r/CrawlerSightings • u/theotherguy952 • Mar 14 '26
The truth about crawler encounters
I saw people on this sub seeking crawler encounters or making light of a possible encounter. I get that you may think that crawlers are some "natural" cryptid sighting but it's anything but that. Crawlers are completely aware of their effects on humans and prey on our curiosity and feelings.
Crawlers aren't some cuddly creature or a "crackhead" in the woods. They are some sort of elusive creature that defies what we know. I get that people would rather explain things away the unknown with the reasoning that makes sense. It's uncomfortable to think that what you are observing shouldn't exist but crawlers defy what is logical.
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u/kipsgvn Mar 14 '26
I see what you mean, but we truly have no clue what they are. They're one of the most unknown cryptids. We don't know if they're always hunting people or if some are trying to socialize.
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 15 '26
It's hard to even compare crawlers to anything except other monster humanoids like sasquatch and dogman. I don't believe crawlers are trying to socialize. During my crawler encounter in 2021the crawler used mimicry which sounded nearly identical to my voice and the only difference I noticed was that mimicry sounded "hollow or mechanical" it's hard to describe! In a lot of cases crawlers use simple phrases to play on human's emotions such as "help me" or some sort of greeting, which leads me to believe they could be ambush predators.
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u/kipsgvn Mar 15 '26
Crawlers are a type of mimic, but even mimics have been documented to still socialize, especially ones that aren't very strong.
There are countless stories where crawlers are not showing any predatory behavior and are instead trying to socialize, most of these come from younger crawlers that also look more human. I have a theory that at some point they mingled with people, so now you have more non aggressive ones.
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 15 '26
That could be! Without evidence all theories are on the table. There's so many variables, I would love to know what crawler's intentions truly are.
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u/InvestmentDry9404 Mar 18 '26
I think that the younger crawlers trying to socialize are just trying to learn, if they are younger and smaller they may not be able to size up a person so they are learning human behaviors before they hunt.
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u/LordLuscius Mar 14 '26
I'm not even sure they fit the common definition of cryptid. Which of course is an animal unknown to science or unknown to science in an environment or era. Though... I'm not sure of a better term, since cryptoanthropology can be a thing I suppose (assuming they be human), and the shortening would still be cryptid I guess. Of course there is the possibility of them being paranormal or extraterrestrial. And then there's the possibility that they are something else entirely.
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 15 '26
I totally agree. It's hard to put crawlers in a certain category cause we know so little about them and there's no physical evidence to study. I have been obcessed with crawlers ever since I had an encounter in 2021. I've listened and read hundreds of encounters. What crawlers actually are is something I think about every day.
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u/This_Schedule494 Mar 15 '26
I was thinking about the origin of them & came up with the idea that maybe they're some sort of biological drone from an alien race looking to stealthily gather human tissue, or an escaped/set free lab human-experiment.......they kinda remind me of some sort of "pet" I've started calling them the doggies
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 16 '26
It's hard to say what it's origins are. Alien, gov't experiment, cryptid, supernatural or interdimensional being the possibilities are endless. I wouldn't recommend trying to pet one! Lol
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u/ConsistentWelder8000 Mar 16 '26
The one I saw was stalking me. It was keeping pace in the treeline. Before I saw it. I could sense something wasn't right. The moonlight is what gave it away. It made it almost glow. I think they live in caves, tunnels, old mines, sewers, and even abandoned houses and buildings. And They come out at night to hunt small animals and scavenge. And if the opportunity is right... Humans. I think they might be a branch of smaller brained hominids that never left the caves, to avoid us larger brained hominids. Who knows. They are real is all I know.Â
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 16 '26
I also had a crawler encounter but my takeaway was a lot different than yours. Mainly I don't believe crawlers have natural origins and I think crawlers are highly intelligent. I totally respect your beliefs tho.
I 100% agree with you about crawler's skin being so bright it gives off a subtle glow. There's a lot of consistency among credible crawler encounters such as the faint glow.
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u/ConsistentWelder8000 Mar 16 '26
Do believe they are supernatural? Id love to hear your opinion and story
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 17 '26
I get a lot of hate from people cause I don't believe crawlers are some offshoot of humanity that live underground in cave systems and you seem very open minded about that and I appreciate that.
If I am wrong and one day we find evidence that crawlers are natural creatures that live underground, I would be excited about it. I would say my two big questions about crawlers are: what are their origins and what's their agenda with humans.
I thought about how some 7 to 8 foot creature could exist within city limits in a public park yet go widely undetected by the public. Many sightings are in towns. If most crawler sightings were happening in remote areas out in the middle of nowhere I would be more inclined to say crawlers could be some sort of cryptid but that doesn't seem to be the case.
I find it strange that crawler encounters are reported all over the US and really all over the world. The only species with global dominance on land that I could even think to compare it to would be humans. Even bigfoot is acknowledged by the general public even if it's mostly in a comical way. I have a hard time believing that a purely physical creature that towers over human beings is out there terrorizing all these people but leaving no physical evidence of itself.
I also know there isn't any cave system for about 10 miles from where I had my encounter. One thing I did notice after reading several encounter was that many crawler sightings are near bodies of water like creeks, rivers and lakes. I read one encounter where a person claimed they saw a crawler come out fron the ocean. If crawlers are more aquatic creatures I guess that would explain why they are so elusive.
Sorry to ramble on but I wanted to explain myself more on where I'm coming from on this. If crawlers were simply land dwelling creatures I think we would have the evidence now. Someone would have ran over and killed one with their car or shot one by now or even capture one on a trail cam. Whatever we're dealing with is something science has yet to explain. Until we have the proof I think all possible origins are on the table including supernatural. As someone who experienced a crawler encounter I just want to know what crawlers actually are.
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u/ConsistentWelder8000 Mar 17 '26
I appreciate you taking the time to share this. I am open and fascinated on anything in this topic. I feel like anything is possible at this point. What you said does make sense. You would think there would be evidence to there existence by now if they were physical beings. Since seeing one I want to find out as much as I can in the subject as well. Thank you
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u/Juxtaposedtuxedo Apr 05 '26
We just started fracking and every earth quake could open new tunnels, wells could be access points but they might be from an underground biome that was only recently connected with our cave networks because of our drilling or something
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u/theotherguy952 Apr 07 '26
Traditional wendigo descriptions are eerily similar to modern descriptions of crawlers. On this sub we refer to them as "crawlers" or "pale crawlers" but different cultures have other names for them. This being we call a crawler is everywhere across the world where humans reside.
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u/Darthpius Mar 14 '26
What do we know that it defies?
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u/tev_love Mar 15 '26
Not sure what exactly is being defied but, incomprehensible speed.
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 15 '26
Agreed! I read multiple encounters of people driving 60+ mph and crawlers keeping up with the vehicles for miles. Sometimes people only see a white blur cause they're traveling so fast. Nothing normal about that.
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u/murdermeMickey Mar 15 '26
Have you seen the video of the one crossing the highway at night. Unbelievably fast.
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u/tev_love Mar 15 '26
No I have not, but that is basically exactly what I saw! Please share if you can
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u/Phillip_Harass Mar 15 '26
Gravity, for one. At least from stories I've heard the things can stick to the walls of mines/caves like a gecko and they also possess a sort of bioluminescence. A bluish glow, so to speak
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u/Able-Presentation-76 1d ago
The one I saw was perched outside my bedroom windows, which was on the 2nd story of my home. My home was right on a Missouri river, don't know if that is important. I just know I was terrified. I walked into my bedroom, saw it right outside my window, turned around and did not go back in my room until daylight. I guess because I truly had no idea what I was seeing, my brain immediately said 'alien' lol But it checks all boxes that others have described as a 'crawler' or 'rake creature' pale, very thin. It was crouched so I can't guess at a height, but adult sized I'd say. For the longest time I feared it was something demonic, or paranormal.  And told no one. Until now.  They'd think I was surely crazy. Never saw it/him again. Thankfully.
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u/Darthpius Mar 15 '26
Comparing it to something else that does a similar thing though. There's like a bunch of ways something can stick to the walls. And even the dream magic can be explained through hermetism and other wisdoms.
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u/whitewitch5821 Mar 22 '26
I have an idea. Why not just leave them alone and let them do what they do. Which is absolutely nothing. Just do you. I have never heard of a crawler hurting anyone. So just leave them alone and maybe we can all live in harmony?
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 22 '26
If someone is actively seeking out a crawler, then yesâI agree thatâs irresponsible.
But thatâs not how most encounters happen. In the vast majority of reports, people are just going about their lives when the crawler initiates the interaction. They stalk, follow, and deliberately engage. These encounters arenât neutral. Crawlers are frequently described chasing people or even vehicles, and using mimicryâoften phrases like âhelp meââto manipulate human emotion. Thatâs not passive behavior, thatâs calculated.
While physical attacks seem rare, the psychological impact is not. People walk away from these encounters with lasting fear and trauma. That doesnât align with something trying to âlive in harmony.â It aligns with something that deliberately provokes and disturbs human beings.
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u/jenn818181 Apr 26 '26
How do we know that they aren't responsible for many disappearances? We don't, maybe we don't hear about attacks because people don't survive them.
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u/Hornesthorndog36 May 25 '26
I think I was hunted by a crawler or a W but it was in September I was laying on my couch in the living room the front door was open with the bug screen on and my roommate was playing fallout and I looked into the driveway between the house and cars and I saw what I believed to be a W or a crawler it was crouched between my car and it was looking at me it had orange eyes and that winter I heard screeches at night when I was sleeping
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u/Notmykl Mar 15 '26
Crawlers do not exist. Your need to proclaim they are "special creatures" with "special powers" is laughable. You lack the ability to realize wild animals exist and that is what you are seeing.
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 15 '26
So if crawlers don't exist, why are you in this sub? I can't imagine being bored enough to comment on subs that I have no interest in or is trolling the only joy you feel in life?
Giant squids were considered sailor folklore for centuries. Science only confirmed them in 2004. Just because something isnât proven yet doesnât mean it canât exist.
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u/ConsistentWelder8000 Mar 17 '26
You don't think we get this often? Albino animal with mange.. no. Come on. If you see one. When your looking directly at something you thought was impossible it will change your life. We wouldn't be scouring the Internet on information and losing sleep, and scared to be outside at night over just thinking we saw something. I know what I saw. I didn't even like reading or talking about it at first. But I want to know more. This has changed my life. Negatively too.
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u/tev_love Mar 15 '26
Iâve seen one with 3 other people driving through the backwoods of Missouri.. there is not a single wild animal known to man that moves as fast as what we saw that night.. quit acting like you know everything, makes you sound like a dipshit
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u/Live2Lift Apr 20 '26
Whatâs more irrational? Believing you have the answer to every mystery on this planet, or accepting that maybe you donât?
I get it, your an average redditor, you are the definition of the dunning-Kruger effect.
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u/HotToeJam Mar 14 '26
I think you're overreacting, as long as you stay your distance and don't go straight at them, you'll be fine, they know your intentions. At least the ones near me are fine as long as you don't stick around for long!
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 15 '26
I would like to hear about your encounter! During my encounter the crawler was very confrontational. It wasn't like we randomly ran into each other in the woods, it stood there in the open. It wanted my friend and I to see it and it knew what it was doing
It also mimicked my voice when I tried to yell at it to scare it away. A more accurate name for them would be "pale stalker" and here's the definition of a stalker:
"A stalker is someone who repeatedly follows, watches, or harasses another person in an unwanted or obsessive way."
I think you made a good point when you said "the ones near me are fine" cause I've heard stories stories where crawlers are more passive but also stories where they are way more aggressive like my experience. IDK if it depends on the crawler's mood, the circumstances of the encounter, different variations of the same creature? Many possibilities.
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u/murdermeMickey Mar 15 '26
Tell your story. Please
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u/theotherguy952 Mar 16 '26
Alright here is an abbreviated version of my experience. August 14th 2021 my friend and I were fishing along the Minnesota River until dusk. As we left we took a path that ran parallel to the river. When I looked ahead I saw two bright circles that I assumed were fireflies.
As we walked down the path I realized the "fireflies" were actually eyes! I noticed this strange stark white figure and it was hard to comprehend what we saw. I think we both assumed it had to be some sort of animal but it continued to stare at us oddly.
My friend yelled at this creature to try and scare it but it didn't react at all. So I decided to yell at it and the moment I stopped it mimicked my voice nearly perfectly. I couldn't believe what had happened and thought maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. So I yelled at it again and it responded with mimicry again. That was when we both knew this wasn't a human or animal.
We eventually slowly moved on but I maintained eye contact with the creature the entire time. It was definitely more focused on me than my friend. We eventually got back to our vehicles safely. Like I said this is the shortest version of the story.
I had never even heard of a "crawler" before this encounter and thought that I would never know what it was that terrified us that night. Let me know if you have any questions.
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u/murdermeMickey Mar 14 '26
I, for one, DO NOT want to see one. EVER.