Cisco Grove Robot Encounter

September 4, 1964

Donald Shrum was on a bow hunting trip: The hunter, Donald Shrum, a welder from Carmichael, California, in his late 20s, was engaged in a bow hunting expedition in the remote Sierra Nevada. The activity involved bow hunting with two companions in the Tahoe National Forest, near Cisco Grove, California. The problem arose when Shrum became separated from his hunting partners as evening fell. He decided to climb a large pine tree to spend the night safely, lost and with night coming.

The First Sighting

As darkness fell, strange things began to occur. A light in the sky was initially thought to be a helicopter. He lit signal fires to attract what he thought was a search party. The light approached and revealed itself as a dome-shaped object. Unlike a helicopter, it made no sound. This realization led him to understand that it was not a rescue aircraft.

The Beings Appear

Entities emerged from the darkness. A humanoid figure in a light-colored suit approached, followed by another similar figure. They had large, dark eyes and wore tight-fitting suits, moving stiffly, almost mechanically. They seemed focused on getting Shrum out of the tree.

The Robot

The most terrifying element appeared: A dark, metallic robot-like creature joined the humanoids. The entity was approximately 5 feet tall, with a dark exterior and a hinged mouth-like opening. When its “mouth” opened, it emitted a vapor or gas. The gas caused Shrum to lose consciousness temporarily.

The Night Battle

Shrum fought back throughout the night. He lit matches and threw them at the beings, and he shot arrows at them with his bow. He also used signal flares as weapons and even threw his heavy belt buckle at them. The beings seemed driven back by fire, but they always returned.

The Gas Attacks

The robot entity deployed some kind of weapon. When its mouth opened, vapor or gas emerged. This gas caused Shrum to black out repeatedly. Each time he regained consciousness, the beings were still below. This continued throughout the night.

The Second Robot

The situation worsened: A second robot-like entity arrived. The two robots together increased their gas attacks. Shrum was becoming exhausted and running out of things to throw. He tied himself to the tree to avoid falling when he passed out.

Dawn Rescue

Light brought relief: As dawn approached, the beings and robots retreated. The dome-shaped craft was seen departing. Shrum was exhausted, frightened, and physically drained. His hunting partners eventually found him.

The Investigation

The case attracted official attention: The incident was reported and investigated under Project Blue Book. Donald Shrum was interviewed multiple times, and investigators found him sincere and not prone to fantasy. The case was ultimately filed as “unexplained.”

Physical Evidence

There were traces of the encounter: Several of Shrum’s arrows were missing, shot at the beings. Evidence of the flares he used was found, along with marks on the tree consistent with his account. Shrum’s physical exhaustion was consistent with his story.

The Witness

Donald Shrum was a credible witness: He was a working-class family man with no history of fabrication. He was initially reluctant to report the incident, but his story never changed over the decades. He never sought to profit from his experience.

Other Witnesses

Shrum was not entirely alone: His companions saw strange lights that night from their position. Other hunters in the area reported unusual lights. While no one else witnessed the close encounter, the lights were seen by others.

The Entities

The beings Shrum described were unusual: Two appeared generally humanoid, though strange. Two appeared mechanical or robotic. They worked together, suggesting coordination. They seemed determined to capture or retrieve Shrum.

Questions

The case raises profound questions: Why did the entities want with Shrum? What was the vapor the robots emitted? Why did they leave at dawn? Why such a prolonged assault?

Legacy

The Cisco Grove encounter matters because a credible witness endured a prolonged, violent encounter, he fought back and documented his resistance, the case was officially investigated, it features both humanoid and robotic entities, and it remains one of the most detailed close encounter accounts.

Sources

• Wikipedia search: “Cisco Grove Robot Encounter”
• Project Blue Book — National Archives — USAF UFO investigation files, 1947–1969
• CIA UFO/UAP Reading Room — Declassified CIA documents on UAP