired on Travel Channel. | ||||
| 52 | 2 | "The Waya Woman of Jackson County" | August 28, 2019 | |
| After a shocking revelation in the dark forest, the A.I.M.S Team travel to Jackson County, West Virginia, as the team heads after a monstrous wolf creature known as the "Waya Woman". This 7-foot-tall being roams the cornfields of Jackson County and the team must build a trap strong enough to contain this beast and also be placed deep in the cornfields. Dead chickens, creepy altars and Wild Bill's high school nickname are all on full display in this incredible episode. | ||||
| 53 | 3 | "The Secret of the Blue House" | September 4, 2019 | |
| After making several shocking discoveries in the cornfields of Jackson County, the A.I.M.S team continues its search for the truth surrounding the legendary Waya Woman. At the heart of this mystery sits an old, abandoned blue house with a terrifying history. Not only have two families been killed here under suspicious circumstances, but their deaths are believed to be tied to the Waya Woman herself. The team finds out that only way to get answers is to simultaneously try out two rituals, which bring about face-to-face encounters they could have never prepared for. | ||||
| 54 | 4 | "The Silver Giant of Boone County" | September 11, 2019 | |
| The A.I.M.S team travel to Boone County, West Virginia, to investigate a massive bear-like creature known as the "Silver Giant". This behemoth is said to stand on its hind legs at over 10-feet-tall and has a silver streak running down its back. Due to his love of anything bear related, Wild Bill decides to step up his game and mimic Jeff as the team researcher. But the team members soon learn the Silver Giant may not be the only mysterious creature in the hills of Boone County. | ||||
| 55 | 5 | "The Cherokee Death Cat" | September 18, 2019 | |
| The A.I.M.S team continues their quest to get to the bottom of the legend of Spearfinger as they set off to investigate the Cherokee Death Cat, a massive ferocious feline with a deadly curse. | ||||
| 56 | 6 | "The Mystery of the Death Cat Barn" | September 25, 2019 | |
| After discovering their biggest clue yet, the A.I.M.S team realizes they have to get down to a mysterious barn from which they have heard the Cherokee Death Cat roaring at night. But first the team must set off to find missing team member, Huckleberry, who is lost in the cornfields. Trap builder Willy comes up with an ingenious modification to the team's trap for the Death Cat as he installs a hidden, collapsible floor. The team sets off to finally discover what is inside of the mysterious barn and makes a shocking discovery no one is prepared for. | ||||
| 57 | 7 | "The Coyote King" | October 30, 2019 | |
| After making a massive discovery in the barn the Death Cat has been heard roaring from, the team soon realizes that they may be up against more than just this ferocious feline. It becomes apparent that an enormous, upright canine known as the "Coyote King" is stalking these hollows as well. Willy builds a zip-line trap in an attempt to deal with mysterious cloaked figures that seem to be drawn to their trap. A massive hunt ensues after Buck breaks out his coyote call and the AIMS team comes face to face with a shocking discovery caught in their trap. | ||||
| 58 | 8 | "The Return of Trapper" | November 6, 2019 | |
| After a whirlwind of events transpires the A.I.M.S team realizes that they need to meet up with their team leader Trapper. Trapper opens their eyes as they realize that they have been missing a big clue that has been in front of them all along. Refreshed and refocused, the team heads back to Ashe County in search of the Cherokee Devil, which soon proves to be too much for Huckleberry. The team sets out to find a massive rock overhang that they believe may hold a key piece of information of what happened to Huckleberry the last time they searched for the Cherokee Devil. | ||||
| 59 | 9 | "The Secret of the Red Shed" | November 13, 2019 | |
| The A.I.M.S team sets off to track down one of the cloaked figures at the heart of the mystery of Spearfinger. Willy and Wild Bill sneak down for a recon mission, and the team realizes the key to their quest is in the rock overhang and the red shed. | ||||
| 60 | 10 | "The Twisted Torch" | November 20, 2019 | |
| The A.I.M.S team realizes that the key to their entire quest for Spearfinger is hidden beneath the red shed and down in the massive rock overhang. After Jeff is drawn away by a mysterious cloaked figure, the team searches for him and soon discovers a pair of old, finely crafted torches that shed light on the Cherokee folklore surrounding Spearfinger as well as making a very bloody discovery. It is a race against time to find what is hidden in the rock overhang that can finally reveal the mystery of Spearfinger. | ||||
Season 7: The Mission from Trapper (2021)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | Special | "A Tribute to Trapper" | January 3, 2021 | |
| The remaining members of the A.I.M.S team gather around a campfire to celebrate the life of team leader and friend John "Trapper" Tice. Tears are shed and laughter echoes throughout the Appalachian night sky as they relive their favorite Trapper moments. | ||||
| 62 | 1 | "The Wolves of West Virginia" | January 10, 2021 | |
| The surviving members of A.I.M.S head out on a brand-new adventure that team leader Trapper set up for them before he passed. Equipped with Trapper's journal, they travel to the mountains of the Tygart Valley to prove there are still Wolves in West Virginia, even though legend says they were hunted to extinction in the region by 1900. While part of the team sets out to create an elaborate trap to catch the menacing predator, the others uncover a disturbing kill site. There might be something much more mysterious and deadly than wolves on the prowl. | ||||
| 63 | 2 | "K-9 Tracks by the Grave" | June 27, 2021 | |
| A grisly discovery spurs the A.I.M.S team to find out what monster lurks in the shadows of West Virginia's Tygart Valley. Using Trapper's journal, they devise an ingenious way to get footprints to help identify the mysterious predator. | ||||
| 64 | 3 | "The Red-Eyed Beast" | July 4, 2021 | |
| As a blizzard hits the Tygart Valley, the A.I.M.S team investigates Buck's encounter with a massive red-eyed monster. They risk life and limb to track the mysterious beast through the snow. Just what type of mountain mystery did Trapper get them into? | ||||
| 65 | 4 | "The Great Skull Wall" | July 11, 2021 | |
| The A.I.M.S team sets out in the darkness to suss out the source of a monstrous roar that shook the hills and hollers of the Tygart Valley. As they close in on the creature, they hear a strange noise that leads them to a landmark unlike any other. | ||||
| 66 | 5 | "What's a Smoke Wolf?" | July 18, 2021 | |
| The A.I.M.S team hunts for the source of a strange sound coming from the top of a sinister-looking tree. The search leaves them with more questions than answers about the red-eyed monster they've been tracking through the Tygart Valley. After contacting the landowner, the crew learn about the folklore behind the "Smoke Wolf". | ||||
| 67 | 6 | "The Coyote Killing Massacre" | July 25, 2021 | |
| The A.I.M.S team enters No Man's Land in pursuit of the "Smoke Wolves". The guys use a hunting trick from Trapper's journal to draw out the demon dogs, but soon realize they are treading on dangerous ground when they stumble across a pack of dead coyotes. | ||||
| 68 | 7 | "Day of Wrath" | August 1, 2021 | |
| The A.I.M.S team finds a decades-old clue etched in stone by late team leader Trapper, leading to a shocking revelation about No Man's Land. Later, the guys track a trail of blood after they hear gunshots ring out in the Tygart Valley. | ||||
| 69 | 8 | "The Den of the Smoke Wolves" | August 8, 2021 | |
| The hunt comes to a head when the A.I.M.S team locates what may be the secret lair of the Smoke Wolves. Jeff makes a special batch of Trapper's secret sauce to lure out the vicious canines. After concluding their most successful outing to date, Huckleberry shocks the team with a Bigfoot surprise. | ||||
Season 8: Tygart Valley Mysteries (2022)
|
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 1 | "Bigfoot or Bust" | January 2, 2022 | |
| Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings heads back to the Tygart Valley on a mission to prove that a massive Bigfoot roams those mysterious hills. A rumbling sound from deep in the hills gets the guys moving, and they stumble upon a strange tree structure. | ||||
| 71 | 2 | "Cow-Killing Bastard" | January 9, 2022 | |
| Things heats up for the team when Buck realizes that the legendary "Grafton Monster" has migrated to the Tygart Valley. It's a monster hunt unlike any other when they stumble across the mutilated carcass of a cow. | ||||
| 72 | 3 | "Bloodbath in the Woods" | January 16, 2022 | |
| The A.I.M.S team comes in hot onto a cattle farm after realizing the Grafton Monster is hunting livestock. They then set off on a mission to hunt for what they believe is the cryptozoic creature's most recent victim and encounter an absolute bloodbath. | ||||
| 73 | 4 | "Huckleberry’s Monster" | January 23, 2022 | |
| Huckleberry reveals his family's terrifying brush with the Grafton Monster. Later, Jeff breaks out his "hillbilly hazmat suit" to do some bloodwork on an old dog collar. And Buck gets into a hellacious fistfight with locals under the moonlight. | ||||
| 74 | 5 | "Trapper’s Birthday" | January 30, 2022 | |
| After a rip-roaring fistfight in the woods, the A.I.M.S team gather together to remember team leader Trapper on his birthday. Huckleberry busts out a jar of his famous “Squatch Piss". Later, they enters The Land of the Fallen Trees to hot on the trail of Bigfoot after meeting an eyewitness who gives new information and drops a bombshell on the team. Their searching leads them to a mysterious den what seems to be the perfect hiding spot for a massive hairy beast. | ||||
| 75 | 6 | "World’s Biggest Bigfoot Nest" | February 6, 2022 | |
| The A.I.M.S team get a hot lead about a local hunter who claims to have found a massive Bigfoot nest hidden somewhere in the hills of the Tygart Valley. They are joined by superfan “Cowboy Ken” on a night hunt that brings them face-to-face with their most incredible Bigfoot find in team history. | ||||
| 76 | 7 | "A Monster Turf War" | February 20, 2022 | |
| The A.I.M.S team find themselves in the middle of a turf war in No Man's Land between the Grafton Monster, Bigfoot and a pack of Smoke Wolves as these killer cryptids battle it out for territory. They soon discover that they are in a cryptozoic creature hotspot unlike any other. Later, the team heads deep into the Tygart Valley in search of the source of a mysterious rumbling noise that is shaking the hills. | ||||
| 77 | 8 | "Rumble in the Hills" | February 27, 2022 | |
| With the moon in the sky, the search is on to find a lost brother when A.I.M.S team member Willy goes missing somewhere in the hidden hills of the Tygart Valley. After hearing gunshots, the team make a shocking discovery and must evacuate Willy from the woods. | ||||
| 78 | 9 | "1984" | March 6, 2022 | |
| The A.I.M.S team heads out on a night hunt for Smoke Wolves in No Man's Land after encountering a herd of fleeing cattle and a mutilated calf. Later, the team learns incredible new information about Trapper that dates back to 1984, as Huckleberry blows the case wide open. | ||||
| 79 | 10 | "Bigfoot on Camera" | March 13, 2022 | |
| After a sudden Smoke Wolf attack on a local’s farm, the A.I.M.S team is in full force and on the hunt for these deadly canine cryptids. They meet with a familiar face who can shed light, once and for all, on what Trapper was doing in the Tygart Valley all those decades ago. The team makes an earth-shattering discovery with their best Bigfoot evidence in team history – one that no doubt has Trapper smiling down, proud of his Appalachian sons. | ||||
Finding Bigfoot "feud"
On April 5, 2015, Matt Moneymaker of Finding Bigfoot tweeted that Mountain Monsters was scripted and the A.I.M.S. team were merely actors. "Trapper" John Tice responded to the tweet, denying that he was an actor and referring to Moneymaker's show as "Losing Bigfoot". [26] The online feud has continued with Finding Bigfoot castmember Cliff Barackman chiming in that the show is "fiction" [27] and the official Finding Bigfoot Twitter account calling Mountain Monsters a "fake-hoax" show in regards to the series' April 2017 return. [28]
References
- ^ "Mountain Monsters – 2013". hollywood.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- ^ "Destination America Orders Fifth Season Bigfoot Series Mountain Monsters". Broadcasting & Cable. September 14, 2016. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "The AIMS Team Is Back with a Brand-New Season of "Mountain Monsters" on Travel Channel". The Futon Critic. July 15, 2019.
- ^ "The Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings Team Honors Their Beloved Leader John "Trapper" Tice in New One-Hour Special, "Mountain Monsters: A Tribute to Trapper," on Sunday, January 3 at 10 P.M. ET/PT". The Futon Critic. November 23, 2020.
- ^ Travel Channel [@travelchannel] (January 10, 2021). "Wild Bill with hair? The AIMS team picks up where Trapper left off on tonight's @discoveryplus exclusive premiere of #MountainMonsters.Tune in at 10" ( Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Mountain Monsters on Instagram: "Jan 2, 2022 - Season 8 Tygart Valley Mysteries. Available on Discovery+ and Travel Channel! More info coming."". Archived from the original on 2021-12-25.
- ^ "Mountain Monsters - Unknown - Season 8 - TheTVDB.com". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ^ Robinson, Mandy (August 23, 2019). "'Mountain Monsters' Star John Tice Forced To Step Away Due To Health". TV Shows Ace. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ^ Makitalo, Georgia (December 17, 2019). "'Mountain Monsters' Star John 'Trapper' Tice Dead At 72: All The Details". TV Shows Ace. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ^ "Mountain Monsters". Max. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Finding Bigfoot: Season 1". Archived from the original on 2012-04-23. Retrieved 2012-10-23.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (January 26, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.23.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (February 2, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.30.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (February 9, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.6.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on October 4, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (February 17, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.13.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on October 4, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (February 23, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.20.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (March 1, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.27.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (March 8, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 3.5.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (March 15, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 3.12.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (March 22, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 3.19.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (March 29, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 3.26.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 5, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.2.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 12, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.9.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 19, 2016). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.16.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Mountain Monsters [@TheAIMSDA] (May 28, 2017). "Can't wait for next week's season finale? Watch it here now! #MountainMonsters" ( Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Trapper John [@TrapperWV] (April 28, 2015). "@MattMoneymaker1 I'm not an actor. Sometimes I feel your show should be called Losing Bigfoot. Keep up the good work bud" ( Tweet) – via Twitter.?lang=en
- ^ Cliff Barackman [@CliffBarackman] (January 9, 2017). "Nope. Fiction" ( Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Finding Bigfoot [@FBIGFOOTFANS] (March 27, 2017). "If you're interested in a hoax- fake show, Mountain Monsters returns April 8th :)" ( Tweet) – via Twitter.
