Fugal says nearby drilling permits were ‘ramrod’s through’ over his objections
"Within months of us pulling this material out of our drill site on the mesa, all of a sudden an oil and gas company appears, ramrods permits through, even with, even with us filing notice, filing notice that we are not in agreement with it, that it compromises our investigation."
About this episode
Jesse Michels interviews Brandon Fugal, owner of Utah’s Skinwalker Ranch, about alleged UAP sightings, electromagnetic anomalies and what he calls the ‘hitchhiker effect’. Fugal gives a detailed first-time public account of unusual activity he says followed him home after an ‘aggressive’ ranch experiment, including his dog growling nightly at a corner of a room and a story in which his wife’s wedding ring went missing and was later found in an unlikely location after prayer.
Fugal recounts a series of claimed incidents at the property involving equipment failures, GPS anomalies, medical emergencies and sightings of unidentified objects. He alleges unmarked Blackhawk helicopters and other aircraft have appeared during experiments, and says senior state officials have been unable to obtain explanations. He also alleges that nearby oil-and-gas drilling was permitted against his objections and says he has initiated legal action.
The conversation moves into UAP politics: Fugal accuses former AARO head Sean Kirkpatrick of denying a prior 2018 briefing that Fugal says Kirkpatrick attended, adding that he posted a photo as proof. Elsewhere, Fugal repeats claims about anomalous ‘engineered material’ beneath the ranch’s mesa, purported gaps or manipulation in historic aerial imagery, and a ‘bubble’ or field effect mapped by the team. He also describes a carcass he says was tested and linked to an extinct direwolf lineage, with DNA results he characterises as mostly inconclusive.
The episode mixes personal testimony, institutional allegations and speculative interpretations, with many claims presented without independent verification in the transcript.
Key takeaways
- Brandon Fugal says he will not allow his children to set foot on the ranch, citing alleged harms to visitors and staff.
- Fugal describes a ‘hitchhiker effect’ at home after an experiment, including a missing wedding ring he says was later found in an unlikely place.
- He recounts alleged medical episodes tied to ranch activity, including a security visitor he says became catatonic and later hospitalised.
- Fugal alleges unmarked Blackhawk helicopters and other non-transponding aircraft have appeared during experiments.
- He says an adjacent oil-and-gas operator obtained drilling permits near his border despite his objections, and that he has an ongoing legal action.
- Fugal accuses former AARO head Sean Kirkpatrick of denying a 2018 briefing Fugal says he attended, claiming he posted photographic evidence.
- Fugal claims biological sampling of a carcass found on the ranch suggested a direwolf match, with DNA testing he describes as largely inconclusive.