Destination America's new show Mountain Monsters

If there is one paranormal show that is disturbing these days it is Destination America's 'Mountain Monsters'. The show documents Appalachian mountaineers that “investigate” various reports of creatures throughout the Appalachian mountain region. Recently the mountaineers were hunting down a creature called the “Wampus Beast” but have also gone after other creatures well. The name of the group of mountain monster investigators is called Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings, or AIMS.

At first glance, it seemed an amusing idea. Mountain men investigating sightings in the mountains may offer some comic relief, since many seem to be a colorful bunch of grand story tellers. What became bothersome about the show was how potentially dangerous and haphazard the men seemed to be. Every noise in the dark seemed to prompt the men to take aim with loaded rifles in whatever direction. With the use of traps and live bait the men attempt to lure these “creatures” but are also appear eager to shoot one if they think they are threatened.

It seems a reckless venture from all sides. None of the creatures they are investigating have ever harmed a human being, yet you hear “if it's big enough to kill a hog, it could kill a man...” and “if they are killing our livestock who's to say they won't kill a human or a small child.” Supposedly using that sort of logic is how they would justify killing one of these creatures. They could also argue their lives were threatened, however when you use bait and you seek them out from hiding you're assuming a certain risk. If these creatures are real, there is certainly no evidence to suggest they are any threat to humans.

Investigating these creatures, or obtaining evidence of their existence is a worthy endeavor under certain conditions, but to track them down with guns drawn in the dark seems an experiment in idiocy. Why do five or six men all need rifles just to investigate a creature? Personally they all look like idiots when any noise has them aiming blindly in the dark. God forbid someone walk up on these hillbillies in the dark. One thing I am impressed with and thankful for, these creatures all seem to be far wiser than their aggressors, they have to be, and so should we.