Snipe Hunt

Set in 1989, Peter is a shy quiet 31 year-old man who likes to spend most of his time at home reading, painting figures of soldiers or computer programming. He has recently married his wife who is concerned over his hermit-like life and wants him to spend time socialising with friends, something Peter has trouble with as he doesn’t have any. She persuades her brother Shane (33) to invite Peter out for a drink with him and his friends (Caleb, Eric and Tucker) something Shane is reluctant to do and eventually regrets when Peter bores his friends with talk of “nerdy” subjects. However the four friends have the devilish idea of pulling a prank on Peter, as they suspect he’s incredibly gullible. They decide to invite him on a snipe hunt. Having enjoyed spending time with Shane and his friends, Peter is enthusiastic about the hunting trip and so they set off for the Bluestone National Park. Upon arriving they meet Park Ranger Darla (30) and discover the park is at threat of losing its funding and in turn, Darla her job unless something sparks an increase in visitor numbers. After setting up camp and having something to eat they head off deeper into the park to hunt for the snipe. They find a small clearing and give Peter a bag telling him to prepare to catch any that run toward him. He is more than ready and so the others leave trying not to laugh and give the game away. Unfortunately for them before they can reach their camp they are confronted by a terrifying monster that drags Tucker away. While Caleb and Eric run for the camp, Shane knows he needs to get Peter, lest his sister murder him if anything happens to her husband. Shane gets Peter and they make their way back to camp where the monster appears again. They hide within their tent as it lurks around, but Eric decides to go on the attack only for his gun to jam and the monster to retaliate. Caleb makes a run for it while the monster is preoccupied, but this only attracts the beast’s attention and chases him, resulting in Caleb’s death. This gives Peter and Shane an opportunity to get away and try to make their way back to the car park. Unfortunately they become lost in the darkness, but find fortune in an old fire watch tower. They make their way up it in the hope of finding a way to call for help, but the misjudged use of a fire alarm lures the monster and they have to defend themselves with a flare gun before jumping from the tower as it catches fire and burns. They are then forced to keep moving. After reports of the burning tower the next morning, Darla’s colleague, the arrogant Travis (34) heads out to it to cordon the area off, but he himself is preyed on by the monster. Not hearing anything back Darla becomes concerned over Travis’ disappearance and taking her other colleague, the snarky Chip (26) sets off to find out what happened to him. Meanwhile Peter and Shane are still trying to get back to the car whilst avoiding the monster and stumble upon an old cabin where they find well-known conspiracy theorist Evan (28) hiding. He tells them the creature is the legendary Bluestone Beast and it came from a secret research facility hidden within the park. Thinking him crazy they ignore his claims and focus on escaping, with a map Evan has, but in doing so Evan is killed taking the map with him, leaving Peter and Shane back to square one. They eventually discover the secret research facility Evan warned them about and venture inside for help, but find everyone dead except for a scientist called Noah (40). He tells them the monster was being kept prisoner and tested on. He doesn’t know where it came from, but he wanted to expose the project and so invited Evan to see for himself and help him report it. Evan foolishly released the monster and it killed everyone before escaping. Since then he’s been trying to recapture it before it kills more people. Peter and Shane choose to help him trap the monster seeing it as the only way they’ll escape alive. They manage to lure the animal back inside its cage, but Noah sacrifices himself so the other two can escape. They leave the facility and bump into Darla who has been following the trail of carnage left by the monster in the hopes of finding them. She doesn’t believe their claims of a monster, but when they try to show her the FBI show up to secure the area. The existence of the monster is covered up, but Peter and Shane have developed a strong friendship and spend time hanging out together. And as the rumours of the monster spread, the national park’s visitor numbers increase and Darla keeps her job. However deep within a cave, an egg hatches.