Within Memory Claims
How Pat Mc Guire's Wyoming Story Grew
McGuire's story grew from a lost hunting trip and orange glow into repeated ranch visits, beings, cattle deaths and messages from Star People.
On this page
- The 1973 hunting trip and missing hours
- How later ranch encounters expanded the account
- What evidence exists and what remains unverified
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Introduction
Pat McGuire’s story occupies a distinctive place in Wyoming’s UFO history because it did not remain a single unexplained incident. What reportedly began as a confusing hunting trip in the Teton region in October 1973, involving an unexplained orange glow and several missing hours, gradually developed into one of the state’s most elaborate contact narratives. Over the following years, McGuire described repeated UFO visits to his ranch near Bosler, encounters with human-like beings, unusual cattle deaths and messages from what he called the “Star People”.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
The case matters less because it offers strong physical evidence than because it illustrates how a personal mystery evolved into a much broader belief system. It also reflects a wider pattern seen in some 1970s abduction accounts, where later interviews, hypnosis and repeated retellings introduced far than appeared in the earliest versions of the story. For readers interested in Wyoming’s UFO history, McGuire’s account is therefore significant both as a witness narrative and as an example of how extraordinary claims can expand over time.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
The 1973 hunting trip and the missing hours
According to McGuire’s later recollections and family accounts, the story began during an elk hunting trip in the Teton Mountains in early October 1973. He and his brother-in-law reportedly became lost, noticed an unusual orange glow, and eventually returned to their vehicle unable to explain several hours of elapsed time. At the time, the experience appears to have been remembered primarily as strange and unsettling rather than as an alien encounter.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
This distinction is important. Later retellings often describe the hunting trip as the beginning of an abduction narrative, but the earliest remembered event was comparatively limited: unfamiliar lights, confusion in difficult terrain and apparent “missing time”. Such experiences have featured in numerous later UFO reports, yet by themselves they do not establish what caused the lost hours. No independent records exist that document where the hunters were during the missing period or explain what occurred.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
How the ranch encounters expanded the account
The most dramatic elements of McGuire’s story emerged several years after the hunting trip and centred on his ranch east of Bosler.
Beginning in 1976, McGuire reported finding cattle dead under unusual circumstances. He initially suspected human activity rather than extraterrestrials, believing local individuals might be responsible for the mutilations. After camping out to watch his livestock, however, he and other witnesses claimed to have seen bright lights moving across the ranch. These reports gradually evolved into descriptions of structured craft hovering low over the property.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
McGuire later stated that:
- multiple craft repeatedly visited the ranch;
- orange lights illuminated the surrounding landscape;
- occupants could be seen moving inside landed objects;
- one witness appeared to walk towards a craft while seemingly in a trance;
- attempts to photograph the events with Polaroid cameras failed;
- the visits occurred dozens of times over several years.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
These claims represented a substantial expansion from the original hunting incident. Instead of a single unexplained episode, McGuire now described an ongoing relationship with non-human visitors that supposedly affected both his family and his ranching operation.
In 1976 he submitted reports to the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO), one of the leading civilian UFO groups of the period. This established a documentary record showing that McGuire was actively reporting repeated experiences rather than recounting them only decades later. However, APRO’s acceptance of a report should not be confused with independent verification of the events themselves.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
From visitors to “Star People”
Another significant shift occurred after McGuire became associated with University of Wyoming psychologist and UFO investigator Leo Sprinkle, who conducted multiple hypnotic sessions with him.
During and after these sessions, McGuire described increasingly detailed encounters with human-like beings. He referred to them as “Star People”, gave physical descriptions of their appearance and claimed they communicated warnings and instructions concerning humanity’s future. Later accounts also included guidance about finding water on his ranch and broader prophetic messages.[Dragon at the End of Time]dragonattheendoftime.comDragon at the End of TimePATRICK McGUIRE ~ Experiencer, Alien Encounters, Contactee, Abductee – Dragon at the End of TimeJune 22, 2024…
These developments changed the nature of the story. Rather than focusing on unexplained lights or missing time, the narrative now involved:
- repeated face-to-face meetings;
- ongoing communication with extraterrestrial beings;
- spiritual and prophetic themes;
- practical guidance affecting ranch life;
- a continuing role for McGuire as a chosen contactee.[Dragon at the End of Time]dragonattheendoftime.comDragon at the End of TimePATRICK McGUIRE ~ Experiencer, Alien Encounters, Contactee, Abductee – Dragon at the End of TimeJune 22, 2024…
This progression mirrors a broader pattern found in some 1970s contact and abduction literature, where initial unexplained experiences later became embedded within increasingly comprehensive personal cosmologies.
What evidence supports the claims?
McGuire’s case contains a mixture of documented reporting and unverified testimony.
There is evidence that:
- McGuire existed as a Wyoming rancher near Bosler.
- He publicly reported UFO activity during the 1970s.
- APRO received reports describing repeated encounters.
- His claims attracted regional and national media attention, including newspaper coverage and television interviews.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
Some aspects of the ranch story also involved other reported witnesses, including relatives and ranch workers. Their presence means the case was not entirely based on a solitary account.
However, the evidence for the extraordinary elements remains limited. Reported Polaroid photographs allegedly failed to capture the objects. No independently verified images, physical samples, radar records or contemporaneous scientific observations have confirmed the claimed landings or encounters. Claims concerning cattle mutilations likewise do not establish a connection with UFOs simply because both were reported in the same period.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
Why many researchers remain cautious
McGuire’s story is best understood as a layered narrative rather than a single documented incident.
Several factors encourage caution.
First, the most extraordinary claims appeared after the original hunting experience rather than immediately following it. This makes it difficult to distinguish between memories recorded close to the events and details added through later interpretation.
Second, hypnosis played a significant role in expanding the account. Modern psychological research generally finds that hypnosis can increase the amount of remembered detail and the witness’s confidence in those memories without reliably demonstrating that the additional recollections are historically accurate. This does not imply deliberate fabrication, but it does limit the evidential weight that can be placed on hypnotically recovered memories.
Third, many dramatic claims—including repeated landings, conversations with non-human beings and prophetic messages—depend almost entirely on testimony rather than independently testable evidence.[dragonattheendoftime.com]dragonattheendoftime.comDragon at the End of TimePATRICK McGUIRE ~ Experiencer, Alien Encounters, Contactee, Abductee – Dragon at the End of TimeJune 22, 2024…
Why the case remains important in Wyoming’s UFO history
Pat McGuire’s account remains one of Wyoming’s best-known contact narratives not because it has been conclusively verified, but because it demonstrates how an apparently simple mystery developed into an extensive body of extraordinary claims.
Within the broader history of Wyoming UFO reports, the case links several recurring themes of the 1970s: missing time, unusual lights, cattle mutilation reports, civilian UFO investigation organisations and hypnosis-based memory recovery. It also provides a useful comparison with the better-known Carl Higdon case. Both began with unusual experiences in remote Wyoming landscapes before evolving into detailed abduction narratives whose strongest evidence rests primarily on witness testimony rather than independently verifiable records.[Cowboy State Daily]cowboystatedaily.comalien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainableCowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023…
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Endnotes
1.
Source: cowboystatedaily.com
Title: alien abductions of 2 wyoming men in the 1970s remain unexplainable
Link:https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/09/30/alien-abductions-of-2-wyoming-men-in-the-1970s-remain-unexplainable/
Source snippet
Cowboy State DailyAlien Abductions Of 2 Wyoming Men In The 1970s Remain Unexplainable | Cowboy State DailySeptember 30, 2023...
Published: September 30, 2023
2.
Source: mydarkpath.com
Link:https://www.mydarkpath.com/81-dr-leo-sprinkle
3.
Source: dragonattheendoftime.com
Link:https://dragonattheendoftime.com/patrick-mcguire-experiencer-alien-encounters-contactee-abductee/
Source snippet
Dragon at the End of TimePATRICK McGUIRE ~ Experiencer, Alien Encounters, Contactee, Abductee – Dragon at the End of TimeJune 22, 2024...
Published: June 22, 2024
4.
Source: cowboystatedaily.com
Link:https://cowboystatedaily.com/?s=Isnew
Source snippet
1900s Amber SteinmetzJuly 13, 2026From Wyoming Coal Miner’s Son To Closer: How Larry Morgan Achiev...
5.
Source: cowboystatedaily.com
Link:https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/09/06/clair-mcfarland-this-wicked-dodge-charger-really-has-me-thinking/
6.
Source: cowboystatedaily.com
Title: Rod Miller: Saving Daylight Around the Ol’ Campfire | Cowboy State Daily
Link:https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/03/10/rod-miller-saving-daylight-around-the-ol-campfire/
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Source: scribd.com
Link:https://www.scribd.com/document/931409960/51319
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Source: cowboystatedaily.com
Link:https://cowboystatedaily.com/category/daily-features/one-more-for-the-road/
Additional References
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Source: outdoorlife.com
Link:https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/jack-oconnor-hunting-accidents/
Source snippet
May 2, 2026 — “WHY WOULD YOU SHOOT YOUR UNCLE FOR AN ELK?” THERE WAS A TIME WHEN HUNTING WAS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS OL's former shooting edi...
Published: May 2, 2026
10.
Source: alanohashi.com
Title: When UFOs Were for Crazy People | Views from Behind the Lens
Link:https://alanohashi.com/2026/05/16/wyomingufos/
Source snippet
Absolutely. Did teenage me eat it up like Buford gas station beef jerky on a Wyoming road trip? Also absolutely. I tend to trust my own o...
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Source: discover.hubpages.com
Title: A Strange Unearthly Ranch
Link:https://discover.hubpages.com/travel/A-Strange-Unearthly-Ranch
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Strange Unearthly Ranch - HubPagesMay 8, 2026 — A STRANGE UNEARTHLY RANCH * Author: Richard Francis Fleck * Updated: Jan 27, 2019 SKETCH...
Published: May 8, 2026
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Paranormal investigation at Old Trail Town/AVCC Cody Wyoming Wyoming Area Spirit Posse · 480 views...
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1975 interview with a man who claims he was abducted by aliens...
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Deep Dive into Cattle Mutilations and Alien Contact with Dustin Eskelsen, MUFON Utah...
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Source: podscan.fm
Title: The Star People
Link:https://podscan.fm/podcasts/bedtime-stories-1/episodes/the-star-people-1
Source snippet
Bedtime Stories - Podcast Episode - Podscan.fmMarch 18, 2026 — Image: The Star People 31 min Duration Mar 18, 2026 Published TOPICS Star...
Published: March 18, 2026
16.
Source: listennotes.com
Link:https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/rocky-mountain/the-clearview-rocky-mountain-jZwA8a0B3GM/
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Source: strangeoutdoors.com
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Source: medium.com
Link:https://medium.com/%40Cristina_Gomez/two-cowboys-58-miles-apart-and-the-ufo-encounters-that-destroyed-one-marriage-but-healed-another-ac00865b25e7