The Saskatchewan Porcupine Crop Circle Mystery: Unexplained Phenomena of the 1990s
Crop circles remain one of the most intriguing phenomena in modern unexplained events. While typically associated with UFO enthusiasts, these mysterious formations occasionally exhibit characteristics that defy conventional explanation. In Saskatchewan during the early 1990s, several farmers encountered unusual crop formations with a disturbing twist—flattened porcupines discovered within the circles. These incidents, documented by reporter John Betts of the Nelson Daily News, revealed peculiar details including hardened soil, systematically bent crops, and strangely preserved animal remains.
The most notable case involved Saskatchewan farmer Joe Renck, who in August 1992 discovered a large depression in his wheat field with spiraling patterns and unnaturally hardened soil. At the center lay a completely flattened porcupine, compressed to about two inches thick with its quills mixed with clay balls scattered throughout the formation. A similar incident from 1988 involved farmer Don Hegel, who found a deflated porcupine covered in mysterious black residue within a crop circle—a case so unusual that even the Royal Canadian Mounted Police could not determine a cause after examining the remains.
Key Takeaways
Saskatchewan farmers documented unusual crop formations containing flattened porcupines that showed minimal decomposition despite extreme weather conditions.
Physical evidence included unnaturally hardened soil, systematically arranged plant stalks, and animal remains compressed without visible external trauma.
Investigators found no human-related evidence such as footprints or tire tracks that would explain the creation of these mysterious formations.
Mysterious Patterns in Agricultural Fields
Crop Formation Occurrences
The phenomenon of crop formations presents one of agriculture's most puzzling mysteries. In Saskatchewan, Canada, several farmers have reported unusual patterns appearing in their fields, often accompanied by strange observations that defy conventional explanation.
In August 1992, farmer Joe Renck discovered an irregular depression in his wheat field measuring 60 feet long by 20 feet wide. The 3.5-foot tall wheat was flattened in 3-foot wide spiral patterns. Curiously, the normally soft soil within the formation had become unusually hardened.
The most bizarre element of Renck's discovery was a completely flattened porcupine found at the center of the formation. The animal was compressed to approximately 2 inches thick with all four legs extending at 45-degree angles. Small clay balls mixed with broken quills were scattered around the carcass. Despite summer heat, the porcupine showed virtually no decomposition after three weeks.
Another Saskatchewan farmer, Don Hegel, reported a similar discovery in 1988. Hegel found a flattened porcupine inside a crop depression that appeared "cooked from the inside out." The animal was covered in what he described as a black, ash-like substance. Although the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated and suggested possible human involvement, Hegel noted the absence of footprints, tire tracks, or any evidence of human activity in the remote location.
Chad Deacon from the Pacific Research Center investigated the Renck case and proposed that porcupines' natural defensive instinct to remain stationary rather than flee might explain why this particular species has been found in crop formations. Unlike other animals that would quickly evacuate an area when sensing danger, porcupines rely on their quills for protection.
The scientific community remains divided on the true cause of these formations and the unusual animal deaths associated with them. These Saskatchewan cases represent particularly compelling examples due to the physical evidence documented by multiple witnesses.
Saskatchewan Farmer's Strange Field Discovery
Unusual Objects and Flattened Crop Patterns
In 1992, Joe Renck of Milestone, Saskatchewan encountered something highly unusual while preparing for his daily farm work. Walking into his wheat field, he discovered an irregular depression measuring 60 feet long by 20 feet wide. The formation appeared as if something substantial had bounced across his crops multiple times.
Within this strange pattern, the 3.5-foot tall wheat was completely flattened and arranged in 3-foot wide spiral patterns. Renck noted that the normally soft Prairie soil inside the formation had inexplicably hardened. The wheat stalks had been pressed down with such force that they left clear impressions in the hardened ground.
Most disturbing was Renck's discovery at the center of the formation: a completely flattened porcupine. The animal was compressed to approximately 2 inches thick with its legs extending outward at 45-degree angles. Small clay balls mixed with broken quills were scattered around the carcass. About 20 feet away, Renck found a skid mark in the soil with additional quills, all oriented in the same direction as the swirled crops.
Renck observed several unusual characteristics about the animal:
No visible blood around the carcass
No tears to the animal's flesh
Minimal decomposition despite three weeks in extreme heat
No predator or scavenger interest in the remains
Chad Deacon from the Pacific Research Center investigated the site and theorized that the porcupine had been caught by whatever force created the formation. He suggested the porcupine's natural defensive instinct to remain stationary rather than flee might explain why this species specifically had been found in such circumstances.
A similar case emerged from 1988 when farmer Don Hegel in Evanston, Saskatchewan discovered another flattened porcupine in a crop depression. This animal appeared "cooked from the inside out" with skin and bones intact but no internal organs. The carcass was covered in what Hegel described as a black, ash-like substance.
Hegel contacted the RCMP, who collected the animal remains. Although officers suggested potential cult activity, Hegel found this explanation implausible given the remote location, absence of footprints or tire tracks, and lack of any history of such groups in his rural community.
The farmers' accounts suggest they witnessed not just unusual crop formations but potentially the aftermath of whatever created them, with both cases involving the same species of animal in similarly peculiar conditions.
Farmer Accounts Following Crop Formation Events
More Sightings Across Saskatchewan
In the early 1990s, after publishing a report about a Saskatchewan farmer who observed disc-shaped objects rising from his field, journalist John Betts received numerous additional accounts from local farmers. These individuals detailed similar experiences with unexplained crop formations appearing on their properties. The formations often featured flattened crops arranged in particular patterns, with the soil exhibiting unusual characteristics.
Joe Renck from Milestone, Saskatchewan documented finding an irregular depression measuring 60 feet long by 20 feet wide in his wheat field in August 1992. The 3.5-foot tall wheat inside this formation was flattened and arranged in 3-foot wide spiral patterns. Renck noted that the normally soft Prairie soil within the formation had hardened significantly, with plant impressions visible in the compacted ground.
Notable Patterns Across Incidents
The most striking similarity between multiple reports involved deceased porcupines found within the formations. In Renck's case, he discovered a completely flattened porcupine—approximately 2 inches thick with legs extended at 45-degree angles—lying atop the swirled wheat. Small clay balls mixed with broken quills surrounded the carcass. Despite three weeks of exposure to hot weather, the animal showed minimal decomposition and appeared to repel scavengers.
Another farmer, Don Hegel from Evanston, found a similar phenomenon in 1988. His discovery was so disturbing that he contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to investigate. Hegel described finding a deflated porcupine inside a crop depression:
Animal appeared "cooked from the inside out"
Body was covered in black, ash-like substance
Skin, bones, and quills remained intact
Internal organs seemed to be missing
No signs of human activity (footprints, tire tracks) in the vicinity
The RCMP performed an autopsy but reached no definitive conclusion about the cause of death. While officers suggested possible ritualistic activities, Hegel found this explanation implausible given the remote location and absence of any evidence supporting human presence at the site.
Chad Deacon from the Pacific Research Center, who investigated Renck's site, theorized that porcupines might be uniquely vulnerable due to their defensive behavior. Unlike other animals that flee from danger, porcupines typically remain stationary, relying on their quills for protection. This behavioral difference might explain why these particular animals were affected by whatever forces created the crop formations.
Joe Renck's Unusual Field Discovery
In August 1992, Saskatchewan farmer Joe Renck made a peculiar discovery while preparing for his daily farm chores in Milestone. Walking into his field of ripe wheat, he encountered something that would become part of an unusual pattern of incidents across Saskatchewan farmland.
Unusual Field Depression
The wheat field contained a strange elongated depression measuring 60 feet long by 20 feet wide. Renck observed that the formation appeared as if something large had bounced several times across his crop. This irregular pattern differed from the more geometric formations typically associated with crop phenomena. The depression's unusual shape raised immediate questions about its origin, especially since no conventional explanation seemed obvious to the experienced farmer.
Hardened Ground and Circular Wheat Patterns
Within the depression, Renck found the normally tall wheat (about 3.5 feet in height) had been flattened and arranged in spiral patterns approximately 3 feet wide. Most surprisingly, the typically soft prairie gumbo soil had become extremely hard, almost cement-like in consistency. The wheat stalks and seed heads had been pressed down with such force that they left distinct impressions in the hardened soil. These physical changes to both crops and soil represented characteristics that would be difficult to reproduce through conventional means.
The Mysteriously Flattened Porcupine
The most startling element of Renck's discovery was a dead porcupine found within the formation. The animal had been compressed to approximately 2 inches thick, with all four legs extending outward at 45-degree angles. Despite this severe compression, Renck noted:
No visible blood around the carcass
No apparent tears to the animal's flesh
Little decomposition despite three weeks in summer heat
No interest from scavenging birds
Surrounding the flattened porcupine were small clay balls mixed with broken quills. Approximately 20 feet away, Renck discovered a skid mark in the soil with additional quills aligned in the same direction as the swirled crop patterns. Following the discovery, investigator Chad Deacon from the Pacific Research Center theorized that porcupines' defensive instinct to remain stationary rather than flee might explain why this species particularly had been found in such formations.
This incident, alongside a similar 1988 case involving farmer Don Hegel finding a flattened, "hollowed-out" porcupine in Evanston, Saskatchewan, represents an unusual subset of agricultural phenomena that remains difficult to explain through conventional understanding.
Examining the Unusual Field Formations
Mysterious Animal Fatalities
The discovery of deceased porcupines within crop formations represents a particularly unusual aspect of these incidents. In the Milestone, Saskatchewan case from August 1992, farmer Joe Renck found a completely flattened porcupine within an irregular depression in his wheat field. The animal was compressed to approximately 2 inches thick with its legs extending at 45-degree angles.
What makes this case particularly strange was the lack of normal decomposition. Despite leaving the carcass in the field for three weeks during intense summer heat, Renck observed almost no decay. Birds and other scavengers avoided the remains entirely. This preservation occurred despite no visible preservatives or chemicals in the area.
The porcupine showed no blood or visible flesh tears, appearing simply compressed. Small clay balls mixed with broken quills were scattered around the carcass, with additional quills found at the edge of the formation oriented in the same direction as the swirled crop.
Specialist Examination and Hypotheses
The Pacific Research Center from Vancouver investigated the Renck farm incident. Investigator Chad Deacon examined the site and interviewed witnesses, though the porcupine remains had been removed and could not be located for further analysis.
Deacon proposed that the porcupine's natural defensive behavior may explain its unique vulnerability to whatever created the formation. Unlike other animals that flee from threats, porcupines typically remain stationary and rely on their quills for protection. This behavior pattern could potentially account for why porcupines specifically have been documented in multiple crop formations.
This theory gained additional support when farmer Don Hegel reported finding a similar flattened porcupine in 1988 in Langenburg, Saskatchewan. Hegel's discovery was even more unusual:
The animal appeared "cooked from the inside out"
Internal organs were missing while skin and bones remained intact
A black, ash-like substance covered the remains
No signs of human presence (footprints, tire tracks) were found
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated this earlier case and conducted an autopsy but reached no definitive conclusions about the cause. While officers suggested possible cult activity, Hegel found this explanation implausible given the remote location and lack of any evidence supporting human involvement.
These peculiar animal deaths within crop formations remain unexplained and represent a rarely discussed aspect of the crop circle phenomenon.
The 1988 Porcupine Mystery
Don Hegel's Unusual Discovery
In 1988, farmer Don Hegel was inspecting his wheat field in Evanston, Saskatchewan when he came across something deeply disturbing. Within a flattened depression in his crops lay a bizarrely transformed porcupine. The animal appeared completely flattened and was surrounded by an unusual black, ash-like substance.
"I've seen decomposing animals before, but this was not normal," Hegel later explained. The porcupine's skin, bones, and other external features remained intact, but the internal organs seemed to have vanished. Most strikingly, the animal appeared to have been transformed from the inside out, though it showed no conventional signs of burning.
The location of the discovery added another layer of mystery. The porcupine was found approximately three-quarters of a mile into Hegel's wheat field, with no visible tracks, footprints, or other evidence that humans had accessed the area.
RCMP Involvement and Autopsy
Disturbed by his finding, Hegel contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who collected the flattened porcupine for further examination. The officers conducted what they described as an autopsy on the remains. After their analysis, they informed Hegel they could not definitively determine what had happened to the animal.
Despite their uncertainty about the cause, the RCMP officers suggested the porcupine might have been a victim of satanic ritual activity. This official hypothesis became part of their report, though it was presented as a tentative conclusion rather than established fact.
The investigation provided few concrete answers. The officers did determine that, contrary to initial appearances, the animal had not been cooked or exposed to conventional heat. However, they offered no explanation for the ash-like substance or the peculiar flattening of the corpse.
Satanists Hypothesis Rejected
Hegel remained deeply skeptical of the RCMP's satanic cult theory. He pointed out several logical inconsistencies that made this explanation implausible:
No footprints, tire tracks, or other human evidence existed in or around the crop formation
His rural farm community had no history of satanic group activity
The remote location made little sense for ritualistic purposes
Porcupines, with their defensive quills, would be impractical sacrificial animals
"You'd think they would sacrifice animals like chickens. They're easier to catch and they don't have those quills," Hegel reasoned.
Four years later in 1992, a similar case emerged when farmer Joe Renck discovered another flattened porcupine within a crop formation on his property in Milestone, Saskatchewan. This porcupine was also found flattened to about two inches thick with limbs extended at 45-degree angles, surrounded by hardened soil and clay balls mixed with broken quills.
Examining Flattened Animals Found in Unexplained Formations
British Hedgehog in Crop Circle
A similar case to the Saskatchewan porcupine incidents occurred in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. This event, documented in Flying Saucer Review magazine, involved a flattened hedgehog discovered within a crop circle formation.
Hedgehogs, like porcupines, are small mammals equipped with protective quills. The animal was reportedly found completely flattened inside the geometric pattern pressed into the crops. This discovery mirrors the Canadian cases in several key aspects:
The animal was found compressed to an unnatural thickness
It was located centrally within the formation
The creature possessed defensive quills rather than escape-based defenses
This UK incident further supports the theory proposed by investigators that animals with defensive mechanisms that cause them to remain stationary during perceived threats may be particularly vulnerable to whatever forces create these crop formations.
The hedgehog case represents an important international parallel that suggests these phenomena may not be confined to North America but could be occurring worldwide with similar effects on wildlife with comparable defensive adaptations.
Absence of Physical Human Traces
When examining the mysterious crop formations in Saskatchewan, a notable pattern emerged—the complete lack of evidence indicating human involvement. The formations showed no tire marks, footprints, or any signs that people had accessed these remote fields. In Joe Renck's case from August 1992, the formation appeared in an isolated area of his wheat field with no pathways leading to or from the site.
Don Hegel's 1988 discovery presented similar characteristics. His formation was located three-quarters of a mile into his wheat field with no visible trails or access points that would suggest human visitors. The RCMP officers who investigated proposed a theory about Satanist activity, but Hegel found this explanation implausible given the complete absence of human-related evidence.
The physical properties of these formations further challenged human-based explanations. The normally soft Prairie gumbo soil within Renck's formation had inexplicably hardened to a rock-like consistency. This unusual soil transformation occurred uniformly throughout the affected area, something difficult to achieve through conventional methods.
Both farmers noted the remote locations of their discoveries. Hegel explicitly questioned why anyone would trek such a considerable distance into a wheat field to create these formations. The lack of community reports about suspicious group activities in these rural farming areas added another layer to the mystery.
These cases stand out because they contained no evidence of the tools, equipment, or physical traces that would typically accompany human-created formations. The precise patterns of bent crops, with wheat stalks woven in 3-foot wide spirals and seed heads pressed into hardened soil, displayed a level of complexity that raised questions about conventional creation methods.
Human Life Pattern Markers Detected at Sites Footprints None Vehicle tracks None Tool marks None Access paths None Local witnesses reporting human activity None
This absence of human-related evidence contributed significantly to the farmers' bewilderment and their decisions to report these incidents to authorities and researchers.
Correspondence with Albert Rosales
While researching these unusual porcupine incidents, I contacted Albert Rosales to inquire about similar cases involving flattened human victims. Fortunately, Rosales confirmed he had never encountered reports of humans being flattened in this manner.
However, Rosales mentioned being familiar with another case of a flattened animal found in a crop formation. According to him, the incident likely appeared in an issue of Flying Saucer Review from the early 1990s. The case occurred in the United Kingdom and involved a hedgehog that was discovered inside a crop circle.
This information suggests that while rare, the phenomenon of flattened animals within crop formations may not be entirely isolated to the Saskatchewan porcupine cases. The hedgehog incident presents an intriguing parallel, especially considering hedgehogs, like porcupines, possess defensive spines that might cause them to remain stationary rather than flee when threatened.
