Within Modern Reports
What Idaho's UFO Database Really Tells US
Public UFO databases reveal where Idaho reports cluster, but they also show the limits of self-submitted sightings.
On this page
- How NUFORC collects and grades Idaho sighting reports
- Why Boise and the Treasure Valley dominate submissions
- The difference between raw sightings and credible cases
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
The modern picture of UFO reporting in Idaho is shaped less by police files or military investigations than by a single public archive: the database run by the National UFO Reporting Center, usually known as NUFORC. For anyone trying to understand contemporary Idaho sightings, the database is both extremely useful and deeply imperfect. It reveals where reports cluster, when people are most likely to submit sightings, and how witnesses describe unusual objects. At the same time, it also shows the weaknesses of self-submitted evidence: duplication, misidentifications, uneven detail, and dramatic claims that cannot easily be verified.
Idaho is a good example of how UFO databases work in practice. Reports heavily concentrate around Boise, Nampa, Meridian and the wider Treasure Valley, while dark-sky areas in central Idaho generate a second layer of rural sightings. That pattern says as much about population density, viewing conditions and internet reporting culture as it does about unexplained phenomena. The NUFORC archive is therefore best treated as a map of human reporting behaviour as well as a catalogue of unexplained aerial observations. [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORCNUFORC Reports for State IDNUFORC Reports for State ID.; Open, 07/19/2025 23:15, Boise, ID, USA; Open, 07/18/2025 00:30, Driggs… [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORCNational UFO Reporting Center | Report a UFO | Report a UAPThe most trustworthy, transparent and respectful organization for UFO/UA…
How NUFORC collects and grades Idaho sighting reports
NUFORC is a private reporting organisation founded in the 1970s, not a government agency or scientific observatory. Witnesses submit reports directly through an online form, usually describing the date, location, duration, object shape, movement, colour and any unusual behaviour they observed. The resulting archive is searchable by state, city, object type and year. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNational UFO Reporting CenterNational UFO Reporting Center [NUFORC]nuforc.orgData Bank | NUFORCNUFORCData Bank | NUFORC - Latest UFO SightingsThe NUFORC Databank is the largest independently collected set of UFO / UAP sighting repor…
That structure gives Idaho researchers something valuable: a long-running public record that captures sightings which would otherwise disappear into local conversation or social media. Many Idaho entries were submitted within hours of the event, which can reduce memory distortion. Some also include photographs, weather context, or references to aircraft traffic. A few reports are surprisingly detailed.
But the archive has important limitations that affect reliability:
- NUFORC generally records what witnesses report rather than independently proving what they saw.
- Most reports come from single observers with no corroborating sensor data.
- Entries vary enormously in quality, from detailed narratives to one-sentence claims.
- Witnesses are not trained observers, and many sightings occur under poor viewing conditions at night.
- Reports can be influenced by news cycles, viral UFO stories, Starlink satellite launches or online discussion.
NUFORC itself acknowledges that newer reports are now graded, while many older ones were never reviewed under the same standards. The organisation introduced a more formal grading system for reports submitted after March 2023, but the historical Idaho archive remains uneven because decades of entries were gathered under different practices and staffing levels. [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORCNUFORC UFO Sighting 18852125 Mar 2025 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 188521. Occurred: 2025-03-24 22:20 Local Reported: 2025-03-24 22:07 Pac…
That inconsistency matters when readers browse Idaho cases from different eras. A 1999 Boise report and a 2025 Boise report may appear side by side in the database, even though they were processed under different review systems and different assumptions about verification.
Why Boise and the Treasure Valley dominate submissions
The strongest trend in Idaho’s NUFORC record is geographic concentration. Boise and the surrounding Treasure Valley consistently produce the largest share of reports. Nampa, Meridian, Eagle and Caldwell also appear frequently. NUFORC [Stars and Stripes]stripes.comStars and Stripes Over 40 UFO sightings reported in Idaho this year?Here's…3 Nov 2022 — So far this year, Boise leads the way in Idaho for UFO sightings with 12 reports, followed by nine in Nampa and th…
At first glance, that can look mysterious. In practice, several ordinary factors explain much of the concentration.
Population density drives reporting
Most Idaho residents live in the Boise metropolitan region. More people simply means more potential observers. A state with large empty rural areas will naturally generate its highest number of reports where most residents actually live.
This becomes clearer when comparing Idaho’s map with its demographics. The database does not show remote mountain counties suddenly producing huge numbers of sightings relative to their population. Instead, it broadly follows the state’s urban corridor.
Treasure Valley skies create visual ambiguity
The Treasure Valley also sits beneath active aviation routes. Commercial traffic associated with Boise Airport mixes with private aircraft, helicopters, military flights and high-altitude traffic crossing the western United States. Under certain lighting conditions, especially shortly after sunset, ordinary aircraft can appear unusually bright, stationary or oddly shaped.
[Many Idaho reports describe:]stripes.comStars and Stripes Over 40 UFO sightings reported in Idaho this year?Here's…3 Nov 2022 — So far this year, Boise leads the way in Idaho for UFO sightings with 12 reports, followed by nine in Nampa and th…
- bright hovering lights,
- triangular silhouettes,
- pulsing white or amber objects,
- objects apparently changing direction,
- silent movement at night.
Those descriptions are common in UFO databases nationally and are not unique to Idaho. They often emerge when observers lack distance references in dark skies.
Several Boise-area entries illustrate the problem clearly. Some reports describe large triangular or rectangular craft crossing the city at low altitude, yet provide no photographs, radar data or multiple independent witnesses despite occurring over populated suburbs. [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORC UFO Sighting 18481912 Dec 2024 — Duration: 3 minutes. No of observers: 1. Location: Eagle, ID, USA. Shape: Rectangle. Color: white… [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORC UFO Sighting 1893296 May 2025 — Reported: 2025-05-02 22:51 Pacific Duration: 5-10 seconds. No of observers: 2. Location: Boise, ID…
That does not automatically make the witnesses dishonest. It shows how difficult it is to estimate altitude, speed and size at night.
Dark skies increase both genuine observation and misidentification
Idaho’s unusually dark skies contribute another layer. Stargazing conditions around central Idaho, the Sawtooth region and parts of eastern Idaho are among the best in the United States. Those conditions increase visibility of satellites, meteors, atmospheric effects and astronomical events that urban residents elsewhere might never notice.
The Idaho Statesman noted that many Idaho reports come from west-central mountain areas with darker skies and better visibility conditions. [Idaho Statesman]idahostatesman.comIdaho StatesmanUFOs above Boise? Six reports since 20232 May 2024 — The National UFO Reporting Center tracks UAP reports for every state…
This creates a paradox central to Idaho UFO reporting:
- dark skies genuinely increase the chance of seeing unusual aerial events,
- but they also increase the chance of misidentifying ordinary objects.
The difference between raw sightings and credible cases
One of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding UFO databases is the assumption that every entry carries equal evidential weight. NUFORC’s Idaho archive demonstrates why that is not true.
A raw sighting is simply a claim that someone saw something unusual. A credible case requires additional support.
What makes an Idaho report more credible
The stronger Idaho cases tend to share several features:
- multiple independent witnesses,
- short reporting delay,
- precise time and location data,
- corroborating photographs or video,
- observable interaction with known aircraft or terrain,
- behaviour inconsistent with obvious satellites or meteors,
- consistency across separate accounts.
Even then, “credible” does not mean extraterrestrial. It means the report is harder to dismiss quickly.
Some Idaho reports gain credibility because the witness immediately recognised common explanations and ruled them out. Others become more interesting because they occurred over populated areas where multiple observers independently submitted similar descriptions.
What weakens reliability
Many Idaho entries contain classic warning signs of weak evidence:
- enormous estimated object sizes,
- impossible speed calculations,
- contradictory movement descriptions,
- observations lasting only seconds,
- reports submitted years after the alleged event,
- language shaped by UFO culture rather than direct observation.
Examples from the archive show how quickly interpretation can drift beyond the underlying observation. A witness may initially describe a bright light, but later infer impossible acceleration or extraterrestrial origin without independent confirmation. [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORCNUFORC UFO Sighting 1959196 Feb 2026 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 195919. Occurred: 2026-02-02 02:30 Local Reported: 2026-02-02 02:17 Paci… [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORC UFO Sighting 171100NUFORC UFO Sighting 171100. Occurred: 2022-08-13 03:20 Local Reported: 2022-08-13 04:03 Pacific Duration: 30 mi…
Some entries also contain possible explanations directly appended by NUFORC reviewers. One Idaho Falls report involving a green light was flagged as a possible meteor, while a 2016 Buhl case involving a glowing rectangular object was annotated as likely space debris. [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORC UFO Sighting 72561NUFORC UFO Sighting 72561. Occurred: 2009-09-23 01:00 Local Reported: 2009-09-23 02:31 Pacific Duration: 2 Hrs N…
Those editorial notes are important because they show that at least some reports become less mysterious after basic review.
Why Idaho’s numbers can be misleading
Headline statistics about Idaho UFO sightings often sound dramatic. Media stories periodically claim that Idaho ranks unusually high for sightings per capita. [Stars and Stripes]stripes.comStars and Stripes Over 40 UFO sightings reported in Idaho this year?Here's…3 Nov 2022 — So far this year, Boise leads the way in Idaho for UFO sightings with 12 reports, followed by nine in Nampa and th… [2cdapress.com]cdapress.comufos over idaho29 Oct 2022 — UFOs over Idaho… Idaho wants to believe — a myvision.org study found that one-third of nearly 1,300 unidentified flying…
Those rankings are real in a statistical sense, but they require careful interpretation.
Per-capita calculations can exaggerate activity in smaller states. Idaho’s relatively low population means even moderate reporting levels can produce high national rankings. That does not necessarily mean Idaho experiences more unexplained phenomena than larger states.
The NUFORC archive also contains several structural biases:
Reporting spikes follow media attention
National UFO news regularly produces temporary increases in local reports. Congressional hearings, military UAP stories, viral drone footage or social media discussions can all encourage more people to reinterpret ordinary sightings as unusual.
This means a rise in Idaho reports may reflect increased public attention rather than a sudden increase in unexplained objects.
Online reporting culture shapes the archive
Modern witnesses are far more likely to submit online forms than residents were in the 1970s or 1980s. As internet use expanded, the volume of Idaho reports naturally increased.
That creates the illusion of accelerating activity even when the underlying rate of unusual observations may not have changed much.
The archive favours memorable events
People rarely report ordinary lights they quickly identify. They report events that felt emotionally striking, confusing or dramatic. The database therefore reflects selective human attention rather than a neutral scientific sample.
What the NUFORC Idaho archive is actually good for
Despite its weaknesses, the Idaho NUFORC database remains valuable when used carefully.
It is useful for identifying:
- long-term geographic clusters,
- repeated witness descriptions,
- periods of increased reporting,
- patterns linked to aviation corridors,
- local folklore surrounding UFO activity,
- recurring misidentification trends.
It is much less reliable as proof of extraordinary craft.
The archive is especially effective as a cultural and behavioural record. It shows how Idaho residents interpret unusual sky events across decades. Reports from the late 1990s often describe discs and triangles in classic “flying saucer” language, while newer entries increasingly describe drones, orbs and silent geometric lights. [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORCNUFORC UFO Sighting 146006August 20, 2023 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 146006; Occurred: 2019-05-06 01:35 Local; Reported: 2019-05-07 15… [NUFORC]nuforc.orgNUFORC UFO Sighting 128915We saw a very large, long object with orangish lights on the bottom, moving over the tree tops right in town. O…
That evolution mirrors broader changes in technology and public imagination.
The database also helps separate Idaho’s stronger modern cases from simple quantity inflation. Hundreds of reports do not automatically equal hundreds of unexplained events. Most entries remain unresolved because the evidence is too limited to reach firm conclusions either way.
The central lesson from Idaho’s UFO database
The Idaho NUFORC archive is most revealing when readers stop treating it as a catalogue of confirmed mysteries and start viewing it as layered evidence.
Some entries are probably misidentified satellites, meteors, aircraft, balloons or drones. Some are too vague to analyse properly. A smaller number remain genuinely puzzling because the available details do not fit obvious explanations cleanly.
What makes Idaho interesting is not that the state produces definitive proof of extraordinary craft. It is that Idaho combines dark skies, visible air traffic, outdoor culture, sparse terrain and active public reporting into an unusually rich environment for modern UFO storytelling and observation.
The NUFORC database captures that environment in raw form: sincere witness testimony, uncertain interpretation, occasional investigation, and a large grey area between obvious explanation and unresolved observation.
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Examines sighting databases and patterns similar to those discussed in NUFORC reporting.
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Endnotes
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/subndx/?id=lIDSource snippet
NUFORCNUFORC Reports for State IDNUFORC Reports for State ID.; Open, 07/19/2025 23:15, Boise, ID, USA; Open, 07/18/2025 00:30, Driggs...
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/Source snippet
NUFORCNational UFO Reporting Center | Report a UFO | Report a UAPThe most trustworthy, transparent and respectful organization for UFO/UA...
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Source: stripes.com
Title: Stars and Stripes Over 40 UFO sightings reported in Idaho this year?
Link: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2022-11-03/43-ufo-sightings-idaho-past-year-7913804.htmlSource snippet
Here's...3 Nov 2022 — So far this year, Boise leads the way in Idaho for UFO sightings with 12 reports, followed by nine in Nampa and th...
-
Source: Wikipedia
Title: National UFO Reporting Center
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_UFO_Reporting_Center -
Source: nuforc.org
Title: Data Bank | NUFORC
Link: https://nuforc.org/databank/Source snippet
NUFORCData Bank | NUFORC - Latest UFO SightingsThe NUFORC Databank is the largest independently collected set of UFO / UAP sighting repor...
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=188521Source snippet
NUFORCNUFORC UFO Sighting 18852125 Mar 2025 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 188521. Occurred: 2025-03-24 22:20 Local Reported: 2025-03-24 22:07 Pac...
Published: March 24, 2025
-
Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=184819Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 18481912 Dec 2024 — Duration: 3 minutes. No of observers: 1. Location: Eagle, ID, USA. Shape: Rectangle. Color: white...
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=189329Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 1893296 May 2025 — Reported: 2025-05-02 22:51 Pacific Duration: 5-10 seconds. No of observers: 2. Location: Boise, ID...
Published: May 2, 2025
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=195919Source snippet
NUFORCNUFORC UFO Sighting 1959196 Feb 2026 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 195919. Occurred: 2026-02-02 02:30 Local Reported: 2026-02-02 02:17 Paci...
Published: February 2, 2026
-
Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=171100Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 171100NUFORC UFO Sighting 171100. Occurred: 2022-08-13 03:20 Local Reported: 2022-08-13 04:03 Pacific Duration: 30 mi...
Published: August 13, 2022
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=72561Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 72561NUFORC UFO Sighting 72561. Occurred: 2009-09-23 01:00 Local Reported: 2009-09-23 02:31 Pacific Duration: 2 Hrs N...
Published: September 23, 2009
-
Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=146006Source snippet
NUFORCNUFORC UFO Sighting 146006August 20, 2023 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 146006; Occurred: 2019-05-06 01:35 Local; Reported: 2019-05-07 15...
Published: May 6, 2019
-
Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=128915Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 128915We saw a very large, long object with orangish lights on the bottom, moving over the tree tops right in town. O...
-
Source: cdapress.com
Title: ufos over idaho
Link: https://cdapress.com/news/2022/oct/29/ufos-over-idaho/Source snippet
29 Oct 2022 — UFOs over Idaho... Idaho wants to believe — a myvision.org study found that one-third of nearly 1,300 unidentified flying...
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Source: nuforc.org
Title: NUFOR C Reports by Location NUFORC Reports by Location; USA
Link: https://nuforc.org/ndx/?id=locSource snippet
NUFORC Reports by LocationNUFORC Reports by Location; USA - North Carolina, 3917; USA - North Dakota, 291; USA - Nebraska, 752; USA...
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=153203Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 153203NUFORC UFO Sighting 153203 · Occurred: 2020-02-11 06:05 Local · Reported: 2020-02-11 06:16 Pacific · Duration...
Published: February 11, 2020
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=192755Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 19275529 Sept 2025 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 192755; Occurred: 2025-09-25 16:50 Local; Reported: 2025-09-25 05:55 Pacif...
Published: September 25, 2025
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=188626Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 18862631 Mar 2025 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 188626. Occurred: 2025-03-29 22:21 Local Reported: 2025-03-29 22:03 Pacific D...
Published: March 29, 2025
-
Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=129210Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 129210NUFORC UFO Sighting 129210. Occurred: 2016-08-08 18:15 Local Reported: 2016-08-12 17:46 Pacific Duration: 40 mi...
Published: August 8, 2016
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=178916Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 17891628 Oct 2023 — NUFORC UFO Sighting 178916. Occurred: 2023-10-15 02:00 Local Reported: 2023-10-15 13:20 Pacific D...
Published: October 15, 2023
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=183379Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 18337915 Oct 2024 — Occurred: 2024-10-07 22:00 Local · Reported: 2024-10-08 09:06 Pacific · Duration: 30 minutes · No...
Published: October 7, 2024
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=106135Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 106135NUFORC UFO Sighting 106135. Occurred: 2014-01-08 18:20 Local Reported: 2014-01-08 18:36 Pacific Duration: 3-5 m...
Published: January 8, 2014
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: List of reported UFO sightings
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reported_UFO_sightingsSource snippet
List of reported UFO sightingsMost commonly reported shapes in UFO sightings gathered in the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) On...
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Source: idahostatesman.com
Link: https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/northwest/idaho/article288242655.htmlSource snippet
Idaho StatesmanUFOs above Boise? Six reports since 20232 May 2024 — The National UFO Reporting Center tracks UAP reports for every state...
Published: May 2024
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/postregister/posts/one-report-of-an-idaho-falls-ufo-sighting-came-in-jan-6-2020-and-is-recorded-on-/10164494164980431/Source snippet
One report of an Idaho Falls UFO sighting came in Jan. 6...One report of an Idaho Falls UFO sighting came in Jan. 6, 2020, and is record...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/NYPost/posts/the-department-of-war-released-a-new-wave-of-ufo-files-on-may-22/1419240903401235/Source snippet
concluded that no UFO had ever been a threat to national security...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/RGJmedia/posts/the-defense-department-released-a-second-batch-of-previously-classified-files-on/1387767073385572/Source snippet
sts 510 cases of sightings of objects that we used to call...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nraHhvzdZAQSource snippet
On World UFO Day, man says nuclear fallout is why Idaho has so many sightings...
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Source: stacker.com
Title: cities most ufo sightings idaho
Link: https://stacker.com/stories/idaho/cities-most-ufo-sightings-idahoSource snippet
Cities With the Most UFO Sightings in Idaho12 May 2025 — Stacker compiled a ranking of cities with the most UFO sightings in Idaho using...
Published: May 2025
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Source: stacker.com
Title: see how many ufo sightings have occurred idaho
Link: https://stacker.com/stories/idaho/see-how-many-ufo-sightings-have-occurred-idahoSource snippet
For each state, we've also included details of famous UFO sightings in that state. Of...Read more...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: The fascination, history behind UFO sightings in Idaho
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDl1NgleQRMSource snippet
AI Found Hidden Patterns in 150,000 UFO Reports | ft. Christian Stepien, National UFO Database CTO...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews/posts/a-senior-us-intelligence-officer-said-he-saw-countless-orange-orbs-swarming-in-a/1478242771006377/Source snippet
n all directions" last year...
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Source: leonarddavid.com
Link: https://www.leonarddavid.com/33290-2/Source snippet
UFO Spotting: Top 10 U.S. States23 Jul 2022 —... Idaho – 67.13 sightings per 100,000 residents. Idaho ranks ninth place with 67.13 sight...
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Source: vice.com
Title: The 10 U.S
Link: https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-10-u-s-cities-where-youre-most-likely-to-see-a-ufo-ranked/Source snippet
Cities Where You're Most Likely to See a UFO...6 May 2026 — BetUS analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center dating back to 2...
Published: May 2026
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