Midwest & Appalachia Residents - Terrifying Encounters in Woods

People living in the Midwest/Appalachia: What is the most terrifying thing you’ve seen in the woods? There are so many legends about the American wilderness, from local folklore to actual "glitches in the matrix." I'm currently deep-diving into real accounts of forest encounters and would love to hear from anyone who has felt that "heavy" silence or seen something that shouldn't exist while hiking or camping. Real stories only, please. What happened out there?