Dark Outdoors

Twenty-four years ago, four-year-old Dannarriah Finley disappeared from her home in Orange, Texas. Three days later, her body was found on a remote stretch of marshland near Pleasure Island in Port Arthur. Despite decades of investigation, the case remains unsolved. In this episode of Dark Outdoors, award-winning wildlife journalist and conservation communicator Chester Moore examines one of South...

As concerns grow over the northward movement of the New World screwworm, one of the most important lessons comes from an outbreak that occurred nearly a decade ago in the Florida Keys. In 2016, the flesh-eating parasite struck the endangered Key deer, threatening one of America's most unique wildlife populations. What followed was a remarkable response involving wildlife biologists, veterinarians,...

In this episode of Dark Outdoors, we sit down with legendary African safari guide and wildlife expert Dave Fulson of Safari Classics and Facts Across Africa to explore some of the continent’s most intense and unforgettable snake encounters. From heart-pounding close calls with the infamous black mamba—Africa’s fastest and most feared venomous snake—to dangerous encounters with well-camouflaged puf...

Few wildlife threats are as horrifying—or as potentially devastating—as the New World screwworm. Today on Dark Outdoors, we're taking a deep dive into a parasite that eats living flesh—and it's no longer a problem confined to the history books. The New World screwworm is in Texas, it is spreading, and wildlife professionals, ranchers, hunters, and animal health experts are sounding the alarm. Join...

Nearly 51 years after Jaws changed movie history and forever altered the way people viewed sharks, Chester Moore sits down with Jeffrey Voorhees, the actor who portrayed Alex Kintner, the young boy whose shocking death scene became one of the most unforgettable moments in cinematic history. In this special episode of Dark Outdoors®, Jeffrey shares memories from the set of Jaws, discusses the legac...

Deep in the California redwoods, beneath a towering owl statue hidden among the trees, robed figures gather around firelight as chants echo through the darkness. For decades, Bohemian Grove has fueled rumors involving secret ceremonies, elite power, occult symbolism, and hidden rituals far from public view. But what if scenes like this are not isolated? In this unsettling episode of Dark Outdoors®...

In this episode of Dark Outdoors®, we explore the frightening reality of digital stalking, GPS tracking, location sharing, and how smartphones, apps, social media, and outdoor tech can expose campers, hikers, hunters, and travelers to real-world danger in remote areas. From trailheads and campsites to isolated backroads and deep forests, modern technology can reveal far more about your location an...

Are jaguars really being secretly released into Texas… or is the internet being flooded with AI-generated wildlife hoaxes? In this episode of Dark Outdoors, Chester Moore dives deep into the viral rumors, fake predator stories, AI-generated wildlife content, and online fear campaigns spreading across social media. From bogus jaguar release conspiracies in South Texas to fake trail camera images an...

Cocaine sharks are real! In this interview, environmental engineer and science communicator Dr. Tracy Fanara explains what scientists are actually discovering about sharks, pharmaceuticals in the ocean, and how chemical exposure could be affecting marine life. From trace contaminants in coastal waters to broader questions about water quality, we explore how human activity is changing ocean ecosyst...

Deep in the dark waters of Texas, stories still surface about giant garfish lurking beneath the current. Recently, a viral social media graphic exploded online claiming a massive 12-foot alligator gar made an unbelievable journey up the Trinity River — igniting debate, fear, and fascination across the internet. In this episode of Dark Outdoors, I dig into the real story behind the viral image and...

In light of the growing public interest surrounding UFO disclosure, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), and recent government revelations involving military encounters and unexplained objects, Dark Outdoors® is releasing a special exclusive mini-episode featuring a never-before-heard eyewitness interview from far offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. In this brief but chilling conversation, an offshor...

In this episode of Dark Outdoors, I look into reports of sea snakes—like highly venomous banded sea kraits—being spotted in the Gulf, far outside their natural range. After going through the available records and research, one thing is clear: there are no verified reports of true sea snakes in the Gulf of Mexico. But sightings still happen. This episode focuses on the research I’ve done into those...

There are stories from places like Haiti about people who were buried… and then seen again—walking through fields, along tree lines, and out on empty roads. Not dead. But not fully there. In this episode of Dark Outdoors, we take a look at the real idea of zombification—where it comes from, the documented case of Clairvius Narcisse, and how similar encounters are still happening today. From rural...

In this Dark Outdoors mini episode, we step into the shadowy intersection of wilderness and human predators. Joined by Stephen G. Michaud, co-author of The Only Living Witness and Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer, we examine how Ted Bundy and other killers exploited false injuries, manufactured helplessness, and social trust to lure victims—and why those same tactics become even more dangero...

In this chilling episode of Far Dark Outdoors, we dive deep into the disturbing true crime case of Israel Keyes, one of the most calculating and methodical serial killers in modern American history. Known for his meticulous planning, hidden “kill kits,” and ability to blend into everyday life, Keyes exploited remote wilderness areas, highways, and outdoor recreation spaces to commit his crimes—and...

Ghost ships are not myths. They are real vessels—found drifting without crews, washed ashore on remote coastlines, or discovered floating silently in open water with no clear explanation of how they got there. This begins a five episode run of mini-episodes before the next big season of deep dives into outdoors dangers and mysteries. In this episode of Dark Outdoors, we explore the true stories be...

For decades, people across Texas and the Southwest have reported strange hairless creatures attacking livestock — animals many claimed were the legendary Chupacabra. But the real explanation is far stranger, and far more disturbing, than most people realize. Plus, you'll hear about the night he was charged by a "chupacabra". In this Dark Outdoors investigation, Chester Moore breaks down the true w...

When 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert vanished into the pitch-black marshland of Oak Beach in 2010, no one knew her disappearance would open a corridor of horror stretching miles along Long Island’s desolate barrier islands. While police searched the reeds for one missing woman, cadaver dogs led them to something far worse—multiple bodies hidden in the dunes, placed where the darkness itself seemed to...

Author and researcher Lyle Blackburn joins the program again and we give a detailed behind the scenes look at the new documentary Wild Men: The Search for Feral Humans & Lost Tribes that details reports of primitve people in East Texas in areas of the Trinity Triangle. This is our second show on this topic but now with fresh reports and new insight. Watch the new documentary and subscribe to C...

It’s our annual Halloween Monster Special! Lyle Blackburn returns to Dark Outdoors to dive into the legends of Momo, the Lizard Man, and the Lake Worth Monster in this chilling cryptid deep dive. In this special Halloween edition of the Dark Outdoors podcast, we welcome back Lyle Blackburn—renowned cryptozoologist, author, and monster hunter—for our Annual Monster Episode. This time, we're plungin...

Mysterious lights flicker through the woods of Bragg Road and the Louisiana fields — are they swamp gas, headlights, or something not of this world? The 13 Days of Dark Outdoors begins where science and the supernatural collide. They’ve appeared for generations — glowing orbs floating above the dirt roads and swamps of East Texas and Louisiana. Some say they’re lanterns carried by the dead. Others...

What if America’s wilderness hides a predator science won’t acknowledge? In this episode of Dark Outdoors®, author Michael Mayes—known for his work Shadow Cats—joins us to dig into the controversial and chilling reports of black panthers roaming across the U.S. For decades, eyewitnesses from Texas to the Appalachians have sworn they’ve seen something impossible: massive black panthers prowling the...

A family hike turned into a fight for survival when a father, his wife, their toddler, and infant daughter came face-to-face with a mountain lion. Dark Outdoors dives deep into the wilderness dangers that most people never see coming. On this gripping episode of Dark Outdoors, we recount the terrifying true story of a family’s dangerous encounter with a mountain lion. What began as an ordinary hik...

Were U.S. soldiers in Vietnam battling only human enemies—or were they also encountering undiscovered apes in the jungle? Author RC Bramhall joins Dark Outdoors to reveal the terrifying legend of the Rock Apes. Were U.S. soldiers in the Vietnam War facing more than just human enemies? Many veterans swore they encountered Bigfoot-like creatures, known as the “Rock Apes,” while fighting in the dense...

Join us on Dark Outdoors® for an unforgettable conversation with Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Mike R. Vining—explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) pioneer and Delta Force operative—and his wife, acclaimed wildlife photographer and author Donna Ikenberry. Married atop Mauna Kea in 1999 after Mike’s decorated 30‑year military career (including Vietnam, Eagle Claw, Desert Storm, and more) Donna has since...