Class A First-hand BFRO #1786

2 young men report seeing "hairy ape-like being"

11 November 2000 about 5:00-7:00 am at dawn South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana 2 witnesses

Account

The witness and a companion were hiking in woods near a creek when they heard noises and noticed footprints with pieces of wood around them. The witness then saw a hairy ape-like figure about twenty yards away. Both individuals fled and returned home, where a family member did not believe them.

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
about 6'8"
Other features src
hairy ape-like

Facts & provenance

Each value names where it came from.

Date
11 November 2000
Stated BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, labelled fields: Year, Month, Date
Time of day
about 5:00-7:00 am at dawn
Stated BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, “Time And Conditions” section
Place
South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana
Stated BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, labelled fields: State, County, Nearest Town, Location Details, Nearest Road
Map point
41.6177, -86.2880 (± 20 km)
Geocoded BFRO report #1786 · gazetteer:county · read with 30% confidence
Census 2023 Gazetteer centroid of St. Joseph County (GEOID 18141); the report gives only the county
Account type
First-hand
Stated BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witnesses
2
Derived BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Figures reported
1
Derived BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, “Observed” section · read with 85% confidence
Witness was
hiking in woods
Stated BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witness's word for it
hairy ape-like being
Stated BFRO report #1786 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Source classification
Class A
Stated BFRO report #1786 · 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.

Tracks

footprints with pieces of wood around them found while hiking

BFRO report, “Observed” section
Follow-up

An investigator spoke with the witness and a family member and planned to follow up about the book reference.

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 2001-02-19 Retrieved 2026-09-25 Version 1 Hash 8011990d570d
    BFRO - Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization

The report refers to

  • “Sister Lakes Monster”
    Not in the Anomadex yet