Dark Outdoors

ChesterPark host Delia D’Ambra to discuss the chilling reality of missing people in America’s parks and forests.

In this episode of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore talks with the creator of the acclaimed true-crime podcast Park Preda. Together, they examine the disturbing number of mysterious disappearances in national parks, forests, and other public lands.

They discuss:

Why so many people vanish without explanation in the outdoors

The mysterious circumstances behind these cases

How Park Predators brings overdue attention to tragedies often ignored by mainstream media

Connect with Delia’s investigative work through her podcasts and reporting.

📲 Follow Chester Moore:

@thechestermoore

Facebook: Higher Calling Wildlife

Blog: highercalling.net

From serial killers to covert operatives, this Dark Outdoors® episode exposes the sinister dangers hiding in one of Texas’s most famous forests.

In this chilling episode of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore probes the dark mysteries of the Sam Houston National Forest.

Highlights include:

An archival interview with the founder of the Missing TX 40 Project

Compelling information on a serial killer with ties to the forest, currently serving time after pleading guilty in connection to a woman found murdered in a barrel on his property

The disturbing fact that his property sits across the street from the forest—and that he began killing and savagely raping women as a teen in the late 1970s

Additional accounts of dangerous encounters in the Sam Houston woods

A shocking final story involving covert operatives operating in the forest

This episode sheds light on why the Sam Houston National Forest remains one of the most unsettling and dangerous outdoor locations in Texas.

From a bloody, bearded stranger in the woods to an attempted abduction and a brush with Ted Bundy’s dark trail, this Dark Outdoors® episode proves the wilderness can be just as terrifying as the movies.

The cult classic Southern Comfort terrified outdoors lovers when it debuted in 1981—but the real-life stories in this episode of Dark Outdoors® are just as chilling.

Host Chester Moore explores:

Lou Marullo’s eerie encounter with a bloody, bearded man in the woods at night

A terrifying breath in the outdoors

The team’s thoughts on the best non-lethal defense tools for outdoor safety

A shocking connection to Ted Bundy’s handiwork in the deep woods of Utah

This episode blends true crime, survival insight, and wilderness horror stories that will make you think twice the next time you’re far from help.

In this gripping episode of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore interviews Dr. Jack Mayer, one of the world’s leading experts on hog behavior and hog attacks. 

Topics include:

The surprising link between dogs and hog attacks

A chilling account of a legitimate predatory hog that targeted humans

Practical strategies on what to do if you’re attacked by a hog

Insights into hog behavior that explain why these encounters are rising

And much more from decades of Dr. Mayer’s field research

This is a must-listen for hunters, hikers, and anyone spending time in hog country who needs to understand the real threat posed by feral hogs.

Chester Moore and researcher Jeff Stewart dig into the grisly wave of Texas cattle mutilations making national news—and reveal why the real story may not be what most people think.

In this wild episode of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore teams up with fellow author and researcher Jeff Stewart to explore the disturbing series of cattle mutilations in Texas that have recently captured national headlines.

This episode asks the hard questions:

What is really behind these grisly livestock deaths?

Are the usual explanations—UFOs, cults, or predators—just distractions?

Could there be a different, overlooked cause that makes more sense than the sensational theories?

With their combined experience in field research, wildlife behavior, and investigative reporting, Moore and Stewart take a different spin on the mystery, challenging the popular narratives surrounding these bizarre cases.

Dark Outdoors® is brought to you by Texas Fish & Game and Texas Frightmare Weekend.

Season two of Dark Outdoors® kicks off with Chester Moore and investigator William Ramsey digging into the mysterious drownings at Lady Bird Lake in Austin—and whether they connect to the global Smiley Face Killer phenomenon.

In the season two premiere of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore is joined by William Ramsey of William Ramsey Investigates to examine the disturbing series of mysterious water deaths at Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.

This episode explores:

Whether these drownings are linked to the Smiley Face Killer phenomenon or just random tragedies

Theories about what could really be happening along Austin’s waterfront

Insights on the Gary Faust interview with a man who discovered a body at Lady Bird Lake—and his chilling encounter with a mysterious figure

Other bizarre and unsettling water-related deaths that raise more questions than answers

Listeners are encouraged to explore Ramsey’s work at William Ramsey Investigates for deeper dives into unsolved mysteries.

Follow Chester on Instagram @thechestermoore and on Facebook at Higher Calling Wildlife for updates on investigations and field work.

In this bonus episode of Season One,Dark Outdoors® withChester Moore sits down with his longtime friend and fellow spooky movie fan Patrick Trumble.

Together, they dive into the weirdest, wildest, and scariest films that take place in the outdoors—where nature itself becomes the perfect stage for horror.

From cult classics to forgotten gems, this fun and creepy conversation highlights the movies that still haunt campers, hikers, and horror fans alike.

Chester Moore and researcher Jeff Stewart investigate brutal horse killings in Texas and Nevada, unveiling new details and possible motives behind these disturbing crimes.

In this shocking episode of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore digs into the disturbing wave of out spreading across Texas, Nevada, and beyond. He is joined by author and researcher Jeff Stewart as they share new details on this gruesome trend and explore the unsettling question: Why are horses being targeted?

This episode covers:

Recent horse massacres in Texas that have left ranchers shaken

The rise of serial horse killings in multiple states, include

Possible motives behind these crimes—from cruelty to ritual to thrill killing

What these attacks reveal about the dark intersection of crime and the outdoors

📲 Instagram: @thechestermoore

Dark Outdoors® is brought to you by:

Texas Frightmare Weekend

Hog Hunt USA

Texas Fish & Game Magazine

If you think you’ve heard it all in true crime and outdoor mysteries, think again. In this episode of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore interviews William Ramsey of William Ramsey Investigates about a disturbing series of mysterious water deaths that continue to baffle police across the nation.

The discussion explores:

The Smiley Face Killers phenomenon, a chilling theory about coordinated drownings of young men

How these cases may connect to murders in outdoor settings across the U.S.

The disturbing possibility of death cult involvement in unsolved killings

This episode combines true crime, deep investigation, and outdoor danger into one of the most unsettling D explorations yet.

Cottonmouth Bite Survival & Snakebite Defense

In this intense episode of Dark Outdoors®, host Chester Moore interviews Lucas Pela, a veteran and outdoors enthusiast who survived a serious cottonmouth bite. Lucas recounts how the bite happened and shares the painful and life-changing aftermath.

In our Dark Outdoors Defense segment, renowned snake venom expert Dr. Spencer Greenebecause

What to do if you’re bitten by a venomous snake

The biggest mistakes and what NOT to do

Why quick decisions can mean the difference between life and death

The outdoors may be a place of serenity and beauty—but for someone experiencing a venomous snake bite, things can turn dark in an instant.