Class B First-hand BFRO #12919

Youth has nighttime sighting along Rock River

15 November 1986 about 7 p.m. Erie, Whiteside County, Illinois 1 witness

Account

The witness was home alone in the evening when the dogs became agitated and ran toward the pasture and river. The witness followed carrying a shotgun and observed a hairy humanlike figure near where the dogs stopped at the river edge. After a shot was fired into the air the figure departed with a distinctive walk and the witness returned quickly to the house. Large footprints were noted in the snow between the pasture and the river.

Summary drafted by AI from the source report and checked by code before I publish it. The witness's own words remain with the publisher — read the original report .

What was reported

Every kind of observation in the account. Select one to find other encounters with it.

Sightings

Physical traces

Described appearance

In the source's own words, field by field. Hover a field's marker to see where it was read.

Height src
at least seven feet tall
Build src
muscular, weighed over 300 lbs
Hair colour src
either black or very dark brown
Arms src
hung down close to its knees
Gait src
airborne shuffle, fast walk with long stride
Other features src
hairy humanoid

Facts & provenance

Each value names where it came from.

Date
15 November 1986
Stated BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, labelled fields: Year, Month, Date
Time of day
about 7 p.m.
Stated BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, “Time And Conditions” section
Place
Erie, Whiteside County, Illinois
Stated BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, labelled fields: State, County, Nearest Town, Location Details, Nearest Road
Map point
41.60, -90.10 (± 6 km)
Stated BFRO map layer · BFRO published map layer · read with 85% confidence
BFRO map layer point for report 12919 (1 decimals, no boundary)
Account type
First-hand
Stated BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witnesses
1
Derived BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, “Other Witnesses” section
Figures reported
1
Derived BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witness was
letting dogs out at home
Stated BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witness's word for it
a hairy humanoid figure
Stated BFRO report #12919 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Source classification
Class B
Stated BFRO report #12919 · BFRO classification label

Evidence & investigation

What the source says was found or done. Claimed evidence is listed as claimed; the Anomadex has not examined it.

Investigated by
Stan Courtney (BFRO)
Tracks

several footprints in snow from pasture to river observed during and after encounter

Measurements: eighteen inches long, seven inches wide at ball, narrower at heel

BFRO report, “Follow-Up” section
Follow-up

An investigator spoke with the witness by phone and recorded additional details.

BFRO report, “Follow-Up” section

Source timeline

Every record this entry is built from, earliest known first. Records are versioned and never edited in place.

  1. Published 2005-10-28 Retrieved 2026-09-25 Version 1 Hash 36df47c42627
    BFRO - Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization
  2. BFRO map layer Reference
    Retrieved 2026-09-24 Version 1 Hash cfb8a3d423b7
    BFRO - Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization