In the wilderness of central Alaska, a hunting expedition took an extraordinary turn on Saturday, May 28, 1972. Two friends, Lee McNeel and Paul Miller, had ventured into Unit 20 for the closing days of spring grizzly bear season. After crossing the Big Delta River in the early morning and hiking to a small foothill below McKinness Peak, they spotted their quarry—a large grizzly traveling along the western bank of the river.

The hunters settled into a depression covered with bushes, calculating that the bear would come within shooting range. As they waited, they observed a small herd of caribou approaching from the northeast, unaware of both the hunters and the bear. The scene was perfectly set for a successful hunt when suddenly, a mysterious blue ball of fire descended from the sky, striking among the caribou. This was followed by the appearance of a giant sphere with a dull orange underbelly hovering above the hunters, emitting beams of white light that made caribou disappear. In panic, Paul fired his rifle at the object, with bullets making unusual sounds upon impact before everything went black for Lee.

Key Takeaways

Two hunters tracking a grizzly bear in Alaska witnessed an unexplainable aerial phenomenon that interfered with their hunt.
A mysterious sphere appeared above them, emitting beams of light that affected a nearby caribou herd.
One hunter's attempt to defend themselves by shooting at the hovering object led to an unexplained period of unconsciousness.

The Setting

Timing and Place

The event occurred on Saturday, May 28, 1972, in Unit 20 of central Alaska. Lee McNeel and Paul Miller had arranged time off work to hunt during the final days of spring grizzly bear season, which was closing in just three days. They began their journey early, departing at 5:00 AM to maximize their hunting opportunity. By midday, they had positioned themselves on a small foothill below McKinness Peak, overlooking a tundra-covered valley drained by Sacred Creek.

Environmental Conditions

The weather featured mixed conditions typical of late Alaskan spring. A cold wind blew from the southeast, though most winter snow had melted except for occasional thick patches. The midday sun provided warmth as the men waited in a small depression sheltered by bushes. Wild strawberries were just beginning to ripen in the area, providing a small snack during their wait.

The landscape offered excellent visibility across the tundra valley. Initially clear skies allowed bright sunshine, though later a cloud bank unexpectedly spilled over Mount Hayes, quickly covering most of the sky. This changing weather created interesting lighting conditions as the sun began to slant in from the west.

Wildlife activity was notable in the area:

A large grizzly bear traveling northward along the western bank of the Big Delta River
A small herd of approximately 76 young caribou with growing horns
Wind patterns ensuring neither animal group would detect the hunters' scent

The timing reached approximately 10:30 PM when darkness began to fall, marking the typical sunset time for central Alaska in late May.

The Hunting Expedition

Preparation and Journey of McNeel and Miller

Lee McNeel and Paul Miller embarked on a hunting trip on Saturday, May 28, 1972. With only three days left in the spring grizzly bear season in central Alaska's unit 20, they managed to secure time off work for this expedition. They departed at 5:00 AM, facing a cold southeastern wind with minimal winter snow remaining on the ground.

Their journey began with a challenging crossing of the Big Delta River. Using a small boat, they alternated between paddling and wading, which left them thoroughly soaked. By midday, they reached their destination – a small foothill below McKinness Peak that provided an excellent vantage point over a tundra valley drained by Sacred Creek.

While scanning the landscape, Paul spotted movement to the southeast. Through binoculars, Lee identified a large grizzly bear traveling northward along the western bank of the Big Delta River.

Tactical Approach and Positioning

After observing the bear's movement pattern, they determined it would likely pass within close range of their current location. Rather than pursue the animal, they decided to hold position, considering they were tired, had limited food, and had already spent half the day traveling.

The hunters found a small depression sheltered by thick bushes to shield themselves from the wind. This spot offered both warmth from the May sunshine and excellent concealment. While waiting, they:

Ate lunch and snacked on wild strawberries they had gathered
Whispered quietly to avoid alerting wildlife
Maintained constant observation of the bear

Several hours passed as the bear moved steadily closer, stopping occasionally to dig or investigate objects. When the animal was approximately 500 yards away, the hunters noticed a small herd of young caribou (about 76 animals) entering the valley from the northeast. The southeast wind direction meant neither the bear nor the caribou would detect the hunters' scent.

The hunters positioned themselves carefully, with Paul designated as the primary shooter after winning a coin toss. They agreed that:

Paul would take the first shot
Lee would only fire if Paul's third shot failed to bring down the bear
Both would remain in prone shooting positions

As the bear approached to within 100 yards and began stalking the caribou, the hunters prepared for their shot, unaware of the extraordinary events that would soon unfold in the Alaskan wilderness.

Encounter With the Mysterious Object

Initial Observation

Lee McNeel and his friend Paul Miller were hunting grizzly bears on Saturday, May 28, 1972, in unit 20 of central Alaska. After crossing the Big Delta River in the morning, they positioned themselves on a small foothill below McKinness Peak by noon. Through his binoculars, Lee spotted a large grizzly bear traveling north along the western bank of the river. The hunters determined that the bear would eventually pass within yards of their position.

Rather than pursuing the animal, they decided to wait for it to approach them. The men found a small depression sheltered by thick bushes, out of the wind, where the May sun warmed them as they rested on the moss-covered ground. While monitoring the bear's progress, they ate their lunch, enjoyed some wild strawberries they had gathered, and whispered quietly to each other.

Waiting and Watching

Several hours passed as the hunters observed the bear, which was now about 500 yards away. The animal moved unhurriedly, stopping occasionally to dig or investigate objects. They noticed a small herd of approximately 76 caribou approaching from the northeast, while the bear came from the southeast. With the wind blowing into their faces, neither the bear nor the caribou would detect their scent.

The hunters hoped the bear would move within rifle range before encountering the caribou. After an anxious hour, the bear appeared to notice the herd, rising onto its hind legs to sniff the air before dropping down and adopting a crouching posture as it stalked toward them. The caribou herd was now about 400 yards southeast of their position, while the bear emerged from a small draw directly below them at approximately 100 yards.

Paul, who had won the coin toss for the first shot, prepared to take aim at the bear. Lee would only shoot if Paul's third shot didn't bring down the animal or if it turned to attack them. As they positioned themselves, a cloud bank suddenly covered most of the sky, though the bear remained in perfect view through their rifle scopes.

Emerging Complexity

The Caribou Group's Movement

As we observed from our vantage point, the small herd of caribou—approximately 76 animals—appeared to our left in the valley. They were feeding steadily, moving toward our position from the northeast. The wind blew from the southeast into our faces, creating a situation where neither the bear nor the caribou could detect each other's scent. This natural blind spot meant both animals would remain unaware of each other until visual contact occurred.

The young caribou herd, with their antlers just beginning to grow, continued their approach. By our estimation, they eventually reached about 400 yards southeast of our position. We watched anxiously, hoping the bear would come within rifle range before potentially encountering the caribou herd.

Assessment of Bear and Prey

The grizzly's behavior changed noticeably as the caribou drew closer. At one point, it rose onto its hind legs and sniffed the air carefully. Upon returning to all fours, the bear adopted a half-crouched position, seeming to flatten itself against the ground while moving toward the herd. This deliberate stalking posture indicated the bear had detected the caribou.

The tactical situation became clear:

Bear location: 100 yards below us, emerging from a small draw
Caribou position: 400 yards southeast, directly upwind of the bear
Our position: Elevated, providing excellent visibility of both animals

The bear's intense focus on stalking the caribou made it oblivious to our presence. We had positioned ourselves in prone shooting positions with rifles ready, the large bruin perfectly framed in our scopes. The caribou remained visible in the background thanks to our elevated position, creating what appeared to be an ideal hunting scenario.

Weather conditions shifted suddenly as cloud cover spilled over Mount Hayes, though the sun still slanted in from the west. Despite this change, the bear remained in an optimal position, completely unaware of us as we prepared to take the shot.

[THIS IS FIGURE: Visual representation of the triangular positioning between hunters, bear, and caribou herd with wind direction indicated]

Note: The hunting preparation was interrupted by extraordinary events that would drastically alter the course of the day's hunt.

The Unusual Sighting

Fiery Orb and Light Beam

On May 28, 1972, hunters Lee McNeel and Paul Miller witnessed an extraordinary event in central Alaska. After tracking a grizzly bear for several hours from their position on a small foothill overlooking a tundra valley, they noticed something unusual in the sky. A strange "whirring, rustling noise" interrupted their hunting preparations. Initially, they dismissed it as wind.

As they prepared to shoot the bear, the area suddenly brightened. A blue ball of fire descended from above, striking the ground among a caribou herd they had been observing. The fiery sphere split into smaller fragments, each moving with lightning speed toward individual caribou. All visible caribou immediately collapsed as if struck by powerful invisible forces.

Looking up, the men discovered a giant sphere-shaped object hovering directly above them. The object's underbelly displayed a dull orange color similar to red-hot iron, pulsating slowly between darker and lighter shades. Though impossible to determine its exact size or altitude, it appeared massive and relatively low, perhaps 500 yards or less above ground.

The Disappearing Caribou

The hunters watched in astonishment as an intense beam of white light repeatedly flashed down from the hovering sphere. With each flash, another caribou vanished completely. A cow and her calf that had fallen nearest to the hunters' position disappeared entirely when struck by the beam.

Overcome with fear, both men dropped to the ground among bushes, though they quickly realized this provided no real protection. Paul, believing they were in danger, raised his 7mm Magnum rifle and fired three shots at the object. Each bullet struck with an unusual sound - not the metallic "clunk" expected, but rather the sound of a bullet hitting solid concrete.

After Paul's third shot, Lee experienced what he described as a "light exploding inside my head." His next memory was of Paul shaking him awake in the dark, cold evening. The time was approximately 10:30 p.m., suggesting several hours had passed since their encounter with the mysterious sphere.

The entire experience left both hunters deeply shaken and struggling to explain what they had witnessed in the remote Alaskan wilderness.

Decision Point in the Wilderness

First Signs of Something Unusual

As Lee and Paul maintained their position in the small depression covered with thick bushes, they continued tracking the grizzly bear while enjoying wild strawberries and waiting patiently. The bear was approximately 500 yards away, moving unhurriedly through the landscape. Both hunters noticed a small herd of about 76 caribou approaching from the Northeast, while the bear approached from the Southeast. With the wind blowing into their faces, neither the caribou nor the bear would detect each other's presence until visual contact occurred.

The hunters hoped the bear would move within rifle range before the caribou arrived. After an anxious hour, the caribou had moved to within 600 yards of their position. The bear, seemingly sensing the presence of the caribou, stood on its hind legs, sniffed the air, then dropped to all fours and began moving in a half-crouch toward the herd. The hunters observed the young caribou, their horns just beginning to grow, directly upwind of the bear at about 400 yards.

The Critical Moment

As Paul prepared to take his shot at the bear now positioned about 100 yards below them, Lee began counting to three. Suddenly, he heard what he described as a "woring rustling noise." When questioned, Paul dismissed it as merely the wind picking up, focused entirely on his target. Lee resumed counting, but then witnessed something extraordinary—a blue ball of fire dropped from above, striking the ground among the caribou and splitting into smaller blue fragments. Each fragment moved with lightning speed toward individual caribou, causing them to collapse as if struck with tremendous force.

The hunters jumped to their feet and discovered a giant sphere-shaped object hovering directly above them. The object's underbelly glowed a dull orange, pulsating slowly between darker and lighter shades. As they watched in shock, intense beams of white light flashed down from the sphere, and with each flash, another caribou disappeared completely. Fear gripped both men, causing them to drop back into the depression among the bushes.

Consequences of Action

Paul, convinced they were in danger, made a fateful decision. "They are going to get us," he shouted to Lee, indicating they needed to protect themselves. Raising his 7mm Magnum rifle, Paul fired three shots at the sphere. Lee noted that the bullets didn't make the expected metallic "clunk" but rather a distinct "whack" sound like hitting concrete.

Immediately after Paul's third shot, Lee experienced what he could only describe as a "light exploding" inside his head. He lost consciousness at that moment. When he awoke, he was extremely cold, with Paul shaking him. It was getting dark—approximately 10:30 PM based on Alaska's late May sunset time. The mysterious encounter had apparently caused Lee to lose several hours of time, with no memory of what had transpired in the interim.

Aftermath and Reflection

The encounter left us profoundly shaken. When I regained consciousness, Paul was frantically trying to wake me. The temperature had dropped significantly, and darkness had fallen—approximately 10:30 PM based on the late May sunset in central Alaska. The sphere had vanished without a trace, along with any evidence of what had transpired.

We quickly gathered our belongings and surveyed the valley. The caribou herd had completely disappeared. No bodies, no blood, no signs of disturbance in the tundra. Even the grizzly bear we had spent hours tracking was nowhere to be seen. The only proof of our experience was our own testimony and the spent shell casings from Paul's rifle.

The journey back to civilization felt surreal. We barely spoke during our return trip across the Big Delta River. Both of us struggled to process what we had witnessed—the blue fire, the hovering sphere, the disappearing caribou. The experience fundamentally altered our perception of reality and left us questioning everything we thought we understood about the natural world.

Notable observations from the incident:

A blue ball of fire that split into smaller fragments
A large sphere with dull orange pulsating underbelly
White light beams that made caribou disappear
Bullets striking the object made a "whack" sound rather than a metallic "clunk"
Complete loss of consciousness following Paul's shots

Neither of us reported the incident officially. Who would believe such an account? The few friends we eventually confided in suggested everything from weather phenomena to hallucinations. But we know what we saw. That day on the foothills below McKinness Peak changed us forever, leaving us with questions that may never be answered.

Vanishing Caribou: The Paranormal Fort Greely Incident of 1972