Class A First-hand BFRO #26823

Daylight sighting by hunter and son in Richloam Wildlife Management Area

18 October 2009 11:34 A.M. Mascote, Sumter County, Florida 2 witnesses

Account

The witness and a relative were driving to a store after hunting when they saw a large hairy biped partly behind a scrub oak beside a curved road. The witness slowed and watched it for about 10-15 seconds from about 20-25 feet away before passing and turning around, by which time it was gone. After returning to the spot they noticed a strong foul odor and large ground impressions with flattened plants.

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

Other senses

Described appearance

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

Height src
about 7 1/2 ft. to 8 ft. tall
Build src
fairly muscular
Hair colour src
dark brown with a redish tint
Hair length src
short on face, longer on body
Face src
covered with short hair
Eyes src
dark
Arms src
about as thick as calves
Hands src
huge
Legs src
very thick with defined muscular appearance
Posture src
standing on two legs
Other features src
about 3 1/2 ft. to 4 ft. across the shoulders, short neck, big head, flat wide nose, wide mouth in proportion to head, ears not visible under hair

Facts & provenance

Each value names where it came from.

Date
18 October 2009
Stated BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, labelled fields: Year, Month, Date
Time of day
11:34 A.M.
Stated BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, “Time And Conditions” section
Place
Mascote, Sumter County, Florida
Stated BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, labelled fields: State, County, Nearest Town, Location Details, Nearest Road
Map point
28.45, -81.96 (± 1000 m)
Stated BFRO map layer · BFRO published map layer · read with 85% confidence
BFRO map layer point for report 26823 with published boundary
Account type
First-hand
Stated BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witnesses
2
Derived BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, “Other Witnesses” section
Figures reported
1
Derived BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, “Follow-Up” section
Witness was
driving to a store for drinks
Stated BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witness's word for it
a 'bigfoot'
Stated BFRO report #26823 · BFRO report, “Follow-Up” section
Source classification
Class A
Stated BFRO report #26823 · 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
Cathy Betz (BFRO)
Tracks

large impressions in the ground found at the spot where the creature entered the woods

BFRO report, “Follow-Up” section
Other

smashed-down palmetto plants at the spot

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

An investigator spoke with the witness by phone and added details to the report.

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 2009-10-31 Retrieved 2026-09-25 Version 1 Hash d579b9383f2b
    BFRO - Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization
  2. BFRO map layer Reference
    Retrieved 2026-09-24 Version 1 Hash cfb8a3d423b7
    BFRO - Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization