Ope, Whatchya Think?

On this episode of Ope, Whatchya Think?, the hosts dig into the eerie legend of Avon Bottoms, a decaying southern Wisconsin floodplain near Broadhead reputed to harbor a swamp creature, haunted playground, and a dark history of dumped bodies. They share local sightings, DNR notes about unusual wildlife, personal reactions, and consider a road trip to explore the spooky site themselves.

In this unscripted, booze-fueled episode the hosts dig into a wave of 1897 Midwest UFO reports — cigar-shaped airships, bright lights, alleged wreckage, and witnesses from Eau Claire to Kalamazoo. They discuss historical context, possible explanations (from early dirigibles to aliens and time travel), and the odd details recorded in period newspapers and books. The episode is heavy on rambunctious...

In this beer-fueled episode the hosts trade jokes and local stories while digging into the life, union power and mysterious 1975 disappearance of Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. They summarize Hoffa’s rise and conviction, his links to organized crime and Richard Nixon, review the FBI investigations and popular theories (from stadium burials to horse farms and secret cremations), and touch on cultural...

The hosts drink, joke, and dive into the strange true story of Mike Markham — a Missouri man who claimed to build a time machine using a Jacob’s Ladder and stolen transformers, called into Coast to Coast AM, disappeared for two years, and reappeared in Ohio holding a mysterious device. The episode mixes skepticism, conspiracy chatter, and humor as the crew recounts Markham’s arrest, the blackout h...

Four tipsy hosts and one special guest unpack the strange true story of James Strang: a 19th‑century Mormon convert who claimed to have discovered metal plates, proclaimed himself King of Beaver Island, held a tin‑crowned coronation, and led a theocratic community. The episode covers Strang’s rise, conflicts with local fishermen over land and polygamy, his assassination in 1856, the forced exile o...

In this rambunctious two‑part episode the hosts dig into Wisconsin’s Aztalan mounds, exploring connections to Cahokia, reports of underwater and underground pyramid‑like structures at Rock Lake, and local sightings of a 20‑foot serpent nicknamed “Rocky.” Between spirited banter and drinks, they touch on ancient trade (copper from Keweenaw), strange lake lore, possible explanations (logs, otters, g...

On this rambunctious episode of Ope, What You Think?, the hosts — drunk and irreverent — visit Aztalan, Wisconsin to explore its mysterious mounds, burial finds, and surprising Gulf Coast shell artifacts. They discuss mound types, a young woman’s wrapped burial with shell belts, connections to the Mississippian culture and Cahokia, and theories about ancient trade and cultural links — all mixed wi...

On this episode the hosts, over beers and banter, examine the 1961 Eagle River, Wisconsin sighting where farmer Joe Simonton said three Italian-looking humanoids emerged from a shiny craft, asked for water, and gave him four strange, tasteless pancakes. The U.S. Air Force investigated the report for Project Blue Book, confiscated the pancakes (now reportedly at Wright-Patterson), found only earthl...

In this special cigar-and-beer episode recorded live from the Pecatonica clubhouse, Tom Quinn recounts a chilling Tomahawk, Wisconsin sighting: two large winged humanoids fought above a riverside concert, sending crowds into a panic and one swooping low enough to brush the hosts before rocketing skyward. Josh, Tyler, and Isaac discuss local cryptid lore, media silence, similar Great Lakes sighting...

In December 1977 a glowing red object descended over a park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, igniting a grass fire and leaving behind a heavy, cooling slab of unusual metal that formed blue crystals as it solidified. Firefighters and police recovered the half-ton alloy, which was later analyzed by researchers including Jacques Vallée and Dr. Gary Nolan; mass spectrometry showed a purified mix of metals no...

Four friends on a beer-fueled Midwest podcast trade wild UFO and strange-light stories — from a grandma spotting a classic silver flying saucer to mysterious hillsides lit with no source and orange orbs streaking into the sky. The episode mixes humor, family memories, and conspiracy banter as they debate extraterrestrial, extra-dimensional, and metaphysical explanations while sharing local legends...

In 1903 the small town of Van Meter, Iowa, was terrorized by reports of a nine-foot, winged creature with leathery wings and a glowing horn that landed on rooftops, broke into buildings, emitted a foul stench, and resisted gunfire. Locals formed a posse, tracked the beast to an abandoned mine, and sealed the entrance after the sightings continued for several nights. The episode examines contempora...

On this episode the hosts banter over snacks and drinks before diving into Duluth, Minnesota’s moored freighter the SS William A. Irvin. They explore the ship’s history as a flagship of U.S. Steel, a fatal 1964 boiler-room explosion, and local reports of shadowy figures, chains, and a ghostly child. The crew debates natural explanations versus the paranormal, describes haunted-ship tours at Canal...

In this short episode the Midwest Paranormal Podcast hosts Tyler, Isaac, Jason, and Josh interview Will Jackson from Nebraska. Will shares chilling stories including a Ouija board session that spelled out an unknown brother's name, a ghostly white horse and cowboy seen at the bottom of his driveway, and other eerie encounters. The conversation mixes spooky firsthand tales with band banter and Midw...

On this episode the hosts drink to Milwaukee and dive into the spooky history of the Pfister Hotel, a lavish Victorian landmark said to be haunted by its founder, Charles Pfister. They share reports of apparitions, disembodied voices, moving furniture, and electrical oddities — including anecdotes from professional baseball players who refused to stay there again. The crew reacts with humor and cu...

On this episode of Ope What You Think, the hosts dive into the legend of the Kensington Runestone — a 200-pound slab reportedly unearthed in 1898 that claims a group of Vikings reached Minnesota centuries ago. They discuss the runes, archaeological debates over authenticity, other Midwestern runestones, and share beer-fueled banter while weighing whether it’s a genuine Viking marker or a local hoa...

In this episode the hosts explore Shakers, a former 1894 brothel turned cigar bar in Milwaukee, tracing its Prohibition-era ties to the Capone network, grisly murders, and rumors of teenage prostitutes and trapdoors used for trafficking. They describe eerie reports from upstairs rooms (including a spirit called Molly), a menacing, active basement with sightings of eyes and aggressive activity, and...

Hosts trade jokes and beer before diving into reports of hauntings at Madison’s Orpheum Theater, a 1920s Art Deco venue famous for its historic air-conditioning unit and iconic sign. They discuss named apparitions like Pete the Projectionist, a shadowy head usher, a key-jingling night manager, a tall man by the bathrooms, and a low-lying mist thought to be a child, as well as phantom conversations...

Join the hosts as they recount the eerie legend of the Beast of Bray Road — a six- to seven-foot, dog-headed, bipedal creature reported around Elkhorn, Wisconsin. From the first sighting in 1936 to a wave of reports in the 1980s–90s, witness accounts describe glowing eyes, carcass-eating behavior, and scratched cars that sparked national attention and even inspired a horror movie. The episode expl...

Join our hosts as they do an onsite interview with Greg and Des at Studio 301 in Portage, WI! This historic downtown building may be hiding some crazy secrets. Is the location haunted? Are there bodies hidden there? Did the hosts have too many drinks? Catch Ope, Whatchya Think?

On this episode the hosts introduce the show with a cold open and dive into Jason’s first-hand account of the Paulding Light in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They describe the glowing orb seen near a logging road—its changing colors, size, and occasional electrical effects—and explain how it’s been reported since the 1960s. The conversation covers local legends (a brakeman’s ghost, a native spirit),...

In this episode the hosts revisit the January 1987 Belleville, Wisconsin sightings — police lights seen over a quarry, a radar blip picked up by O'Hare, and a town meeting that turned a local sighting into a regional mystery. Multiple witnesses and later commemorative "UFO Days" kept the story alive. The hosts mix reporting with personal experience: a blurry photo, a local "space snake" sighting,...

Ope, What You Think? is a bite-sized podcast about paranormal sightings, conspiracies, cryptids, UFOs, and true crime from the Midwest. Join our hosts weekly as they crack open a few cold ones, trade outrageous local stories, and give unfiltered opinions. Expect short tales, on-site interviews, quirky banter, and a little chaos — from hovering lights and stuck fingers to sasquatch stench and amphi...