Field guides / Gear
Field gear for investigators
What to pack for a night in the woods, a lake watch or a skywatch, and why each thing earns its place. Read the field guides for how to use it.
Trail cameras
Your eyes in the woods while you sleep. Most of the best cryptid photos people send in come from these.
No-glow trail cameraInvisible infrared flash, so animals (and thieves) don't see it fire.See options on AmazonCellular trail cameraSends each photo to your phone, so you know the moment something walks by.See options on AmazonSecurity box and cable lockBears chew cameras and people steal them. A steel box stops both.See options on AmazonHigh-endurance SD cardsBuilt for constant rewriting; cheap cards fail in the cold.See options on AmazonLithium AA batteriesLast months longer than alkalines and keep working below freezing.See options on Amazon
Night vision and thermal
Most encounters happen after dark. These let you see what made the noise.
Thermal monocularShows body heat through total darkness and brush: the single most useful night tool.See options on AmazonDigital night vision monocularCheaper than thermal and records video, but needs its infrared light.See options on AmazonRed-light headlampKeeps your night vision and doesn't light up the whole hillside.See options on Amazon
Audio recorders
Howls, knocks and whoops are the most common evidence. A phone mic misses most of it.
Handheld digital audio recorderRecords clean, timestamped sound all night on one set of batteries.See options on AmazonParabolic microphonePulls in distant calls and wood knocks from across a valley.See options on AmazonFurry wind muffWind noise ruins more night recordings than anything else.See options on Amazon
Track casting
A good cast of a print is evidence you can hand to a scientist. Our casting guide shows how.
Dental stoneHarder and more detailed than plaster of Paris; what trackers prefer.See options on AmazonPlaster of ParisFine for a first try and easy to find.See options on AmazonPhoto scale rulerPut a scale in every track photo, or the size can never be checked.See options on AmazonFolding trowelTo lift a cast cleanly once it has set.See options on Amazon
Binoculars
For a hump on the lake, a shape on the ridge or a light that might be a plane.
10x42 binocularsThe all-round size: bright enough for dusk, light enough to carry all day.See options on AmazonWaterproof binocularsFor lake and sea watching from a boat or a wet shoreline.See options on AmazonImage-stabilised binocularsRock-steady views of a distant light or a moving shape.See options on Amazon
Skywatching
Most UFO reports turn out to be planets, satellites or planes. These help you rule them out fast.
PlanisphereTells you which bright 'star' is really Venus or Jupiter.See options on AmazonAstronomy binocularsBig lenses for faint lights; pair with a tripod adapter.See options on AmazonBeginner Dobsonian telescopeBest value for seeing more of the sky, and for ruling out planets and satellites.See options on AmazonPhone tripod with remoteLong night exposures without the shake.See options on Amazon
Free apps: Stellarium (free planetarium: what is that bright light?) · Heavens-Above (satellite and Starlink pass times) · Flightradar24 (planes overhead right now). See the skywatching guide for how to use them.
Camping and safety
Nobody finds anything if they get lost or hurt. Pack these before anything else.
Hiking first aid kitSprains and cuts are far more likely than monsters.See options on AmazonBear sprayEssential in bear country; practise with the holster before you need it.See options on AmazonSatellite messengerTexts and SOS where there's no cell signal.See options on AmazonBaseplate compassWorks when your phone battery dies.See options on AmazonEmergency bivvyWeighs almost nothing and can save a night out gone wrong.See options on Amazon
Books and documentaries
The best general reads, sceptical and believing. Every creature page also lists books about that creature.
Cryptozoology A to Z: The Encyclopedia of Loch Monsters, Sasquatch, Chupacabras & Other Authentic Mysteries of NatureLoren ColemanFind it on AmazonOn the Track of Unknown AnimalsBernard HeuvelmansFind it on AmazonAbominable science!Daniel LoxtonFind it on AmazonThe beasts that hide from manKarl ShukerFind it on AmazonThe field guide to Bigfoot, Yeti, and other mystery primates worldwideLoren ColemanFind it on AmazonThe Field Guide to Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents, and Other Mystery Denizens of the DeepLoren ColemanFind it on AmazonMonsters of the SeaRichard EllisFind it on AmazonThe UFO experienceJ. Allen HynekFind it on AmazonThe Report on Unidentified Flying ObjectsEdward J. RuppeltFind it on Amazon
Documentaries
The Legend of Boggy Creek1972 · 1972 American docudrama horror filmWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
Sasquatch2021 · 2021 American true crime docuseriesWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
Finding Bigfoot2011 · Animal Planet TV seriesWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
MonsterQuest2007 · 2007 American TV series or programWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
The Phenomenon2020 · 2020 documentary film about UFOsWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
Out of the Blue2003 · 2003 American filmWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation2019 · 2019 American TV series or programWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch2020 · American reality television seriesWatch on AmazonWhere to stream
Hellier2019 · 2019 American TV series or programWatch on AmazonWhere to stream